Author: AFP

Gun salutes and silence to mark Prince Philip’s death

LONDON: Military guns will be fired across Britain and sporting events will fall silent on Saturday as part of worldwide tributes to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip. Philip, the longest serving royal consort in British history and a constant presence at the queen’s side for

The ever-expanding universe of ‘Game of Thrones’

PARIS: Ten years after its launch and two years after it ended, “Game of Thrones” fans have plenty more to look forward to, from TV spinoffs to the long-awaited final books. Waiting for Martin It’s the question that has driven fans of the Iron Throne to despair: when will author

Prince Philip dead age 99

LONDON: Britain’s Prince Philip, a constant presence at Queen Elizabeth II’s side for decades, died on Friday at age 99, Buckingham Palace announced. The death of the Duke of Edinburgh is a profound loss for the 94-year-old monarch, who once described him as her “strength and stay all these years”.

Singapore blogger crowdfunds $100,000 to pay PM defamation damages

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean blogger said he had crowdfunded almost $100,000 that he was ordered to pay as damages for defaming the prime minister by sharing an article on Facebook. Leong Sze Hian was sued by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong after sharing the piece, which linked Lee to the

India tightens screws as Covid-19 infections hit new record

NEW DELHI: India’s worst-hit state ramped up its coronavirus restrictions as nationwide the daily infections exceeded 100,000 for the first time on Monday. The country is only the second — after the United States — to record so many new cases in one day. Hopes at the start of the

Funny old world: The week’s offbeat news

PARIS: Our weekly roundup of offbeat stories from around the world: Jill the flight attendant Joe Biden was elected to the White House to bring the world a little peace and quiet. But no one told his wife Jill, nor their dog Major. The First Lady is an inveterate prankster,

Egypt gears up for pharaohs’ Golden Parade

CAIRO, Egypt: The mummified remains of 22 Egyptian pharaohs, including the most powerful ancient queen, are to be paraded through the streets of Cairo Saturday, in a procession to a new resting place. Under the watchful eyes of security forces, the mummies will be moved seven kilometres (four miles) across

Taste and smell gone forever? The anguish of Covid survivors

NEW YORK: Three days after testing positive for Covid-19, “everything tasted like cardboard”, recalls 38-year-old Elizabeth Medina, who lost her sense of taste and smell at the start of the pandemic. A year later, she fears she will never get them back. Medina consulted ear, nose and throat doctors and

Kingfisher: the DIY giant building on back of pandemic

LONDON: The coronavirus pandemic has caused the permanent closure of bricks-and-mortar retailers worldwide but European home-improvements giant Kingfisher is looking to expand, chief executive Thierry Garnier told AFP in an interview. Kingfisher, along with rivals, have been allowed to keep stores open during the virus outbreak, enabling customers to purchase

Indonesia cathedral rocked by Palm Sunday suicide bombing

JAKARTA: An Indonesian cathedral was rocked by a suicide bombing on Sunday with body parts littering the chaotic scene as Christians inside celebrated the start of Holy Week. The powerful blast at the church in Makassar city on Sulawesi island happened around 10:30 am local time and left at least