Month: July 2022

US President Joe Biden’s previous negative coronavirus test resulted in a positive reading Saturday, extending his quarantine, according to reports.

A letter from presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said it is likely a “rebound” COVID-19 positivity and noted it is “observed in a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid.”

“In the antigen test performed on Saturday morning, it was seen that Biden turned positive again,” according to O’Connor, who said Biden’s test results from Tuesday through Friday were similarly “negative.”

“Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again,” Biden said on Twitter. “This happens with a small minority of folks. I’ve got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon.”

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden is “asymptomatic, feeling fine, and working in isolation from the Residence to protect others.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

Archaeologists have discovered a mud-brick building believed to be one of the lost “sun temples” south of the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the building was found by an Italian-Polish archaeological mission in the Abusir region, south of Cairo.

“Preliminary studies indicate that the new discovery may be one of the four lost sun temples that date back to the Fifth Dynasty (2465 to 2323 BC),” the ministry added in a statement.

According to the statement, part of the building was removed by King Nyuserre to build his temple.

The ministry said excavations will continue at the site to get more information about the discovered building.

Sun temples were built in dedication to Ra, the sun god in ancient Egypt. Six sun temples are believed to have been built, but only two have been uncovered until now.

Source: Anadolu Agency

A UN decision to declare that everyone has a right to a healthy environment is “a glimmer of hope” when the world is going through global crises that hinder efforts to curb climate change, according to a Turkish expert.

The UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution Thursday declaring the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right essential for the full enjoyment of all human rights.

Costa Rica, the Maldives, Morocco, Slovenia, and Switzerland presented the draft text to the 193-member Assembly in June, following the “landmark resolution” adoption of a similar text that was adopted last October by the UN Human Rights Council.

The decision is “historic” as the right was not included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

“This resolution sends a message that nobody can take nature, clean air and water, or a stable climate away from us – at least, not without a fight,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), following the session when the resolution was adopted by a 161-0 vote, with eight abstentions.

Not binding, late, but important step

Baran Bozoglu, head of the Climate Change Policy and Research Association, based in the Turkish capital of Ankara, spoke to Anadolu Agency about the decision and how global developments affects efforts to stem climate change.

Bozoglu said the action is actually “late and not a binding one,” however, he noted that it will play a role in helping to make the environment more healthy and sustainable.

Access to a healthy environment has already been accepted by some countries, including Türkiye, where it was included in its current Constitution that took effect in 1982, said Bozoglu.

“At least it will be an important basis for environmental movements or people working on the issue in those regions (where a clean environment is not seen as a right),” he said.

In response to a question about global developments related to drawbacks on efforts to counter climate change, Bozoglu said undoubtedly, all issues in the international arena affect the fight against climate change one way or another.

“A global problem that affects the whole world affects other global problems such as financial problems. And wars affect the decisions taken by societies in the fight against climate change,” he said.

Russian-Ukraine war affecting climate policies

Bozoglu said people have a comfort zone and societies anticipate fighting the climate without compromising standards so neither the UN’s resolutions nor the Paris climate agreement foresees a serious change in the lifestyles of societies.

“The Russia-Ukraine war affects the whole world as part of energy and food issues. Therefore, we see that there are also differences between the decisions taken in the past, before the war and the decisions taken today in climate policies,” he said, referring to changes in “green policies” such as the goal of the EU to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels prompted its decision to keep natural gas and nuclear energy in its taxonomy of sustainable sources of energy.

Defining the current situation as “sad,” Bozoglu said the world is going through a period where hopes for the future are shaken.

He said the coronavirus pandemic and wars in various parts of the world create significant obstacles, difficulties in fighting climate change and the work on the right to live in a healthy environment.

“For this reason, the decision taken by the UN is an important step, a glimmer of hope,” Bozoglu said, adding there is a need for global coordination to end crises and wars to fight climate change.

“Otherwise, we can start thinking that there would be great difficulties in reaching the targets set by the Paris agreement and that we will not be successful,” he said.

The Paris agreement, signed Dec. 12, 2015, sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Source: Anadolu Agency

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called on Iraqi parties to de-escalate the situation and avoid violence amid tension over the nomination of a new prime minister.

In a statement, his spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN chief is “following with concern” the ongoing protests in Iraq that left many people injured.

“Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental rights that must be respected at all times,” he said.

The spokesperson urged Iraqi parties and actors “to rise above their differences and form, through peaceful and inclusive dialogue, an effective national government.”

Tension escalated in Iraq in recent days following the nomination of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as a new prime minister by a coalition of groups close to Iran amid protests by supporters of influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Iraq has been in a political deadlock for nine months following the country’s general elections in October 2021 which failed since then to agree on a new government between rival parties.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Anadolu Agency’s Morning Briefing – July 31, 2022

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization “neutralized” a PKK terrorist in Syria who was among the perpetrators of the 2008 Istanbul terror attack, according to security sources.

Pope Francis said the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada was a “genocide,” during his trip home after a six-day visit to Canada.

Supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed the Iraqi parliament building in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone for the second time in a week as they protested the nomination of a new prime minister by Shiite parties close to Iran.

Al-Sadr supporters started an open sit-in inside parliament after they breached the building, according to state media.

The parliament session was suspended, the speaker announced.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the evacuation of the city of Donetsk amid the war with Russia, according to the country’s presidency.

US President Joe Biden’s previous negative coronavirus test resulted in a positive reading, extending his quarantine, according to reports.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Israeli Air Force announced a temporary halt in its fleet of F-35 fighter jets on Saturday, a day after the reports of US concerns about defects in pilot ejection systems.

The announcement came after Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, chief of the Israeli Air Force, held a situation assessment meeting following the “information received from the US regarding an inspection for a defect in the ejection mechanism in the pilot’s seat in the F-35 aircraft.”

The F-35 jets will undergo inspections that will last a few days, and any operational tasks will be carried out after approval from the air force chief, the Israeli Air Force said on Twitter.

The army added that the inspection process “will be carried out by technical teams, and is expected to be completed in the coming days.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

Bayern Munich won the 2022 German Super Cup (DFL-Supercup) on Saturday with a 5-3 win against RB Leipzig.

Senegalese winger Sadio Mane, a new signing for Bayern Munich, scored his first goal at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena.

Bayern went into halftime with a 3-0 lead with goals by Jamal Musiala, Mane and Benjamin Pavard.

In the second half, RB Leipzig’s Marcel Halstenberg narrowed the gap to two goals, scoring on a header.

Winger Serge Gnabry made it 4-1 in minute 65 when he unleashed a close-range shot into the roof of the net.

In the 77th minute, Christopher Nkunku successfully converted a penalty shot to make it 2-4.

Near the end of the match, Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo put pressure on Bayern Munich when he scored on a low shot to make it 3-4.

Leipzig took risks, seeking an equalizer.

But in minute 98, Bayern Munich cemented the victory as German star Leroy Sane scored a solo effort goal on a counterattack.

Bayern Munich captured the Super Cup for the 10th time.

Source: Anadolu Agency