International

White House and US’s top virus doctor clash ahead of election

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — One of America’s top government scientists, Anthony Fauci, has issued an urgent plea for a change in US policy on the coronavirus, drawing a sharp rebuke from the Trump administration in the final days of a hard-fought election campaign. Fauci, in an interview in the Washington Post on Sunday, warned that the United States is headed for “a whole lot of hurt” unless it makes an “abrupt change” in […]

Australia records zero new community Covid cases

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia reported zero new locally transmitted coronavirus cases Sunday, the country’s health minister announced, sparking celebrations online of the first “national donut” since June. Health Minister Greg Hunt said he received advice from the National Incident Centre that no cases were detected in the community in the 24 hours to 8:00 pm Saturday. The country last reached the milestone nearly five months ago on June 9, before a second-wave outbreak in […]

Major quake death toll rises to 49 in Turkey

  BAYRAKLI, TURKEY (AFP) — Rescue workers were searching eight buildings in Izmir Sunday, despite dwindling hope for survivors, as the death toll of a powerful magnitude earthquake which hit western Turkey rose to 49. The 7.0-magnitude quake has also injured 896 in Turkey, the Turkish emergency authority AFAD said, after striking on Friday afternoon near the west coast town of Seferihisar in Izmir province. More than 200 people were in hospital, AFAD said, and […]

England to lock down again as virus surges in Europe

  by Joe Jackson, with AFP Bureaus Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new four-week coronavirus lockdown in England, which will join several European countries in imposing the measure for a second time, as Slovakia took a different tack and began testing its entire population. Global infections are fast approaching 46 million, with close to 1.2 million deaths, and Europe is experiencing a dizzying spike […]

Rescuers race to find Turkey quake survivors, 39 dead

  by Raziye Akkoc Agence France Presse Rescuers raced against the clock to save people trapped under rubble in Turkey and Greece on Saturday as anguished mourners buried the first victims of a powerful earthquake that claimed 39 lives. The 7.0-magnitude quake killed 37 people and injured nearly 900 in Turkey after striking on Friday afternoon near the west coast town of Seferihisar in Izmir province. Also killing two teenagers on their way home from […]

At least 26 dead, as rescuers search for survivors in major quake in Turkey, Greece

  by Raziye AKKOC with Hélène COLLIOPOULOU in Athens Agence France Presse Rescuers dug through heavy blocks of concrete with their bare hands Saturday in a desperate search for survivors from a powerful earthquake that levelled buildings across Greece and Turkey, killing at least 26 people. The quake struck late Friday afternoon, causing a mini-tsunami on the Aegean island of Samos and a sea surge that turned streets into rushing rivers in a town on […]

Iglesia Ni Cristo Aid to Humanity starts in New Jersey, USA

(Eagle News) — The series of the Lingap sa Mamamayan or Aid to Humanity events of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in New Jersey started on Friday, Oct. 30, and will continue on Saturday, Oct 31, The first Lingap activity for Bergen County on Friday was held at the borough of New Milford.  the first beneficiaries were veterans in New Milford who were recognized and remembered for their contribution to society.  All the […]

Mexico names first woman to coordinate war on drugs

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday nominated the country’s first female security minister in charge of coordinating the fight against drug cartels and other criminals. Lopez Obrador offered the post to Rosa Icela Rodriguez, who currently oversees sea ports and merchant shipping, after Alfonso Durazo resigned to run for governor of Sonora state. Rodriguez, a former journalist and close ally of Lopez Obrador, has not yet formally accepted […]

Philadelphia back under curfew after unrest over police killing

  NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Philadelphia was put under a curfew on Friday for the second time this week and National Guard troops were deployed in the US city after days of unrest following the police killing of a Black man. The city, the largest in the state of Pennsylvania, has seen looting, protests and clashes with police since Monday’s fatal shooting of 27-year-old Walter Wallace, which was captured on video posted to […]

US passes nine million reported coronavirus cases: Johns Hopkins

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States passed nine million reported coronavirus cases on Friday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, as infections spike days before the nation chooses its next president. With the virus spreading most rampantly in the Midwest and the South, hospitals are also filling up again, stretching the health care system just as the nation heads in to flu season. “We are not ready for this wave,” […]

UPDATED: At least 14 dead, buildings collapse as major quake hits Turkey, Greece

  by Gokan GUNES with Hélène COLLIOPOULOU in Athens Agence France Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Rescuers dug through heavy blocks of concrete with their bare hands on Friday in a desperate search for survivors from a powerful earthquake that levelled buildings across Greece and Turkey, killing at least 14 people. The quake caused a mini-tsunami on the Aegean island of Samos and a sea surge that turned streets into rushing rivers in one town […]

Major 7.0 magnitude quake hits western Turkey: USGS

  ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — A major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of western Turkey on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with initial reports indicating damage to buildings but no immediate casualties. The quake, which was felt from Istanbul to Athens, hit close to the Turkish resort city of Izmir, which has around three million residents. “So far, we have received information about six collapsed buildings” in Izmir province, which incudes the […]