Author: Anadolu Agency
The French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, recently ravaged by Cyclone Chido, has been placed on red alert for the approaching Cyclone Dikeledi. While recovery efforts continue on the islands, which suffered significant destruction from Chido just weeks ago, the region now faces another severe weather threat. Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and stay indoors. Approximately 15,000 people have sought refuge in 79 emergency shelters established to protect against the cyclone. Additional accommodation centers have been set up for those unable to secure a safe location, with authorities advising residents to bring their own water and food supplies.…
Canada on Monday pledged CAN$17.25 million in aid to support the humanitarian situation in Syria, where nearly 70% of the population is in urgent need of aid after 13 years of conflict. “Canada continues to be deeply concerned by the dire humanitarian situation in Syria,” an International Development Ministry statement said. Citing Canada’s International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen’s recent visit to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye, the statement said the minister’s “trip marks the first Canadian delegation to visit the border region of Türkiye and Syria since the end of the Assad regime in Syria.” “Hussen reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to…
Cuba has filed a declaration that it will join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, the court announced on Monday. “Cuba, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip,” the court said in a statement. In December 2023, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel, claiming violations of the Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Several countries…
Four Israeli soldiers were killed and five others wounded in clashes with Palestinian fighters in the northern Gaza Strip, the military said late on Saturday. A military statement said those killed included one officer, adding that two of the injured are in critical condition. It added that the incident occurred in the Beit Hanoun area after an explosive device detonated near the soldiers’ vehicle. At least 835 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 5,590 others injured since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, according to military figures. The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on…
The British foreign secretary urged the international community to stand with Syria in building a democratic future. The UK Foreign Office announced that David Lammy would travel to Saudi Arabia to attend a Syria-focused meeting. A statement said discussions would include steps to support the transitional Syrian government, including mechanisms to ensure accountability for crimes committed by the regime of former leader Bashar Assad against the Syrian people. The statement highlighted that Lammy would offer the UK’s expertise in coordinating humanitarian aid and it expressed concern about conflicts in certain regions of Syria. It emphasized that the UK would continue…
The Europe-Türkiye Trade and Investment Council (ETTIC) hosted a New Year’s reception on Jan. 10 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Istanbul. Diplomats and company executives with significant investments in Türkiye participated in the reception. Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister and Director for EU Affairs, Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay, attended the event as the guest of honor. In his speech, Bozay stressed the need to modernize the Customs Union between Türkiye and the EU to further strengthen their economic ties. As part of the event, Bozay met with chamber presidents and business leaders from Türkiye and Europe to discuss Türkiye-EU trade and…
The details of the Gaza cease-fire and a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas are “almost complete,” an Israeli newspaper reported Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced he greenlighted a high-level delegation to fly to Qatar to continue discussions following developments. A statement said the includes Mossad chief David Barnea; Shin Bet director Ron Bar; Israeli army’s official responsible for the hostages, file Nitzan Alon and Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk. The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted Israeli political sources as saying that “90% of the details of the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas have been…
The Foreign Ministry extended condolences to the victims and those affected by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, California. “We are deeply saddened by the wildfire disaster that has caused significant damage to the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas,” the ministry said in a statement. “We extend our condolences to the people of the United States for the loss of lives and wish a swift recovery to the injured,” the statement added. Los Angeles is facing a historic firestorm that has ravaged local communities. The largest inferno has burned 17,234 acres in and around the upscale Pacific…
The Jordanian Interior Ministry said Saturday that 52,406 Syrians have returned home since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria on Dec. 8. Jordan’s official Al-Mamlaka TV quoted a statement by the Interior Ministry as saying that the returnees crossed from Jordan into Syria through the Jaber-Nassib border crossing, which has been open since Dec. 8. It added that a total of 11,315 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan also crossed the border, while the other returnees were non-refugee Syrians, including those who came from outside Jordan to cross into Syria. Jordan, which hosts 1.3 million Syrians, is one…
Israeli illegal settlers carried out assaults Friday against Palestinian farmers in the Al-Aghwar area, also known as the Jordan Valley, in the northern occupied West Bank. Moataz Bisharat, who is responsible for monitoring Israeli settlement-building activity, told Anadolu that settlers, protected by Israeli forces, attacked the farmers in the Umm al-Quba Plain in the northern Al-Aghwar area and forced them to leave their lands. He noted that the army intervened in favor of the settlers and declared the area a “closed military zone.” The activist said that the settlers, in a separate incident, set up a tent on a hill…