by Lucie AUBOURG Agence France Presse British billionaire Richard Branson flew into space Sunday aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel, a voyage he described as the “experience of a lifetime” — and one he hopes will usher in an era of lucrative space tourism. The mission’s success allowed the swashbuckling septuagenarian to one-up fellow tycoon Jeff Bezos — who owns space company Blue Origin and is set to launch on July 20 — in the […]
Other News
Lightning strikes kill more than 50 in India
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — More than 50 people were killed in lightning strikes across several states in India, authorities said Monday, including 11 people at a historic fort. Hundreds of people are killed each year in intense storms at the start of the monsoon season, which bring respite from the summer heat across the northern Indian plains. Media reports said about 10 other people were killed Sunday in the desert state of Rajasthan and […]
Road to “herd immunity”: San Juan City vaccinates with first dose 70 percent of its population
Malacanang lauds the country’s historic initial victory against the COVID-19 pandemic (Eagle News) – San Juan City announced it had already vaccinated with the first dose 70 percent of its population, representing the initial victory of the country against the COVID-19 pandemic. With this declaration, San Juan City is the first ever city in the country to achieve the vaccination of its target population using the first dose. It also aims to achieve herd […]
McGregor undergoes surgery, vows to return to octagon
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Conor McGregor underwent three hours of surgery on Sunday, less than 24 hours after suffering a “clean” break of his left shinbone during a devastating UFC defeat to American brawler Dustin Poirier. Doctors revealed that McGregor broke his left tibia and fibula bones in the opening round of the non-title lightweight bout in Las Vegas. McGregor said in a video message posted on social media that he expects to […]
Giannis joins Jordan, Shaq, LeBron in NBA Finals history
MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo joined an elite list of stars with back-to-back 40-point NBA Finals performances, but the Greek star forward stressed Sunday that “I’m no Michael Jordan.” Antetokounmpo became only the sixth player in NBA Finals history with 40 points in consecutive games, hitting 41 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a 120-100 Bucks victory over Phoenix. Milwaukee pulled within 2-1 in the best-of-seven championship series while the 26-year-old Greek forward, […]
Thailand sees tougher Covid-19 curbs bite, including Bangkok curfew
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Over ten million people were placed under fresh Covid-19 restrictions and a curfew in the Thai capital Monday, as the kingdom battles a surge of cases worsened by the highly infectious Alpha and Delta variants. Thailand has so far recorded more than 345,000 cases and 2,791 deaths — with the bulk of them coming in this latest wave that kicked off in April. First detected in clubs frequented by the Thai […]
PNP reports 86 more COVID-19 cases
(Eagle News) — Eighty-six more police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19. The Philippine National Police said the additional cases pushed the PNP COVID-19 cases to 28943. Of these, the PNP said 1475 were active. Recoveries rose to 27391 including the 28 additional ones. The COVID-19 death toll among police personnel is still at 77, with no additional fatalities reported. The COVID-19 vaccination of members of the police force is still ongoing. President Rodrigo Duterte […]
PHL vaccine experts studying use of Pfizer as “booster shot” for fully vaccinated Filipinos
(Eagle News) – Philippine vaccine experts are now studying using Pfizer as a third dose or booster shot, according to the chair of the National Vaccination Operations Center. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said that the Philippine government is in fact already preparing to get more Pfizer doses for this purpose by the end of the year in case a booster shot is indeed needed. Cabotaje said that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) […]
New Zealand’s Ardern calls emergency APEC pandemic meeting
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern on Monday announced a hastily convened virtual meeting of APEC leaders this week to discuss the Asia-Pacific region’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact. Ardern is scheduled to host the annual 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit online in November, but called an additional ‘informal’ meeting for this Friday to examine immediate steps to address the crisis. “This is the first time in […]
Giannis scores 41 as Bucks trim Suns’ lead in NBA Finals
MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 points and grabbed 13 rebounds on Sunday to lead Milwaukee over Phoenix 120-100, reviving the Bucks’ chances to win their first NBA title in 50 years. The 26-year-old Greek forward joined Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and LeBron James in 2016 as the only NBA Finals players with back-to-back 40-point, 10-rebound performances. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, who had 42 points and 12 rebounds in a […]
Flights canceled and schools closed as Beijing hit by storm
BEIJING, China (AFP) — Hundreds of flights were cancelled in Beijing as schools and tourist sites were shut due to torrential downpours and gale-force winds on Monday. City authorities issued warnings to residents to stay home as the Chinese capital faced its biggest storm this year. As much as 100 millimetres of rain is predicted through the day in some areas, and aviation tracker VariFlight recorded some 700 flights cancelled at the city’s two airports. […]
Goats: unlikely allies in California’s fight against wildfires
by Inès BEL AIBA GLENDALE, United States (AFP) — Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is simple: graze. Goats are an unlikely but increasingly popular weapon in California’s fight against the wildfires that rage through the western US state every year. On a recent hot July morning, a herd of 80 ungulates were deployed to a hilly patch of land in Glendale, just outside Los Angeles. They had been chomping away for the […]





