Author: Agencies And A News

Around 50 hippos have died due to an anthrax outbreak in Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park. The dead animals were found floating in a river south of Lake Edward, near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The local office of the DRC’s Nature Conservation Institute (ICCN) in North Kivu warned the public to be cautious, especially advising against consuming wild animal meat. “Although this disease primarily affects wildlife, it also carries the risk of transmission to humans and domestic animals,” the statement said. WHAT IS ANTHRAX? Anthrax is a deadly disease caused by…

Algeria has decided to expel 12 diplomats from the French Embassy in Paris. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the diplomats were given 48 hours to leave the country. The move is reportedly linked to the arrest of three Algerian nationals in France, including a consular staff member. Minister Barrot urged Algerian authorities to reverse the decision, warning, “If this is enforced, we will have no choice but to respond in kind.” Among the expelled are officials from the French Interior Ministry. ARRESTS TRIGGER DIPLOMATIC CRISIS Last Friday, three Algerians, including a consular officer, were formally charged in France.…

The “tariff diplomacy” efforts between Türkiye and the US will accelerate with the establishment of a new working group in a meeting held Friday in Ankara, the Turkish trade minister told Anadolu. Omer Bolat said the working group, including participants from Turkish ministries, will “act calmly and work intensively” on issues arising from Washington’s tariffs. He noted that after US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs April 2, serious declines in commodities came to the fore, especially in oil. The minister said it is “a very active period,” as the working group assesses “the impact of the new US foreign…

The EU is prioritizing negotiations with Washington but the bloc is planning countermeasures against the US if tariff negotiations are not satisfactory via retaliation and trade diversification. US President Donald Trump’s protectionism and “America First” approach drove a wedge between the EU and the US. The two sides have the world’s largest trade and investment relations with an annual volume of more than $1.7 trillion. Trump’s aggressive policies and harsh rhetoric in his first term and second weakened the perception of a mutual alliance. EU exports to the US totaled $605.8 billion and US imports to the bloc hit $379.9…

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on Saturday refuted Kyiv’s allegations about Chinese citizens fighting in Ukraine as “completely untrue.” “I can say that this is completely untrue, to put it mildly,” he told the Russian state news agency Tass, responding to a question. China takes a “very balanced and verified position” on the settlement in Ukraine, Rudenko also said. On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian refuted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claims about the Chinese military’s alleged involvement in the conflict in the East European nation. He advised “the relevant parties” to recognize China’s role “correctly and clear-headedly”…

The UN on Friday confirmed that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will reduce its overall workforce by 20% due to funding shortfall. UN relief chief Tom Fletcher sent a letter to OCHA staff late Thursday, saying: “Our partners-NGOs and the UN humanitarian family-are hit hard. We are hit too: a 2025 funding gap of almost US$60 million. We must address this to protect our mission.” “As a result, we will reduce more than 20 senior positions (P5s and above) in Headquarters and in our Country and Regional Offices. We will reach a 70/30 ratio between Country…

Turkish National Defense Ministry has urged Israel to ‘immediately halt provocative attacks that threaten Syria’s territorial integrity and destabilize its security.’ “To ensure regional security, Israel must abandon its expansionist, occupying stance and the international community must prevent this unlawfulness. Israel’s activities in the West Bank and continued attacks on neighbouring countries are harming regional stability and peace,” the Turkish National Defense Ministry said in a written statement.

US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink intends to resign, CBS News reported Thursday, citing three sources familiar with the decision. While Brink has not formally submitted her resignation, she has reportedly begun making farewell calls to colleagues, sources told the outlet. Brink’s decision is driven by a combination of personal and policy-related concerns, including frustration about recent USAID layoffs, according to a senior US official. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had initially declined Brink’s resignation in January, showcasing a desire to keep her in the role. The potential departure comes amid a complicated phase in US-Ukraine relations. Although the US…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech during the AK Party’s Provincial Heads Meeting. Here are the key highlights from his remarks: “The greatest source of sorrow overshadowing our holiday joy was the attacks on our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Due to Israel’s renewed massacres, the people of Gaza spent yet another holiday under bombs. Innocent children, women, and civilians in Gaza were brutally slaughtered before the eyes of the entire world. We witnessed acts of barbarism constituting clear war crimes, with even ambulances carrying the wounded being shot at, and healthcare workers being executed. In the face…

Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for President Donald Trump, will lead the US delegation for talks with Iran scheduled for Saturday in Oman, Axios reported Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the plan. The US administration preferred Witkoff, who prioritizes a diplomatic solution, over hawkish National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who were “skeptical” of the diplomatic process, it said. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined Tuesday to specify who would represent the US in the talks but confirmed it would be “almost the highest ranks” as Trump had indicated. Sources also said that…