Foreign
U.S. House OKs resolution denouncing socialism, NoKor dictators
February 3, 2023, 2:38 pm
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution Thursday denouncing socialism and socialist dictators, including North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. House lawmakers passed the resolution, titled "Denouncing the horrors of socialism," in a 328-86 vote. The resolution highlights… Read More
Greece, Italy face persisting drug shortages
February 3, 2023, 1:37 pm
ATHENS / ROME – Pharmacists in Greece and Italy have pinpointed two main reasons for the persisting drug shortage in the two countries. The first is the limitation by China and India on the export of raw materials needed for drug production, and the second is the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking… Read More
35% of world's wetlands disappeared in last 50 years
February 2, 2023, 6:55 pm
ANKARA – Considered the world's most threatened ecosystems, over 35 percent of the world's wetlands have disappeared in the last 50 years, according to the official website of World Wetlands Day. The importance of wetlands which are among the world's most productive ecosystems is taking the… Read More
UN welcomes African leaders' commitment to end AIDS among kids
February 2, 2023, 4:55 pm
NEW YORK – United Nations agencies have welcomed a pledge by 12 African countries to end AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in children by 2030, at a meeting in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The first ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in children marked a step-up in… Read More
Trump's former UN envoy Nikki Haley hints at presidential run
February 2, 2023, 3:32 pm
NEW YORK – Former US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, is expected to join the 2024 presidential race, according to media reports. Haley, a former governor from the state of South Carolina, teased her intention to run in a tweet. “It's time for a new generation to lead,” she wrote. “My… Read More
EU chief negotiator says Brexit 'lose-lose game'
February 2, 2023, 1:34 pm
LONDON – A former European Union (EU) chief negotiator said Wednesday that there are no advantages from the Brexit deal for anyone as it was a "lose-lose game." Michel Barnier, former head of the European Commission's Task Force for relations with the United Kingdom (UK), spoke at a conference… Read More
Power outage leaves one of world's busiest airports dark in US
February 2, 2023, 1:00 pm
NEW YORK – The Los Angeles International Airport, one of the world's busiest airports, briefly lost power on Wednesday. The airport said it was assessing a power issue affecting some facilities. “The airfield is operating normally but some terminals, traffic lights, and other systems may not… Read More
Tokyo aims to cut estimated deaths from major quake in half
February 1, 2023, 4:28 pm
TOKYO – The Tokyo metropolitan government has said that it plans to set a new target of "roughly halving" the estimated maximum death toll in the event of a significant earthquake occurring directly under the Japanese capital. The current estimated figure stands at around 6,100 people and the… Read More
Over 1.5M people displaced in Myanmar since military coup
February 1, 2023, 4:12 pm
ANKARA – Over 1.5 million people have been displaced in past years, with more than five million children in dire need of humanitarian aid in Myanmar, the United Nations said Tuesday or two years after the military takeover. On Feb. 1, 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi's government was deposed in a military… Read More
Actor Alec Baldwin charged with involuntary manslaughter
February 1, 2023, 2:04 pm
WASHINGTON – American actor Alec Baldwin was formally charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter related to a deadly 2021 shooting on the set of the western film, Rust. Authorities announced earlier this month that charges were forthcoming. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was in charge of… Read More
IMF projects growth rate of 6.1% for India
February 1, 2023, 1:04 pm
NEW DELHI – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday projected a growth rate of 6.1 percent for the Indian economy during the next financial year from April 2023 to March 2024, and 6.8 percent in the subsequent financial year. It indicated that a resilient domestic demand in India will… Read More
European countries face continued medicine shortages: Survey
January 31, 2023, 7:10 pm
BRUSSELS – European countries are still experiencing high incidence of medicine shortages, with deteriorating burdensome impact on patients, according to a recent survey. The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) conducted a survey with pharmacies in 29 countries, including EU… Read More
Death toll from Pakistan's mosque suicide blast rises to 88
January 31, 2023, 6:59 pm
ISLAMABAD – The death toll from a suicide bomb blast that hit a mosque on Monday in Pakistan's northwest provincial capital of Peshawar rose to 88, an official told Xinhua on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar Shafiullah Khan said the death toll rose after some injured succumbed to their… Read More
IMF sees little impact of price cap on Russian oil exports
January 31, 2023, 5:15 pm
WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects a price cap imposed by Western countries on the volume of Russian oil exports to have little impact, according to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook update. "At the current oil price cap level of the Group of Seven, Russian crude oil… Read More
Wind, solar power generated record 22.3% of EU’s electricity
January 31, 2023, 3:22 pm
LONDON – Wind and solar power generated a record 22.3 percent of the European Union’s electricity in 2022, overtaking fossil gas, with 19.9 percent, for the first time, according to the European Electricity Review published Tuesday by energy think tank Ember. As Europe scrambled to cut most of… Read More
Air traffic controllers' strike in Spain begins
January 31, 2023, 2:53 pm
ISTANBUL – A weekly strike of air traffic controllers in Spain began on Monday as 162 workers walked off the job. Previously announced by the Air Traffic Controllers Union (USCA) and another union, the strike will affect 16 airports and will take place every Monday for 24 hours from now until… Read More
Boris Johnson says Putin threatened UK with missile strike
January 31, 2023, 12:30 pm
LONDON – Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened him with a missile strike during an "extraordinary" phone call prior to the war in Ukraine. In a new BBC documentary, Johnson said Putin told him sending a missile to the UK "would… Read More
Covid-19 still public health emergency of int'l concern: WHO
January 31, 2023, 12:23 pm
GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) head said Monday after listing advice from an advisory body that Covid-19 continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). "The WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the… Read More
WHO envoy asks Pope to help eliminate leprosy
January 30, 2023, 12:58 pm
TOKYO – World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa asked for support from Pope Francis to eliminate leprosy and the prejudice and discrimination associated with the disease. Sasakawa made the request when he paid an audience with His Holiness at… Read More
At least 2 dead, 122 hurt as 5.9 magnitude quake hits Iran
January 29, 2023, 4:54 pm
TEHRAN –At least two people died while more than 100 others were hurt when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit Iran’s northwestern province of West Azerbaijan Saturday, an emergency organization said. The quake was reported at around 9.44 p.m. local time at a depth of 7 kilometers (4.34 miles),… Read More
