Category: Fashion & Lifestyle

European Union countries agreed late Monday to reduce the amount of oil purchased from Russia by 90% by the end of this year.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that EU countries had agreed at an EU leaders summit in Brussels to impose oil sanctions on Russia for its war on Ukraine.

“I welcome the #EUCO agreement tonight on oil sanctions against Russia. This will effectively cut around 90% of oil imports from Russia to the EU by the end of the year,” von der Leyen said on Twitter.

European Council President Charles Michel also commented on the move.

“Agreement to ban export of Russian oil to the EU. This immediately covers more than 2/3 of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine. Maximum pressure on Russia to end the war,” he said in a tweet.

“This sanctions package includes other hard-hitting measures: de-Swifting the largest Russian bank Sberbank, banning 3 more Russian state-owned broadcasters, and sanctioning individuals responsible for war crimes in Ukraine,” Michel added.

The proposal, prepared by the European Commission about a month ago, included phasing out the supply of crude oil from Russia in six months and the supply of refined products by the end of the year.

Some member states, especially Hungary, opposed the oil import ban. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic were given additional time to import oil from Moscow.

Despite this, Hungary was opposed to the complete cessation of imports until energy supply security was fully ensured.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, at the entrance to Monday’s EU Leaders’ Summit, said the EU Commission prepared a proposal without consulting them and called it “irresponsible behavior.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

The trade volume on Turkiye’s spot natural gas market showed a decrease of 74.2% to 33.6 million Turkish liras on Wednesday, Turkiye’s Energy Exchange Istanbul (EXIST) data showed on Thursday.

Total trade on Tuesday amounted to 130.25 million liras.

On Wednesday’s spot market, 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas cost 11,869.81 liras, while the cumulative natural gas trade volume amounted to around 2.8 million cubic meters.

Turkiye received 135.55 million cubic meters of pipeline gas on Wednesday.

US$1 equals 15.39 liras at 1128 GMT on Thursday.

Source: Anadolu Agency

In March 2022, the index of producer prices for industrial products soared by 30.9% year-on-year in March, the historical high level.

According to official figures on Wednesday from Destatis, the index also rose by 4.9% on a monthly basis.

In February and January, the annual increases were 25.9% and 25%, it recalled.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The unemployment rate in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area decreased to 5.2% in February.

The figure dropped for the first time below the pre-pandemic rate recorded in Feb. 2020 and saw the lowest level since the start of this data series in 2001.

“The number of unemployed workers in the OECD area also continued to fall, reaching 34.9 million, 0.7 million below its pre-pandemic level,” the data indicated.

“The latest drop in unemployment is a continuation of a positive trend and welcome news for OECD countries. However, with increasing global uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, we will continue to monitor the situation closely,” said OECD Chief Statistician Paul Schreyer.

The unemployment rate fell markedly in Canada, Korea, Sweden, and Turkiye, but just modestly in Australia, the US and Japan.

Colombia, the Czech Republic, and Mexico, in contrast, saw an increase.

Source: Anadolu Agency

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the war in Ukraine on Tuesday “one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order” because it has affected billions of people worldwide.

“Our analysis indicates that 74 developing countries, with a total population of 1.2 billion people, are particularly vulnerable to spiking food, energy and fertilizer costs,” said Guterres in an address to the UN Security Council.

The UN chief said that the world is “dealing with a full-fledged invasion” in “violation of the UN Charter, and with several aims, including redrawing the internationally-recognized borders” between Russia and Ukraine.

Guterres noted that the war has disrupted supply chains and increased the cost of transportation, putting even more pressure on the developing world.

“People caught up in crisis around the world cannot pay the price for this war,” said Guterres. “Far beyond Ukraine’s borders, the war has led to massive increases in the prices of food, energy and fertilizers, because Russia and Ukraine are lynchpins of these markets.”

“For all these reasons, it is more urgent by the day to silence the guns,” he added.

