Foreign
John Lee elected as HKSAR's sixth-term chief executive designate
May 8, 2022, 4:25 pm
HONG KONG – The returning officer for the election of the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Sunday said John Lee has been elected as the chief executive designate. The former chief secretary for administration of the HKSAR government won a total… Read More
Macron inaugurated for 2nd term as president of France
May 8, 2022, 4:18 pm
PARIS – In an official ceremony at his official residence, French President Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated on Saturday afternoon for a second five-year term. Macron last month was reelected in a runoff against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen with 58.2 percent, making him France’s first… Read More
10 health workers die in war with Russia so far: Ukraine official
May 8, 2022, 1:34 pm
KYIV, Ukraine – At least 10 health specialists have lost lives in Ukraine since the beginning of the war with Russia, Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said early Sunday. At a joint press conference with the WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the capital Kyiv, Liashko… Read More
Biden taps 1st Black woman to be White House spokesperson
May 6, 2022, 2:12 pm
WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that Karine Jean-Pierre will be the first Black woman to serve as the White House's chief spokesperson. Jean-Pierre will replace outgoing spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who is leaving the White House on May 13, the executive mansion announced in… Read More
SoKor becomes 1st Asian nation to join NATO’s cyber group
May 5, 2022, 6:25 pm
ISTANBUL – South Korea on Thursday became the first Asian nation to join NATO’s cyber defense group, according to the country’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). The NIS was formally admitted into the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) based in Tallinn, Estonia,… Read More
Nigeria, Morocco to build world’s longest offshore gas pipeline
May 5, 2022, 5:47 pm
ABUJA – Nigeria and Morocco are planning to build the world's longest offshore gas pipeline to transport gas between the two countries, crossing 11 others in West Africa, local media reported Tuesday. Quoted by the media, Tolu Ogunlesi, media adviser to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, said… Read More
Covid-19 cases, deaths dropping globally: WHO chief
May 5, 2022, 4:15 pm
GENEVA – The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases and deaths continue to decline worldwide, but South African scientists that identified the omicron strain have reported two more sub-variants, the World Health Organization chief said Wednesday. Tedros Ghebreyesus said at a press webinar… Read More
Ukrainian president, US House speaker meet in Kyiv
May 1, 2022, 7:12 pm
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday met US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the capital Kyiv, the presidency said. Zelenskyy thanked Pelosi and shared a video of her visit, which was not announced in advance. "I am grateful to you for this signal of… Read More
Russia hits Biden's move to transfer seized assets to Ukraine
April 30, 2022, 6:42 pm
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described United States (US) President Joe Biden’s suggestion to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine as “outrageous” and a “violation of all legal norms". Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow,… Read More
S. Korea Covid cases fall below 50K; mask mandate to be lifted
April 30, 2022, 12:09 pm
SEOUL – South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 50,000 on Saturday as the omicron curve has turned downward and the country is set to lift the outdoor mask mandate. The country reported 43,286 new Covid-19 infections, including 12 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to… Read More
PACE calls for tribunal to probe Russian war crimes in Ukraine
April 29, 2022, 1:39 pm
PARIS, France – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called Thursday on the council’s 46 member states to urgently set up an international criminal tribunal on the principle of universal jurisdiction to bring Russian perpetrators of war crimes against Ukraine to justice.… Read More
UNWTO confirms Russia's intention to withdraw
April 28, 2022, 8:12 pm
MADRID – The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) confirmed here on Wednesday that Russia had announced its intention to withdraw from the organization. "Russia has announced its intention to withdraw from UNWTO," explained the UNWTO in a tweet, adding that nevertheless, Russia must "follow due… Read More
Salmonella cases linked to Kinder chocolates reach 151: WHO
April 28, 2022, 7:09 pm
GENEVA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday that there are 151 cases of salmonella linked to the consumption of Kinder chocolate products in at least 11 countries. The organization said in a statement that bacteria with the same genetic structure as salmonella that infects… Read More
EU vows ‘immediate, united’ response to Russia’s gas supply cut
April 28, 2022, 7:08 pm
BRUSSELS – The EU Commission chief on Wednesday pledged an “immediate, united, and coordinated” European response to Russia’s decision to cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland. “The era of Russian fossil fuel in Europe is coming to an end,” Ursula von der Leyen told reporters. She… Read More
French Constitutional Council certifies Macron's election victory
April 28, 2022, 6:49 pm
PARIS – France's Constitutional Council on Wednesday certified the results of the country's recent presidential election, confirming Emmanuel Macron as president. Of France's 48,752,339 registered voters, 35,096,478 cast their ballots, bringing the abstention rate to 28.01 percent, said Laurent… Read More
Facebook parent Meta posts slowest growth in 10 years
April 28, 2022, 5:51 pm
ANKARA – Facebook parent Meta posted its slowest growth in 10 years in terms of revenue, according to its financial results statement released late Wednesday. Meta had total revenue of USD27.9 billion in the first quarter of 2022, just a 6.5 percent increase from USD26.2 billion in the same… Read More
US says more than half of all howitzers delivered to Ukraine
April 28, 2022, 9:58 am
WASHINGTON – The US has delivered more than half of the 90 howitzer artillery guns destined for Ukraine, with more on the way, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. Spokesman John Kirby told reporters that over 50 Ukrainian fighters completed training on the M777 howitzer weapons earlier this week,… Read More
Myanmar’s ex-leader Suu Kyi sentenced to 5 years in prison
April 27, 2022, 8:48 pm
ISTANBUL – A junta court in Myanmar on Wednesday sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's incarcerated former leader, to five years in prison over alleged corruption. Suu Kyi, 76, was found guilty of receiving bribes of cash and gold from Yangon’s former Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, Myanmar… Read More
UN General Assembly adds accountability to Security Council veto
April 27, 2022, 6:06 pm
WASHINGTON – The UN General Assembly adopted on Tuesday a resolution requiring permanent members of the Security Council to come before the assembly to provide an explanation should they exercise their veto powers. The resolution was adopted by consensus, meaning individual member states did not… Read More
NoKor leader vows to further strengthen nuclear program
April 26, 2022, 8:18 pm
ANKARA – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to further strengthen his country's nuclear weapons program, South Korean media reported on Tuesday. Kim made the announcement at a grand military parade on the eve of the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army… Read More
