Other News

Biden presses Egypt and Qatar on ceasefire, hostage deal

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden on Monday urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to “exert all efforts” towards securing the release of hostages held by Hamas as part of negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire, the White House said. Washington, Doha and Cairo have been mediating for months to achieve a truce in the Palestinian territory which has endured relentless bombing by Israel in response to the unprecedented deadly attack […]

Asia’s first spot bitcoin, ether ETFs start trading in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – Hong Kong on Tuesday launched trading of Asia’s first spot bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), moving forward in the city’s race to become a regional virtual asset investment hub. The debut comes three months after the United States gave the greenlight to ETFs pegged to bitcoin’s spot price, making it easier for mainstream investors to add the unit to their portfolio. Hong Kong’s pioneering crypto ETFs on […]

Indonesia’s Mount Ruang erupts again, closes international airport

MANADO, Indonesia, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – Indonesia’s remote Mount Ruang volcano erupted several times again on Tuesday, the country’s volcanology agency said, forcing evacuations, the closure of a nearby international airport and the raising of the alert level to its highest. Authorities had warned the threat from the volcano was not over after it erupted more than half a dozen times this month, sparking the evacuation of more than 6,000 people. Ruang, located in […]

Thunder seal Pelicans sweep to advance as Celtics on brink

MIAMI, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – The Oklahoma City Thunder sealed a 4-0 series sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans to book their place in the NBA playoffs second round Monday as Boston dominated Miami to move to the brink of the conference semi-finals. Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City finally got the better of New Orleans with a late scoring burst in the fourth quarter to complete a 97-89 road victory in Louisiana. The […]

ITCZ affecting Southern Mindanao

Rest of PHL affected by easterlies (Eagle News)–The Intertropical Convergence Zone is affecting Southern Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the easterlies are also affecting the rest of the country. As a result, PAGASA said Davao Region, Surigao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. Flashfloods or landslides due to moderate to […]

Timberwolves sweep Suns out of NBA playoffs as Clippers, Knicks win

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2024 (AFP) – The Minnesota Timberwolves, powered by 40 points from Anthony Edwards, swept Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns out of the NBA playoffs on Sunday, reaching the second round for the first time in 20 years with a 122-116 game-four victory. The Timberwolves withstood a combined 72 points from Devin Booker and Durant to become the first team to reach the second round. They will face either the Denver Nuggets […]

Philips settles US sleep machine cases for $1.1 billion

THE HAGUE, April 29, 2024 (AFP) – Dutch medical device maker Philips said Monday it had reached a $1.1 billion deal in the United States to settle lawsuits over faulty sleep machines in a case that has rocked the company. Since 2021, the company has been battling a series of crises over its DreamStation machines for sleep apnoea, a disorder in which breathing stops and starts during sleep. Earlier this year, the company said it […]

Kenya delays schools reopening due to floods

NAIROBI, April 29, 2024 (AFP) – Kenya said Monday that it would postpone the reopening of schools by one week due to “ongoing heavy rains” that have triggered deadly floods in the East African nation. Schools were originally scheduled to reopen on Monday, following mid-term holidays, but the torrential monsoon downpours have affected many educational facilities, prompting the education ministry to delay the resumption of classes. “The devastating effects of the rains in some of […]

The giant sheep helping Tajikistan weather climate change

By Bruno KALOUAZ HISSAR, April 29, 2024 (AFP) – In the hills outside the Tajik capital Dushanbe, shepherd Bakhtior Sharipov was watching over his flock of giant Hissar sheep. The breed, prized for profitability and an ability to adapt to climate change, garners celebrity status in the Central Asian country, which is beset by a shortage of both meat and suitable grazing land. “They rapidly gain weight even when there is little water and pasture […]

Ukraine warns front ‘worsened’ as Russia claims fresh gains

By Emmanuel PEUCHOT VOZDVYZHENKA, Ukraine, April 28, 2024 (AFP) – Ukraine’s army leader admitted Sunday that Kyiv’s position on the battlefield has worsened after Russian forces captured another village in the east, pressing their advantage in manpower and ammunition. Russia’s troops are advancing in the eastern Donetsk region as Kyiv awaits the arrival of much-needed US weapons that it hopes will stabilise the fragile front lines. “The situation at the front has worsened,” Ukrainian commander-in-chief […]

Volcano erupts in eastern Indonesia, spews miles-high ash tower

JAKARTA, April 28, 2024 (AFP) – A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Sunday morning, spewing an ash tower more than two miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn people to keep away. Mount Ibu, located on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, erupted at 12:37 am (1537 GMT Saturday) and sent a thick column of dark smoke and ash west of the peak. The eruption lasted more than three minutes […]

Nestle denies ‘double standard’ on baby food in poorer countries

ZURICH (AFP) – Nestle denied Thursday that it was applying any “double standard” after an NGO accused the Swiss food giant of selling baby food with high levels of added sugar in low-income countries but not in wealthier nations. “There is no double standard,” the company said in a statement. “We apply the same nutrition, health and wellness principles everywhere.” In a report published last week, Swiss NGO Public Eye said that “two of the […]