UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed on Thursday Turkey's ratification of the 2015 Paris climate accord, saying Ankara should rapidly present its national plan to combat climate change. 

"I expect Turkey to present as soon as possible a national #ClimateAction plan in line with its commitment to get to net zero emissions by 2053," Guterres said on Twitter.

On Wednesday, Turkey’s parliament ratified the Paris Climate Agreement to contribute to global efforts against climate change.

On Dec. 12, 2015, parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change reached an agreement to fight climate change and achieve a sustainable low-carbon future at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.

The Paris Agreement, defined as "a bridge between today's policies and climate-neutrality before the end of the 21st century," seeks to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by stopping global average temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels over the next century.

It also seeks to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible./aa

A global chip shortage crisis could extend into 2022 given the cost of adding new semiconductor capacity, Fitch Ratings said Thursday.

The global rating agency said chip shortages have forced manufacturers, including auto and heavy duty truck makers, to scale back production and it has affected first- and second-tier suppliers.

"Certain supply chain challenges would take longer to resolve such as increasing the production of semiconductor chips and additional investment to expand shipping capacity," it said.

In addition, shipping delays and widespread supply shortages of raw materials and components, such as semiconductor chips, are slowing economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, it added.

Fitch said it expects supply chain issues to likely resolve at the beginning of the second half of 2022./agencies

House prices in the EU surged at the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2007, rising 7.3% year-on-year in the April to June period, according to data released on Thursday.

“Rents and house prices in the EU have continued their steady increase in the second quarter of 2021, going up by 1.3% and 7.3% respectively, compared to the second quarter of 2020,” Eurostat said.

House prices, as measured by the House Price Index, climbed 6.8% in the euro area during the same period, the highest annual increase since the fourth quarter of 2006, it added.

Compared to the previous quarter, house prices increased 2.6% in the Eurozone and 2.7% in the EU27 from April to June.

Rents were up by 16% and house prices by 34% since 2010, according to Eurostat.

Among the bloc’s members for which data is available, 11 posted an annual surge of more than 10% in house prices in the second quarter of this year, the report said.

The highest annual increases were seen in Estonia (16.1%), Denmark (15.6%) and the Czech Republic (14.5%).

On a quarterly basis, prices rose in all member states, with the highest increases registered in Latvia (6.7%), Slovenia (4.5%), and Austria (4.2%), Eurostat said.​​​​​​​/aa

“Israeli” settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex Thursday to perform "silent" prayers.

Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that “Israeli” police present at the scene did not stop the prayers.

The Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem said in a statement that "109 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and were guarded by the “Israeli” police on Thursday."

More settlers are expected to storm the mosque after the noon prayer.

An “Israeli” judge ruled in an unprecedented decision Wednesday that the "silent" prayers of Jews at Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem was not a "criminal act."

Islamic authorities and officials in Jerusalem condemned the decision on Thursday.

The Council of Endowments, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sanctuaries, Supreme Islamic Council, Palestinian House of Fatwa, Court of the Chief Justice in Jerusalem, Islamic Endowment Department and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs said in a statement that "the decision of the “Israeli” court is invalid” and a "blatant violation of the Islamic and sanctity of the mosque and a clear provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world."

"There is no prayer for non-Muslims in Al-Aqsa Mosque, and no land law or court will apply to the mosque," it said.

“Israeli” settlers usually storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex every morning and afternoon through the Al-Mughrabi Gate, southwest of the mosque.

“Israeli” police began allowing settler incursions in 2003, despite repeated condemnations by the Islamic Endowment Department.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

“Israel” occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 [Arab-Israeli] War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognized by the international community./agencies

Eighteen former NBA players were charged Thursday in a health care fraud scheme.

The players are charged with defrauding the Association’s health and welfare benefit plan which is around $4 million, according to an indictment by a Manhattan federal court.

The lawsuit alleges that the players submitted false and fraudulent claims from 2017 to 2020 in exchange for reimbursement for medical and dental expenses that never occurred.

Players charge include former NBA champions, Glen Davis of the 2008 Boston Celtics; Shannon Brown, who won two rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010; and Melvin Ely won helped the San Antonio Spurs win the title in 2007./agencies

Retail sales rose slightly by 0.3% month-on-month in both the eurozone and EU in August, as food sales fell, according to the Eurostat on Wednesday.

Internet and mail-order sales bounced back in August following a decline in July, up 9% in eurozone and 7.7% in EU.

As retail trade for food, drinks and tobacco slipped by 1.7% in euro area and 1.5% in EU27, the main reading came lower than market expectation.

Among member states for which data is available, Malta (2.7%), Ireland (2.5%) and Slovakia (2.0%) posted the largest rise, while Denmark (minus 1.4%) and Estonia and France (both minus 1.2%) saw the largest declines during the same period.

"In August 2021 compared with August 2020, the calendar adjusted volume of retail trade remained stable in the euro area and increased by 1.1% in the EU," Eurostat said.

The eurozone/euro area, or EA19, represents member states that use the bloc's single currency -- the euro -- while the EU27 includes all of its member countries./aa

Churches in France, where a recent investigation found 216,000 cases of child sex abuse in past 70 years, become the institutions where sexual abuse cases are most common in the country. 

The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in Churches (CIASE) issued a report on Wednesday following two and half years of work, shocking the whole country.

Twenty-one experts working on the case presented a grim picture of sexual abuse in churches that has been debated for years.

The 2,500-page report, prepared at the request of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) and the national congregations conference (CORREF), is based on church archives, interviews with victims and media coverage.

According to the probe, 56% of the incidents took place between 1950-1969. The number of cases rises to 330,000 when the incidents of sexual abuse perpetrated by employees in private schools and institutions affiliated with the Catholic Church are added.

Sexual violence against children by Christian clergy constitutes 4% of sexual violence in France. Sexual abuse cases in the country are mostly experienced in churches after the family circle.

The report showed that around 2,900 to 3,200 priests have sexually abused children since 1950. This corresponds to 2.5-2.8% of priests working in churches. It is stated that this number, obtained from the archives of religious institutions and the testimony of 6,500 people, may be higher.

Some 80% of the sexually abused children were male aged 10-13.

Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Bishops' Conference of France, stated that he is appalled by the report. "Today I want to apologize to each one of you."

CORREF head Veronique Margron, for her part, said: "I am utterly ashamed. I am saddened by the crimes committed in the church, this tragedy and the violence against children."

The commission made 45 recommendations to the Catholic Church regarding sexual abuses. The most striking of these was that the Catholic Church should accept the findings of the probe and pay compensation to the victims.

The Turkish parliament on Wednesday ratified the Paris Climate Agreement to contribute to the global efforts against climate change.

All political parties in parliament gave Yes vote to the agreement.

On Dec. 12, 2015, parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change reached an agreement to fight climate change and achieve a sustainable low-carbon future at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.

The Paris Agreement, defined as "a bridge between today's policies and climate-neutrality before the end of the 21st century," seeks to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by stopping global average temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels over the next century and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible./aa