Other News

Google adds voice-activated shopping, taking on Amazon

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Google announced Thursday it was launching voice-activated shopping from its artificial intelligence-powered Home speaker, in a direct challenge to Amazon’s Alexa devices. Users can simply tell the speaker to order items — diapers, paper towels, or trash bags, for example, and get delivery from any of dozens of participating retailers. “If picking up paper towels or stocking up on coffee is on your list, consider it done,” said Google Assistant […]

Storms in Queensland after record-breaking heatwaves

  By Rheamae David and Emmi B. Capili-Tarroja EBC Australia Bureau QUEENSLAND, Australia (Eagle News) – Following the record-breaking heatwaves across Australia, Queensland experienced storms around the south-east regions of the state early this week The first signs of the storm were seen on Monday afternoon when the rain started to set in following the drop in temperatures to 14 degrees Celsius. Queensland had past experiences of storms, tornadoes and floods, thus urging the state […]

First look at official Oscar after party

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and the creative team behind the annual Governors Ball unveiled their lavish plans and creations on Thursday (February 16) for the official Oscars after party. Puck has created Oscar night menus for over two decades. He said he never tires of preparing the annual feast. “I think I love madness. I don’t want to get bored, so every year we come up with new things, serve […]

Baghdad car bomb kills 51 as Islamic State escalates insurgency

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) — Residents in Baghdad’s Hayy al-Shurta neighborhood were on Friday morning (February 17) assessing the damage caused to their properties by a car bomb blast which occurred on late Thursday (February 16). A car packed with explosives blew up there, killing at least 51 people and wounding 55, security and medical sources said, in the deadliest such attack in Iraq this year. Security sources said the vehicle which blew up was parked […]

American Girl’s first-ever boy doll goes on sale

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Mattel’s chubby-faced American Girl dolls got a new friend on Thursday (February 16) — a boy called Logan. Some 31 years after American Girl was introduced, the California-based toymaker released the line’s very first boy doll, as part of the brand’s attempt to better reflect a changing world. “In response to thousands of impassioned requests from fans for more options, American Girl is introducing a new series of contemporary characters […]

N. Zealand part of sunken ‘lost continent’: scientists

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand sits atop a previously unknown continent — mostly submerged beneath the South Pacific — that should be recognized with the name Zealandia, scientists said Friday. Researchers said Zealandia was a distinct geological entity and met all the criteria applied to Earth’s seven other continents — elevation above the surrounding area, distinctive geology, a well-defined area and a crust much thicker than that found on the ocean floor. In […]

Vote recount seen after SC rules Marcos protest “sufficient in form and substance”

  (Eagle News) – The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), affirmed its earlier declaration that the electoral protest of former senator and then vice-presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos was “sufficient in form and substance.” With this decision, the PET junked the poll protest case filed by Marcos’ rival, Vice-President Leni Robredo, and would likely proceed to recount the votes cast in the very controversial and hotly contested May 2016 vice-presidential race. […]

Climate study delivers dire warning on Alpine snow

PARIS, France (AFP) — The Alpine skiing season may be much shorter by century’s end, and limited to a smaller area, said a climate study Thursday warning of snow cover loss as high as 70 percent. Most climate models predict increased winter precipitation due to global warming, scientists wrote in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) journal The Cryosphere. But with temperatures rising too, the is likely to be in the form of rain rather than […]

Seagrass on decline, jeopardizing human, coral health: study

by Jean-Louis SANTINI Agence France-Presse BOSTON, United States (AFP) — Underwater meadows of seagrass offer important protection against pollution to both humans and coral reefs, but are in jeopardy worldwide due to climate change, sewage and agricultural runoff, researchers said Thursday. Places with healthy seagrass — where sponges, clams, small fish and other filter feeders thrive — can reduce bacteria that is harmful to both people and marine life by up to 50 percent, said […]

S. Korea’s Hanjin Shipping declared bankrupt

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The axe finally fell on South Korea’s once-mighty Hanjin Shipping on Friday as a Seoul court declared it bankrupt after struggling for years under the weight of billions of dollars-worth of debt. Hanjin filed for bankruptcy protection in August owing $5.37 billion as creditors refused to bail it out, with dozens of its vessels stranded outside around the world as they were refused entry to ports. An accounting firm hired […]

Frost in Benguet towns has no effect on supply, price of vegetables-mayors

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Feb. 17 (PIA) — The state weather bureau PAGASA has been recording a drop of temperature due to the Amihan  the past days  which  caused some vegetable-producing  towns in the province to experience frost locally termed as  “andap.” Atok Mayor Peter Alos and Mankayan Mayor Materno Luspian clarified that the reported occurrence of frost in their municipalities has no effect on the supply and prices of vegetables. Alos said there were reports […]

NBA: Wizards rout Pacers while Bulls edge Celtics

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) –With a host of scoring threats, the Washington Wizards have become one of the NBA’s hottest teams, showing their scoring depth Thursday in a 111-98 rout of struggling Indiana. Otto Porter Jr had 25 points and eight rebounds, Markieff Morris added 21 points and seven rebounds, all-star John Wall contributed 20 points and 12 assists while Bradley Beal had 19 points as the Wizards led all the way. “We have a […]