Other News

Parts of northern Europe clean up after floods

By Iris Maria Maurer, with Sam Reeves in Frankfurt KLEINBLITTERSDORF, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – German emergency workers on Saturday started a major clean-up after heavy rains triggered massive flooding, while parts of Belgium, the Netherlands and France were also affected. The southwestern German state of Saarland was the worst-hit region after a long downpour on Friday flooded buildings, left streets deep underwater and sparked evacuations, with boats carrying stranded residents to safety. Officials said […]

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Death toll from Texas storm rises to 7

HOUSTON, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – The death toll from severe weather that lashed the Texas city of Houston has risen to seven, authorities said Friday. The three additional deaths came after Houston, the fourth-largest US city, was hit Thursday by heavy rain and winds up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour, leaving downtown streets covered in glass from blown-out windows. Downed trees and power lines littered residential areas and the National Weather Service […]

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‘Danger behind the beauty’: more solar storms could be heading our way

By Daniel Lawler PARIS, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – Tourists normally have to pay big money and brave cold climates for a chance to see an aurora, but last weekend many people around the world simply had to look up to see these colourful displays dance across the sky. Usually banished to the poles of Earth, the auroras strayed as far as Mexico, southern Europe and South Africa on the evening of May 10, delighting […]

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President Marcos says Philippines will ‘vigorously defend what is ours’

MANILA, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippines will “vigorously defend what is ours”, President Ferdinand Marcos said on Saturday, as Manila’s maritime row with Beijing over the South China Sea escalates. Marcos told a Philippine Military Academy graduation ceremony that the Southeast Asian country faced “a blatant disregard of internationally accepted principles”. His remarks follow a series of incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels near disputed reefs in the South China Sea that have […]

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Scheffler shaken, shocked and quivering after arrest and jail

By Jim SLATER LOUISVILLE, United States, May 17, 2024 (AFP) – Top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler, known for his stoic shotmaking under pressure, was shaken to his core on Friday after being arrested before his second round of the PGA Championship. The two-time Masters champion was handcuffed and taken into custody after trying to get around an accident and enter Valhalla Golf Club while the entrance was blocked by police after an accident in which a […]

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State crop insurer back under DA oversight

(Eagle News)–President  Bongbong Marcos has ordered the transfer of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. from the oversight of the Department of Finance to that of the Department of Agriculture. In ordering the reorganization through Executive Order No. 60, the President noted that “a strong organizational link between the PCIC and DA is necessary to enhance agricultural insurance protection program highly responsive to the needs of small farmers and fisherfolk and other agricultural stakeholders..” Under Republic […]

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First crewed flight of Boeing Starliner postponed again

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 (AFP) – The first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner to the International Space Station has been delayed again due to a technical issue, NASA said Friday. The launch in Florida was scheduled for Tuesday but NASA said it is now planned for May 25 to allow teams to further assess a helium leak linked to the service module, which sits on top of the rocket. Earlier this month, a Starliner launch […]

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Zelensky warns Russia could step up offensive: AFP interview

By Emmanuel PEUCHOT, Ania TSOUKANOVA =(Picture+Video)= KYIV, Ukraine, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with AFP on Friday warned Russia could intensify its offensive and said Kyiv would only accept a “fair peace” despite the West’s calls for a quick solution. Zelensky also repeated pleas for allies to send more air defence and fighter jets and said the “biggest advantage” for Russia was a ban on Ukraine using Western-donated […]

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OpenAI disbands team devoted to artificial intelligence risks

SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – OpenAI on Friday confirmed that it has disbanded a team devoted to mitigating the long-term dangers of super-smart artificial intelligence. OpenAI weeks ago began dissolving the so-called “superalignment” group, integrating members into other projects and research, according to the San Francisco-based firm. Company co-founder Ilya Sutskever and team co-leader Jan Leike announced their departures from the ChatGPT-maker this week. The dismantling of an OpenAI team focused on keeping […]

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North Korea confirms missile launch, vows bolstered nuclear force

SEOUL, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – North Korea has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a “new autonomous navigation system”, state media said Saturday, with leader Kim Jong Un vowing to boost the country’s nuclear force. Kim oversaw the Friday test-launch into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, on a mission to evaluate the “accuracy and reliability of the autonomous navigation system”, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. […]

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‘Dad’s going up in a rocket!’ French businessman set for launch

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2024 (AFP) – He arrived in Texas, tried on his flight suit for the first time, and is now preparing to live out his childhood dream. On Sunday, French entrepreneur Sylvain Chiron will board a Blue Origin rocket and blast off into space, joining the select group of humans who have ventured beyond Earth’s bounds. “I never thought I’d get to do this,” the 52-year-old, who hails from the mountainous southeastern region […]

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