Other News

UN’s Ban condemns Turkey wedding bombing

UNITED NATION, United States (AFP) — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon decried Sunday the suicide bombing that killed 51 people at a wedding in southeastern Turkey, and called for swift punishment for the perpetrators. “The secretary-general condemns yesterday’s terrorist attack on a wedding party in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey,” Ban’s office said in a statement. “This act, reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber, killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens of others,” […]

Washington condemns Turkey wedding bombing

WASWHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Sunday blasted the “heinous” suicide bombing that killed 51 people in Turkey, and offered its assistance to Ankara in the fight against “the scourge of terrorism.” “The United States strongly condemns yesterday’s heinous attack,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. “We extend heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of the victims and we wish a full and speedy recovery for the many […]

Rio 2016 Olympic Games draws to a close

   (REUTERS)  The closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games brings the curtain down on 16 days of spectacular global sporting achievements. Simon Biles, winner of four gold medals and one bronze, leads Team USA as its flag bearer, as the country celebrates another winning medal haul at an Olympic Games.   The power went out briefly in a section of the Maracana stadium and parts of the surrounding neigborhoods minutes before the Olympics […]

Olympics: US NBA stars rip Serbia for third gold in a row

by  Jim SLATER RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Completing a third consecutive unbeaten run to gold, the United States crushed Serbia 96-66 in Sunday’s Rio Games basketball final to win its sixth Olympic title with NBA talent in seven tries. Kevin Durant scored 18 of his 30 points in the second quarter to trigger the rout, stretching the USA’s Olympic winning streak to 25 games and its decade-long unbeaten string to 76 in what […]

Hundreds swelter in Hong Kong protests at perceived election meddling

  (Reuters)  Hundreds of protesters rallied on Sunday against Hong Kong’s disqualification of six candidates from legislative elections, the latest outpouring of anger at a perceived tightening grip on the city’s freedoms by China. The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under an agreement that gave ultimate control to Communist Party rulers in Beijing while promising Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy. But Beijing’s refusal to grant full democracy, which […]

Duterte declares all government appointive positions vacant

  (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte declared all government positions with presidential appointees vacant in a press conference around 1 a.m. on Sunday.  He said this was to further cleanse the government of corruption and ineptness. The declaration however did not cover secretary and undersecretaries. “If you are there because of the presidential appointments, I will declare all your positions all throughout the country vacant. You know why? Until now, in my provincial visits, I […]

Philippines’ Duterte threatens to quit U.N. after drugs war censure

  (REUTERS)  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte railed against the United Nations on Sunday after it called for an end to the wave of killings unleashed by his war on drugs, saying he might leave the organization and invite China and others to form a new one. Two U.N. human rights experts last week urged Manila to stop the extra-judicial executions and killings that have escalated since Duterte won the presidency on a promise to wipe […]

Iglesia Ni Cristo in Bristol, Connecticut – “Breaking the Record Evangelical Mission”

On August 20th, members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) from Bristol, Connecticut – NESB, came together to give free car washes to the local community. This event was part of the preparation of the locale for “Breaking the record Evangelical Mission”. It was a successful event, as Brethren at the locale united as one to make it possible and with the help of God. A week before the said event, officers of […]

Firebird and other ballets: A visual, musical spectacle at the CCP

  Caesar Vallejos EBC Correspondent They flew, fluttered and floated with invisible wings in a flight to push the boundaries of Philippine dance. Ballet Philippines, the country’s flagship classical and contemporary dance company opened its 47th performance season with “FIREBIRD and other ballets”, a mixed bill of contemporary and neoclassical works. It featured the pieces by David Campos, Dwight Rodrigazo, and Carlo Pacis, and an all-new “Firebird”, choreographed by George Birkadze. “Birds, dragons, fairies and […]

NASA says 2016 heat to take its toll on Arctic Sea ice

  (REUTERS)  Record-breaking warm temperatures in the first half of 2016 have primed the Arctic for another summer of low sea ice cover, said NASA on Friday (August 19). “Globally it’s been the warmest year on record,” said NASA scientist Walt Meier from Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland “That’s resulted in an earlier melt of the Arctic sea ice and an opening of the ocean. And so we’re on track for one of […]

‘Alarming’ disparity in broadband connectivity within Asia-Pacific, UN regional study finds

  (UNITED NATIONS)  New findings by the economic and social development arm of the United Nations in the Asia-Pacific have revealed that nearly 75 per cent of the region’s broadband capabilities and access are concentrated in countries in East and North-East Asia while the Pacific subregion accounts for a mere 1.93 per cent. “As a result of this digital divide, millions of people are shut out from transformative digital opportunities in education, health, business and […]