Foreign
N. Korea first spy satellite launch fails; releases photos
June 1, 2023, 2:05 pm
SEOUL – North Korea on Thursday released rare photos of its failed attempt to launch its first military spy satellite in an apparent bid to stress that it was not a test of a weapons system. The photos, released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), show Pyongyang's new… Read More
Health minister wants changes to lift mandatory isolation
June 1, 2023, 9:26 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria – Caretaker Minister of Health Assen Medjidiev will initiate changes to the Health Act to allow for the lift of mandatory isolation of persons with Covid-19, as well as mandatory quarantine of contacts of these persons, announced the press center of the ministry. On May 5, 2023,… Read More
French exec denies link between homeless’ relocation, Olympics
May 31, 2023, 9:54 pm
PARIS – France's sports minister said on Wednesday that the government's decision to move homeless people and asylum seekers from the capital city is not related to the upcoming Olympic games. "We have major issues with emergency accommodation, but it's not the fault of the Olympics. (...) It's… Read More
Japan aims to halve heatstroke deaths by 2030
May 30, 2023, 7:09 pm
TOKYO – The Japanese government adopted a five-year action plan on Tuesday aimed at halving the number of deaths from heatstroke by 2030 from an annual average of 1,295 over the past five years. The action plan, adopted at a cabinet meeting, was in line with a law revised in April to step up… Read More
Malaysian gov't sets up funds for journalists in need
May 30, 2023, 5:29 pm
MANILA – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced the allocation of 1 million Malaysian Ringgit for media practitioners, including former and veteran journalists, in need of help. The leader made the announcement during the highlights of the three-day National Journalists' Day 2023… Read More
Economy minister to unveil forum on eurozone's advantages for biz
May 30, 2023, 4:10 pm
SOFIA, Bulgaria – Caretaker Minister of Economy and Industry Nikola Stoyanov Tuesday will open a discussion forum on the advantages and challenges of the eurozone for Bulgarian businesses in the process of Bulgaria adopting the single currency, the Economy Ministry said in a press release. The… Read More
WHO report warns of accelerating food insecurity worldwide
May 29, 2023, 4:45 pm
NEW YORK – The World Health Organization (WHO) new report, “Grow food, not tobacco”, has recalled that around 349 million people are facing acute food insecurity, many of them in some 30 countries on the African continent, where tobacco cultivation has increased by 15 percent in the last… Read More
Mysterious phosphorescent green stain appears in Grand Canal
May 29, 2023, 2:33 pm
ROME – A mysterious phosphorescent green stain appeared in the Grand Canal in Venice on Sunday. Thoughts immediately went to a climate protest but no group claimed an attack on the iconic waterway. Those with a longer memory were reminded of a shining green stain that Argentine artist Nicolas… Read More
Drone attacks hit 2 western Russian regions
May 28, 2023, 7:08 pm
MOSCOW – Attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) on Saturday caused explosions in two western Russian regions, Pskov and Tver. According to a statement on Telegram by Tver Governor Mikhail Vedernikov, an administrative building of an oil pipeline was damaged by attacks by two drones in the… Read More
European Investment Bank lends €3.4B to circular economy projects
May 28, 2023, 4:48 pm
BRUSSELS — The European Investment Bank (EIB) lending to circular economy projects has consistently increased over the years, amounting to €3.4 billion over the past five years, with a record level of €1.1 billion alone in 2022. The figures were released ahead of the World Circular Economy… Read More
Arrest warrant issued for Korean who opened plane door mid-air
May 28, 2023, 4:36 pm
DAEGU – A local court issued a warrant Sunday to arrest a passenger who opened an emergency exit door on board an Asiana Airlines flight right before landing in the southeastern city of Daegu last week. The 33-year-old man, only identified by his surname Lee, was detained by police Friday on… Read More
Francis becomes first pope to visit a TV studio
May 28, 2023, 3:12 pm
ROME – Pope Francis on Saturday became the first pontiff to visit a TV studio, giving an interview to Italian State broadcaster Rai. The Argentine pontiff, 86, has given various TV interviews, but always received journalists in the Vatican. Upon his arrival at the Rai studios at Saxa Rubra in… Read More
Global investment in clean energy seen rising to $1.7T in 2023
May 28, 2023, 1:04 pm
PARIS — Global investment in clean energy is on course to rise to USD1.7 trillion in 2023, with solar set to eclipse oil production for the first time. Investment in clean energy technologies is significantly outpacing spending on fossil fuels as affordability and security concerns triggered by… Read More
WHO: Stop tobacco farming, grow food instead
May 28, 2023, 12:30 pm
GENEVA – With hunger spreading worldwide and tobacco being responsible for eight million deaths each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday urged countries to stop subsidizing tobacco crops and instead help farmers grow food. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday (May 31,… Read More
EU reviews Covid-19 vax deal as demand dropped
May 27, 2023, 3:27 pm
BRUSSELS – The European Union struck on Friday a deal with pharma companies BioNTech/Pfizer on reviewing the terms of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine deliveries after the demand for jabs significantly dropped. The European Commission announced in a statement that it had reached an… Read More
Man who opened plane door says he was stressed: police
May 27, 2023, 3:02 pm
DAEGU – A passenger who opened a door of an Asiana Airlines plane just before landing at an airport earlier this week has told police that he opened the door as he felt suffocated and wanted to get off the aircraft quickly, police officials said Saturday. On Friday, police detained the… Read More
UN honors fallen peacekeepers
May 26, 2023, 8:30 pm
UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations (UN) held ceremonies at its headquarters in New York on Thursday to honor the memory of the peacekeepers who have sacrificed their lives while serving under the UN flag. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial in… Read More
Public figures address Bulgarians on May 24 celebrations
May 25, 2023, 10:46 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria – The celebrations of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slav Letters began with a solemn procession on May 24 in Sofia. President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliana Iotova joined the ceremony. The… Read More
Brexit ‘more of a failure’, says most of Brits
May 24, 2023, 7:42 pm
LONDON – Some 62 percent of Brits described Brexit as "more of a failure," while just 9 percent consider it “more of a success,” according to a new survey. The survey by YouGov showed that an overwhelming majority of Remain voters (89 percent) perceive Brexit as a failure. However, among… Read More
43K people dead due to armed conflicts in 2022: UN
May 24, 2023, 1:44 pm
UNITED NATIONS – The head of the United Nations said Tuesday that an estimated 43,000 people have died as a result of armed conflicts in 2022 and he warned that war is devastating lives around the world.“Last year, 94 percent of their victims in populated areas were civilians,” Antonio… Read More
