Foreign
Western nations agree to disconnect Russian banks from SWIFT
February 27, 2022, 2:15 pm
BERLIN – The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, France and the European Commission agreed to impose new "tough financial sanctions" on Russia, including disconnecting some of its banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) system,… Read More
Ukraine shoots down Russian fighter jets, aircraft: Kyiv
February 26, 2022, 2:54 pm
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine has shot down two Russian fighter jets, an IL-76 aircraft and a helicopter, Ukrainian officials said Saturday. The head of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration, Serhiy Borzov, said on social media that Ukraine shot down a Russian SU-25 fighter jet near Kalynivka in… Read More
UK closes airspace to Russian planes
February 26, 2022, 2:44 pm
LONDON – The British government closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft late Friday. The closure to all Russian jets follows a similar ban by Moscow against UK aircraft and is intended to increase pressure on the Russian government following its invasion of Ukraine. “(Russian President… Read More
Ukraine president says ‘enemy sabotage groups’ have entered Kyiv
February 25, 2022, 10:59 am
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s president said Friday that “enemy sabotage groups” have entered the capital Kyiv and called on the public to be careful and follow curfew rules. In a video message on Facebook, Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian army has managed to protect almost the entire… Read More
Ukraine declares general mobilization as Russian attacks continue
February 25, 2022, 10:42 am
ISTANBUL – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree early Friday on a general mobilization of the population as Russian attacks continued. The general mobilization was announced “in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and in order… Read More
Biden has no intention to send US troops to fight in Ukraine
February 25, 2022, 10:40 am
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has no intention of sending US troops to fight in Ukraine, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Thursday. "That has not changed," Psaki said at a press conference. She said Washington will respond to Russia with strong economic measures due to its military… Read More
Ukraine declares martial law as Russia launches military ops
February 24, 2022, 8:12 pm
KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thursday announced martial law across the country as Russian troops entered the border and hit targets around Kyiv. In a video posted on his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy said Russia launched strikes against Ukrainian military facilities and border… Read More
NATO condemns Russia’s 'reckless, unprovoked attack' on Ukraine
February 24, 2022, 1:59 pm
WASHINGTON – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday strongly condemned Russia’s "reckless and unprovoked attack on Ukraine," saying it puts at risk countless civilian lives. "Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen… Read More
Ukraine warns against ‘staged provocation’ by Russia
February 24, 2022, 1:23 pm
KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraine’s foreign minister warned late Wednesday against a “staged provocation” by Russia as tensions between Moscow and Kyiv remain high. “Worrying reports from Crimea on the entire night shift of Titan chemicals plant in Armyansk evacuated from the facility,” Dmytro… Read More
Russia announces special military operation in eastern Ukraine
February 24, 2022, 1:12 pm
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation early Thursday in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. In a televised address, Putin said the people of Donbas turned to Russia for help, according to Russian news agency TASS. “In this regard...I decided to conduct… Read More
Russia-Ukraine crisis: What you need to know
February 23, 2022, 10:09 pm
ANKARA – The Russia-Ukraine crisis, which began about eight years ago, has taken on new dimensions following Moscow's controversial recognition of the independence of separatist regions in the country's east. In a speech late Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of… Read More
SoKor's daily Covid-19 cases surge to new high 171,452
February 23, 2022, 9:05 pm
SEOUL – South Korea's new Covid-19 infections soared to another high of over 170,000 on Wednesday, nearly doubling from a week earlier, as the highly contagious omicron variant continued to spread across the country. The country reported 171,452 new Covid-19 infections, including 171,271 local… Read More
Inmate pardoned by victim's kin dies of heart attack out of joy
February 23, 2022, 4:46 pm
TEHRAN, Iran – A 55-year-old man from the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran spent 18 harrowing years on death row, with his life constantly hanging by a thread. Sentenced to death by a local court in 2003 on charges of "premeditated murder" of an acquaintance, Akbar's life was reduced… Read More
Canada announces sanctions against Russia over Ukraine
February 23, 2022, 3:17 pm
TRENTON, Canada – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced sanctions on Tuesday against Russia, calling its recognition of two breakaway regions of Ukraine as independent states "illegal" and "unacceptable." Speaking at a press conference, Trudeau said Canada "strongly condemns" Russian… Read More
Int’l community condemns Russian move in eastern Ukraine
February 22, 2022, 8:17 pm
VIENNA/ROTTERDAM/NUR-SULTAN/TBILISI – Global condemnations have poured in following Russia’s recognition of Ukraine’s breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states. EU members Austria, Netherlands, Czechia and Slovakia issued reactions to Russia's decision to recognize… Read More
Putin orders 'peacekeeping operations' in eastern Ukraine
February 22, 2022, 1:52 pm
KRAMATORSK, Ukraine – Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his country’s armed forces late Monday to carry out “peacekeeping operations” in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The two separate presidential decrees ordered Russia's Foreign Ministry to conduct… Read More
Death toll climbs to 67 from deadly rains in Brazil
February 17, 2022, 10:39 am
BUENOS AIRES – At least 67 have died after heavy rains hit Petropolis in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, authorities said Wednesday. The death toll from floods and landslides includes 22 men, 37 women and eight children, according to a report by Brazilia’s G1. Fifty-four houses were… Read More
European gas prices decline as Russia-Ukraine tensions abate
February 16, 2022, 8:18 pm
ANKARA – Natural gas prices in Europe started to decline on Wednesday after Russia announced a partial withdrawal of troops from the Ukrainian border. Natural gas prices for March future contracts, traded on the TTF, the Netherlands-based virtual natural gas trading point, reached as high as… Read More
Long Covid less common among vaccinated: study
February 16, 2022, 4:39 pm
LONDON – A study by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that people who have been fully vaccinated are less likely to be affected by long Covid after contracting the virus. The investigation reviewed 15 national and international studies on the effects of long Covid. Eight looked at the… Read More
SoKor's daily cases hit grim milestone of 90K amid Omicron woes
February 16, 2022, 3:00 pm
SEOUL – South Korea's daily Covid-19 cases spiked to an all-time high Wednesday amid worries that the number could further increase as the government might ease current tough social distancing curbs later this week. The country reported 90,443 new Covid-19 infections, including 90,281 local… Read More
