Foreign
World economy barely bounces back post-coronavirus pandemic
January 1, 2024, 12:19 pm
BRUSSELS – The biggest crisis in the world economy in almost a century was caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the effects of which are being recovered from only after four years. After the first Covid-19 case was detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, the virus spread rapidly… Read More
El Niño drought massacres wildlife in Zimbabwe
December 30, 2023, 2:42 pm
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Hundreds of kilometers north of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, the Hwange National Park mourned the loss of 15 elephants who succumbed to hunger and thirst — only part of a death toll of roughly 100 elephants who perished. That was just the beginning. Days later, 16 buffalo died… Read More
UN: 2023 year of ‘enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos’
December 29, 2023, 3:35 pm
WASHINGTON – The head of the United Nations voiced hope for 2024 on Thursday and urged unity to rebuild trust. "2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain. Our planet is in peril. 2023 is the hottest year on record," Antonio Guterres said in a… Read More
Jakartans should stay alert amid upward trend in Covid-19 cases
December 28, 2023, 7:35 pm
JAKARTA –The Jakarta Health Office, on Thursday, warned Jakartans to stay alert and implement health protocols, as the metropolitan city's number of active Covid-19 cases experienced an upward trend. "The current cycle is experiencing an upward trend as a result of seasonal transition and other… Read More
Actor Lee of 'Parasite' found dead in apparent suicide amid drug probe
December 27, 2023, 5:46 pm
SEOUL– Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" was found dead in an apparent suicide Wednesday amid an investigation into suspected drug use. Police found a man in his 40s unconscious in a car near Waryong Park in central Seoul at 10:30 a.m. and later identified him as Lee. A… Read More
S.Korea's Yoon calls for efforts to tackle falling birthrate
December 26, 2023, 7:41 pm
ISTANBUL– South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday called for “extraordinary determination” to tackle the country’s falling birthrate. “Time is running short. I hope that every government agency approaches the issue of low birthrates with extraordinary determination,”… Read More
Heavy floods hit parts of Germany
December 26, 2023, 1:07 pm
BERLIN – Heavy floods on Monday disrupted daily life in some parts of Germany. The water level reached 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) in the town of Windehausen in the central state of Thuringia, forcing some 400 people to evacuate their homes. Bodo Ramelow, the minister-president of Thuringia,… Read More
Maersk Shipping Line to return to Red Sea despite Houthi threats
December 26, 2023, 12:46 pm
JERUSALEM – Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies said on Sunday that it will resume operations in the Red Sea despite Houthi threats, the Danish company announced on Sunday. “As of Sunday 24 December 2023, we have received confirmation that the previously announced… Read More
'Our hearts are in Bethlehem,' Pope Francis says on Christmas Eve
December 25, 2023, 5:18 pm
ROME – Pope Francis appealed for peace on Sunday while leading Christmas Eve mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican as the Israel-Hamas war raged on. "Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war,” he told about 6,500… Read More
UN resolution to do little for Gaza without truce - refugee agency
December 25, 2023, 4:31 pm
ANKARA – The UN Palestinian refugee agency warned Sunday that a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate increase in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip may do little without a truce. "It is welcome, but only time will tell what real difference this resolution is going to make,… Read More
Severe storms leave thousands in eastern Australia without power
December 25, 2023, 3:33 pm
ANKARA – Thousands of residents in Australia's eastern state of Queensland were without power after a "very dangerous" storm swept through the region for the second time in 12 hours, local media reported on Sunday. Storms are expected to continue along the entire Australian east coast until… Read More
Don't confuse Christmas with consumerism, says Pope
December 25, 2023, 12:42 pm
ROME – Pope Francis appealed to the faithful to spurn consumerism in their Christmas celebrations, avoiding waste and thinking of those in need, during his Angelus address on Christmas Eve. "Let us not confuse celebration with consumerism!" the Argentine pontiff said as he also called on people… Read More
8 Chinese fighter jets detected crossing Taiwan Strait's median line
December 24, 2023, 8:09 pm
ANKARA – Taiwan on Sunday claimed that at least eight Chinese fighter jets and a balloon crossed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait over the past 24 hours. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said in a statement that it had detected Chinese J-10, J-11, and J-16 fighter jets crossing the median line… Read More
4B people at risk of being infected with dengue virus: WHO
December 24, 2023, 5:13 pm
GENEVA – About 4 billion people are at risk of becoming infected with the dengue virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on weekend. Diana Rojas Alvarez, the team lead on arboviruses - epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention department at the WHO’s emergencies program, told… Read More
UN Security Council OKs resolution to boost humanitarian aid in Gaza
December 23, 2023, 5:32 pm
WASHINGTON – The UN Security Council on Friday passed a resolution calling for "urgent steps" to immediately allow "safe, unhindered, and expanded" humanitarian access to Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli offensive on the strip, but with the US again nixing language calling for a ceasefire in the… Read More
Angelina Jolie decries global injustice
December 23, 2023, 2:16 pm
ISTANBUL – Hollywood actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie decried how justice is sought for one group of people, but not for other groups, something she said is present "even in the UN." Speaking with Syrian journalist and filmmaker Waad Al Kateab, Jolie said human rights are not equally… Read More
Police: At least 15 dead in Prague university shooting
December 22, 2023, 1:56 pm
PRAGUE/LONDON – At least 15 people were killed while 24 others were injured in a shooting spree at a university in the Czech Republic’s capital of Prague on Thursday. Police President Martin Vondrasek said the gunman was a 24-year-old student at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University. The… Read More
Global crisis unleashed: 2023's devastating forest fires gripped globe
December 21, 2023, 9:05 pm
ANKARA – Forest fires in 2023 resulted in deaths and injuries to hundreds of people, causing extensive damage, loss of forest areas and carbon emissions. Anadolu's "Disasters of 2023" special series covers the biggest forest fires of the year. Forest fires, particularly in Canada, the US, and… Read More
30 e-vehicles to support work of BTA reporters, correspondents
December 21, 2023, 5:49 pm
MANILA – The Bulgarian News Agency's (BTA) acquired 30 electric vehicles (EVs) to support the work of its reporters and correspondents in Sofia and across the country. In an official ceremony on Wednesday, Bishop Polikarp of Belogradchik blessed 30 new EVs and the BTA workers, wishing that every… Read More
UN Security Council vote on Gaza resolution delayed again
December 21, 2023, 2:55 pm
WASHINGTON – For the third time, the vote on a UN Security Council resolution calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza to deliver aid was postponed on Wednesday. On Thursday, 15 members of the Council are expected to vote on the resolution, which was first postponed on Monday. The text,… Read More
