Thousands affected as quake hits Guatemala on February 17, 2022Guatemala City: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck western Guatemala early Wednesday caused damage affecting nearly 25,000 people, and caused one person to suffer a fatal heart attack, authorities said. The epicenter of the quake, which struck at a depth of 84 kilometers (52 miles), was in the coastal district of Escuintla, less than 100 kilometers […]
13 killed after falling down well in India on February 17, 2022New Delhi: Thirteen women and girls died after accidentally falling down a well during marriage celebrations in northern India, police said Thursday. The victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well on Wednesday when it gave way, senior police officer Akhil Kumar told reporters in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh state. District magistrate S. Rajalingam […]
‘Little evidence’ Russia withdrawing from Ukraine border: UK PM on February 17, 2022London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday there was “currently little evidence of Russia disengaging” from its border with Ukraine, in a phone call with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “The leaders reiterated states’ responsibility to abide by their obligations under the United Nations Charter and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of […]
China inflation slows as govt vows to keep prices under control on February 16, 2022Beijing: Inflation in China slowed in January, official data showed Wednesday, as the government pledged to keep prices in check in the world’s second-biggest economy. The producer price index (PPI), which measures the cost of goods at the factory gate, rose 9.1 percent on-year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, tracking falls in coal […]
New York jury rules against Palin in libel lawsuit on February 16, 2022New York: A US jury on Tuesday rejected former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s claim that the New York Times had intentionally defamed her in a 2017 editorial. The New York jurors ruled in the newspaper’s favor a day after the judge presiding over the case said he would dismiss the libel lawsuit irrespective of their […]
Social networks pledge to fight fake news in Brazil vote on February 16, 2022Brasília: Eight leading social networks signed an agreement Tuesday to fight disinformation during Brazil’s October presidential elections, though far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s new favorite, Telegram, was notably absent. Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google, Instagram, YouTube, and Kwai all signed the deal with Brazil’s Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) pledging to work with electoral authorities and their […]
More unmarked graves found at another Canadian Indigenous school on February 16, 2022Montreal: An Indigenous community in Canada’s Saskatchewan province announced Tuesday the discovery of 54 unmarked graves at two former residential schools, adding to a growing tally of such burials that shocked the nation last year. Ted Quewezance, who is leading the Keeseekoose First Nation’s search for graves using ground-penetrating radar near Fort Pelly and St […]
Seven dead, 14 missing as Spain trawler sinks off Canada on February 16, 2022 Montreal: At least seven fishermen died and another 14 were missing after a Spanish trawler sank in rough seas off eastern Canada on Tuesday, Spanish and Canadian officials said. “We have now recovered seven deceased individuals and three survivors,” Brian Owens of Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) told AFP. There were 24 crew […]
Ukraine marks ‘Day of Unity’ as US warns Russia may yet attack on February 16, 2022Kyiv: A defiant Ukrainian leader urged citizens to celebrate a “Day of Unity” on Wednesday, as Washington warned once again that Russia remains poised to launch a devastating assault. President Volodymyr Zelensky chose the date for what he hoped would be a patriotic outpouring after US reports suggested Russian forces could attack as early as […]
Broken lives: Central Mali’s spiral of violence on February 16, 2022Mopti, Mali: Soldier, schoolgirl, teacher, militant… In the nightmare of central Mali, each has a tale to tell of violence, survival, and loss. In interviews conducted over 18 months, eight people have told AFP how their lives have been dramatically shaped by this brutal conflict in the heart of the Sahel. Central Mali is one […]