Author: Anadolu Agency
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Tuesday said Kyiv has received the first tranche of aid from the US that came from the profits of frozen Russian assets. Shmyhal said in a statement on X that Ukraine has received $1 billion from the US, which is part of Washington’s proposed $20 billion financing for the war-torn country as part of the Group of Seven’s (G7) loan initiative. “We are grateful to US partners and @WorldBank for this important step towards justice. We expect all russian sovereign assets to be confiscated and used for the reconstruction of #Ukraine,” Shmyhal added. During…
Jordan will provide the necessary support to Syria, Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan said on Tuesday. “Jordan will stand by the Syrian people to help them achieve their aspirations for a safe and dignified life, enabling them to secure peace, stability, and unity across all their territories,” Hassan said during a Cabinet session in Amman. “The security, stability, and prosperity of Syria are directly linked to the security, stability, and prosperity of Jordan,” he added. The Jordanian premier said his government will prioritize capacity building in Syria, particularly in the health, transportation, electricity, and water sectors. “We will provide all…
A local court in Moscow on Tuesday sentenced US citizen Eugene Spector to 15 years in prison for espionage, according to Russian state media. Spector, who was born in Russia, was sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security penal colony by the Moscow City Court, bringing his total sentence to 15 years after accounting for an earlier sentence, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing the court’s verdict text. The court also upheld a fine of around 14 million Russian rubles (about $140,000) previously imposed on Spector, the media outlet said, adding that the case was heard behind closed…
Türkiye’s Bitcoin regulations offer optimism for investors in 2025, with the cryptocurrency ecosystem becoming more reliable due to the changes introduced this year. The crypto market, especially Bitcoin, had an eventful year, setting a record by surpassing $100,000. Last year, Türkiye established its first legal framework for the cryptocurrency sector, sparking growing interest in digital currencies. Salim Karaman, CEO of Turkish crypto exchange platform BtcTurk, told Anadolu that the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US this year was a landmark development for the industry. The move encouraged many hesitant investors to enter the market, but Karaman…
The Turkish auto market is expected to exceed 1 million units annually thanks to the country’s monetary easing efforts, lowering inflation, Berk Cagdas, the CEO of Turkish-based car dealer MAIS Istanbul Renault, told Anadolu. Auto market demand rose in the first quarter of the year, he said, and a high number of sales were made despite the tight monetary policy and uncertainty in exchange rates after the local elections in March, worrying potential buyers and distributors. The market expected a contraction in April due to increase in credit costs, restrictions, and difficulty getting credit after the elections, and sales started…
The family of an incarcerated pilot on Monday slammed the Australian government for approving the pilot’s extradition to the U.S. “We are shocked and absolutely heartbroken by this callous and inhumane decision which has been delivered just before Christmas with no explanation or justification from the government,” said Saffrine Duggan, wife of Daniel Duggan, an Australian pilot who has been in jail since 2022. Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Friday approved the extradition of Duggan, who was born in the U.S. but became an Australian citizen 13 years ago. Duggan was arrested in 2022 on orders from Washington and will…
The Kremlin on Monday denied media reports that the British-born wife of ousted Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad is seeking divorce and planning to leave Russia. “No, they do not correspond to reality,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in the Russian capital of Moscow in response to a question on the matter. On Sunday, multiple media reports said that Asma al-Assad, who was born in the UK, wanted to file for divorce in Russia, where the couple has been granted asylum by President Vladimir Putin after anti-regime forces took control of the Syrian capital of Damascus on Dec. 8.…
Following the collapse of the Assad regime, soldiers and security personnel are surrendering their weapons and registering at reconciliation centers established by the new interim government. In the wake of the regime’s collapse on Dec. 8, a former military conscription office in Mezze in the capital Damascus now functions as one such center. Outside the center’s iron gate, long lines of people wait to register and surrender their weapons, also stepping on a poster with the image of deposed ruler Bashar Assad’s image before entering the building. Inside, representatives of the new Syrian administration record personal information, residential details, and…
Qatar will have an active and purposeful role in Syria’s reconstruction and development process, said Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of Syria’s new administration, on Monday. His statements came during a press conference after he met in Damascus with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Al-Khulaifi, the first official Qatari visit to Syria in over 13 years. Al-Sharaa expressed gratitude for Qatar’s enduring support of the Syrian people and its unwavering stance until the victory of the revolution against the Bashar al-Assad regime. He announced that Syria is entering a developmental phase, with Qatar set to play a pivotal role…
The fate of some Israeli hostages is tied to the Israeli army’s advance in areas of northern Gaza, said the spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, on Monday. Abu Ubaida’s comments came in several statements on Telegram shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed there had been “certain progress” in negotiations for a prisoner exchange with Hamas, without providing a specific timeline. Opposition critics have accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the negotiations and prolonging the war. The spokesperson warned that “the fate of some Israeli prisoners depends on the progress of the occupation army by hundreds of meters…