6.4-magnitude quake hits the Philippines

MANILA • A strong and shallow 6.4-magnitude quake hit the southern Philippines yesterday evening, the United States Geological Survey said, sending hundreds rushing out of a shopping mall where local television said an elderly man was injured.

The quake, which was 14km deep, was centred around 7.7km from the city of Columbio in Mindanao , according to the US monitor.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Bad air caused 400k premature deaths

BRUSSELS • Poor air quality caused about 400,000 premature deaths in Europe in 2016, the most recent year data is available, and almost every city-dwelling European is exposed to pollution levels that exceed healthy levels, according to a report yesterday.

"Air pollution is currently the most important environmental risk to human health," the European Environment Agency, the European Union's health agency, said in the report.

Particle pollution in EU cities has become the target of tougher restrictions.

338 people charged in child porn probe

WASHINGTON • US law enforcement officials said yesterday that 338 people across the globe have been charged as part of a probe into a child pornography website that sold videos using bitcoin.

The website, called Welcome To Video, was taken offline in March last year and held over 250,000 unique videos, the authorities said.

Officials have arrested and charged subjects in the United States, the United Kingdom and 10 other countries.

REUTERS