THE number of births in South Korea rose last year for the first time in more than a decade on the back of a rise in marriages, officials said on Wednesday, bucking a trend for a country battling a demographic crisis.
South Korea has one of the world’s longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates — a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge.
Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability.
General news / General - International news - Thu, 27-Feb-2025
THE number of births in South Korea rose last year for the first time in more than a decade on the back of a rise in marriages, officials said on Wednesday, bucking a trend for a country battling a demographic crisis.
South Korea has one of the world’s longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates — a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge.
Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability.
The crude birth rate — the number of babies born per 1,000 people — was 4.7, interrupting a continuous downward trend since 2014, according to preliminary data from Statistics Korea.
And the fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, was 0.75, “up 0.03 from 0.72 in 2023”, it said.
“The number of births in 2024 was 238,300, an increase of 8,300 (3.6 per cent) from the previous year,” the report added. Park Hyun-jeong, an official from Statistics Korea, attributed the rise to an increase in marriages as well as shifting demographics. — AFP
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
THE number of births in South Korea rose last year for the first time in more than a decade on the back of a rise in marriages, officials said on Wednesday, bucking a trend for a country battling a demographic crisis.
South Korea has one of the world’s longest life expectancies and lowest birth rates — a combination that presents a looming demographic challenge.
Seoul has poured billions of dollars into efforts to encourage women to have more children and maintain population stability.
The crude birth rate — the number of babies born per 1,000 people — was 4.7, interrupting a continuous downward trend since 2014, according to preliminary data from Statistics Korea.
And the fertility rate, or the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, was 0.75, “up 0.03 from 0.72 in 2023”, it said.
“The number of births in 2024 was 238,300, an increase of 8,300 (3.6 per cent) from the previous year,” the report added. Park Hyun-jeong, an official from Statistics Korea, attributed the rise to an increase in marriages as well as shifting demographics. — AFP
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Sun, 23-Feb-2025
NEW DELHI February 22
At least eight workers were trapped and many others injured Saturday after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed in the southern Indian state of Telangana, officials said.
The collapse took place in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Nagarkurnool District, about 207 km south of Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana.
According to the officials, the tunnel collapsed when some workers were repairing a leak inside.
Reports said 50 workers were in the tunnel at the time of the accident.
NEW DELHI February 22
At least eight workers were trapped and many others injured Saturday after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed in the southern Indian state of Telangana, officials said.
The collapse took place in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Nagarkurnool District, about 207 km south of Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana.
According to the officials, the tunnel collapsed when some workers were repairing a leak inside.
Reports said 50 workers were in the tunnel at the time of the accident.
While some managed to escape, eight workers were feared trapped inside, an official said.
Rescue operations have been carried out.
Xinhua
Source: Myawady Daily Newspaper
NEW DELHI February 22
At least eight workers were trapped and many others injured Saturday after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed in the southern Indian state of Telangana, officials said.
The collapse took place in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel in Nagarkurnool District, about 207 km south of Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana.
According to the officials, the tunnel collapsed when some workers were repairing a leak inside.
Reports said 50 workers were in the tunnel at the time of the accident.
While some managed to escape, eight workers were feared trapped inside, an official said.
Rescue operations have been carried out.
Xinhua
Source: Myawady Daily Newspaper
General news / General - International news - Fri, 21-Feb-2025
February 20, 2025
The iPhone 16e will be available to pre-order in Singapore from Feb. 21, and it will be available from Feb. 28.
While it will have features similar to those of the iPhone 16 range, such as the action button and a USB-C charging port, the iPhone 16e will only have one camera lens.
February 20, 2025
The iPhone 16e will be available to pre-order in Singapore from Feb. 21, and it will be available from Feb. 28.
While it will have features similar to those of the iPhone 16 range, such as the action button and a USB-C charging port, the iPhone 16e will only have one camera lens.
Apple boasts the redesigned 48MP Fusion camera, which has the same resolution as all other iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 16e will also be able to support Apple Intelligence when it launches in April 2025.
The new model will be available in a black or white matte finish with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. Prices start from S$949, which is S$350 cheaper than the starting price of an iPhone 16.
Source: mothership.com
February 20, 2025
The iPhone 16e will be available to pre-order in Singapore from Feb. 21, and it will be available from Feb. 28.
While it will have features similar to those of the iPhone 16 range, such as the action button and a USB-C charging port, the iPhone 16e will only have one camera lens.
