News in Brief--(30-04-2018)

Pak star wins Queen Elizabeth II Cup
HONG KONG, Apr 29: Pakistan Star clinched the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for jockey William Buick in Hong Kong Sunday, the highlight of three Group One spring races with a total purse of HK$58 million ($7.4 million). Known for being unpredictable, the five-year-old stormed to victory by a large margin in the final strides and finished the 2,000-metre course in just over two minutes. — AFP
Thais rally against officials' homes on sacred mountain
BANGKOK, Apr 29: Around 1,000 people rallied in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai on Sunday to protest the construction of homes for officials on forested land flanking a revered mountain, in one of the largest shows of dissent under junta rule. Public frustration has been mounting over the project since aerial images of several dozen officials' homes-carved into the green foothills of Chiang Mai's Doi Suthep mountain-started circulating on social media earlier this year. On Sunday a huge crowd of protesters, many wearing green ribbons, called for the demolition of the buildings as they marched through Chiang Mai. — AFP
Australia pledges $ half a billion to restore Great Barrier Reef
SYDNEY, Apr 29: Australia pledged half a billion dollars to restore and protect the Great Barrier Reef Sunday in what it said would be a game-changer for the embattled natural wonder. The World Heritage-listed site, which attracts millions of tourists, is reeling from significant bouts of coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change. The reef is also under threat from the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, which has proliferated due to pollution and agricultural runoff. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said more than Aus$500 million will go towards improving water quality, tackling predators, and expanding restoration efforts. — AFP