Other News
Nearly 60,000 killed in 2023 Turkey, Syria quake: new toll
Last year’s massive earthquake in southeastern Turkey killed 53,537 people in the country, the interior minister said Friday, bringing the overall death toll to nearly 60,000. The government in neighbouring Syria has said 1,414 people died in areas under its control in the predawn disaster on February 6, 2023. Turkish-backed officials in northern Syria have put the toll in rebel-held regions at 4,537. The combined official death toll of 59,488 people makes last year’s quake […]
Jailbird: India releases pigeon accused of spying for China
A pigeon that spent eight months in Indian police custody has been released after it was finally cleared of being a suspected Chinese spy. The bird was caught at a port in the financial capital Mumbai with “messages written in a Chinese-like script” on its wings, the Times of India newspaper reported. “Initially, the police had registered a case of spying against the bird, but after completing their inquiry, they dropped the charge,” the report […]
Red Sea crisis strands thousands of Australian sheep, cows
Australian welfare groups are demanding the release of thousands of sheep and cattle stuck aboard a ship after their trip to the Middle East was diverted by Yemen’s Huthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea. The livestock — reportedly more than 15,000 animals, mostly sheep — have spent about four weeks aboard the MV Bahijah since setting sail from Fremantle, Perth in Western Australia on January 5. The ship abandoned its plan to voyage through […]
Iran’s long-lasting love for gemstones
By Menna Zaki and Ramin Khanizadeh TEHRAN, Feb 2, 2024 (AFP) – At a prominent Shiite shrine in southern Tehran, Qasem Ashgari was buying yet another gemstone ring in the hope it would help his prayers to be answered promptly. Asghari, in his 30s, who was already wearing several bands on each hand, had a specific ring in mind: a silver one, adorned with yellow agate and engraved with religious scripts. “The reward of one […]
Taylor Swift eyes record at Grammys as women take center stage
By Maggy DONALDSON All eyes are on — who else? — Taylor Swift ahead of Sunday’s Grammys, when the megastar could break the record for most Album of the Year wins at a gala where women finally are taking center stage. SZA will arrive at the star-studded event in Los Angeles as the evening’s top nominee with nine, while Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Miley Cyrus are also in the running for the show’s top […]
Key nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards
Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the 66th annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday in Los Angeles. SZA led all contenders with nine nominations, as women including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Victoria Monet and Phoebe Bridgers along with the group boygenius ruled the slate. When it comes to the night’s most prestigious top album prize, a woman will win — or jazzman Jon Batiste, […]
Kim inspects warships as North Korea prepares for conflict
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected warships at a shipyard in a renewed drive to bolster his naval forces as his country ramps up “war preparations”, state media said Friday. In recent weeks, Kim has declared South Korea his country’s “principal enemy”, jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement. He also recently hailed the test launch of a new strategic cruise missile from a […]
Coste ‘proud’ to carry Olympic torch 76 years after winning gold
When the Olympic torch relay gets underway in France in May keep an eye open for Charles Coste, France’s oldest living Olympic champion. Coste, who will turn 100 on February 8, pedalled his way to glory in the men’s team cycling pursuit 76 years ago in the 1948 Olympics in London. He has bad knees these days but is hoping to do his bit for Paris 2024. “It will be unforgettable and I’m very proud,” […]
BSP expects January 2024 inflation to settle within 2.8 to 3.6 percent range
(Eagle News)–The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects the country’s January 2024 inflation to settle within the 2.8 to 3.6 percent range. Inflation measures how fast the prices of goods and services are rising. In its month-ahead inflation forecast, the BSP said the higher prices of some agricultural items, like rice, meat, fruits, and fish, along with increased petroleum prices, electricity and water rates, annual adjustment in sin taxes, and the depreciation of the peso are […]
Meta, Amazon beat expectations with stellar results
By Glenn CHAPMAN Meta and Amazon on Thursday blew through expectations in their latest quarterly results as Big Tech continued to impress Wall Street. Meta, the tech titan behind Facebook and Instagram, reported a profit of $14 billion in the final three months of last year, beating analyst forecasts as revenue climbed to $40.1 billion in the quarter. The company said Facebook’s monthly users stood at 3.07 billion people, 20 years after the platform was […]
4.8-magnitude earthquake strikes off Surigao del Sur early Friday, Feb. 2
(Eagle News)–A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Surigao del Sur early Friday, Feb. 2. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake hit at 5:35 a.m. The epicenter was 78 kilometers northeast of Lingig. The depth of focus was 10 kilometers. No damage to property nor aftershocks were reported.
