News archive of January 2023

An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 4.1 Richter struck off the southern island of Crete on Monday, Greek authorities said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the undersea quake occurred at 10.12 a.m. local time off the island's northern coast and its epicenter was at a depth of 11 kilometers.

The chief of the European Union visited Croatia on Sunday to celebrate the "immense achievements" of the newest EU member nation, which switched to using the euro and joined the world's largest passport-free travel area on New Year's Day.

Israeli forces killed two Palestinians, including a man claimed by an armed group as a member, during a confrontation that erupted early Monday when troops entered a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials said.

Assailants sprayed bullets toward a row of civilian homes in a remote village in Indian-controlled Kashmir, leaving at least four civilians dead and five others injured, police said Monday.

Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in as president on Sunday, and in his first address expressed optimism about plans to rebuild while pledging that members of outgoing Jair Bolsonaro's administration will be held to account.

Jeremiah Green, the founding drummer for the rock band Modest Mouse, has died just days after the band announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was 45.

A regulation that came into force as of Jan. 1 ushers in a new era in energy efficiency in buildings in Türkiye.

According to the regulation, all buildings to be constructed larger than 5,000 square meters in size will be required to be B energy efficiency class and meet 5 percent of energy they consume from renewable resources.

Prices of natural gas used in electricity production have been reduced, while gas prices for households have been kept unchanged for January.

The Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (Botaş) announced that the price of gas used was cut by 12.75 percent to 18,000 Turkish Liras/1,000 cubic meters.

The price of natural gas households consume was kept at 4,080 liras/1,000 cubic meters.

Turkish Airlines has received a new airplane, expanding its fleet, Bilal Ekşi, the CEO of the flag carrier has announced.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner joined the company's fleet on Dec. 31.

"In 2003, we had 65 airplanes. Now we are entering 2023 with 393 airplanes," Ekşi wrote on Twitter.

The daughter of pop megastar Paul McCartney has given an intimate peek into the hallowed halls of Abbey Road, the studio where he and many other music stars recorded masterpieces. 

Mary McCartney directed the new documentary, "If These Walls Could Sing," which gets a worldwide release on Disney+ on January 6 after premiering in North America in December.