Other News

Smith denied as England hit back with five wickets

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) – Australia skipper Steve Smith was denied his fourth straight Boxing Day Test century on Wednesday as England fought back with five wickets to leave the hosts at 326 for eight at lunch on day two. England, already an irretrievable 3-0 down in the five-match series, dismissed Smith, Mitchell and Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine and Jackson Bird to take five for 82 in the first session in baking temperatures. Debutant Tom Curran celebrated his […]

Death toll in Davao mall fire rises to 38

(Eagle News) — The number of fatalities in the fire that hit a mall in Davao City on Saturday rose to 38 early Wednesday, after authorities confirmed that a person who had been declared as missing had passed away in the deadly fire. New City Commercial Center mall employee Melvin Ga-a added to the list of the dead in the tragic incident that saw President Rodrigo Duterte rushing to the scene to console the bereaved […]

Super-yachts on track to smash Sydney to Hobart race record

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Six yachts including the supermaxis are on track to beat the Sydney to Hobart record, powered by favorable winds in what organizers described Wednesday as an “astonishingly fast race.” Regarded as one of the toughest yacht races in the world, the 628-nautical mile (1,163-kilometer) bluewater classic kicked off in Sydney Harbor Tuesday, with 102 competitors sailing down the east coast of Australia. The four 100-footer supermaxis, led by LDV Comanche, were […]

NBA: League says refs missed three late Durant fouls, one by LeBron

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — An NBA “last two minutes” game report reviewing referee calls released Tuesday said officials missed two late Kevin Durant fouls and another by LeBron James in a controversial finish Monday. Defending champion Golden State defeated Cleveland 99-92 in a rematch of the past three NBA Finals. It also marked the third year in a row the teams have played on the holiday. James complained about being fouled twice by […]

Russia launches telecoms satellite for Angola

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia on Tuesday launched a rocket carrying Angosat-1, the first national telecoms satellite for Angola, from its Baikonur space pad, with rare use of a rocket from Ukraine despite collapsed ties between the two nations. Live footage aired by Roscosmos space corporation showed the spacecraft take off into the night from the freezing launch pad in Kazakhstan. It reached initial orbit shortly after. The Zenit-2SB rocket carrying Angosat to orbit was […]

Guatemala: Jerusalem embassy move a ‘sovereign’ decision

by Edgar Calderon Agence France-Presse GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (AFP) – Guatemala on Tuesday said its decision to follow the US in moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem was a “sovereign” matter that should not affect ties with other countries. “These are Guatemala’s foreign policy and sovereign decisions,” Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel told a news conference. “In any case, we are open to being able to converse with countries that see it as such, but I don’t […]

Ivorian ex-minister convicted over attack that killed 18

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AFP) – A former Ivorian minister was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for complicity in a 2012 attack in western Ivory Coast that killed 18 people, including seven UN peacekeepers. Hubert Oulaye, 64, ex-public works minister under former president Laurent Gbagbo, “provided the financial means to establish a rebellion in the west” of the country, the attorney general said. “The accomplice is sometimes more dangerous than the perpetrator,” she added. […]

Feeding a metropolis: Mexico City’s Central Market

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — With hotels, car rental agencies, restaurants and even banks, Mexico City’s main fruit and vegetable market, the “Central de Abasto,” is more than just a place to get your groceries — it is a mini city within a city. The mega-market supplies a vast capital city and its surroundings with produce from its labyrinthine hallways, with almost half a million people shopping there daily for avocados, tomatoes and a variety […]

‘The Last Jedi’ tops holiday box office in North America

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The force was with Disney as the latest Star Wars movie “The Last Jedi” beat out the competition to top the holiday weekend box office, according to updated industry estimates released Tuesday. The eighth installment of the blockbuster space saga topped the charts in North America for a second week, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations, pulling in $99 million from Friday through Monday to rack up total earnings of […]

Golf: Els still trying to qualify after honorary Masters invite

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Four-time major winner Ernie Els clarified his status for the 2018 Masters on Tuesday, saying he is still working to qualify after receiving an honorary invitation to Augusta National next April. A five-year qualifying spot in the Masters from his 2012 British Open triumph ended this year for the 48-year-old South African. Els received an honorary invitation to appear at Augusta National during Masters week in 2018 rather than being granted […]

Russia rejects concern over election ban on opposition leader

by Anna Smolchenko Agence France Presse MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia on Tuesday rejected concerns that the decision to bar opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running against President Vladimir Putin in a March election could undermine the vote’s legitimacy. Navalny is seen by many as the only Russian opposition leader who stands a fighting chance of challenging Putin. Observers say barring him from running in the polls undermines the legitimacy of the vote and could […]

US sanctions two N. Koreans over ballistic missile program

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States sanctioned two North Korean officials on Tuesday over the development of ballistic missiles, as Russia and America’s top diplomats held talks on Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Tensions have escalated after the isolated but nuclear-armed regime staged a series of atomic and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests, most recently on November 28. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un have also traded personal insults. “Treasury is […]