By Ara Eugenio and Cecil Morella MANILA, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – A strong magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, causing people to flee buildings and part of a shopping mall ceiling to collapse. No tsunami threat was issued after the quake struck off Sarangani province on the main southern island of Mindanao at a depth of 78 kilometres (48 miles) at 0814 GMT, the USGS said […]
Asia
About 250 Rohingya refugees in Indonesia sent back to sea
About 250 Rohingya refugees in an overcrowded wooden boat have been turned away from western Indonesia and sent back to sea, residents said Friday. The group of around 250 from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off the coast of Aceh province on Thursday but angry locals told them not to land the boat. Some refugees then swam ashore and collapsed with exhaustion on the beach. After they were forced to return to the decrepit boat, […]
Magnitude 6.7 quake shakes southern Philippines
Prelim M6.7 Earthquake Mindanao, Philippines Nov-17 08:14 UTC, updates https://t.co/PMTccBEvFO — USGS Tweet Earthquake Dispatch (@USGSted) November 17, 2023 Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.7 – 26 km WSW of Burias, Philippines https://t.co/T7ao0aMa3i — USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) November 17, 2023 By Ara Eugenio and Cecil Morella MANILA, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – A strong magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, sending people fleeing buildings and causing […]
Japan PM voices ‘serious concerns’ to Xi on Chinese military activity, Russia collaboration
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that he expressed to President Xi Jinping his “serious concerns” about Chinese military activity in the region while demanding that a ban on seafood imports be revoked. “I… expressed our serious concerns over China’s increasing military activity near Japan, including its collaboration with Russia,” Kishida said after meeting Xi for the first time in a year. “At the same time, I […]
Philippines embraces nuclear energy as US signs cooperation pact
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – The United States on Thursday signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the Philippines, clearing a path for US investment to jumpstart atomic power in a country racing to expand its electricity supply. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who has become a close US ally in his more-than one year in power, was on hand when his energy secretary signed the pact with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the […]
1.5C limit ‘only option’ for saving Earth’s ice and snow
BANGKOK, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – Allowing global temperatures to rise two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels will be catastrophic for the world’s ice sheets, glaciers, polar seas and permafrost, a new report warned Thursday. The assessment of the global “cryosphere” — parts of the Earth covered in ice and snow for at least some of the year — urges upcoming climate talks to commit to keeping warming below 1.5C. “Because of what we have […]
Biden, Xi compete for Asia-Pacific allies at summit
By Danny KEMP SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17, 2023 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping made rival bids to win over Asia-Pacific allies at a summit in San Francisco Thursday, just a day after the two leaders met in a bid to reduce tensions between the superpowers. “We’re not going anywhere,” Biden told business leaders attending the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in San Francisco as he tried to reassure […]
Russian delegation leaves North Korea: KCNA
SEOUL, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – A Russian delegation led by natural resources minister Alexander Kozlov has left Pyongyang after a two-day visit, North Korea’s state media said Friday, with the two countries’ growing cooperation triggering concern in Washington and Seoul. The visit came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned this month that ties between Pyongyang and Moscow were “growing and dangerous”, urging the North’s ally China to restrain the nuclear-armed country. The […]
South Koreans sit key exam as flights halted to limit distraction
By Claire LEE SEOUL, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – More than half a million students in South Korea sat the crucial national university entrance exam Thursday, with authorities taking extraordinary measures, including halting flights, to minimise distractions. The nine-hour test, which was taken by 504,588 pupils this year, is crucial for securing spots in top universities. It is also considered key to elevated social status, lucrative careers, and even marriage prospects. Enormous pressure placed on […]
Twenty-five Hamas-held Thai hostages are ‘safe’: mediator
BANGKOK, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – Thailand’s government has been given assurances by Hamas that 25 of its nationals held hostage by the Palestinian armed group are “safe”, a member of the kingdom’s hostage release negotiating team said Thursday. The hostages could be released in days if a ceasefire is agreed between Israel and Hamas, Thai politician Lepong Syed said. More than 240 people were taken hostage during Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which […]
China calls Biden’s Xi dictator comments ‘extremely wrong’
BEIJING, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – China condemned on Thursday US President Joe Biden’s description of Xi Jinping as a dictator as “extremely wrong”, after the two leaders wrapped up a summit in California. Asked about Biden’s remarks, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said: “This kind of speech is extremely wrong and is irresponsible political manipulation. China firmly opposes it.” “I need to point out that there are always some people with ulterior motives attempting […]
Myanmar military shells Rakhine town seized by ethnic minority fighters
YANGON, Nov 16, 2023 (AFP) – Myanmar’s military shelled a town in western Rakhine state and used helicopters to attack fighters from an ethnic minority there on Thursday, residents and local media said. Arakan Army (AA) fighters have launched attacks on security forces across Rakhine this week, opening another front as the military battles opponents in the north and east. AA fighters had taken “complete control” of the town of Pauktaw, 25 kilometres (16 miles) […]