Author: Anadolu Agency

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Humain, a Saudi state-run company, on Tuesday announced a more than $5 billion joint investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. The two companies plan to invest in a strategic partnership to build a groundbreaking “AI Zone” in Saudi Arabia. “This first-of-a-kind AI Zone will bring together multiple innovative capabilities, including dedicated AWS AI infrastructure and servers with world-class semiconductors, UltraCluster networks for faster AI training and inference, AWS services like SageMaker and Bedrock, and AI application services such as Amazon Q to advance Saudi Arabia’s mission to be a world leader in AI,” Amazon said…

Ukraine is ready to present comprehensive reform roadmaps to the EU and its member states as part of its accession process, the deputy prime minister said Tuesday. Ukraine had completed national-level drafts of three key strategic documents outlining its EU membership transformation vision, Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration and minister of justice, announced during a special session of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs. “This vision was embodied in three roadmaps: on the rule of law, reforming public administration, and functioning of democratic institutions,” she said, according to a statement from her office.…

Russia will respond “adequately” to Poland’s decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Krakow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday, accusing Warsaw of harming its own citizens. “We are now responding specifically to these inadequate steps of theirs. We are responding adequately, we are responding, taking into account our interests,” Zakharova said on Soloviev Live TV. She argued that the closure would primarily impact Polish citizens who rely on the consulate for services, and noted that earlier closures had already affected Ukrainians seeking transit through Poland into Russia. Zakharova’s comments came after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko…

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday voiced “deep concern” over the deportation of large numbers of non-nationals from the US, particularly those sent to countries other than their own, warning the practice may breach international human rights standards. Between Jan. 20 and April 29, 142,000 individuals were deported from the US, according to official data. Among them, at least 245 Venezuelans and around 30 Salvadorans were removed to El Salvador, where many are believed to be held in the notorious maximum-security prison, CECOT. “This situation raises serious concerns regarding a wide array of rights that are fundamental to both…

Japan has proposed cooperating with the US on shipbuilding as part of ongoing trade negotiations, Jiji Press reported Monday, citing sources. The move comes as Washington, under President Donald Trump’s administration, seeks to rebuild its shipbuilding industry to counter China’s growing dominance in the sector. Tokyo aims to use technical assistance in shipbuilding as a bargaining chip to ease US tariffs, as Japan faces a 25% tariff on auto exports and a 24% tariff on various other goods. China currently leads global ship construction with a 48.9% market share, followed by South Korea with 28.5% and Japan with 15.6%, according…

The top diplomats of China and Brazil discussed the war in Ukraine and pledged to protect the “legitimate rights and interests of the Global South” during talks in Beijing, Chinese officials said Monday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira expressed support for “direct dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine” and said both countries would work to build broader international consensus for a political resolution to the crisis. The meeting came as Wang hosted several foreign ministers and senior officials attending the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (China-CELAC)…

US President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at the start of his first Middle East tour since taking office in January. Trump was welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to the Saudi state-run Al-Ikhbariya television. The US president’s regional tour also includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Tensions between Israel and the US are escalating with Israeli ministers criticizing President Donald Trump’s administration for securing the release of Israeli American soldier Edan Alexander from Hamas without coordinating with Tel Aviv, local media reported Monday. Israel’s Channel 13 said that despite efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to portray healthy ties with Washington, relations are growing increasingly strained daily. The ministers sharply criticized Trump over the deal with the Palestinian group to release Alexander, according to the channel. Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting Sunday evening with security chiefs and select ministers after Trump announced the agreement, the…

The Kremlin on Tuesday said that a Russian delegation will be in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul on Thursday where they expect to meet a Ukrainian delegation to take part in direct peace talks. “We only evaluate the statements of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, who proposed holding negotiations between delegations on Thursday in Istanbul. Our delegation will be there and will wait for the Ukrainian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalist Pavel Zarubin in an interview, an excerpt of which was shared on Telegram. Peskov added that who precisely will be representing Moscow at the talks will be disclosed when…

US President Donald Trump voiced optimism Tuesday that talks between Ukraine and Russia, set for Istanbul later this week, could yield “pretty good results.” “I’ve also been working relentlessly to end the terrible bloodshed between Russia and Ukraine, and very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” Trump said in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. “Our people are going to be going there — (Secretary of State) Marco (Rubio) is going to be going there. Others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we…