Author: Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday said US President Donald Trump should be convinced to withdraw American troops from Syria, adding that it would be cost-effective for Washington. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Trump had a “highly positive” call, showing Trump’s respect for Erdoğan, which was clearly demonstrated during conversation, Fidan said during an iftar event with journalists. Ankara is cautious about the agreement signed by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Ferhat Abdi Şahin, said Fidan, adding that the country will closely monitor the process in the short term. The rights denied to Syria’s Kurds under the ousted…

The death toll for Russian troops in the ongoing Ukraine conflict may have surged to as high as 250,000, according to a report from Britain’s Ministry of Defense. The report estimates that the Russian Armed Forces have sustained approximately 900,000 casualties—both killed and wounded—since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Of these, it is believed that between 200,000 and 250,000 Russian soldiers have died, marking the largest loss of life for Russia’s military since the Second World War. It claimed that President Vladimir Putin and senior military officials are likely prepared to tolerate high levels of…

Protesters took to the streets across Bangladesh on Thursday, condemning Israel’s renewed military offensive in Gaza and calling for the immediate arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party also held rallies across divisional cities. Calling Netanyahu a “bloodsucker and brutal killer,” party leader Nurul Islam Bulbul told a rally at the national mosque, Baitul Mukarram, that “Netanyahu keeps continuing crimes against humanity in Gaza, bypassing all the international law and norms.” He demanded that world Muslim leaders work to establish a free and peaceful Gaza instead of being silent or extending support to Israel. Bulbul demanded…

US President Donald Trump “fully supports Israel” as Tel Aviv resumes its attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip, the White House said Thursday amid an escalating death toll. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt continued to blame Hamas for Israel’s decision to renew its offensive following a breakthrough ceasefire that endured for roughly two months, saying Trump “has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home.” “And he fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that they’ve taken in recent days,” she added, using an acronym to refer to Israel’s military. More than 700 Palestinians…

North Korea warned Japan on Thursday against deploying long-range missiles on the southernmost Kyushu Island, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The policy section chief of the Institute for Japan Studies under the Foreign Ministry issued a statement harshly criticizing Japan’s consideration of deploying the missiles. Japanese media reported Sunday that Tokyo was considering deploying an upgraded version of the GSDF’s Type-12 land-to-ship guided missile, with an extended range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in North Korea and China’s coastal range, in efforts to acquire “counterstrike capabilities” to hit enemy targets if a need arises. “Japan, a war criminal…

The US continues to press Israel for answers and “full accountability” on the killing of Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in the occupied West Bank last September, a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu on Thursday. “We urged the Government of Israel to complete a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into Aysenur Eygi’s death,” said the spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Israel’s initial inquiry indicated it was the result of a tragic error for which the IDF is responsible,” said the spokesperson. The official added that Washington is still requesting the results of Israel’s full military investigation…

Jordan called for “immediate and effective” international action on Thursday to compel Israel to stop its assault on the Gaza Strip and reopen its border crossings for humanitarian aid. Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held talks over the phone with several counterparts during which he stressed the urgent need to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and fully implement a prisoner exchange deal brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, according to a Foreign Ministry readout. He urged the global community to act “urgently and decisively” to force Israel to end its onslaught and allow aid into all parts of Gaza.…

US warplanes carried out new airstrikes in Yemen’s coastal province of Al-Hudaydah and the northern province of Sadaa on Thursday evening, the Houthi group said. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television said that four strikes targeted the Al-Kathib area in the Al-Mina district in the Al-Hudaydah province. Al-Hudaydah, overlooking the Red Sea, is one of Yemen’s most strategic provinces, housing an international airport, three key ports, and an extensive coastline. Later, the same channel reported another US airstrike on the Al Asayid area in the As Safra district of Saada province, the group’s stronghold near the Saudi border. No information was yet…

The US State Department approved the sale of advanced precision kill weapon systems and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said Thursday. The estimated cost of the sale is $100 million. “The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats and give it the ability to precisely engage targets with much less risk of collateral damage than other guided missile systems,” it said in a statement. The principal contractor will be BAE Systems, Inc. in Falls Church, Virginia. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the…

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt blamed former President Joe Biden for the ongoing egg crisis in the US, citing the culling of nearly eight million chickens ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration as a key factor. Leavitt shared a graphic on X showing poultry birds culled due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and accused the Biden administration of causing supply shortages and higher prices. “The Egg Crisis is Biden’s Crisis — but President Trump and @SecRollins (Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins) are fixing it,” she wrote. The US is grappling with a severe egg shortage driven by a widespread bird…