Apple boasts the redesigned 48MP Fusion camera, which has the same resolution as all other iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 16e will also be able to support Apple Intelligence when it launches in April 2025.
The new model will be available in a black or white matte finish with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. Prices start from S$949, which is S$350 cheaper than the starting price of an iPhone 16.
Source: mothership.com
General news / General - International news - Thu, 20-Feb-2025
VIETNAM’S National Assembly on Wednesday approved investment for the Lao CaiHanoi-Hai Phong railway project, Vietnam News Agency reported.
According to the proposal by the Vietnamese government, the main railway line will stretch approximately 390.9 km, with three branch lines totaling about 27.9 kilometres.
The railway will pass through seven provinces and two cities, namely Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong.
VIETNAM’S National Assembly on Wednesday approved investment for the Lao CaiHanoi-Hai Phong railway project, Vietnam News Agency reported.
According to the proposal by the Vietnamese government, the main railway line will stretch approximately 390.9 km, with three branch lines totaling about 27.9 kilometres.
The railway will pass through seven provinces and two cities, namely Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong.
It will be designed to have a speed of 80 kilometres to 160 kilometres per hour. The project aims to construct a modern, integrated rail line to meet both domestic and international transportation demands, particularly between Vietnam and China. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
VIETNAM’S National Assembly on Wednesday approved investment for the Lao CaiHanoi-Hai Phong railway project, Vietnam News Agency reported.
According to the proposal by the Vietnamese government, the main railway line will stretch approximately 390.9 km, with three branch lines totaling about 27.9 kilometres.
The railway will pass through seven provinces and two cities, namely Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Hai Phong.
It will be designed to have a speed of 80 kilometres to 160 kilometres per hour. The project aims to construct a modern, integrated rail line to meet both domestic and international transportation demands, particularly between Vietnam and China. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Thu, 20-Feb-2025
WITH less than one year remaining to the opening of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, preparations are advancing at a brisk pace, as evidenced by record-breaking ticket sales and robust volunteer recruitment.
At a press conference held on Tuesday at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Milano-Cortina Foundation, announced that nearly 300,000 tickets had been sold in just six days since the public ticketing programme was launched on 6 February.
WITH less than one year remaining to the opening of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, preparations are advancing at a brisk pace, as evidenced by record-breaking ticket sales and robust volunteer recruitment.
At a press conference held on Tuesday at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Milano-Cortina Foundation, announced that nearly 300,000 tickets had been sold in just six days since the public ticketing programme was launched on 6 February.
Varnier revealed that the ticketing platform received over 350,000 requests from around the globe, with 70 per cent coming from abroad.
In parallel, the volunteer recruitment program has exceeded expectations. Initially, the organizers planned to recruit 18,000 volunteers. However, the response has been overwhelming, with 96,000 applications received to date, including a notable number of submissions from China which ranks fourth after Italy, the United States, and France. "This not only reflects the global influence of the Winter Olympics but also indicates that the preparations are progressing with unprecedented enthusiasm," Varnier
added. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
WITH less than one year remaining to the opening of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, preparations are advancing at a brisk pace, as evidenced by record-breaking ticket sales and robust volunteer recruitment.
At a press conference held on Tuesday at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Milano-Cortina Foundation, announced that nearly 300,000 tickets had been sold in just six days since the public ticketing programme was launched on 6 February.
Varnier revealed that the ticketing platform received over 350,000 requests from around the globe, with 70 per cent coming from abroad.
In parallel, the volunteer recruitment program has exceeded expectations. Initially, the organizers planned to recruit 18,000 volunteers. However, the response has been overwhelming, with 96,000 applications received to date, including a notable number of submissions from China which ranks fourth after Italy, the United States, and France. "This not only reflects the global influence of the Winter Olympics but also indicates that the preparations are progressing with unprecedented enthusiasm," Varnier
added. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Wed, 19-Feb-2025
THE needs in Gaza, where the ceasefire is holding, are overwhelming, humanitarians said on Monday, adding that continuing Israeli operations in the West Bank are still producing casualties.
“As the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance across the Gaza Strip, the scale of needs remains overwhelming, requiring urgent and sustained support,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
THE needs in Gaza, where the ceasefire is holding, are overwhelming, humanitarians said on Monday, adding that continuing Israeli operations in the West Bank are still producing casualties.
“As the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance across the Gaza Strip, the scale of needs remains overwhelming, requiring urgent and sustained support,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
OCHA said the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that oxygen supplies are critically needed to keep emergency, surgical and intensive care services running at hospitals throughout Gaza, including Al Shifa and Al Rantisi in Gaza City. Health partners are engaging with the authorities to bring in generators, spare parts and equipment required to produce oxygen locally.
