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Video Rare triple waterspout forms in front of sunset in the Philippines
The mesmerising natural weather phenomenon amazed residents on Talim Island in Rizal province shortly after 6pm local time. The waterspouts, or elephant trunk tornadoes, dissipated after around five minutes. Resident Ray Malubay said: ''There were three waterspouts.
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Moscow eases nine-week lockdown despite high virus caseload
Moscow residents ventured out to exercise, stroll and shop on Monday as the city eased a strict nine-week lockdown, but millions remained largely confined to their homes as Russia recorded thousands more coronavirus cases. President Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to begin easing restrictions despite Russia having the world's third-highest number of confirmed infections, and was due on Monday to be presented with an ambitious economic recovery plan. Putin said last week that Russia had passed the peak of its epidemic and is anxious to get the country moving again, especially in Moscow where he announced plans for huge military parade on June 24.
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Philippine capital reopens despite jump in virus cases
Manila emerged on Monday from one of the world's longest coronavirus lockdowns as the Philippines seeks to repair its badly damaged economy even as the number of new infections surges. "The virus is frightening but it's either you die from the virus or you die from hunger," salesman Himmler Gaston, 59, told AFP as he entered the train station where commuters had their temperatures checked. The Philippines has so far reported 18,638 cases and 960 deaths, but experts fear limited testing means the true figures are likely much higher.
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Latin America virus cases top 1 mn as UK, Russia ease lockdowns
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Latin America have surged past one million, while hard-hit Britain and Russia eased lockdowns Monday, despite not having their outbreaks fully under control. Governments around the world are moving to ease restrictions that have wrecked their economies, even as the number of cases tops 6.1 million and virus deaths exceed 371,000. With more than half a million known infections, Brazil now has the second-highest caseload in the world, but its anti-lockdown President Jair Bolsonaro again defied social distancing recommendations on Sunday.
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Deadly Tropical Storm Amanda hits El Salvador, Guatemala
Tropical Storm Amanda triggered flash floods, landslides and power outages as it barrelled through El Salvador and Guatemala Sunday, killing 14 people, authorities said, warning of further heavy rain to come. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a 15-day state of emergency to cope with the effects of the storm, which he estimated to have caused $200 million in damage, but which weakened later in the day as it moved into Guatemala. Amanda, the first named storm of the season in the Pacific, unleashed torrents of floodwater that tossed vehicles around like toys and damaged about 200 homes, the head of the Civil Protection Service William Hernandez said.
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Wayward whale takes city break in Montreal
A young humpback whale that swam up one of Canada's major rivers and has been exploring the waters off Montreal for a few days was likely led astray while on a hunting trip, authorities have said. Since Saturday, the giant creature has been swimming in the St Lawrence river against the backdrop of the Montreal skyline -- hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the waters it usually calls home. The humpback is likely to be the same creature as that seen a few days ago further downstream near Quebec City, said Marie-Eve Muller of the Quebec marine mammal emergency network (RQUMM).
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Thousands face homelessness in Greek refugee relocation push
Abdelkader Rahmoun hasn't slept in days. The 44-year-old Syrian and his family are among thousands of recognised refugees about to lose the temporary homes they were given under Greece's asylum seeker housing scheme. As of Monday, authorities will start moving more than 11,200 people out of flats, hotels and camps on the mainland, to make room for other asylum seekers currently living in dismal island camps.
