Other News

Lebanon blast killed at least 137, injured 5,000: ministry

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — The huge blast at Beirut port has killed at least 137 people, left dozens missing and at least 5,000 wounded, a Lebanese health ministry spokesperson said Thursday. Tuesday’s explosion obliterated part of the port and caused damage over a wide radius in the heart of the city, prompting fears the final death toll could yet rise significantly. © Agence France-Presse

DFA: 2 more Filipino seafarers reported missing after Lebanon blast found

(Eagle News) — Two more Filipino seafarers who were reported missing after Tuesday’s explosion in Beirut, Lebanon have been found and are safe, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, Aug. 6. According to the DFA, with the development, 13 seafarers who went missing following the explosion that killed over 135 according to Red Cross are accounted for. “Our Embassy in Beirut has ascertained the conditions of all the 13 Filipino seafarers who were […]

PhilHealth denies corruption allegations vs its senior officials

(Eagle News) — PhilHealth on Thursday, Aug. 6, denied the corruption allegations made by a newly-resigned employee against its senior officials. In a statement, PhilHealth said its senior officials never pocketed around P15 billion as alleged by Thorrsson Montes Keith during a Senate hearing on Aug. 4. Keith was PhilHealth’s anti-fraud officer who cited “widespread corruption” as one of the reasons for his resignation in his letter to PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales in July. According […]

NBA Lakers thumped by Thunder, Raptors and Celtics win

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Having clinched a Western Conference top seed in the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers began experimenting for the post-season Wednesday and found they still have some work to do. In their first game since taking the top spot, the Lakers were routed 105-86 by Oklahoma City, never leading for the first time all season. Chris Paul scored a game-high 21 points and Italian forward Danilo Gallinari added 19 as […]

PHL economy in technical recession

(Eagle News) — The Philippine economy contracted by a record-16.5 percent in the second quarter, from April to June, officially plunging the country into a technical recession. A technical recession takes place when there are two successive quarters of negative gross domestic product caused mainly by an isolated event. This is distinct from a recession, which is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP due to an underlying economic problem. During the first quarter, Philippine […]

Japan marks 75th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bombing

by Philip FONG HIROSHIMA, Japan (AFP) — Japan on Thursday marked 75 years since the world’s first atomic bomb attack, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing a scaling back of ceremonies to remember the victims. Survivors, relatives and a handful of foreign dignitaries attended this year’s main event in Hiroshima to pray for those killed or wounded in the bombing and call for world peace. But the general public was kept away, with the ceremony instead […]

US adds 1,242 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States added 1,262 more deaths to its COVID-19 toll in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 pm Wednesday (0030 GMT), according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The world’s largest economy also added 53,158 new cases of the virus, the Baltimore-based institution’s tracker showed. The US has now recorded 4,818,328 total cases, which have resulted in 157,930 deaths, making it by far the worst-hit country in the […]

DFA: At least 24 Filipinos hurt in Beirut explosion

(Eagle News) — At least 24 Filipinos were injured after an explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said in a Tweet early Thursday, Aug. 6, that the wounded, who were mostly household service workers, were apart from the two Filipino deaths from the incident that left at least 135 dead according to Red Cross. He said that information was from the Philippine Embassy. “Except for 1 critical, all […]

Intensive farming heightens pandemic risk: study

by Patrick GALEY PARIS, France (AFP) — Intensive farming makes future pandemics such as COVID-19 more likely as wild animals carrying diseases known to infect humans are forced into increasingly close contact with us, research showed Wednesday. Writing in the journal Nature, a team of researchers from University College London warned that animal pathogens are increasingly likely to make the leap to humans as land use changes benefit animal hosts. The United Nations estimates that […]

Marine heatwaves may force fish to flee huge distances: study

by Kelly MACNAMARA PARIS, France (AFP) — Fish and other marine life may have to flee thousands of kilometres to escape damaging heatwaves, according to research published Wednesday, highlighting the scale of disruption caused by these increasing surges in ocean temperatures. Hot spells can cause dramatic changes to ocean ecosystems, devastating coral habitats, killing large numbers of seabirds and forcing species like fish, whales and turtles into colder waters. Researchers said the increasing number of […]

France opens probe into Beirut blast after 21 citizens wounded: prosecutors

PARIS, France (AFP) — Prosecutors in France opened an investigation Wednesday after 21 French citizens were wounded in the devastating blast at the port in the Lebanese capital Beirut, the Paris prosecutor said. The prosecutors opened a probe into “involuntary injury” using their jurisdiction to investigate acts committed abroad, Paris prosecutor Remy Heintz said in a statement. At least 113 people were killed in Tuesday’s blast with dozens still missing and 4,000 people wounded. Heitz […]

Belgian meat plant quarantines 225 staff

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — One of Belgium’s biggest meat processing plants has sent 225 staff home to quarantine Wednesday after a cluster of coronavirus cases was discovered, the firm and the local mayor said. Abbatoirs and meat-packing plants have become infection hotspots in other countries as the world deals with the epidemic and the big Westvlees facility in Staden, in northwest Belgium is now under close watch. According to a Westvlees spokesman, Manuel Goderis, a […]