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Philippines’ Duterte Welcomes Prospect of ICC Case – Voice of America

MANILA —  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday welcomed the prospect of the International Criminal Court (ICC) putting him on trial over his bloody war on drugs, saying he would not be intimidated and his campaign would be unrelenting and "brutal." A self-confessed assassin who testified to being in a "death squad" under Duterte is expected to file a case at the ICC this month or in [...]

Chuck Berry, musician, 1926-2017

Chuck Berry, who has died aged 90, was to some the greatest rock ’n roll artist of all time: he was certainly among the most influential.All the big British bands of the 1960s, in particular The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Animals, looked to Berry for both inspiration and material. Their early hits such as “Roll over Beethoven”, “Come On” and “Memphis Tennessee” had all been [...]

Panama Papers: PANA committee off to the USA – Malta Independent Online

The Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion (PANA) within the EU Parliament will be heading to the USA next week to hold a series of meetings. AD Chairperson Arnold Cassola posted this information on his Facebook page. “After having investigated the London, Malta and Luxembourg financial systems, the PANA delegation will next week visit the USA, including Delaware, which is renowned [...]

Abdullah signs accords with Argentine minister

BUENOS AIRES // Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has signed a number of accords with his counterpart Susana Mabel Malcorra, the Foreign Minister of Argentina.The two ministers discussed mutual cooperation between the UAE and Argentina and Abdullah stressed the strong UAE-Argentina relations and keenness on boosting them.Sheikh Abdullah and Malcorra signed three memoranda of understanding. One related to giving [...]

Idris Elba continues the fight in new television show on Discovery Channel

From the evil alien foe Krall in Star Trek Beyond, which was partly shot in Dubai, to the battle-hardened guerrilla commandant in Netflix’s harrowing debut feature Beasts of No Nation, and the tortured murder detective in the globally successful detective-show Luther, British actor Idris Elba has made a career out of playing tough guys. His latest show for Discovery Channel, Idris Elba: Fighter, however, sets out to [...]

Bombardier executive says canceling rail deal would cause 'irreparable harm'

By Allison Lampert | MONTREAL MONTREAL Bombardier Inc would suffer "irreparable harm" to its global reputation if it loses a light train contract from a Toronto transportation agency, a senior company official said in recent court filings.    The Canadian plane and train maker, which is fighting to save the C$770 million ($573 million) contract with Toronto's Metrolinx, will seek an injunction on March 21 to prevent an [...]

Study Says ‘Vernal Window’ Opening Earlier, Longer: Is Spring Getting Longer?

The advent of spring heralds many changes such as a rising temperature, the melting of ice, and the blooming of flowers. This transition from winter to the growing season is called the "vernal window" by scientists. According to a new study conducted led by researchers at the University of New Hampshire, there is an early opening of the vernal window and the phase may last longer. This indicates [...]

Sprint And US Cellular Kick Off Preorders For LG G6: What's On Offer?

Sprint and U.S. Cellular have also announced the sale of LG G6 on their networks. This move comes close on the heels of Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile sharing their offers for the LG G6. What Is Sprint Offering? Like Verizon, Sprint is also ready to accept pre-orders for the LG G6. The latter has also put up a lucrative offer, wherein it is offering a Google Home [...]

10 things to do today: attend an Emirati culutral film evening, watch new film Before I Fall and more

Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for March 18, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film creenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Aarti Jhurani rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE.Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] Al AinFilm screeningWatch the film A Tale [...]

China to build on disputed shoal in South China Sea

BEIJING China will begin preparatory work this year for an environmental monitoring station on Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, an official said, as two U.S. senators introduced a bill to impose sanctions on its activities in the disputed waterway.China seized the strategic shoal, which is also claimed by the Philippines, in 2012 and the United States has warned Beijing against carrying out the same land [...]

YouTube advertising backlash gathers pace

Havas, the French media agency, has joined the British government in pulling all of its digital ad spending from Google and YouTube in the UK, after it was revealed that government and corporate advertisements were being displayed alongside videos that advocate extremism. Havas, one of the world’s largest marketing groups, spends about £175m on digital advertising in the UK annually. It said it was also considering a [...]

Exclusive – Syrian Kurdish YPG says Raqqa attack to start in early April

BEIRUT The head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia said a U.S.-backed assault to drive Islamic State from its de-facto capital Raqqa would begin at the start of April and the YPG would be taking part, despite fierce opposition from neighbouring Turkey.A spokesman for the U.S. Pentagon said no decision had been made yet on the Raqqa offensive, which is part of a two pronged attempt to [...]

