Foreign
Investment in science, research should be Europe's strategic priority
December 20, 2023, 9:40 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria – European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova said investment in science, research and innovation should be a strategic priority for Europe. She addressed the Nineteenth National Innovation Forum "Innovations and Sustainable… Read More
Bulgarian naval research vessel reaches Mar Del Plata in Argentina
December 19, 2023, 8:14 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria – The Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) docked at the naval base in Mar del Plata after a 25-day ocean crossing, the Varna Naval Avademy announced on its social media Monday. The Argentine city is the next port of call for RSV 421 as part of the… Read More
Ozone hole at record size, posing grave threats to Earth, humanity
December 18, 2023, 2:58 pm
ISTANBUL – The hole above the Earth’s ozone layer on the Antarctic “will have adverse impacts on the planet and human life,” an expert told Anadolu as the hole is among the largest recorded, about three times the size of Brazil. The ozone layer acts as a natural shield, efficiently… Read More
Vatican court convicts Cardinal Becciu of embezzlement
December 17, 2023, 3:35 pm
ROME – A Vatican court has sentenced Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a former adviser to Pope Francis, to five and a half years of imprisonment for mismanaging a property portfolio, including a luxury flat on London’s Sloane Avenue. Becciu, the highest-ranking Vatican official ever to face financial… Read More
Al Jazeera cameraman killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza
December 16, 2023, 2:17 pm
ISTANBUL – Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa, who was injured due to Israeli attacks on Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, lost his life on Friday. Abu Daqqa was injured due to shrapnel as a result of Israel’s attacks near the Ferkhane School, Al Jazeera announced. After being injured,… Read More
US homelessness hits all-time high at 12%
December 16, 2023, 12:34 pm
WASHINGTON – The number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States soared 12 percent to hit an all-time high, largely fueled by people who became homeless for the first time, according to data released Friday. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 2023… Read More
Biden urges Israel to 'be more careful' to save civilian lives
December 15, 2023, 4:44 pm
WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden urged Israel on Thursday to take greater care to protect civilians in Gaza amid reports that Washington wants the Israeli army to scale back its ground war in the enclave. “I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives. Not stop going after Hamas,… Read More
Don't prevent Communion for single mothers, says Vatican
December 15, 2023, 11:37 am
ROME – Priests should not prevent single mothers from taking Communion, the Vatican said Thursday. "The fact of being a girl mother does not prevent access to the Eucharist" and "one must work pastorally in the local Church to make it understood that the fact of being a girl mother does not… Read More
Bulgaria Parliament eases adoptees' access to adoption records
December 15, 2023, 10:58 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria – The Parliament adopted revisions to the Family Code that ease adoptees' access to their adoption records. The revisions scrap the requirement for "significant circumstances" that can start the procedure for granting adoptees access to the information about their biological… Read More
UN inquiry to investigate Gaza after conflict ends
December 14, 2023, 4:05 pm
WASHINGTON – The UN will launch an inquiry to investigate agency personnel who were killed and the damage to its facilities after the conflict in the Gaza Strip ends, an official said Wednesday. "We have seen reports of a UNRWA (Palestinian Refugee Agency) school being destroyed,” spokesman… Read More
Int’l Olympic Committee pledges over USD45-M at Global Refugee Forum
December 14, 2023, 3:21 pm
GENEVA – The president of the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday pledged more than USD45 million for displaced people at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva. "We are committing over USD45 million benefiting approximately 500,000 displaced people,” Thomas Bach said, citing that the… Read More
Teacher suspended for giving students homework to plan terror attack
December 14, 2023, 2:40 pm
IZMIR, Türkiye – A teacher in Sweden has been suspended without pay after giving his students the task of planning a hypothetical terrorist attack as homework, local media reported Wednesday. An investigation has also been launched into the move by the teacher, who works at a high school in the… Read More
Emergency fund to help rebuild Israeli border farms
December 14, 2023, 2:18 pm
JERUSALEM - An Israeli agricultural non-governmental organization has launched a USD50 million emergency fund to rebuild farming communities near the Gaza border badly damaged in the Oct. 7 massacre. The “ReGrow Israel” initiative will go towards replacing critical equipment and infrastructure… Read More
World divided over fossil fuels as COP28 meet forced into overtime
December 13, 2023, 8:28 pm
ISTANBUL – The UN climate change conference COP28 was forced into overtime on Tuesday after participating countries failed to reach a consensus on the final communique, which omitted mentioning a phaseout of the use of fossil fuels. Countries that owe a substantial part of their income to oil… Read More
UN adopts resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza
December 13, 2023, 11:12 am
WASHINGTON – The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The non-binding resolution, presented by Egypt with the support of nearly 100 countries, passed with 153 votes in favor as the 193-member General Assembly… Read More
Gaza death toll nears 18,000 as Israeli war grinds on
December 11, 2023, 3:21 pm
GAZA CITY, Palestine – The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has climbed to 17,997 since Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the enclave said Sunday. Speaking at a press conference, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said 49,229 other people were injured in the… Read More
Public urges economic integration to fight global crises: APEC survey
December 10, 2023, 4:29 pm
JAKARTA – The public recognizes the need for economic integration as essential to tackling global challenges effectively despite a limited understanding of multilateralism, according to the APEC Secretariat’s 2023 perception survey. The survey, titled "Communicating the APEC Putrajaya… Read More
US urges Israel anew to protect civilians, including journalists
December 8, 2023, 6:31 pm
WASHINGTON – The US continues to urge Israel publicly and privately to protect innocent civilians, including members of the press, said Pentagon on Thursday. "We continue to urge Israel to uphold the laws of armed conflict and humanitarian law and the protection of innocent civilians, which… Read More
Taiwan detects Chinese balloon over waters close to island nation
December 8, 2023, 6:09 pm
ISTANBUL – Taiwan said Friday it had detected a balloon from China over waters close to the island nation. “1 PRC’s balloon was detected at 11.52 (0352GMT) on Thursday," said Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, using the initials of the People’s Republic of China. The balloon was found at an… Read More
Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks nears 17,200
December 8, 2023, 5:19 pm
GAZA CITY, Palestine – The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has mounted to 17,177 since Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the enclave said Thursday. “Around 70 percent of the victims are children and women,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a… Read More
