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KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — An international oil pipeline running through a key rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine blew up on Friday, Russian media said, with images showing a fireball lighting up the night sky. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline in the Russian-backed separatist city of Lugansk, Russia’s RIA Novosti state news agency said. The incident, the causes of which remain unclear, occurred during a sharp escalation in fighting that has redoubled fears that Russia […]
Northern, Central Luzon also affected by northeast monsoon (Eagle News)–The trough of a low pressure area is affecting Mindanao. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the northeast monsoon is also affecting Northern and Central Luzon. As a result, Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. Flashfloods or landslides during moderate to at times heavy rains are possible. Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, and […]
Malacanang wishes Cimatu good health as it cites his ‘stellar performance” in gov’t (Eagle News) — Environment Secretary Rey Cimatu has resigned due to health reasons and will be returning to private life, Malacanang confirmed on Friday, February 18. In a statement, acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles announced Cimatu’s resignation and wished him well after a “stellar service in government.” “Malacañang confirms the resignation of Roy Cimatu as Secretary of the Department of Environment […]
9.1 positivity rate, lowest so far this year (Eagle News) – The Department of Health reported 2,232 new Covid-19 cases and 3,010 new recoveries on Friday, February 18, the 21st straight day that new recoveries exceeded new cases. The total active Covid cases as of Friday were down to 65,796 or 1.8 percent of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The positivity rate is also down to […]
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea said it would ease pandemic restrictions Friday, even as the country’s daily caseload crossed 100,000 for the first time, with officials citing economic concerns over social distancing measures. The country reported a record 109,831 new infections for Thursday, with health experts warning this number could rise to 270,000 new cases a day next month. Despite the spike in cases, Seoul officials said they would ease restrictions by […]
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AFP) – A five-year-old boy trapped for three days down a well in a remote Afghan village has died, several Taliban officials said Friday. The child, named Haidar, slipped Tuesday to the bottom of a well being dug in Shokak, a parched village in Zabul province, around 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital Kabul. Rescuers worked non-stop to try to reach the boy, who officials said was still alive Friday morning […]
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Friday it had begun withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine’s border after running war games that had raised concerns in the West. “Another military train carrying personnel and military equipment belonging to tank army units of the western military district returned to their permanent bases in the Nizhny Novgorod region after completing scheduled exercises,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. Separately, […]
by John Hadoulis Agence France-Presse ATHENS, Greece (AFP) – Two minutes into a Greek jobs fair interview, Hashim, a 21-year-old Afghan refugee, is offered work as a waiter at a swanky Corfu hotel. It’s his ticket out of the grim migrant camp he has called home for the past year, but there’s a caveat: he has to cut his ponytail. “Health and safety protocol,” his interviewer explains. Hashim, who won asylum in Greece a month-and-a-half […]
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) – An Indian court sentenced 38 people to death on Friday over a string of bomb blasts in 2008 that killed dozens in the western city of Ahmedabad. The court had on February 8 convicted 49 people over the coordinated attacks that killed 56, launching shrapnel through markets, buses and other public places in Gujarat state’s commercial hub. “Special judge A R Patel awarded death sentence to 38 out of the 49 […]
by Sebastian Smith with Michael Mainville in Moscow and Dave Clark in Kyiv Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, D.C., United States (AFP) – The United States said Thursday that Russia is on the verge of unleashing a massive military attack against Ukraine, dismissing Moscow’s claim to be pulling forces back, as artillery fire hit a Ukrainian kindergarten. In a dramatic, previously unscheduled speech to the United Nations in New York, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) – New Zealand police ruled out forcibly clearing anti-vaccination protesters camped around parliament in Wellington on Friday, saying they did not want to provoke violence on the streets of the capital. Police have taken a hands-off approach after an attempt to take control of the lawns late last week resulted in violent clashes and 120 arrests. Commissioner Andrew Coster acknowledged growing frustration among Wellington residents and business owners as protest vehicles […]
MUNICH, Germany (AFP) – Russia is putting Europe’s security at risk with demands that hark back to the Cold War, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Friday, ahead of the annual Munich Security Conference set to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis. “With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and Cold War demands, Russia is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order,” Baerbock said in a statement. Moscow needs to […]
