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Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...
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Papua New Guinea blocks Facebook as part of test to curb harmful content

Papua New Guinea’s government has blocked Facebook, saying the move is a "test" aimed at curbing misinformation, hate speech, and explicit content. The shutdown, enforced under the country’s anti-terrorism laws, began on Monday and has continued into Tuesday. Authorities have not confirmed when access will be restored. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers, media groups, and business leaders, who argue it undermines free speech and disrupts economic activity. Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili said the government is not attempting to suppress free speech but wants to ensure "responsible usage" of social media. "The unchecked proliferation of fake news, hate speech, pornography, child exploitation, and incitement to violence on platforms such as Facebook is unacceptable," Tsiamalili said in a statement. With an estimated 1.3 million users, Facebook is the dominant social media platform in PNG. It plays a crucial role in political discourse, commerce, and community engagement. Opposition MP Allan Bird called the move "draconian," warning that the government is heading "into dangerous territory." The Media Council of PNG also condemned the ban, calling it an "abuse of human rights." Business groups expressed concern that the ban would impact small traders who rely on Facebook for sales. "The informal sector will be the most affected," said John Pora, chairman of PNG’s Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation. The country’s National Information and Communications Technology Authority said it was unaware of the government’s plan, raising further questions about the ban’s execution. Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has yet to comment on the shutdown.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

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Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

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