Author: Anadolu Agency

Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday was sworn in for the seventh time as the president of Belarus. The inauguration ceremony took place in the Ceremonial Hall, the largest venue within the Palace of Independence in Minsk, the country’s capital. Over 1,100 guests were invited to attend the event. Just moments before Lukashenko’s arrival, the national flag of the Republic of Belarus and the presidential standard were brought into the hall. With his right hand on the Constitution, Lukashenko took the oath of office, followed by the national anthem. The chairman of the Central Election Commission then presented Lukashenko with the official…

Two-thirds of Europeans want the EU to take a stronger role in protecting them from global crises and security threats, according to a Eurobarometer survey released Tuesday. “This is a clear call for action, which we will answer. Europe needs to be stronger so that our citizens feel safer,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a statement. Defense and security emerged as the top policy priority, with 36% of respondents saying the EU should focus most on this area. Seventy-four percent of Europeans said their country has benefited from EU membership — the highest level recorded since the survey…

Türkiye’s Scientific and Technological Research Institution and China’s National Natural Science Foundation will collaborate on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, focusing on cancer and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as joint projects on agricultural sustainability. The two bodies have issued a call for bilateral cooperation on research projects, one of which is the “Cancer Immunotherapy and Clinical Translation Research.” This project aims to develop medical treatments, such as drugs and vaccines, to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells. Researchers from Türkiye and China will conduct oncology studies using large-scale data sets and AI. The…

US President Donald Trump described Türkiye on Tuesday as “a good place” and praised President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as “a good leader.” Trump made the remarks at the White House during a meeting with ambassadorial nominees, where each nominee introduced themselves and their designated countries. When Tom Barrack, the nominee for Türkiye, spoke about the country, he highlighted its historical significance. “Türkiye is one of the most ancient civilizations and is in search of your peace, prosperity, and security program,” said Barrack. In response, Trump said, “Good place, good leader, too.” Trump announced Barrack’s nomination for the ambassadorship in December.…

US and Ukrainian delegations began a new round of talks in Saudi Arabia, a day after US and Russian officials held discussions in Riyadh, Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne reported on Tuesday. The agenda of the talks remains undisclosed, according to the report. On Sunday, US and Ukrainian officials met in Riyadh to discuss the security of energy and infrastructure facilities. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described the discussions as “productive and focused.” Also, US and Russian delegations on Monday held closed-door talks in Saudi Arabia as journalists were asked to leave the premises of The Ritz-Carlton hotel, where the meeting…

Pushing back on possible new tariffs by President Donald Trump over importing oil from Venezuela, Beijing on Tuesday slammed the US’ “illegal” sanctions which “grossly interfere in other nations’ internal affairs,” state media reported. “China firmly opposes the US’ long-term abuse of illegal unilateral sanctions and so-called long-arm jurisdiction,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing. He was responding to questions over Trump’s executive order declaring any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff on trades with the US. Urging the US to “cease meddling in Venezuela’s domestic affairs,” Guo asked the Trump…

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday said that he will not step down despite calls for his resignation over his vote to advance a Republican-drafted funding bill. “Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer told NBC. He faced criticism from Democrats over his last week’s decision to back the spending bill which helped avoid a government shutdown. Many Democrats, including Representatives Glenn Ivey and Delia Ramirez, believe that move gave President Donald Trump too much power, and suggested Schumer step aside. Schumer said the continuing resolution (CR) was “certainly bad”, and added a shutdown “would be 15 or 20…

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Sunday met with his Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Mustafa in Cairo to address ongoing efforts to sustain the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza and explore avenues for the reconstruction of the strip, Egypt’s government said. Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Palestinians, emphasizing the importance of keeping them on their land, the statement said. He highlighted a reconstruction plan Egypt crafted and recently endorsed by an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo, noting that further coordination with regional and international partners, as well as Palestinian counterparts, would refine its implementation details. The Arab summit,…

Germany-based software company SAP became Europe’s most valuable firm on Monday, surpassing Denmark’s pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. SAP shares increased by about 0.8% on Monday as of 1215GMT with its market value reaching around €311 billion ($336 billion). Novo Nordisk’s shares, on the other hand, lost around 2.2% in the same period, while the company’s market value fell to around €275 billion. SAP shares, which provide companies with application software such as sales and supply chain, rose about 40% in 2024 and 6.5% this year. The software company’s revenues rose above expectations last year, thanks in particular to the high…

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Sunday met with his Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Mustafa in Cairo to address ongoing efforts to sustain the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza and explore avenues for the reconstruction of the strip, Egypt’s government said. Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Palestinians, emphasizing the importance of keeping them on their land, the statement said. He highlighted a reconstruction plan Egypt crafted and recently endorsed by an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo, noting that further coordination with regional and international partners, as well as Palestinian counterparts, would refine its implementation details. The Arab summit,…