The office said that shelter partners distributed tarpaulins to more than 11,000 families in northern Gaza over the weekend. In Khan Younis, some 450 families received sealing-off kits, kitchen sets and hygiene kits at a displacement site in Al Mawasi.
OCHA said education activities are expanding, with its partners reporting that more than 250,000 people are enrolled in a distance learning programme produced by the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees. Humanitarian partners reported that 95 percent of school buildings were damaged during the hostilities, forcing many students into makeshift tents and open spaces in winter temperatures. In the West Bank, OCHA said that since the Israeli military operations began on 21 January, the most extensive in two decades, 36 Palestinians reportedly were killed, 25 in Jenin and nearly a dozen in Tulkarm. The operation is causing high casualties and significant displacement, especially in refugee camps.
Critical infrastructure has also been severely damaged, driving humanitarian needs even higher. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
THE needs in Gaza, where the ceasefire is holding, are overwhelming, humanitarians said on Monday, adding that continuing Israeli operations in the West Bank are still producing casualties.
“As the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver life-saving assistance across the Gaza Strip, the scale of needs remains overwhelming, requiring urgent and sustained support,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
OCHA said the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that oxygen supplies are critically needed to keep emergency, surgical and intensive care services running at hospitals throughout Gaza, including Al Shifa and Al Rantisi in Gaza City. Health partners are engaging with the authorities to bring in generators, spare parts and equipment required to produce oxygen locally.
The office said that shelter partners distributed tarpaulins to more than 11,000 families in northern Gaza over the weekend. In Khan Younis, some 450 families received sealing-off kits, kitchen sets and hygiene kits at a displacement site in Al Mawasi.
OCHA said education activities are expanding, with its partners reporting that more than 250,000 people are enrolled in a distance learning programme produced by the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees. Humanitarian partners reported that 95 percent of school buildings were damaged during the hostilities, forcing many students into makeshift tents and open spaces in winter temperatures. In the West Bank, OCHA said that since the Israeli military operations began on 21 January, the most extensive in two decades, 36 Palestinians reportedly were killed, 25 in Jenin and nearly a dozen in Tulkarm. The operation is causing high casualties and significant displacement, especially in refugee camps.
Critical infrastructure has also been severely damaged, driving humanitarian needs even higher. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Wed, 19-Feb-2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, during talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that any deal on the future of war-torn Gaza must boost regional security, the US State Department said.
Rubio, who arrived from Israel accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, met the de facto ruler ahead of talks expected on Tuesday with a Russian delegation in the Saudi capital.
But the 500-day-old Israel-Hamas war dominated discussions, according to a State Department statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, during talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that any deal on the future of war-torn Gaza must boost regional security, the US State Department said.
Rubio, who arrived from Israel accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, met the de facto ruler ahead of talks expected on Tuesday with a Russian delegation in the Saudi capital.
But the 500-day-old Israel-Hamas war dominated discussions, according to a State Department statement.
Rubio and the crown prince “reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring that Hamas releases all hostages, including American citizens”, the statement said.— AFP
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, during talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that any deal on the future of war-torn Gaza must boost regional security, the US State Department said.
Rubio, who arrived from Israel accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, met the de facto ruler ahead of talks expected on Tuesday with a Russian delegation in the Saudi capital.
But the 500-day-old Israel-Hamas war dominated discussions, according to a State Department statement.
Rubio and the crown prince “reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring that Hamas releases all hostages, including American citizens”, the statement said.— AFP
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Tue, 18-Feb-2025
A Delta Air Lines plane flipped upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and ended up on its roof Monday, injuring 17 people.
The airport confirmed on X that an “incident” occurred with the Delta flight from Minneapolis and that 76 passengers and four crew are accounted for. The accident happened about 2.15pm and flights at the airport, which handles more passengers than any other Canadian airport, were grounded for around two and half hours. Two runways will remain closed during the investigation.
A Delta Air Lines plane flipped upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and ended up on its roof Monday, injuring 17 people.
The airport confirmed on X that an “incident” occurred with the Delta flight from Minneapolis and that 76 passengers and four crew are accounted for. The accident happened about 2.15pm and flights at the airport, which handles more passengers than any other Canadian airport, were grounded for around two and half hours. Two runways will remain closed during the investigation.
“We are very grateful there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries,” Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, told reporters.
