Author: Anadolu Agency
US Sen. Lindsey Graham hailed Türkiye’s role in the region on Wednesday, saying the country is a “major ally” of the US. “Turkey is a major player in this region and a major ally of the United States, and we have our differences, but they bring much to the table. “So, I’m here today to see if we can work with our friends in Türkiye to bring stability in Syria and beyond,” Graham wrote on X. Graham shared a video message from Anitkabir in the Turkish capital of Ankara, where he paid respects to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of…
US President Donald Trump said Thursday he looks forward to hosting United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan at the White House, seconds after the Emirati leader announced his country will invest $1.4 trillion in the US over the next decade. “I look forward to having you in the White House, we’ll celebrate together, but we are going to be your friend and we’re going to be your partner, and we really appreciate your confidence and an investment that’s your biggest investment that you’ve ever made,” Trump said as he was hosted by Al Nahyan in Qasr Al Watan,…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said that while US President Donald Trump has taken a position to put pressure on both parties to end the conflict, Kyiv bears “more pressure.” “Trump’s position is to put pressure on both sides. I believe that we were put under more pressure,” Zelensky told journalists in Ankara, Türkiye’s capital. The Ukrainian delegation has already been sent, and the meeting “could be tonight, could be tomorrow; we have done everything on our part,” he said. He emphasized that Ukraine has supported multiple diplomatic efforts initiated by the US and other partners. “Ukraine took many…
New Zealand has recorded the highest child suicide rate among 43 wealthy countries, and it ranks near the bottom in terms of youth mental health and well-being, said a UNICEF report released on Wednesday. The latest UNICEF Innocenti Report Card 19: Fragile Gains—Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World ranked New Zealand 32nd out of 36 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and EU countries for overall child well-being. The report card also revealed that New Zealand had the highest child suicide rate, with 17.1 per 100,000 children, nearly three times the average of the countries listed. Japan…
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday described the situation surrounding the Istanbul peace talks as “an intrigue,” citing uncertainty about Ukraine’s participation, leaving observers to speculate whether Kyiv’s delegation will attend or not. “Everyone, of course, is now hearing about Ukraine in connection with the intrigue currently unfolding in Istanbul, literally in these hours and minutes,” he said at a meeting of the “Culture without Borders: the Role and Development of Cultural Diplomacy” diplomatic club in Moscow. The Russian delegation arrived earlier Thursday morning at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace, where the talks with Ukraine were scheduled to take place. Later,…
US President Donald Trump threw cold water Thursday on prospects for progress in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying there will be no movement towards a truce until he sits down with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One amid his current Mideast tour. The comments come after Putin disclosed the members of the delegation he is sending to Istanbul for peace talks, which notably did not include the Russian president, ending speculation that he may attend the negotiations in-person. Trump had signaled…
Ben Cohen, the co-founder of the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested Wednesday after confronting US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the lack of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, according to a video of the arrest on social media by the women-led peace group, CODEPINK Cohen, a longtime activist and philanthropist, interrupted a hearing on Capitol Hill as Kennedy faced questions from the lawmakers. “Congress sent the bombs that kill children in Gaza and pays it with cuts to Medicaid,” Cohen shouted at the hearing before Capitol Police arrested him.
All eyes are on Istanbul for Thursday’s talks between Russia and Ukraine amid optimism that diplomacy may finally offer a path forward in Europe’s deadliest war in decades. Much attention has been on who would be in attendance, particularly the prospect of a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, and remarks from the US president about a possible detour to Türkiye from his ongoing Gulf trip. However, analysts say the talks are significant in their own right, expected to tackle a wide array of contentious issues, from ceasefire terms and disputed territories to military neutrality and sanctions. Oleg Ignatov,…
Israel on Thursday shut down Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv after a missile launch from Yemen was detected, according to Israeli Channel 12. Sirens were heard across several central regions, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and surrounding areas, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported. Later in a statement, the Israeli army confirmed the detection of a missile launched from the direction of Yemen.
The NATO chief said Thursday that Ukraine is ready to negotiate for peace, but the responsibility now lies with Moscow to respond meaningfully to Kyiv’s willingness. “Ukraine is clearly ready to play ball, but that ball is now in the Russian court,” Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters during a press briefing in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, where a meeting of NATO foreign ministers is taking place. “The Russians are sending a low-level delegation now and not taking up the opportunity President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy has been providing. He said, ‘I’m willing to sit with Putin as soon as…