BUCHAREST, Romania (AFP) — A fire at a Romanian hospital killed two patients early Thursday, officials said, the fourth such deadly blaze in a year in the EU member known for its dilapidated infrastructure. The blaze ripped through a hospital for infectious diseases in the southern city of Ploiesti shortly after 4:00 am local time. “The fire was extinguished fast, but unfortunately two people died”, Health Minister Cseke Atilla told local media, adding that an […]
Other News
Porters carry Istanbul’s trade traditions on their backs
by Remi BANET Agence France-Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) – Just blocks from Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, porter Bayram Yildiz waits his turn in a dark alley to heave a huge bale on his back nearly double his bodyweight. A few others linger beside him, picking up textiles from a lorry and lugging them to local shops before sunrise, their heads bowed and their knees bent. “I am half Hercules and half Rambo,” the muscle-bound 40-year-old joked, […]
Germany hits record new Covid cases in 24 hours
BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany registered a record 50,196 new Covid-19 infections Thursday, according to health authorities. It is the first time Germany has exceeded 50,000 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, and comes as infections and deaths have soared since mid-October. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the rise in infections as “dramatic”. “The pandemic is returning in a new spectacular fashion,” her spokesperson said, calling on regional authorities to take further steps […]
Sputnik V developer calls for mandatory vaccines in Russia
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — The developer of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V has said Moscow should make jabs mandatory as inoculation rates remain low despite record deaths and campaigning by authorities. His call came as Russia reported a record 1,239 Covid deaths in a single day Wednesday. Only 34 percent of the country is fully vaccinated, even though Sputnik V — the world’s first Covid vaccine — has been widely available since December last year. […]
Australia’s coal country looks to a less sooty future
by Andrew LEESON Agence France-Presse NEWCASTLE, Australia (AFP) – Australia’s conservative leaders have defied calls for urgent climate action, boasting they will sell coal for as long as anyone is buying. But in the country’s carbon heartland, locals are already preparing for life beyond fossil fuels. Two-hundred-and-thirty years ago, among the verdant outcrops that flank the southeastern coastal town of Newcastle, a band of escaped convicts made the first recorded discovery of coal on the […]
Beijing seals off mall, housing compounds after virus cases found
BEIJING, China,Beijing sealed off a large downtown mall and locked down several residential communities Thursday in response to a recent Covid flare-up, as the latest nationwide wave spread to the capital’s central districts. The latest spike occurred as a sensitive three-day meeting of top Communist Party leaders wraps up in the capital. China has largely curbed widespread transmission of Covid-19 through snap lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions, but authorities remain on high alert after […]
Parents targeted with misleading warnings on Covid-19 vaccination
by Marisha GOLDHAMER WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Registered nurse Melody Butler seeks to provide science-based answers to American parents as she urges them to vaccinate their children against Covid-19. But her efforts to do so on social media through Nurses Who Vaccinate — a volunteer group she founded — is up against a deluge of claims that the shots are dangerous. The claims are designed to evoke fear: a 16-year-old girl said to have […]
Covid booster demand surges in France after Macron’s speech
PARIS, France (AFP) — Demand for Covid booster jabs jumped in France after President Emmanuel Macron said a top-up dose would be necessary for people to retain their vaccine passes, the country’s main appointment booking site said Wednesday. “The Macron effect” prompted 149,000 requests for shots, most during and immediately after the president’s televised address on Tuesday evening, in which he warned that coronavirus cases were again on the rise, Doctolib said. Anticipation of the […]
Elon Musk sells $1.1 billion in Tesla shares
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk sold approximately $1.1 billion in shares of his electric car company, after indicating over the weekend he would sell 10 percent of his stock based on the results of a Twitter poll. However the sell was put in motion on September 14, according to documents filed Wednesday, meaning it was not spurred by the survey’s outcome. Musk, the world’s richest man, sold about 930,000 […]
China says launched enhanced climate action plan with US
GLASGOW, United Kingdom (AFP) – China and the United States on Wednesday announced a joint initiative to deliver enhanced climate action, Beijing’s longtime climate envoy told the COP26 summit. “Both sides recognise that there is a gap between the current effort and the Paris Agreement goals so we will jointly strengthen climate action,” Xie Zhenhua told reporters in a surprise announcement. China and US are the two largest emitters in the world and together account […]
Three senior police officials promoted to key PNP posts
(Eagle News) –Philippine National Police Guillermo Eleazar has designated three senior police officials to key PNP posts. The PNP said Police Brigadier General Oliver A. Enmodias now heads the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), the PNP operating unit tasked to implement the PNP internal disciplinary policy against irregularities, corruption and abuse by police personnel. Enmodias was the second-in-command in the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as the deputy director for administration. He replaced […]
Cloudy skies, rains expected in parts of PHL due to northeast monsoon, shear line: PAGASA
(Eagle News) — Cloudy skies and rains are expected in parts of the country. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Cagayan, Isabela, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Catanduanes, and Samar Provinces will have cloudy skies with scattered rains due to the shear line affecting the eastern section of Southern Luzon. PAGASA said flash floods or landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains are possible. Mindanao, Palawan, and the rest of Visayas, […]
