Author: Anadolu Agency

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply alarmed and shocked” by a deadly Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to a statement released Sunday by his spokesperson. Ukraine said that more than 30 people were killed in the strike on the city, located 31 kilometers (19.2 miles) from the Russian border, as people gathered to celebrate the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday. Guterres emphasized in the statement that attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, adding that “any such attacks, wherever they occur, must end immediately.” He also reiterated his call for…

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with his US counterpart Marco Rubio by phone on Monday and discussed the latest developments in Syria and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, diplomatic sources said. Fidan and Rubio discussed efforts to establish a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the sources added. Fidan and Rubio met on April 3 in the Belgian capital of Brussels as part of a NATO foreign ministers meeting.

China has said the US should completely cancel the “wrong practice” of “reciprocal tariffs,” Xinhua News reported. On Sunday, China’s Commerce Ministry called on Washington to resume the proper course of resolving disagreements through mutual respect, as well as balanced and constructive dialogue. The development came after the US issued a memorandum exempting specific products such as computers, smartphones, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and integrated circuits from the “reciprocal tariffs.” The ministry said China is assessing the related impact of this move, noting that this is a “small step” for the US to “correct its wrong practice” of issuing tariffs. Beijing’s…

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Cuba’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Penalver Portal held consultations in Moscow on Monday, reaffirming their commitment to a strategic partnership and a shared vision of global affairs, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. During the talks, both sides “exchanged detailed views on bilateral, regional and global issues” and stressed the “unacceptability of unilateral coercive measures and neocolonial practices” by what they called the “collective West,” the ministry said in a statement. They voiced support for building a “fairer multipolar world” and welcomed Cuba’s accession to the BRICS group as a partner country to…

European foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss a range of issues including the situation in Ukraine and Gaza, calling for ceasefire and further pressure on Russia. According to the EU, the foreign ministers were to discuss the Ukraine war, situation in the Middle East including Syria, EU-Africa relations, issues in the Western Balkans and Azerbaijan-Armenia relations at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. “I think we have to put the maximum pressure on Russia to really end this war, because it takes two to want peace. It only takes one to want war,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja…

Japan “won’t compromise” to rush through tariff talks with the US, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told parliament on Monday. “We do not intend to make one compromise after another to conclude negotiations swiftly,” Ishiba told lawmakers, according to Kyodo News. The Donald Trump administration has imposed 24% on Japanese imports, particularly hitting sales of cars, steel and aluminum, but is currently attempting to negotiate with Washington as the US president granted a 90-day reprieve to all nations, except China, hit by his wide-ranging tariffs. Tokyo has repeatedly urged Washington to exempt Japan from the tariffs. Trump, however, has imposed a…

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burhanettin Duran emphasized Türkiye’s growing diplomatic and economic footprint in Africa during the fourth annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, held at the NEST Congress Center in Antalya’s touristic district Belek. Organized under the auspices of Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and led by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the forum brought together more than 6,000 participants from 155 countries, including heads of state, ministers, diplomats, academics, NGOs, and media representatives. Speaking to Anadolu — the forum’s official global communication partner — Duran highlighted the forum’s inclusive nature. “In this respect, the diplomacy forum we organized under the auspices…

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi departed for Qatar on Sunday as the start of a Gulf tour for talks on bilateral cooperation and regional developments, particularly mediation efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire. During his visit to Qatar, Sisi is expected to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, a presidential spokesman said. He will also meet with members of the Qatari business community to discuss economic cooperation opportunities. Sisi’s discussions will also center on the Palestinian cause and joint efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. The…

Palestinians decried an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Sunday, as Tel Aviv continued its deadly onslaught on the enclave. An Israeli warplane fired two missiles into the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital early Sunday, causing damage to the facility and putting it out of service. The hospital serves over a million Palestinians in northern Gaza. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as “one of the ugliest forms of genocide.” “This is a clear contempt for international law, humanitarian principles, and the global community,” it said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “deliberately destroying…

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday separately received multiple high-level officials as part of his contacts at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025 in the Turkish resort city, with Anadolu as the global communication partner. Erdoğan received Chairwoman and Serbian member of Bosnia’s Presidential Council Zeljka Cvijanovic, as well as the council’s Bosnian member Denis Becirovic and Croatian member Zeljko Komsic. The meeting focused on the Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina bilateral ties, along with broader regional and global matters, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on X. The Turkish president underscored Ankara’s commitment to upholding stability in the Balkans and safeguarding Bosnia and…