Other News

China’s Xi sends rare message to North Korea’s Kim

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un a rare message, Pyongyang’s official news agency reported Thursday, in his first public communication with his wayward neighbour for more than a year. The note signalled a possible improvement in their strained relationships, which has soured over Pyongyang’s growing weapons ambitions even though Beijing is its longtime ally and economic benefactor. Xi’s message, dated Wednesday, was sent in response to congratulations […]

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NBA: Struggling Cavaliers fall to Pacers, drop fourth in a row

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) —  A Cleveland Cavaliers lineup struggling to come together and sustain effort for a full game suffered its fourth consecutive NBA loss on Wednesday, falling 124-107 to visiting Indiana. Every Pacers starter scored in double figures, with Thaddeus Young netting 26 points, Darren Collison adding 25 and Victor Oladipo pouring in 23 as Cleveland (3-5) suffered a fifth loss in six games, the past three by a combined 58 points. “The other […]

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Baseball: Astros beat Dodgers to win first World Series crown

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Houston Astros won the World Series for the first time on Wednesday, pouncing early in a 5-1 game seven triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers. George Springer homered again as the Astros roughed up Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who endured his second nightmare start of the Series. He surrendered five runs in 1 2/3 innings as the Dodgers fell into a hole the wouldn’t climb out of. A day […]

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PNG says won’t force out refugees in Australia camp stand-off

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) – Papua New Guinea will not force out the hundreds of refugees refusing to leave an Australian detention camp, a senior military official said Thursday, as the tense standoff entered the third day. The Manus Island detention center, established to hold and process asylum-seekers under Canberra’s strict immigration policy, was officially handed over to PNG’s navy on Wednesday. Authorities were due to close the camp Tuesday after it was declared unconstitutional by […]

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Trump says New York attack suspect should be put to death

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US President Donald Trump called Wednesday for the man suspected of killing eight people in a New York City truck rampage to be put to death. “NYC terrorist was happy as he asked to hang ISIS flag in his hospital room. He killed 8 people, badly injured 12. SHOULD GET DEATH PENALTY!” Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to the Islamic State jihadist group (Agence France-Presse).

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Philippine Everest conqueror sets sail for China

  by Ayee Macaraig Agence France-Presse   MANILA, Philippines (AFP) – After conquering Mount Everest, Philippine adventurer Carina Dayondon is set to sail to China aboard a wooden replica of an ancient boat in the hopes of boosting national pride in a forgotten maritime prowess. Dayondon is planning to sail from Manila to southern China early next year, recreating trade and migration voyages made before Spaniards colonized the Philippines in the 1500s. “People tell me I […]

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Asian markets edge up on US growth forecast

HONG KONG, China (AFP) – Asian stocks edged up Thursday on strong US growth forecasts, as traders braced for a series of key economic announcements. The muted start to trading comes ahead of the US House Republicans’ tax announcement and confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick for the new Federal Reserve chair, as well as an important Bank of England meeting. Investors in Tokyo and Hong Kong built moderately on overnight gains in most world […]

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Director, radio boss implicated in Hollywood abuse scandal

by Veronique DUPONT Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – Blockbuster director Brett Ratner and the head of news at American radio station NPR were drawn into Hollywood’s widening sexual misconduct scandal Wednesday as more women came forward with stories of abuse. Actresses Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn have accused Ratner of sexual harassment, the Los Angeles Times reported, as A-lister Kevin Spacey faced fresh accusations over his own conduct with young actors. Henstridge […]

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Dog star: Scientist recalls training Laika for space

  by Marina LAPENKOVA Agence France-Presse   MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) – “I asked her to forgive us and I even cried as I stroked her for the last time,” says 90-year-old Russian biologist Adilya Kotovskaya, recalling the day she bid farewell to her charge Laika. The former street dog was about to make history as the first living creature to orbit the earth, blasting off on a one-way journey. The Soviet Union sent Laika up […]

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The Noah’s Ark of animals sent in to space

  by Janet MCEVOY Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) – Three and a half years before Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, a dog called Laika was in 1957 the first living creature to orbit the Earth. The stray from Moscow is one of many animals who preceded humans in the conquest of space; like most of the others, she did not survive. “These animals performed a service to their respective […]

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Mice, fish and flies: the animals still being sent into space

by Pascale MOLLARD-CHENEBENOIT Agence France-Presse   PARIS, France (AFP) – Sixty years after Laika the dog became the first living creature to go into orbit, animals are still being sent into space — though these days much smaller creatures are going up. Julie Robinson, chief scientist for the International Space Station programme, explains what we are still learning from animals in orbit.   Why no more dogs, cats or monkeys? When those animals were sent […]

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Roque to name a deputy presidential spokesperson; says he is a “millenial” preparing for bar

(Eagle News) — Newly installed presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is bringing in a deputy spokesperson to help him discharge his duties. In his very first press conference, Roque did not name the person, but said he was a millenial who could serve as a bridge between a 72-year-old, or President Rodrigo Duterte, and a younger generation. He said the deputy spokesperson is his former student, who was now preparing for the bar. “You will not […]

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