Foreign
Japan closes Mt. Fuji to climbers due to pandemic
May 18, 2020, 9:46 pm
ANKARA – Japan on Monday decided to close Mt. Fuji for climbers this summer due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, local media reported. Mt. Fuji, a volcanic mountain, has the highest mountain peak in Japan – 3,776 meters above sea level. This is the first time in 60 years… Read More
US coronavirus death toll tops 88,500
May 17, 2020, 4:00 pm
ANKARA – The US death toll from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) surpassed 88,500 after 1,580 more fatalities were reported on Saturday. The country's total cases neared 1.49 million and it continued to lead the world in cases and deaths related to the virus, according to data provided… Read More
Speech droplets likely way Covid-19 spreads: US study
May 14, 2020, 10:00 pm
ANKARA – Small speech droplets are now eyed as a likely mode of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) transmission, instead of coughing or sneezing droplets, according to a recent study. The study published Wednesday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the US, showed the… Read More
US first access to virus vaccine unacceptable: France
May 14, 2020, 8:41 pm
PARIS – A top French official on Thursday said it would be “unacceptable” for the US to be given priority access to a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Deputy Finance Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher’s comments came a day after the head of French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi suggested the… Read More
Record $73-B spent on nukes in 2019: ICAN
May 14, 2020, 6:36 pm
GENEVA – Nuclear-armed states spent a record USD73 billion on nuclear weapons in 2019, a nearly 10-percent increase from 2018, and the United States accounted for almost half of the spending, a new report said on Wednesday. “As the economies of the US, China, France, and Russia all contract,… Read More
US House Democrats release $3-T virus relief bill
May 13, 2020, 1:45 pm
WASHINGTON – Democrats in the US House of Representatives announced Tuesday a sweeping USD3 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes funds for state and local governments reeling from virus-related closures and additional direct payments to individuals. Announcing the "Heroes Act" on… Read More
Americans giving up US citizenship hit record high in 2020
May 13, 2020, 1:43 pm
WASHINGTON – The number of Americans renouncing their citizenship hit a record high in 2020, according to data by Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Data released last week indicated 2,909 Americans who live overseas gave up their citizenship in the first three months of the year, a 1,104 percent… Read More
Nations with remarkable success against coronavirus
May 13, 2020, 1:40 pm
ANKARA – Every country around the world is struggling with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in its own way, but some of them have shown remarkable success. The pandemic caused a worldwide public health crisis, and while European and North American countries suffered heavy losses, some… Read More
S. Korea links 102 new Covid-19 cases to Seoul night clubs
May 12, 2020, 8:22 pm
ANKARA – After battling the first wave of deadly coronavirus, South Korea detected new 102 cases linked to a night club in capital Seoul, local media reported on Tuesday. Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern that new infections connected to bars and clubs may… Read More
WHO urges vigilance to hold hard-won anti-virus gains
May 12, 2020, 7:47 pm
GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday welcomed the slowing down of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), but urged vigilance to keep the hard-won gains that have come at a severe socio-economic cost. “The good news is that there has been a great deal of success in slowing the… Read More
China to restart mass Covid-19 testing efforts in Wuhan
May 12, 2020, 7:31 pm
ANKARA – Chinese authorities in Wuhan are poised to launch a mass coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) testing effort after the city reported six new cases over the weekend, state-run media reported on Tuesday. According to the Global Times, the city's officials have asked districts to submit a… Read More
US to pass 10M coronavirus tests this week: Trump
May 12, 2020, 3:16 pm
WASHINGTON – The United States is conducting 300,000 coronavirus tests per day and will pass the milestone of 10 million tests this week, President Donald Trump said Monday. Speaking at a White House briefing on the nation's testing capacity, he said more than 9 million tests have been… Read More
Japan eyes Covid-19 vaccine trials in July
May 11, 2020, 7:34 pm
ANKARA – Japan is expecting to begin clinical trials for vaccine to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in July, the country’s prime minister said on Monday. Addressing the budget committee in parliament, Shinzo Abe revealed that work on vaccines are being carried on several institutions,… Read More
Global coronavirus recoveries top 1.4M
May 11, 2020, 3:29 pm
ANKARA – The number of recoveries worldwide from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak exceeded 1.4 million early Monday, according to a running tally by US-based Johns Hopkins University. A total of 1,408,705 recoveries were recorded across the globe, while 282,694 have lost their battle… Read More
Healthcare workers to long for children on Mother’s Day
May 10, 2020, 7:21 pm
ISTANBUL – Healthcare worker moms will mark Mother's Day on Sunday with a heavy heart as they isolated themselves from their children as part of measures against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). As millions of people are stuck at home and avoid contacting their family members to curb the… Read More
Global coronavirus cases surpass 4M mark
May 10, 2020, 11:21 am
ANKARA – The global tally for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections surpassed 4 million early Sunday, according to a running tally by US-based Johns Hopkins University. Data showed fatalities worldwide reached 277,860, while the number of patients who recovered stands at 1,348,383. The US… Read More
Global food prices drop in April amid pandemic: UN
May 7, 2020, 7:10 pm
ISTANBUL – Global food prices fell for the third consecutive month in April, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday. Food prices decreased 3.4 percent on a monthly basis, averaging 165.5 points, while it decreased 3 percent on an annual basis, the FAO said.… Read More
EU enters its deepest recession over virus: exec
May 6, 2020, 8:29 pm
BRUSSELS – The European Union, over the pandemic, has entered the deepest economic recession in its history, the bloc's commissioner for economy said on Wednesday. "The coronavirus caused an unprecedented economic crisis," Paolo Gentiloni said. Gentiloni presented the EU’s 2020 spring economic… Read More
Covid-19 'natural and not man-made' : US military chief
May 6, 2020, 1:43 pm
WASHINGTON – US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said Tuesday that the "weight of evidence" shows the coronavirus pandemic points towards natural origins. "The weight of evidence is that it was natural and not man-made," Milley told reporters at the Pentagon. The top general's… Read More
Oil prices up with optimism over easing of lockdowns
May 6, 2020, 1:15 pm
ANKARA – Crude oil prices were up on Tuesday with optimism over the easing of lockdowns in some parts of Asia, Europe, and the US, while raising expectations of greater oil demand. International benchmark Brent crude was trading at USD28.59 per barrel at 0640 GMT for a 5.1-percent increase… Read More