Germany: Munich Airport suspends flights amid heavy snowfall

Heavy snowfall hit southern Germany on Friday night and continued on Saturday, causing major disruptions at Munich Airport, the second-busiest hub in the country.

The airport said on Saturday it was suspending flights until 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Around 320 of the 760 flights scheduled…[Read more]

Cameroonian women awarded German-Africa Prize 2023

The Africa Prize is awarded by the nonpartisan German Africa Foundation to Africans selected by a jury for their commitment to democracy, peace, human rights, economic development, science, arts, culture or society.

The 1st National Women’s Convention for Peace in Cameroon, an umbrella group…[Read more]

Turkey told Sweden it expects Nato bid ratification ‘within weeks’, Swedish minister says

Tobias Billström, Sweden’s foreign minister, told reporters this morning that “it is high time to get the ratification done by both Türkiye and also by Hungary of course, and this was a clear message sent by the foreign ministers”.

For months, Turkey…[Read more]

From Gaza to Istanbul: Turkish woman recounts war and survival

Muhsine Alnajjar was at the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with her husband and their two-year-old daughter. They had waited for hours to get out of Gaza and escape Israel’s relentless aerial bombardment. Then, just as they were about to cross the border gate, there w…[Read more]

Türkiye envisions new era in relations with Greece on upcoming visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hope for a fresh beginning in bilateral relations with Greece, saying he will go to Athens with a “win-win approach”.

“We will discuss both our bilateral relations and Türkiye-EU relations to make decisions worthy of the s…[Read more]

Japan space agency hit with cyberattack; rocket and satellite info not accessed

Japan’s space agency was hit with a cyberattack but the information the hackers accessed did not include anything important for rocket and satellite operations, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“There was a possibility of unauthorized access by exploiting the…[Read more]

Daisaku Ikeda: Influential leader of Japan’s Soka Gakkai Buddhist group dies

Daisaku Ikeda, a former leader of Japan’s influential Buddhist group Soka Gakkai, has died at the age of 95.

Over decades Ikeda expanded the organisation’s international following and forged links with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

He died from natural…[Read more]

Japan begins trial sales of prescription-free morning-after pills

Japan has begun trial sales of morning-after pills without a prescription.

Under the pilot, the pill is set to be available at 145 pharmacies. Until now these had only been available at a clinic or pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription.

A public consultation by Japan’s health…[Read more]

US military aircraft with six aboard crashes off Japan island

apan’s NHK broadcaster said the CV-22 Osprey hybrid plane had been trying to land at Yakushima Airport with one engine on fire. There is no US comment.

Ospreys – which can function as a helicopter and a turboprop aircraft – have been involved in a string of fatal crashes over the…[Read more]

3 Palestinian students shot in suspected Vermont hate crime

Three young Palestinian students were shot and injured, one critically, in a suspected hate crime near the University of Vermont, U.S., police said Sunday.

Police were searching for the suspect after the attack around 6:25 p.m. Saturday near the UVM campus, Burlington Police Chief Jon…[Read more]

Turkey’s Erdogan calls Israel a ‘terror state’, criticises the West

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israel a “terror state”, stepping up his condemnation of the Israeli assault on the besieged Gaza Strip ahead of a sensitive visit to Germany.

Erdogan said on Wednesday that Israel’s military campaign against the Palestinian…[Read more]

Turkish FM: Why hasn’t Turkey completely cut ties with Israel?

Hakan Fidan on the intricacies of not severing ties with Israel amid war on Gaza.
Following his return from strategic talks in Germany and as the war on Gaza nears its 50th day, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan delves into Turkey’s role in humanitarian efforts.

At a pivotal mom…[Read more]

Turkey expects to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession ‘within weeks’ – Swedish minister

Turkey has told Sweden it expects to ratify its long-delayed accession to the NATO military alliance within weeks, Sweden’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.

But Turkey denied it has given any timetable for the ratification.

Sweden and Finland asked to join…[Read more]

Turkey’s Civil Society Under Threat as Crackdown Scares Away Donors

Members of Turkey’s civil society are voicing concerns for their future as international funding declines. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, significant donors have been ending or cutting back their support after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, emboldened by his…[Read more]

Germany’s shifting political landscape put to the test in key state votes

The German states of Bavaria and Hesse vote in regional elections on Sunday, in what is widely being seen as a test-case for Germany’s shifting political landscape.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is set to make gains in both states,
The German states of Bav…[Read more]

Germany records over 300% increase in antisemitic incidents

Since the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, nearly 1,000 antisemitic incidents have been reported in Germany. Some of these acts include extreme violence and property destruction, a German association said.

Since the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, nearly 1,000…[Read more]

German intelligence warns of heightened terror risk

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says the danger of a terror attack in the country is “higher than it has been for a long time.” It cited the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war as factors.

German intelligence warns of heightened terror risk

Germany’s domestic…[Read more]

Foreign ministers of S Korea, China, Japan to meet on Sunday

The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan will meet for talks in South Korea on Sunday, South Korea’s foreign ministry said on Friday, as the three countries seek to hold their first leaders’ summit in four years.

The neighbors had agreed to hold a summit every year…[Read more]

Japan’s Sojitz buys Vietnam food wholesaler amid modernization push

HANOI — Japanese trading company Sojitz will purchase Dai Tan Viet, Vietnam’s largest wholesale distributor of food to businesses, Nikkei has learned, joining the rush of multinationals investing in a market primed for modernization and growth.

Sojitz intends to convert Dai Tan…[Read more]

Japan Gets New Island After Undersea Volcano Erupts

A new island has been discovered near the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. Composed mostly of rock masses, it could continue to grow if volcanic activity persists.

A new island has formed after a volcanic eruption occurred approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) offshore near Iwo Jima in the Ogasawara…[Read more]