Russia’s war against Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24, has met international outrage, with the European Union, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,480 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 2,195 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4.21 million Ukrainians have also fled to other countries, with about 7 million more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The 64th annual Grammy Awards kicked off Sunday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with opening performances by Bruno Mars and Olivia Rodrigo, both of whom took home multiple awards.

Record of the Year and Song of the Year went to Leave the Door Open by Silk Sonic, a super-duo consisting of Mars and Anderson .Paak.

“And realize because of you guys, me and Andy going to be singing this song forever, so God bless you all,” said Mars.

Silk Sonic also took home the Grammy for Best R&B Performance for Leave The Door Open, which tied with Pick Up Your Feelings by Jazmine Sullivan.

Former Best New Artist winners Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion presented this year’s award in that category to Olivia Rodrigo.

“Thank you so much to the Recording Academy,” exclaimed the 19-year-old musician on her Best New Artist Grammy. “This is my biggest dream come true.”

Rodrigo also took home the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for her song Drivers License, which she performed live.

In addition, Rodrigo won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour, in which she thanked her family for their support.

“I really want to dedicate this award to my parents,” said Rodrigo, recalling when she was nine years old telling her mom and dad she wanted to be an Olympic gymnast before telling them she was going to win a Grammy.

“I want to thank my mom for being supportive of all of my dreams no matter how crazy, and I want to thank my mom and my dad for being equally as proud of me for winning a Grammy as they were when I learned how to do a back walkover. This is for you guys and because of you guys,” she said.

Even with 11 nominations, most of the night, Jon Batiste didn’t hear his name called on the live broadcast until the very end, avoiding a shutout for the TV audience. Batiste took home the grand prize for We Are, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.

“I believe this to my core. There is no best musician, best artist, best dancer, best actor,” said Batiste with relief in his voice. “The creative arts are subjective and they reach people at a point in their lives when they need it most. It’s like a song or an album. It’s made and it almost has a radar to find the person when they need it the most.”

Batiste, however, did take home four other Grammys before the live broadcast began for Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Song, Best Music Video, and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

The Best Pop Duo Group Performance Grammy went to Doja Cat featuring SZA for Kiss Me More.

Three-time Grammy winner Ludacris presented the Best Rap Performance to Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar for Family Ties.

“I just want to say thank you to my support system,” said Keem, “My family, the women that raised me, to shape me to become the man I am today…This is a dream.”

The Best R&B Album went to Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan.

“I wrote this project to deal with my own shame and unforgiveness around some of the decisions that I made in my twenties that weren’t favorable,” said Sullivan. “But what it ended up being was a safe space for black women to tell their stories…for us to learn from each other, laugh with each other, and not be exploited at the same time.”

Starting Over by Chris Stapleton took home Best Country Album.

Foo Fighters took home the Rock trifecta, winning for Best Rock Performance (Making a Fire), Best Rock Song (Waiting on a War) and Best Rock Album (Medicine by Midnight).

The 2022 Grammys were originally scheduled for the end of January but were postponed three months due to the COVID omicron surge. This is the first time the Grammys have been held in Las Vegas.

Album of the Year: We Are by Jon Batiste

Record of the Year: Leave the Door Open by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak)

Song of the Year: Leave the Door Open by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak)

Best R&B Performance: Leave The Door Open by Silk Sonic (tie) Pick Up Your Feelings by Jazmine Sullivan (tie)

Best R&B Song: Leave The Door Open,” Silk Sonic

Best New Artist: Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Solo Performance: Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Vocal Album: Sour by Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Kiss Me More by Doja Cat featuring SZA

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Love for Sale by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

Best Country Album: Starting Over by Chris Stapleton

Best Rap Performance: Family Ties by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Album: Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, The Creator

Best Rap Song: Jail by Kanye West and Jay-Z

Best Rock Performance: Making a Fire by Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song: Waiting on a War by Foo Fighters

Best Rock Album: Medicine at Midnight by Foo Fighters

Source: Anadolu Agency

NATO leaders decided on Thursday to extend the mandate of alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg for another year because of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“Honored by the decision of NATO Heads of State and Government to extend my term as Secretary-General until 30 September 2023,” Stoltenberg announced the decision on Twitter.

