Author: Anadolu Agency
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Damascus on Friday for a formal meeting with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa. The two are expected to discuss bilateral relations and latest developments surrounding the Palestinian cause, according to state media. Palestine’s Ambassador to Syria Samir Rifai confirmed the visit, but did not provide details on the agenda of the meeting. Abbas and Sharaa also met on the sidelines of the emergency Arab summit in Cairo last month. In January, a Palestinian delegation headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa visited Syria and met Sharaa, who became the country’s president after the downfall of…
Speakers of the Arab parliaments on Friday urged for joint efforts and action to force Israel to agree to a Gaza ceasefire during their speeches at the inaugural meeting of the Parliamentary Group in Solidarity with Palestine in Istanbul, Türkiye. Qatar’s Shura Council Speaker Hassan Al-Ghanim called for coordinated parliamentary action to pressure the international community into compelling Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza. Al-Ghanim said statements of condemnation are no longer sufficient, given the scale of the tragedy in the enclave, where more than 51,000 people have been killed since October 2023. The territory has been rendered uninhabitable…
Belarus’s Ambassador to Russia, Aleksandr Rogozhnik, met with his Guinean counterpart Niankoye Haba to discuss expanding political and economic cooperation, the Belarusian diplomatic mission said Thursday. During their meeting in Moscow, Haba, who also serves as ambassador to Belarus, expressed Guinea’s interest in bolstering ties with Belarus, particularly in the field of agriculture. He highlighted Belarusian know-how as vital for Guinea’s food security and welcomed opportunities for collaboration. Rogozhnik invited Guinea to attend the Belagro agricultural exhibition in June and noted Belarus’ willingness to supply a wide range of agricultural and industrial machinery. “Guinea is also interested in Belarusian mining…
Russia’s permanent representative to the UN said Thursday that Germany would be directly involved in the war in Ukraine if it delivers Taurus long-range missiles to Kyiv. “Yes, it would,” Vassily Nebenzia told Anadolu when asked whether such a move would mean Germany becoming a direct party to the conflict. He accused Germany and several other Western nations of already being involved in the war through support for Ukraine. “These countries are waging a war against Russia using their proxy forces. Delivering Taurus missiles would be another step toward escalation,” he said. Taurus missiles, with a range of more than…
New US Ambassador to Japan George Glass Friday triggered a sharp reaction from China, which urged Glass to promote friendly bilateral relations instead of “inciting” confrontation. Beijing’s remark came after Glass stressed the need to “push back against a country like China,” Kyodo News reported. Glass, a real estate developer from the US state of Oregon, Friday assumed his role as the US ambassador to Japan, succeeding Rahm Emanuel, a Democrat from former US President Joe Biden’s administration. “We sit with Japan in a very tough neighborhood. You have Russia, you have China, and you have North Korea,” Glass told…
A former senior Israeli diplomat said the war in Gaza has created a deep divide among Israeli society, with pressure mounting on the government in Tel Aviv from both the public and the military to bring the hostages held by Hamas home, even at the cost of halting military operations. Support is growing for a petition launched by approximately 1,000 current and former Israeli Air Force reservists calling for the return of all captives held in the Gaza Strip, even if it means ending the war against Hamas. The petitions have now received over 122,000 signatures, with support from across…
South Korea announced a supplemental budget plan worth 12.2 trillion won ($8.6 billion) on Friday to support key industries and address domestic recovery needs as trade tensions with the United States intensify, according to Yonhap News Agency. The government-recommended budget includes $2.25 billion earmarked for disaster prevention and recovery efforts following some of the worst wildfires in the country’s recent history. An additional $3 billion is set aside to alleviate pressures on household finances, while $3.1 billion is allocated to bolster high-tech industries and reduce trade-related vulnerabilities, the report said. US President Donald Trump hit South Korea with 25% tariffs…
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Friday said renewed Israeli strikes and a crippling siege exacerbate humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, UNRWA said it currently runs 115 shelters across Gaza, with over 90,000 displaced people living in them. “An already dire situation is deteriorating due to bombardment and the siege blocking the entry of humanitarian and commercial supplies,” it added. The UN estimates that nearly 420,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the January ceasefire, the agency said, reiterating its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Since March 2,…
US President Donald Trump on Friday sworn in Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “This is a very important day,” Trump said during the ceremony at the White House. Calling the leadership of CMS “a big deal,” Trump congratulated Oz, who was confirmed in the US Senate earlier this month by a vote of 53-45. “Dr. Oz comes to this position as one of the nation’s most talented and beloved medical professionals,” Trump said. As CMS Administrator, Trump said Oz will work “tirelessly” to strengthen and protect Medicare for the nation’s seniors…
France on Friday reiterated its strict travel ban for French nationals to Iran, warning of a serious risk of arbitrary detention solely due to their nationality. “All travel to Iran is strongly discouraged. All trips are strictly prohibited, regardless of the reason,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine told a press briefing. He renewed the government’s call for any French citizens still in Iran to leave the country without delay. “We reiterate our call for all French nationals who may be in Iran to leave the country immediately. They are indeed at risk of being arbitrarily arrested and detained solely because…