Foreign

UK: Harry and Meghan spur freedom of speech debate

UK: Harry and Meghan spur freedom of speech debate

March 11, 2021, 6:17 pm

LONDON – The fallout from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah continued apace on Wednesday, with journalist Piers Morgan dramatically quitting his position as host of one of the United Kingdom's (UK) top morning TV shows in defense of his freedom of speech. Morgan, 55, had been… Read More

Women leaders on rise worldwide

Women leaders on rise worldwide

March 9, 2021, 6:35 pm

ANKARA – The number of women who perform duties as leaders or high-ranking executives in international organizations has increased over recent years. A total of 58 countries were governed by a woman between 1960 and 2021, according to data from Germany-based statistics company Statista. In the… Read More

Virus saw calls to women's helplines rise fivefold: UN

Virus saw calls to women's helplines rise fivefold: UN

March 9, 2021, 2:23 pm

GENEVA – Calls to helplines have increased fivefold in some countries as rates of reported intimate partner violence increase because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the United Nations said Monday. Restricted movement, social isolation, and economic insecurity are increasing women's vulnerability to… Read More

42 of 100 people play mobile games once daily

42 of 100 people play mobile games once daily

March 7, 2021, 11:25 am

ISTANBUL – More than 40 out of 100 people play mobile games at least once a day, according to a recent survey. AdColony, global advertising, and marketing platform surveyed 1,250 people on mobile games and social media platforms in Europe, Middle East and the Africa (EMEA) region. While 88 of… Read More

'Stay the course', WHO urges amid rise in virus cases

'Stay the course', WHO urges amid rise in virus cases

March 4, 2021, 2:37 pm

GENEVA – A senior World Health Organization (WHO) doctor warned on Wednesday of a worrisome rise in Covid-19 cases after weeks of falling infections and urged people to observe counter-measures to check the virus even as vaccinations continue. Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the WHO's leading… Read More

WHO to allocate 237M COVAX shots by end of May

WHO to allocate 237M COVAX shots by end of May

March 3, 2021, 2:17 pm

GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said Tuesday 11 million vaccine doses to fight Covid-19 will be delivered this week, and 237 million shots allocated to 142 economies and countries through the COVAX facility by the end of May for equitable distribution of jabs. WHO… Read More

Japan rejects China’s claim over disputed Islands

Japan rejects China’s claim over disputed Islands

March 2, 2021, 9:20 pm

ANKARA – Japan on Tuesday strongly criticized and dismissed China's claim over disputed islands in the East China Sea, saying the claim breaks international law. “The activities of Chinese government vessels are based on Beijing’s claims and represent a violation of international law,”… Read More

More than 87K scientific papers released on virus: study

More than 87K scientific papers released on virus: study

March 2, 2021, 7:16 pm

ANKARA – Scientists from all around the world have published more than 87,000 papers on the coronavirus from the beginning of the pandemic until October, a recent study published by the Ohio State University showed. "It is an astonishing number of publications – it may be unprecedented in the… Read More

World saw 13,654 quakes of magnitude 4 or above in 2020

World saw 13,654 quakes of magnitude 4 or above in 2020

March 2, 2021, 2:39 pm

ANKARA – Around the world, there were 13,654 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher in 2020, the strongest of which was recorded in the US. Around 500,000 earthquakes, minor or major, occur on Earth every year, about 100,000 of which are felt, while around 100 cause damage. According to the US… Read More

UN says 18 anti-coup protesters killed in Myanmar

UN says 18 anti-coup protesters killed in Myanmar

March 1, 2021, 7:01 pm

GENEVA – The UN Human Rights Office on Sunday condemned escalating violence against protesters in Myanmar, calling on the country’s military junta to immediately halt the use of force. “We strongly condemn the escalating violence against protests in Myanmar and call on the military to… Read More

Italy's ambassador to DR Congo killed in ambush

Italy's ambassador to DR Congo killed in ambush

February 23, 2021, 3:08 pm

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – An Italian diplomat was among three people killed Monday in an attack on a UN convoy in the restive Democratic Republic of Congo, said local and Italian authorities. According to local sources, the convoy was attacked in an attempted kidnapping near Goma, the capital of North… Read More

US arrests 'El Chapo' wife on drug trafficking charges

US arrests 'El Chapo' wife on drug trafficking charges

February 23, 2021, 9:09 am

WASHINGTON – US authorities on Monday arrested the wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, the leader of a Mexican drug organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, in Virginia, said the Justice Department. Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, was arrested at Dulles International Airport "on charges… Read More

US surpasses 500K coronavirus deaths: Johns Hopkins

US surpasses 500K coronavirus deaths: Johns Hopkins

February 23, 2021, 9:01 am

WASHINGTON – The US surpassed half a million coronavirus-related deaths Monday as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic. In all, 500,071 deaths were related to Covid-19 complications while more than 28 million cases have been recorded, according to data from Johns Hopkins… Read More

WHO official says pandemic to end early 2022

WHO official says pandemic to end early 2022

February 22, 2021, 2:10 pm

DENMARK, COPENHAGEN – The World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe on Sunday said he believes the coronavirus outbreak will end in early 2022. Hans Kluge told Danish state broadcaster DR that Covid-19 will still be prevalent in 2021, but it will be more manageable than in… Read More

At least 3 civilians killed in Myanmar protest

At least 3 civilians killed in Myanmar protest

February 21, 2021, 3:41 pm

YANGON, Myanmar – At least three people were killed Saturday by security forces during a protest, according to sources and media reports. Police and soldiers opened fire into a crowd in the second city, Mandalay, after 1,000 government employees refused to return to work at a major jetty site.… Read More

UN chief urges G20 to prepare ‘Global Vaccination Plan’

UN chief urges G20 to prepare ‘Global Vaccination Plan’

February 18, 2021, 3:42 pm

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday proposed that the Group of 20 (G20) set up an emergency task force to prepare a "Global Vaccination Plan" against Covid-19. "We have come together to create the COVAX facility, the one global tool to procure and deliver vaccines… Read More

UK: Prince Harry, Meghan expecting 2nd child

UK: Prince Harry, Meghan expecting 2nd child

February 15, 2021, 11:04 am

LONDON – Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced Sunday they are expecting a second child. The child’s gender is not yet known, but a spokesperson for the prince said in a statement quoted by BBC News that “we can confirm that Archie is going to be… Read More

Number of people injured in Japan earthquake rises to 124

Number of people injured in Japan earthquake rises to 124

February 14, 2021, 6:58 pm

TOKYO – The number of people who were injured as a result of the 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Japan on Saturday has reached 124, the Japanese public television said on Sunday. Earlier reports said 103 people were injured. The majority of casualties were reported in the prefectures of… Read More

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake jolts northeastern Japan

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake jolts northeastern Japan

February 14, 2021, 4:16 pm

ANKARA – A magnitude 7.3 earthquake rocked northeastern Japan on Saturday, local media reported. The powerful tremor occurred at 11:08 p.m. local time (1408GMT) 60 kilometers (37 miles) below surface, Kyodo News Agency reported. It was centered off Fukushima and was also felt in the capital… Read More

Trump acquitted in 2nd US Senate impeachment trial

Trump acquitted in 2nd US Senate impeachment trial

February 14, 2021, 11:25 am

WASHINGTON – US Senate voted on Saturday and acquitted former President Donald Trump, concluding his second impeachment trial which is the shortest one in the US history. Seven Republican senators joined all the Democrats to vote "guilty," failing to reach two-thirds majority required for Trump… Read More