Wall Street steady as crude prices rise

Friday 13:30 GMTWhat you need to know ● Dollar index nudges up after hitting five-week low● Short term US bond yields inch higher● Global stocks at record as Wall St gains ground● Oil prices firmer after volatile week● Gold advances towards $1,230 an ounce-------------------Hot topicHas the buck bounce run its course? The dollar index (DXY) — a measure of the greenback against a basket of currencies — [...]

Call for greater awareness on vitamin D deficiency

ABU DHABI // The public needs to be better informed about the effects of vitamin D deficiency on other conditions, an Abu Dhabi conference has heard. Vitamin D deficiency can have a severe impact on autoimmune processes, several types of cancer, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and pregnancy, experts said. Their comments came on Thursday at the Vitamin D Deficiency and Human Health conference at [...]

Tardigrades use unique protein to protect themselves from desiccation

Tardigrades have captured the imagination of scientists for almost 250 years, thanks to their ability to survive extreme environments that would destroy most other living things. One of these skills is the ability to endure being dried out for up to a decade or longer. Scientists report that this knack for survival is due to a unique set of proteins they dubbed tardigrade-specific intrinsically disordered proteins. Source

China consumer day show skewers Nike shoes, Muji foods

By Jackie Cai and Adam Jourdan | SHANGHAI SHANGHAI China's annual consumer rights day TV show turned its spotlight on U.S. sports brand Nike Inc (NKE.N) for misleading advertising and Japanese brand Muji for selling food products allegedly sourced from part of Japan affected by radiation.The state-run China Central Television (CCTV) show - which can have brands and their corporate PR teams scurrying to take evasive action [...]

LG G6 pre-orders may start at Verizon this Friday, for a reasonable $672

Image: LG I've been using a non-final LG G6 unit for a couple of weeks and have decided this is likely my next Android phone, depending on the price. Rumors have indicated we might see the LG G6 launch on 7 April, a week after Samsung announces the Galaxy S8 and before the S8 hits the streets. According to information that Android Central received, the LG G6 [...]

Emirates says US flights hit by storm Stella

Emirates on Tuesday advised passengers travelling to the United States to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport amid widespread cancellations caused by storm Stella. The Dubai-based airline is one of several airlines to be impacted by the storm which brought heavy snow and high winds to the northeastern area of the US. In a tweet, Emirates urged passengers to check on its [...]

Samsung Working On Tizen-Powered Z4 Smartphone, FCC Certification Reveals

Samsung has been in news a lot for its upcoming Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. However, the South Korean is now in the news for its Z series of phones, which will be powered by its own operating system. The company, which is all set to launch its latest flagships on March 29, is rumored to be working on a new smartphone known as Samsung Z4, successor [...]

Revenues from VAT in the GCC to boost development

ABU DHABI // The introduction of value-added tax in the UAE next year, in tandem with the other five GCC countries, will boost government revenues that took a hit with falling oil prices.VAT could generate Dh12 billion in its first year and Dh20bn in its second year, said Sultan Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy.The international monetary fund (IMF) said introducing VAT at a low rate could generate [...]

‘Iran Is Not Ibiza,’ but Fireworks Offer an Illicit Thrill

The preparations for Fireworks Wednesday started Tuesday afternoon when the gardeners carefully laid out seven small piles of sand near the square. Seven is regarded as a holy number in Iran’s pre-Islamic Zoroastrian faith. They then brought over several wheelbarrow loads of firewood. I noticed several of my neighbors peeking down from their balconies.Fireworks Wednesday is traditionally celebrated on the last Tuesday before the end of the [...]

Antibiotics Are Not Effective In Treating Eczema, Reveals Study

If you are trying to get rid of the itching that is caused due to Eczema in your children, then gulping an antibiotic or applying an antibiotic cream may not be of any help. A study has revealed that there lies no underline benefit for eczema, by the use of oral or any topical antibiotics for children who are infected with mild clinical eczema. Eczema In Children A [...]

Nintendo Switch Sells 1.5 Million Units In First Week: 89 Percent Also Bought 'Zelda'

Released on March 3, the Nintendo Switch console has now reportedly managed to push 1.5 million units, which is an impressive figure for its first week, especially considering that Nintendo's overall sales projection for March is just 2 million. The Nintendo Switch seems set to pass that mark altogether, possibly even sooner than expected. Nintendo Switch Sales Breakdown According to reports, 500,000 Switch units were sold in [...]

Chronicling the life and work of Egyptian artist Mahmoud Said

Mahmoud Said was born into high society. His family were rich landowners from Alexandria in Egypt and his father, Mohammed Said Pasha, served as Egyptian prime minister from 1910 to 1914, and again briefly in 1919. His sister’s daughter, Safinaz Zulficar, became Queen Farida of Egypt, and her reign lasted almost 11 years. Even then, in the early 20th century, as Said simultaneously worked as a top [...]