The number of people injured was down from early reports from paramedics that 19 were hurt.
Video from the scene shows the Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR upside down on the snowy tarmac as emergency workers hose it down. The plane was somewhat obscured by snow from a winter storm that hit Toronto over the weekend.
Ornge air ambulance said it was transporting one paediatric patient to Toronto’s SickKids hospital and two adults with critical injuries to other hospitals in the city.
A Delta Air Lines plane flipped upon arrival at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and ended up on its roof Monday, injuring 17 people.
The airport confirmed on X that an “incident” occurred with the Delta flight from Minneapolis and that 76 passengers and four crew are accounted for. The accident happened about 2.15pm and flights at the airport, which handles more passengers than any other Canadian airport, were grounded for around two and half hours. Two runways will remain closed during the investigation.
“We are very grateful there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries,” Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, told reporters.
The number of people injured was down from early reports from paramedics that 19 were hurt.
Video from the scene shows the Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR upside down on the snowy tarmac as emergency workers hose it down. The plane was somewhat obscured by snow from a winter storm that hit Toronto over the weekend.
Ornge air ambulance said it was transporting one paediatric patient to Toronto’s SickKids hospital and two adults with critical injuries to other hospitals in the city.
General news / General - International news - Mon, 10-Feb-2025
INDONESIA welcomed 13.9 million foreign tourists in 2024, marking a significant increase from the 11.68 million visitors recorded in 2023, the Ministry of Tourism announced in a press release on Saturday.
INDONESIA welcomed 13.9 million foreign tourists in 2024, marking a significant increase from the 11.68 million visitors recorded in 2023, the Ministry of Tourism announced in a press release on Saturday.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri attributed this achievement to the effective policies implemented during President Prabowo Subianto’s first 100 days in office. “In the first 100 working days, the government has successfully maintained the growth in the number of foreign tourists, which continues to increase compared to the same period in 2023,” said Putri in the press release. She added that the stable political and social conditions in Indonesia, coupled with its diverse nature-based tourism offerings, have made the country a safe and attractive destination for international visitors. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
INDONESIA welcomed 13.9 million foreign tourists in 2024, marking a significant increase from the 11.68 million visitors recorded in 2023, the Ministry of Tourism announced in a press release on Saturday.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri attributed this achievement to the effective policies implemented during President Prabowo Subianto’s first 100 days in office. “In the first 100 working days, the government has successfully maintained the growth in the number of foreign tourists, which continues to increase compared to the same period in 2023,” said Putri in the press release. She added that the stable political and social conditions in Indonesia, coupled with its diverse nature-based tourism offerings, have made the country a safe and attractive destination for international visitors. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
General news / General - International news - Thu, 6-Feb-2025
KAZAKHSTAN is taking steps to enhance the safety and convenience of foreign tourists and has introduced a new initiative to provide every incoming traveller with a special QR code card linked to the SafeTravel.kz platform.
KAZAKHSTAN is taking steps to enhance the safety and convenience of foreign tourists and has introduced a new initiative to provide every incoming traveller with a special QR code card linked to the SafeTravel.kz platform.
This multilingual online resource offers essential safety information, emergency contacts, as well as travel recommendation. The Embassy of Kazakhstan in a press release stated, “At a recent expanded government meeting, the Head of State emphasized the strategic importance of tourism development and the creation of favourable conditions for foreign visitors.”
It added, “In line with this directive, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to enhance the safety of incoming tourists. Now, every foreign visitor entering Kazakhstan, including those passing through border control, can receive a special card with a QR code linking to the multilingual online platform SafeTravel.kz. This platform provides essential information and recommendations for a safe stay in Kazakhstan, along with links to download useful mobile applications.” — ANI
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
KAZAKHSTAN is taking steps to enhance the safety and convenience of foreign tourists and has introduced a new initiative to provide every incoming traveller with a special QR code card linked to the SafeTravel.kz platform.
This multilingual online resource offers essential safety information, emergency contacts, as well as travel recommendation. The Embassy of Kazakhstan in a press release stated, “At a recent expanded government meeting, the Head of State emphasized the strategic importance of tourism development and the creation of favourable conditions for foreign visitors.”
It added, “In line with this directive, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to enhance the safety of incoming tourists. Now, every foreign visitor entering Kazakhstan, including those passing through border control, can receive a special card with a QR code linking to the multilingual online platform SafeTravel.kz. This platform provides essential information and recommendations for a safe stay in Kazakhstan, along with links to download useful mobile applications.” — ANI
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar