News in Brief (2024-04-29)

Schools closed, warnings issued as
Asia swelters in heatwave
MANILA, Apr 28: South and Southeast Asia braced for more extreme heat on Sunday as authorities across the region issued health warnings and residents fled to parks and air-conditioned malls for relief. The Philippines announced on Sunday the suspension of in-person classes at all public schools for two days after a record-shattering day of heat in the capital Manila. In Thailand, where at least 30 people have died of heatstroke so far this year, the meteorological department warned of "severe conditions" after temperatures in a northern province exceeded 44.1C (111.4F) on Saturday. — AFP
Russia downs 17 Ukrainian drones
MOSCOW, Apr 28: Russia shot down 17 Ukrainian drones overnight in several western regions, the defence ministry said on Sunday. "The air defence systems intercepted and destroyed seventeen Ukrainian UAVs," the ministry said in a Telegram post. Most of the drones were shot down in regions that border Ukraine, with nine downed in Bryansk, three in Kursk and two in Belgorod, according to the ministry. Three more were destroyed in the interior region of Kaluga. — AFP
20 Cambodian soldiers killed in blast
PHNOM PENH, Apr 28: Twenty Cambodian soldiers have been killed in an ammunition explosion at an army base, Prime Minister Hun Manet said Saturday. The blast at around 2.45pm (0745 GMT) at the army base in Kampong Speu province to the west of the capital also wounded several soldiers, according to the PM, with the army saying that an entire truck of munitions had exploded. — AFP
Titanic passenger's watch sells for $1.46m
LONDON, Apr 28: A gold watch found on the body of the richest passenger on the Titanic was auctioned in England for œ1.17 million ($1.46 million) on Saturday. It was a record sum for an object linked to the notorious 1912 shipping disaster, said auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son. A US buyer won the bidding war, smashing the auctioneer's pre-sale estimate of between œ100,000 and œ150,000. The watch, engraved with the initials JJA, belonged to the US business magnate John Jacob Astor. — AFP