Foreign
UNCTAD rebrands as 'UN Trade and Development'
April 10, 2024, 12:33 pm
GENEVA – To mark its 60th anniversary, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has been rebranded as “UN Trade and Development”. This strategic move underscores the organization's commitment to greater impact with a new, clearer visual identity aiming to better… Read More
Last month was warmest March on record: EU
April 9, 2024, 9:56 pm
BRUSSELS – Last month was the warmest March on record worldwide, the EU said on Tuesday. The average surface air temperature for last month was recorded at 14.14°C (57.45°F), said Copernicus, the EU's Earth observation program. This figure was 0.73°C above the January 1991-2020 average and… Read More
Vatican wants surrogacy to become 'universal crime'
April 9, 2024, 6:30 pm
ROME – The Vatican said in a new document on human dignity Monday that it wants to see surrogate motherhood, or surrogacy, banned worldwide as a "universal crime". The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith's new Declaration "Dignitas infinita" (Infinite Dignity), which commemorates the 75th… Read More
Israel continues to hamper delivery of life-saving aid to Gaza – UN
April 9, 2024, 6:09 pm
HAMILTON, Canada – The UN said on Monday Israeli authorities continue to obstruct planned aid movements into Gaza. "A new OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) report on access constraints in Gaza said restrictions and denials of planned aid movements by Israeli authorities… Read More
US conducts humanitarian airdrop into Gaza
April 9, 2024, 2:31 pm
WASHINGTON – US Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted another round of humanitarian assistance airdrops Monday into northern Gaza to provide relief to civilians affected by an Israeli onslaught. "The joint operation included one C-130 U.S. Air Force aircraft and U.S. Army Soldiers specialized in… Read More
Total eclipse exits N. America after crossing over Mexico, US, Canada
April 9, 2024, 2:17 pm
WASHINGTON – Millions of people across North America gazed in awe at the heavens Monday afternoon as they took in a celestial phenomena that will not reoccur for two decades. Many in what is known as the path of totality saw the moon's shadow, known as the umbra, rimmed by solar rays as they… Read More
S. Korea successfully launches 2nd spy satellite into orbit
April 8, 2024, 9:00 pm
SEOUL – South Korea successfully launched its second indigenous spy satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the US on Monday (Seoul time), according to the defense ministry. The Falcon 9 lifted off at 8:17 a.m. (7:17 p.m. local time) from the John F.… Read More
Presidential office rules out deferring med school admissions increase
April 8, 2024, 8:45 pm
SEOUL – The government has no plans to defer the planned increase of medical school admissions set to start next year, a presidential official said Monday. The official was responding to Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo's comments earlier in the day that the government will carry out an… Read More
5.2 magnitude quake strikes southwestern Japan
April 8, 2024, 8:09 pm
ISTANBUL – A moderate magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Miyazaki prefecture in southwestern Japan on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The quake occurred at a depth of 40 kilometers (24 miles) around 10.25 a.m. (0125GMT), the agency said, with no tsunami warning issued. It measured 5… Read More
UAE to participate in 21st China-ASEAN Expo as special partner
April 8, 2024, 4:21 pm
NANNING – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed its participation in this year's China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) as a Special Partner Country, marking the very first time the expo has had a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member as its special partner, the CAEXPO Secretariat said on Sunday.… Read More
Gaza children dying of hunger - WFP chief
April 8, 2024, 3:50 pm
TEHRAN – A World Food Programme (WFP) official has sounded the alarm on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that people in the besieged Palestinian territory are on the brink of famine and children there are dying of hunger. ."As we speak, a large number of children in Gaza are starving… Read More
Pope calls on leaders to negotiate path to peace in Ukraine, Gaza
April 8, 2024, 3:34 pm
ROME – Pope Francis on Sunday urged political leaders to pause and make efforts to mediate and negotiate a path to peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. Speaking during the Regina Coeli address, the pontiff invited the faithful not to fail in continuing to pray for peace. “A just, lasting… Read More
China holds drill in South China Sea in response to 4-nation exercise
April 7, 2024, 8:16 pm
ANKARA – China's military on Sunday conducted a naval and air patrol in the disputed South China Sea, the same day the Philippines, the US, Japan and Australia held joint drills amid heightened tensions in the region. “The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army will conduct… Read More
Nicaragua breaks ties with Ecuador after raid on Mexican embassy
April 7, 2024, 1:29 pm
BOGOTA, Columbia – Nicaragua on Saturday broke "all diplomatic relations" with Ecuador after police forcibly broke into the Mexican Embassy in Quito and arrested former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had sought political asylum there. "In the face of the unusual and reprehensible… Read More
Global food prices up after 7-month downward trend
April 6, 2024, 2:24 pm
ISTANBUL – The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food price index rose 1.3 points, or 1.1 percent, to 118.3 points in March compared to February, increasing for the first time after a seven-month downward trend. According to the FAO's press release on Friday, the increase in food prices… Read More
McDonald’s to buy Israeli franchise restos amid boycott calls
April 6, 2024, 11:37 am
ISTANBUL – Fast food giant McDonald's said Thursday it will buy all of its 225 restaurants in Israel after an agreement with franchise Alonyal Ltd., which has operated the business for 30 years. The US fast-food chain faces calls for a boycott since Alonyal gave away thousands of free meals to… Read More
Earthquake interrupts UN Security Council meeting
April 6, 2024, 11:13 am
WASHINGTON – A briefing in the UN Security Council came to a brief halt when an earthquake struck the eastern US on Friday. Janti Soeripto, president of Save the Children US, was addressing a council meeting on the situation in the Middle East when a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook the… Read More
Genetically modified pig kidney ‘transplanted’ into brain-dead person
April 5, 2024, 4:22 pm
ISTANBUL – Researchers in China have made a breakthrough in science after “successfully transplanting a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead person,” state-run media reported on Thursday. The researchers said the transplant is “functioning for nine days”, or since March 25,… Read More
Russia says ready for 'honest' peace agreement with Ukraine
April 5, 2024, 3:50 pm
MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow is ready for an "honest" peace agreement with Ukraine that would take into account Moscow's security interests. Speaking at a meeting with ambassadors of foreign countries in Moscow, Lavrov put forward another condition… Read More
S.Korea welcomes UNHRC adoption of resolution vs N.Korea's violations
April 5, 2024, 1:16 pm
SEOUL – South Korea on Thursday welcomed the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) adoption of a resolution denouncing North Korea's widespread and systematic human rights violations for the 22nd consecutive year. The resolution, adopted by consensus at the 55th regular session of the… Read More