Author: Anadolu Agency

A mayor in southeastern Italy has banned the residents of the Belcastro town from getting sick due to healthcare difficulties, according to media reports. The town, with half of the population being elderly people, is 45 kilometers (nearly 28 miles) away from the nearest emergency unit, and the only doctor in the town has limited working hours. Mayor Antonio Torchia issued a decree that bans Belcastro residents from getting sick, and advised them to rest and avoid treacherous activities, local media said Monday.

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Russia has a special cyber-unit targeting Poland, said the country’s digital affairs minister, as reported by local media on Tuesday. No EU state faces more online Russian attacks than Poland, as showed by over 80,000 cyber-attacks from January to October 2024, said Krzysztof Gawkowski, who is also deputy prime minister, according to the public broadcaster TVP. He added that the Kremlin intends to interfere in Poland’s presidential election this May. Highlighting the extensive funding allocated to counter Russia’s cyber-warfare and a new special coordination center, Gawkowski argued that Poland has taken necessary steps to guard its cyberspace.

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More than 46,000 people were displaced after a strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Xigaze in China’s southern Tibet region, state media reported on Wednesday. The earthquake struck Xigaze in the Xizang Autonomous Region, the local name for Tibet, at 9.05 a.m. local time (0105GMT) on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). At least 126 people were killed due to the earthquake, while 407 trapped people were rescued alive. Some 14,000 search and rescue personnel aided by People’s Liberation Army soldiers, which have deployed choppers and drones as well, continued their work on Wednesday to…

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Türkiye’s permanent representative to the UN on Wednesday called for the removal of sanctions and delisting measures against Syria to support the country’s recovery. “While the end of the (Bashar) Assad regime brings hope for the Syrian people and the region, the challenges ahead remain immense,” Ahmet Yildiz said at a UN Security Council session on Syria. He said that Syrians endured “years of unimaginable suffering and widespread destruction” under the Assad regime. “We must ensure accountability for the human rights violations and uses of chemical weapons by the Assad regime.” “In light of the dramatically changed dynamics in Syria,…

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France’s foreign minister on Wednesday cautioned US President-elect Donald Trump against encroaching on the European Union’s sovereign borders, amid renewed debate over US control of Greenland. The remarks came after Trump reignited controversy by suggesting on his Truth Social platform that US control of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” due to its strategic importance. His comments have revived tensions over Greenland, a self-governing territory under Denmark’s monarchy. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio that while he does not believe the US would attempt to invade Greenland, he underscored the EU’s commitment to defending its territory. “It is…

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British lawmakers have strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza’s healthcare system and called for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital detained by Israel for nearly two weeks now. Speaking to Anadolu, John McDonnell, an independent MP for Hayes and Harlington, criticized Israel’s actions and the UK’s weak stance against them, emphasizing that mere condemnation and calls for a cease-fire are insufficient. “Yes, we need a cease-fire immediately, but also we’ve got to bring these war criminals to justice at some stage,” McDonnell said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and…

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The US imposed sanctions on Antal Rogan, a senior Hungarian official, on Tuesday, citing his alleged involvement in systemic corruption. Rogan, a prominent member of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government and head of the Cabinet Office, is accused of orchestrating schemes to misappropriate public resources and enrich himself and his political allies. According to the US Treasury Department, Rogan exploited his official role to control key government entities and sectors of the Hungarian economy, directing benefits to loyalists within the ruling Fidesz party. The sanctions freeze all US-based assets linked to Rogan and prohibit American individuals or entities from conducting…

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Russian envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, accused Israel on Wednesday of pursuing a “fait accompli” in Syria, and warned about “the unlawful actions of Israel” that threaten Syria’s territorial integrity. Nebenzia pledged continued support to Syria during a “new stage in their history.” “We would in particular like to point to the direct threat to the territorial integrity of Syria borne by the unlawful actions of Israel, which is carrying out a policy of fait accompli on the occupied Golan Heights,” he told a UN Security Council session on Syria, adding that 500 square-kilometers (123, 553 acres) of Syrian…

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the ongoing conflict for the benefit of everyone. In an interview with local television channels on Tuesday, he said: “The sooner this conflict is ended, the sooner a cease-fire is declared in Gaza, the better it will be for everyone.” Aliyev underlined Azerbaijan’s longstanding support for the Palestinian state, noting that the country has provided political, moral, and material assistance for many years. “We are in favor of a two-state solution. The establishment of an independent Palestinian state will put an end to this…

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Tuesday that authorities had arrested seven “mercenaries,” including two US citizens, for allegedly planning terrorist acts in the country. “Today, we have arrested seven foreign mercenaries, including two prominent mercenaries from the United States,” Maduro said in a televised address. “They were planning to carry out terrorist acts against the peace of Venezuela,” he added. The detainees include two Americans, two Colombians, and three Ukrainians. However, Maduro did not disclose their identities or the specific charges against them. Maduro claimed the individuals had plotted violent actions ahead of his planned inauguration on Friday, which opposition…

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