Other News

Father, daughter drowning fuels anger at Trump migration policies

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A shocking photograph of a Salvadoran man and his baby daughter drowned in the Rio Grande fueled a surge of emotion around the world Wednesday — as US Democrats furiously denounced Donald Trump’s immigration policies. “Trump is responsible for these deaths,” said Beto O’Rourke, one of several Democratic White House hopefuls who took to Twitter to lash out at the president. Former vice president Joe Biden, who is also seeking […]

Gasol takes $25.6 mil option, returns to NBA champ Raptors

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Spanish center Marc Gasol has exercised his $25.6 million one-season contract option to return to the NBA champion Toronto Raptors next season, the Canadian club announced Wednesday. Gasol, obtained by the Raptors from Memphis at the NBA trade deadline last season, averaged 9.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 blocked shots a game during Toronto’s playoff run to the NBA crown, the first for any non-US franchise. The 34-year-old seven-footer […]

Europeans on alert as heatwave intensifies; temperatures heading into 40 degrees Celsius

  by Ryland JAMES Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Authorities raised alerts Wednesday as Europe’s record-breaking June heatwave threatened to intensify with temperatures heading into the 40s Celsius. The choking heat has prompted traffic restrictions, sparked forest fires and fanned debate over public nudity as sweltering Germans stripped off. But French winemakers said the hot weather was more than welcome as it could produce a superior vintage. Meteorologists blamed a blast of hot […]

Iran vows to ditch more nuclear curbs in war of words with US

by Amir HAVASI TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran said Tuesday it will further free itself from the 2015 nuclear deal in defiance of new American sanctions as US President Donald Trump warned the Islamic Republic of “overwhelming” retaliation for any attacks. Tensions between Iran and the US have spiraled since last year when Trump withdrew the United States from the deal under which Tehran was to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from […]

Spain battles wildfire amid European heatwave

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers battled a wind-fuelled forest fire in Spain on Wednesday amid a Europe-wide heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring to record highs in several countries. Fifteen water-dropping aircraft were helping firefighters to put out the blaze, which broke out at around 2:30 pm (1230 GMT) in the municipality of Torre del Espanol in Tarragona province in the northeastern region of Catalonia, local firefighters said. The blaze, which […]

Tropical depression “Dodong” exits PHL, but SW monsoon to still bring rains in western Luzon, Visayas

  (Eagle News) – Tropical Depression “Dodong” has “exited” the Philippine Area of Responsibilty” (PAR) as of 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, according to the country’s weather bureau, PAGASA. In its 11 p.m. bulletin Wednesday, PAGASA said that “Dodong” is now outside the country. As of 10 p.m. the center of the tropical depression was “estimated based on all available data at 980 km Northeast of Basco, Batanes (OUTSIDE PAR) (25.5 °N, 129.8 °E ),” […]

French consumer group launches class action against Google for violating EU’s data privacy laws

  PARIS, France (AFP) — A French consumer rights group said Wednesday that it has launched a class action lawsuit against US tech giant Google for violating the EU’s strict data privacy laws. The UFC-Que Choisir group said in a statement that the goal of its class action is to “end the insidious exploitation of users’ personal data, particularly those using Android devices with a Google account, and compensate them for up to 1,000 euros […]

President Duterte “comfortable” with all House Speaker nominees, won’t make endorsement, says Panelo

  (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte is “comfortable with any of the candidates” for the House Speakership as all of them are his “political allies,” according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. In a statement, Panelo said that President Duterte would not make any endorsement even as members of the administration party PDP-Laban chose Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as its candidate for House Speaker. “PRRD (Duterte’s initials) is comfortable with any of the candidates […]

Facebook’s crypto currency faces pre-G20 examination

  by Jitendra JOSHI Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Heading in to the G20 summit, Facebook is on notice from powerful regulators including the Fed chief that its ambitious plans for a global crypto-currency face piercing scrutiny. The Libra coin is endorsed by a heavyweight consortium of companies, and could see Facebook leverage its two billion-plus users to bring crypto-money out of the shadows and into the mainstream. But Federal Reserve chairman […]

Tropical depression “Dodong” slightly accelerates” as it moves north, to exit PHL tonight

  (Eagle News) — Tropical Depression Dodong has “slightly accelerated” while moving north-northeastward, and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tonight, Wednesday, June 26. Even as “Dodong” is about to exit the country, PAGASA said that it is monitoring a low-pressure area 435 kilometers west-northwest of Coron, Palawan. There is also another low pressure area (LPA) outside of the Philippines which the country’s weather bureau is monitoring. This LPA was spotted […]

Strong quake hits Costa Rica-Panama border: USGS

  SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (AFP) — A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Panama-Costa Rica border around midnight on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, revising earlier warnings of “significant damage”, as the tremor cut power supplies near the epicenter. The quake struck at a depth of 26 kilometers (16 miles), about two kilometers from the nearest town of Progreso in Panama, USGS said, updating a previous alert that estimated the depth at 10 kilometers. […]

Seoul: US, N Korea in talks to set up 3rd Trump-Kim summit

  By ADAM SCHRECK, HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean and U.S. officials are holding “behind-the-scenes talks” to arrange a third summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the fate of the North’s expanding nuclear arsenal, South Korea’s president said, four months after a second meeting between the leaders in Hanoi collapsed without any agreement. There have been no public meetings […]