Author: Anadolu Agency
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…
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…
Russia’s UN ambassador on Monday criticized the failure to implement the Minsk agreements of 2015, saying their collapse contributed to the ongoing instability in Ukraine. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting marking the 10th anniversary of the resolution endorsing the agreements, Vassily Nebenzia said the accords were meant to restore stability in eastern Ukraine but were ultimately undermined. “The hope for a lasting peace that emerged when the agreements were signed never materialized,” he said, adding that the accords — meant to calm the conflict in eastern Ukraine after Russia took over Crimea in early 2014 — had become…
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…
Special Israeli prison units raided a section of Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, and assaulted detainees, a Palestinian media office said Sunday. “Prisoners were beaten and sprayed with gas,” the Hamas-run Prisoners Media Office said in a statement. No details were yet available about injuries. According to Palestinian human rights organizations, Israel is holding more than 10,000 Palestinians in its prisons. A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed nearly 48,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.…
A Lebanese woman was killed and several others were wounded by Israeli army fire in southern Lebanon on Sunday, local media said. According to the state news agency NNA, Israeli forces opened fire towards residents trying to return to their areas in Houla town, causing the casualties. Three civilians were also detained by the Israeli army, the broadcaster said. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed that two paramedics were abducted by Israeli forces in Houla, marking the first time Israel had kidnapped paramedics since October 2023. A ministry statement said the two paramedics were affiliated with the Islamic Scout Association, a…