Author: Anadolu Agency

Officials in Northern Ireland have culled approximately 64,000 birds at a poultry farm in County Tyrone due to a suspected bird flu outbreak. According to Sky News, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs was notified of the case on Friday. Northern Ireland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher confirmed that all birds at the farm in Dungannon are being culled as a precautionary step. Authorities have established a temporary control zone and sent samples from the farm for testing. If the results confirm the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, additional protective measures…

Outgoing chair of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen has expressed concerns over the growing divisions between Europe and the US, saying that the “common value base is not that common anymore.” “We have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore. I’m very grateful to all those European politicians that spoke out and reaffirmed the values and principles that they are defending,” Heusgen said on Sunday, speaking at the closing session of the high-level gathering. He emphasized the need for European leaders to stand firm in defending shared principles such as democracy, freedom, and the…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv will neither take part in the Russia-US talks scheduled for Feb. 18 in Saudi Arabia, nor recognize any outcomes concerning Ukraine. Speaking to Ukrainian journalists in Abu Dhabi at an online news conference, Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv had not been informed of the meeting. “Ukraine will not participate. Ukraine was unaware of this meeting. Any negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine are meaningless. We cannot recognize any agreements made about us without our involvement, and we will not accept such decisions,” he stressed. He suggested that Ukraine’s absence might be due to…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday warned that the UK faces a “generational challenge” to national security as he prepares to meet European leaders in Paris for emergency talks on the war in Ukraine. Speaking in Bristol ahead of the high-stakes meeting, Starmer emphasized the urgency of reinforcing Ukraine’s position against Russia while also addressing broader security concerns for Europe and the UK. “We’re facing a generational challenge when it comes to national security,” he said. “Obviously, the immediate question is the future of Ukraine, and we must continue to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position whatever happens…

Put on the spot by an activist in New York, American comedian Jerry Seinfeld said he does not care about the Palestine issue. In a video shared on Sunday on Subway DJ’s Instagram, the activist approached the comic for a selfie and, after Seinfeld agreed, raised a peace sign while saying: “Free Palestine!” When prompted to also say the slogan, Seinfeld paused before shaking his head and replied: “I don’t care about Palestine.” The activist responded: “That’s sad.” Last May, at a graduation ceremony at North Carolina’s Duke University, a group of students protested Seinfeld’s speech, unfurling Palestinian flags and…

Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian boy on Monday during clashes in the village of Til near Nablus, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The organization said its teams transferred the boy, 17, to a hospital for treatment of an injured shoulder. The official news agency, Wafa, reported that several Palestinians suffered from suffocation during the Israeli forces’ raid on the village, which involved the use of live ammunition and tear gas canisters. Separately, Ameen Dossouqi, an activist and Burqa village council member, told Anadolu that Israeli soldiers stormed the village’s main mosque during the afternoon prayer. “The soldiers…

Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes Monday night on the villages of Tayr Harfa and Aaichiyehin in the Jezzine district, as well as two explosions in the border town of Odaisseh in the Marjayoun district, continuing its breaches of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon just before it is due to leave the area. The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the Israeli air force launched two strikes targeting the course of the Litani River between the Lahed Bridge and Mahmoudiyeh in Aaichiyehin, Jezzine. Israeli aircraft also targeted the Ain ez Zarqa area on the outskirts of Tayr Harfa in the southern…

Türkiye’s Treasury and Finance Ministry and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on Monday signed a major deal to strengthen their cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalized AIIB’s commitment to provide about $5 billion in financing for public projects in Türkiye over the next three years (2025-2027). This deal marks the first time Türkiye and AIIB have set up a multi-year framework for cooperation, the ministry said in a statement.
 The funding will support projects in areas like energy, transportation, the real sector, export financing, and water management, all focusing on sustainable and green development. Additionally, AIIB plans to…

US President Donald Trump’s chief economic adviser stated on Sunday that Jerome Powell, chair of the US Federal Reserve, is an independent figure and the Federal Reserve’s autonomy is respected. However, he added: “The president’s opinion can also be heard, as he is the president of the US.” Kevin Hassett, also the director of the National Economic Council, mentioned in a late Sunday live broadcast that Trump and Powell will hold regular meetings. He highlighted that long-term interest rates have already decreased during Trump’s second term, noting that a 40 basis point reduction in 10-year Treasury rates reflects the market’s…

Kremlin on Monday described the upcoming Russia-US meeting in Saudi Arabia as “good and very positive” but said it was too early to predict its outcome. “It is good and very positive that we are coming together to talk. But it is still a bit premature to make any forecasts. Let’s wait until Tuesday and see how the dialogue begins,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN. Russian and US delegations are set to meet in Riyadh on Feb. 18 to discuss restoring full bilateral relations, preparations for talks on resolving the Ukraine crisis, and a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir…