Browsing: News

MENA Newswire: the Big Circle Line (Bolshaya Koltsevaya), designed to expand and modernize the subway system, mainly to relieve traffic congestion on the Circle Line (Koltsevaya Line) and reduce traffic jams in Moscow, finally became fully operational. The Big Circle Line is 70 kilometers long, with 31 stations and three electric depots. The longest circular subway line was built in record time. The first section was opened in 2018, followed by several in 2021, including the longest metro section in Moscow’s history, 21 km long with 10 stations. Unique design and engineering solutions allowed the seamless integration of the subway circle…

Local fishermen discovered the remains of a man who went missing earlier this month in southern Argentina inside a shark. Because a distinct tattoo on Diego Barra’s body was visible, his family was able to identify his remains, according to law enforcement. Barria was last seen on February 18 riding his all-terrain vehicle near the coast in southern Chubut province. An extensive search for Barria began on February 20 after his damaged ATV was recovered, but he was not found. Two local fishermen contacted the coast guard on Sunday morning to report catching three school sharks near where Barria’s ATV…

Anwar Sadat’s diplomatic passport was sold for $47,500 at a Texas auction house on Wednesday, causing anger and confusion. Anwar Sadat’s family has called for an investigation into the sale of his passport at a US auction house, arguing that it is part of the nation’s history. Dallas, Texas-based Heritage Auctions sold Sadat’s diplomatic passport for $47,500 on February 22. As a member of parliament and the grandson of the late president, Kamai Sadat told Ahram that selling his grandfather’s passport would be an insult to the Egyptian people who love the late president. The passport’s journey to the auction…

Grand Old Party (GOP) Presidential candidate Nikki Haley has said that if voted to power, she will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate the US. This includes China, Pakistan and other adversaries as “a strong America doesn’t pay off the bad guys”. “I will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate us. A strong America doesn’t pay off the bad guys. A proud America doesn’t waste our people’s hard-earned money. And the only leaders who deserve our trust are those who stand up to our enemies and stand beside our friends,” Ms Haley,…

Government data showed Wednesday that South Korea’s external debt increased by $32.1 billion from a year earlier. According to the Bank of Korea (BOK) and the finance ministry, Korea’s external liabilities reached $664.5 billion by the end of 2022, up from $632.4 billion in the previous year. There was an increase of $2 billion in short-term debt maturing in a year, with long-term debt increasing by $30 billion over the period to reach $497.8 billion. The ratio of short-term debt to foreign reserves moved up 3.8 percentage points on-year to reach 39.4% at end-2022. A higher ratio means weaker debt-serving…

Actress and activist Jane Fonda is calling for a treaty to protect marine creatures hunted for food like sharks, swordfish, octopus, and tuna, saying they feel joy and sadness when they lose their offspring and are “our brethren in the ocean.” On the day that talks resumed at the United Nations, in a news conference at the headquarters to help forge an elusive treaty aimed at safeguarding marine biodiversity, the 85-year-old Oscar winner said “these marine creatures play with us and they feel emotions, and how dare we be so lacking in humility that we will have to kill them…

The South Korean defense ministry said Tuesday it is seeking to release an overarching national defense strategy next month to chart a mid- and long-term direction for the country’s security policy. Similar to the United States’ National Defense Strategy, the document will replace the existing National Defense Policy. In it, the ministry outlines a 15-year policy direction that will be published every five years. “The ministry is aiming to publish the national defense strategy in early March,” the ministry said in a press release. “It is an overarching document of the defense ministry designed to put forward a clear mid-…

Scientists and environmental groups fear Italy could be faced with another drought following last summer’s emergency, as the Alps have received less than half of their normal snowfall. Venice, where flooding is normally a major concern, is experiencing unusually low tides that make navigating some of its famous canals impossible for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances. Venetian problems are being blamed on high pressure, a full moon, and sea currents. Italian rivers and lakes are suffering a severe water shortage, according to Legambiente. Italy’s longest river, the Po, which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has…

A key requirement for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an increase of $500 billion in extra funding from the world’s most developed nations each year according to the United Nations (UN). As of now, the global financial system has failed to adequately cushion the effects of current crises impacting the Global South the most: the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in Ukraine, and the ongoing climate emergency. “Polycrises are compounding shocks for developing countries today – in large part because of an unfair global financial system that is short-term, crisis-prone, and further exacerbates inequalities,” warned UN Secretary-General Antonio…

Cyclone Gabrielle pounded the North Island with wind and rain, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and killing three people. New Zealand declared a National State of Emergency for the third time in its history. Several waves are close to 11 meters high off the Bay of Islands, due to winds gusting over 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour). The full extent of the catastrophe became apparent as the country awoke Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said. “In the wake of such a huge event in the last 24 hours, it is imperative that…