Foreign
Omicron variant forces WTO to postpone in-person ministerial meet
November 28, 2021, 10:48 am
GENEVA – The World Trade Organization on Saturday postponed its in-person ministerial conference next week after the “outbreak of a particularly transmissible strain of the Covid-19 virus” forced several countries to impose travel restrictions. “The WTO’s General Council agreed to… Read More
US online sales hit $5.1-B on Thanksgiving Day
November 27, 2021, 2:55 pm
ANKARA - Online sales hit USD5.1 billion on Thanksgiving Day in the US, at the lower end of estimates, according to Adobe Digital Insights (ADI) data on Friday. The digital market research agency expected online sales to come between USD5.1-USD5.9 billion on Thanksgiving Day. While this year's… Read More
EU countries tighten travel rules over new Covid variant concerns
November 27, 2021, 2:23 pm
BRUSSELS - A slew of European countries has restricted travel from southern Africa amid concerns over the new Covid-19 variant. The B.1.1.529 variant, first detected in South Africa, is reportedly more transmissible and has been classified as a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health… Read More
New virus strain from southern Africa 'variant of concern': WHO
November 27, 2021, 1:12 pm
GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday declared the new Covid-19 variant from southern Africa a "variant of concern," and named it Omicron. The declaration came after the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution – an independent group of experts – met to assess… Read More
193 countries adopt 1st global agreement on Ethics of AI
November 26, 2021, 7:59 pm
NEW YORK – All member nations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted on Thursday a historical text that defines the common values and principles needed to ensure the healthy development of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is present in everyday… Read More
EU health agency warns of deteriorating coronavirus situation
November 25, 2021, 8:00 pm
BRUSSELS – The coronavirus situation will deteriorate in the European Union in the next two months unless the bloc introduces new measures and raises the vaccination rate, the head of the EU’s public health agency warned Wednesday. According to the latest modeling scenarios from the European… Read More
Sweden's 1st female premier quits hours after taking office
November 25, 2021, 1:33 pm
STOCKHOLM – Sweden’s first female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson resigned hours after taking office on Wednesday. Social Democratic Party leader Andersson was elected Sweden's first female prime minister by receiving a vote of confidence in the parliament in the morning. Later, the Green… Read More
US launches attempt to protect Earth from approaching asteroids
November 24, 2021, 8:08 pm
NEW YORK – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which is supposed to test this first-of-its-kind planetary defense innovation against potentially dangerous space objects, has been launched in the United States. The live coverage is streamed on… Read More
Global Covid-19 death toll up 6% in past week: WHO
November 24, 2021, 4:01 pm
GENEVA – Almost 3.6 million people contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) worldwide in the past week, over 51,000 of them died, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its Weekly Epidemiological Report on Wednesday. "Globally, the numbers of weekly Covid-19 cases and deaths have… Read More
Deepening China-Asean cooperation boosts reg’l economic recovery
November 24, 2021, 1:26 pm
NANNING – At a warehouse in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, dozens of tons of durian fruit products imported from Malaysia are boxed shortly after arrival, ready to be delivered across China. "That's the first batch of durian this winter," said Yao Hai, who trades in fruit between China… Read More
Apple sues Israeli spyware maker NSO Group over iPhone attacks
November 24, 2021, 1:24 pm
WASHINGTON – Apple announced on Tuesday it has sued notorious Israeli spyware maker NSO Group over its allegedly "flagrant violations" of US law stemming from efforts to target iPhone users. The suit is the latest against the beleaguered NSO Group after WhatsApp and Facebook parent company Meta… Read More
Bulgaria bus mishap kills 46
November 23, 2021, 5:33 pm
SOFIA, Bulgaria – At least 46 people were burned to death early Tuesday in a bus accident in western Bulgaria. The bus with North Macedonian license plate caught fire after crashing into a roadside barrier on a highway near the Pernik city, west of Sofia, according to private television NOVA.… Read More
French premier tests positive for Covid-19
November 23, 2021, 1:32 pm
PARIS – French premier Jean Castex tested positive for the coronavirus after one of his daughters was infected with the virus, his office confirmed Monday. Castex, 56, was declared a contact case after his 11-year-old daughter tested positive. The prime minister earlier in the day went to… Read More
China pushes for nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asia
November 22, 2021, 3:40 pm
ISTANBUL – China on Monday said it is ready to work with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) towards a nuclear weapon-free region besides ensuring stability in the disputed South China Sea. “China supports Asean’s efforts to build a nuclear weapon-free zone, and… Read More
Biden temporarily transfers power to US VP over medical procedure
November 20, 2021, 12:51 pm
WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden will temporarily transfer his power to Vice President Kamala Harris while he remains under anesthesia in a hospital during planned medical procedures, the White House announced Friday. "As was the case when President George W. Bush had the same procedure in… Read More
Germany reports record 65,371 new Covid-19 cases
November 18, 2021, 5:12 pm
BERLIN – Germany recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases on Thursday with more than 65,000 new infections, as officials warned that many hospitals were at the limits of their capacity. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country's disease control agency, confirmed 65,371 new… Read More
Bangsamoro peace process has ‘come a long way’: Turkish envoy
November 18, 2021, 1:05 pm
COTABATO CITY, Bangsamoro/ISTANBUL – The Bangsamoro peace process in the Philippines has “come a long way,” Turkey’s ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation said. “It is not easy to implement such a peace process. It takes hard work, time and it will continue for some more time,”… Read More
NATO warns of ‘unusual concentration of forces’ near Ukraine
November 15, 2021, 9:27 pm
BRUSSELS – North Atlantic Treaty Organization or Atlantic Alliance (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Monday called on Russia to reduce tensions after “unusual concentration of forces” in and around Ukraine. “What we see in and around Ukraine now is a large Russian military… Read More
China to continue Covid-19 vax support to Asean countries: FM
November 15, 2021, 1:49 pm
BEIJING – Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with diplomatic envoys of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries on Sunday in Beijing. Wang said since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping has maintained close communication… Read More
Over 84M Chinese children vaccinated vs. Covid-19
November 14, 2021, 2:17 pm
BEIJING – Nearly 84.4 million children between aged 3 and 11 years old have been vaccinated against Covid-19 across China, and over 49.4 million among them have had booster shots, a health official said Saturday. The health authorities will continue to promote vaccination in this age group, Wu… Read More