“As we face the biggest security crisis in a generation, we stand united to keep our Alliance strong and our people safe,” he added.

Stoltenberg’s term was about to expire on Oct. 1, but NATO leaders decided to extend it because of the changed security environment.

He has been in office since 2014.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which began on Feb. 24, has met international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 977 civilians have been killed so far in Ukraine and 1,594 injured, according to UN estimates, while cautioning that the true figure is likely far higher.

Over 3.6 million Ukrainians have also fled to neighboring countries, according to the UN refugee agency.

Source: Anadolu Agency

A military jet owned by Taiwan went missing soon after taking off for a combat training flight on Monday, said the self-ruled island’s Defense Ministry.

A statement by the ministry said a Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet of Taiwan’s Air Force took flight from the Taitung Air Base for routine training which reported “mechanical failure” and the pilot ejected.

The pilot, Lt. Col. Huang Chung-kai, ejected through a parachute jump, 10 miles south of the air base. He was hospitalized and is “stable,” the statement said.

CGTN, the public broadcaster of China, which considers Taiwan its “inalienable part,” reported that the jet had “crashed into waters some 10 miles off the eastern coast of the island.”

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said a rescue operation is ongoing to locate the missing jet.

It added that a task force would investigate the cause of the incident.

Early in January, Taiwan had grounded its 140 F-16 fighter jets after an upgraded model of the plane crashed into the sea.

The F-16V jet had gone missing after taking a flight for routine training from the Chiayi Air Base in southern Taiwan, the island’s National Rescue Command Center had said.

After days of hectic search efforts, authorities found what they suspected were the remains of pilot Capt. Chen Yi, 28, and debris from the missing aircraft.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Russia boycotted hearings at the top UN court in The Hague Monday over Ukraine seeking an emergency order to hostilities in the country, with Kyiv arguing that Moscow falsely applied genocide laws to justify starting a war.

Speaking to journalists after the hearing, Ukrainian envoy Anton Korynevych said that legally, there was no problem in Russia failing to show up, explaining in detail why Ukraine had used the UN court to get an order to stop the war.

“And we expected such conduct by the Russian Federation. But it doesn’t affect any legal grounds, and it doesn’t have any legal effects under the statute of International Court of Justice under the rules of procedure,” he said .

Ukraine made its case before the court, which issues legally binding decisions, and the court can decide without all parties presenting their cases.

“We officially asked the court during the pleadings and in our official positions, and this has been officially stated in our requests and application, that the court imposes the order on provisional measures, as soon as possible, urgently,” said Korynevych.

Precedents exist

“Because this is for our country for our people. So, we do have precedents. We have case laws in which the court was rather fast and effective in the imposition of provisional measures,” Korynevych said.

He said he hoped the court would act urgently as it is “a matter of life and death for our Ukrainian citizens.”

“We chose this path because we saw that the alleged violations of Genocide Convention claim that some non-existent genocide exists in Ukraine, in particular in Donbas (eastern Ukraine),” said Korynevych, citing President Vladimir Putin’s stated justifications for the war.

The Ukraine envoy said the same argument was given in Russia’s “so-called recognition” of separatist enclaves in the territory of Ukraine in Donbas’ Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts.

“So, it’s quite a normal legal way for us to show that really, the position of the Russian Federation is null and void, is absurd.

“And there is no genocide now committed by Ukrainian officials in the territory, both in Donbas and in general, the whole territory of Ukraine.”

Putin calls the war a “special military operation” to protect people “subjected to genocide” by Ukraine and to “demilitarize and denazify” the country.

Separatists backed by Russia have, since 2014, fought Ukraine’s forces in two eastern breakaway regions in the east of the country, which Russia has now recognized as states.

The Ukraine government says around 15,000 people have been killed in that conflict, which coincided with Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

Source: Anadolu Agency