(Eagle News)–A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Davao Occidental on Friday, March 22. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake hit at 8:19 a.m. The epicenter was 214 kilometers southeast of Balut Island. The depth of focus was 94 kilometers. No damage to property nor aftershocks were reported.
Other News
PAGASA declares start of ‘warm, dry season’ in PHL
(Eagle News)–The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has declared the start of the “warm and dry season” in the Philippines. PAGASA made the declaration as it announced the termination of the northeast monsoon, with the retreat of the high-pressure area over Siberia and the strengthening of the North Pacific High that has led to a “gradual shift in the wind pattern from northeasterly to easterly and an increase in the air temperature over […]
Vietnam confirms recall of nearly 6,000 VinFast electric cars
HANOI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Vietnam’s leading electric car manufacturer VinFast has recalled almost 6,000 vehicles after a fault in their indicator system was discovered, the government has confirmed, in a fresh blow to the firm. The communist state’s first homegrown auto maker is hoping to compete with electric vehicle (EV) giants such as Tesla, and is trying to crack the global market. But VinFast has struggled to convince international drivers its EVs are […]
Rescuers end sea search for Rohingya refugees
By Zahlul Akbar MEULABOH, Indonesia, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Indonesian rescuers called off the search for Rohingya refugees missing at sea after their boat capsized, despite reports from some of the survivors that dozens of people were swept away. Friday’s announcement comes a day after authorities staged a dramatic rescue of 69 Rohingya who had been adrift at sea for weeks before the boat capsized, with many found clinging to the hull of the […]
Clothing giant Shein in focus as France targets fast fashion
By Jing Xuan Teng, with Peter Catterall in Beijing SHANGHAI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – With jaw-droppingly low prices and a seemingly endless selection of trendy clothes, Shein has taken the world by storm — and found itself in the crosshairs of French lawmakers who want to curb the excesses of fast fashion. Customers love the Chinese-founded firm’s massive catalogue of ultra-cheap items, from $8 sundresses to 48-cent bracelets, at a time when inflation has […]
North Korean delegation travelling to China, Vietnam and Laos
SEOUL, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – A North Korean ruling party delegation travelling to China, Vietnam and Laos has arrived in Beijing, Pyongyang’s state media said Friday. The delegation, led by alternate politburo member Kim Song Nam, was welcomed by a representative of the Chinese Communist Party at the airport on Thursday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, without specifying the exact nature of the trip. An earlier KCNA report said the delegation […]
Trump owes $454 million for fraud, but can he actually pay it?
By Nicolas REVISE NEW YORK, March 21, 2024 (AFP) – Donald Trump is up against a fast-approaching deadline to secure a half-billion dollar bond as he appeals his financial fraud case, facing possible bankruptcy or the seizure of his assets if he fails. The former president, who has clinched the Republican nomination for this year’s presidential election, is appealing his $355 million penalty, plus interest, after a New York court ruled that he, his sons […]
Lillard ‘phenomenal’ as Bucks bounce back against Nets
LOS ANGELES, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Damian Lillard scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and came up with two late steals as the Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from a loss to NBA leaders Boston with a 115-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Lillard added 12 assists and Milwaukee’s two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game injury absence to score 21 points with nine rebounds […]
36 Chinese military aircraft detected around Taiwan
By Amber Wang with Dene-Hern Chen in Hong Kong TAIPEI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Taipei’s defence ministry announced Friday the highest single-day number of Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island this year, which analysts attributed as a reaction to Taiwan’s political outreach to Europe in recent days. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under China’s control. Friday’s incursion, an […]
Launch of Russian spacecraft aborted moments before liftoff
MOSCOW, March 21, 2024 (AFP) – The launch of a Russian spacecraft to the International Space Station was aborted at the last minute on Thursday, in another high-profile setback for Russia’s space programme. The Russian Soyuz MS-25 mission was due to take off from the Baikonur space port in Kazakhstan on Thursday, carrying three astronauts from Russia, the United States and Belarus. But the launch was cancelled just seconds before scheduled blast-off at 4:21 […]
NASA: El Niño and climate change drive global sea level rise
Global average sea level rose by about 0.3 inches (0.76 centimeters) from 2022 to 2023 — nearly four times the increase of the previous year — NASA said Thursday, attributing the “significant jump” to a strong El Nino and a warming climate. The NASA-led analysis is based on more than 30 years of satellite observations, with the initial satellite launching in 1992 and the latest in 2020. Overall, sea levels have risen by around four […]
Battle for democracy – arrest of Indian opposition figure challenges Modi’s rule
By Abhaya SRIVASTAVA NEW DELHI, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – A top Indian opposition politician was expected to fight his arrest in court Friday in a case supporters say is aimed at sidelining challengers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi before next month’s election. Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of the capital Delhi and a key leader in an opposition alliance formed to compete against Modi in the polls, was detained on Thursday in connection with a […]





