ISTANBUL – Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano, began spewing lava on Sunday, with ash clouds covering some towns on the Java island, a senior official said. The rocks and lava flows spewed by Merapi’s eruption spread over a two-kilometer (1.24-mile) area on the slopes of the volcano, the ABC News reported, citing Agus Budi Santoso, director of…
LONDON – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has underscored the critical need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, asserting that Israelis and Palestinians can only live side by side in peace “if one’s security equals the other’s.” “This can only be achieved when everyone is willing to acknowledge the other’s suffering. We must spare no effort…
ROME – Pope Francis on Monday called for the practice of surrogate motherhood to be banned worldwide. “The path to peace demands respect for life, for every human life, starting with that of the unborn child in its mother’s womb, which cannot be suppressed, nor become an object of commodification,” Pope Francis said during a New Year audience…
ISTANBUL – The South Korean Parliament on Tuesday passed a law that will ban the breeding, butchering, distribution and marketing of dogs for meat by 2027. The bill bagged 208 votes and two abstentions, as reported by the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency. Law enforcement will begin in 2027, and violators could face a maximum two years in prison or a fine of up…
WASHINGTON – The head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has voiced hope for 2024 on Thursday and urged unity among nations to rebuild trust. In a video message prepared for the new year, the UN chief said “2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain. Our planet is in peril. 2023 is the…
ANKARA – A 31-year-old Portuguese dog, Bobi, made it to the Guinness World Records as the “oldest dog ever on Earth.” Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of livestock guard dog with an average life expectancy of only 12-14 years. He has managed to outlive more than twice the average dog’s life. Born on May 11, 1992,…
ISTANBUL – Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has now hit 500 days, has inflicted a huge economic effect on both and other countries due to fluctuating commodity prices. During the 500 days, Russia increased military expenses and saw difficulties especially related to embargoes and trade bans from Western countries. Russian Central Bank reserves, worth 300 billion euros (US$326.6 billion), was blocked…
HUANGSHAN CITY, China – Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) deputy secretary general Anna Reboniol said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will benefit from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, particularly with government support. “That is one of the objectives of the RCEP — to help MSMEs to go into the mainstream of regional trade, let them…
TORONTO – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported Wednesday the number of displaced children worldwide had hit 43.3 million at the end of last year. “For more than a decade, the number of children forced to flee their homes has risen at an alarming rate, and our global capacity to respond remains under serious strain. The increase…
WASHINGTON – New York City is in the midst of an “unprecedented event” as smoke from raging wildfires in Canada envelopes the US’s largest city, Mayor Eric Adams warned on Wednesday. Adams urged New Yorkers to “take precautions” as they go about their daily lives after the air quality index hit 218 on Tuesday night before…
