Author: Anadolu Agency

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Friedrich Merz on his recent appointment as Germany’s Chancellor during a phone call Sunday, according to the State Department. In their conversation, Rubio and Merz highlighted the importance of the US-German bilateral relationship and emphasized the need for continued collaboration to advance shared interests between the two countries, the department’s statement said. The statement, attributed to department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, provided further details of the discussion. Rubio reaffirmed the US’s commitment to strengthening ties with Germany in various areas of mutual concern. The two men also discussed the conflict in Ukraine, including a…

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed the release from Gaza of the last living Israeli American captive. “The Secretary-General welcomes the release of Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli national who had been held hostage in Gaza since 7 October 2023. He is profoundly relieved that Mr. Alexander has been freed and is now returning to his family and loved ones after this harrowing ordeal,” Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Guterres reiterated his urgent appeal for an end to the fighting in Gaza and emphasized the need to release all those still held captive. “The Secretary-General renews his…

Türkiye’s retail sales jumped 9.2% year-on-year in March, the statistical authority TurkStat said on Monday. Trade sales volume also increased 10.8% in the month on a yearly basis, and wholesale trade sales rose 11.1%. Food-drink-tobacco sales increased 8%, non-food sales rose 10.6% and automotive fuel sales posted an increase of 4.1%. Sales via mail orders and the internet also increased 3% year-on-year. On a monthly basis, retail sales contracted by 1.4%, trade sales and wholesale sales were up 5% and 8.1%, respectively.

Jordan said Monday that it is coordinating with Türkiye, Syria, Arab states, and the international community “to end Israel’s aggression” on Syrian territory. “Our position with Türkiye and Syria is united in supporting Syria’s security, stability, and sovereignty, and in working together to confront all challenges,” Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told a joint press conference with his Turkish and Syrian counterparts, Hakan Fidan and Asaad al-Shaibani, following a trilateral meeting in Ankara. “We are coordinating with our brothers in Syria and Türkiye, as well as with fellow Arab nations and the international community, to put an end to Israeli aggression…

The US and China have agreed to a sweeping rollback of punitive tariffs for an initial 90-day period, signaling a rare moment of relief in their protracted trade conflict and raising hopes for longer-term economic stability, according to a joint statement released by the US on Monday. The deal, reached following intense weekend negotiations in Geneva, will see both countries significantly reduce duties on each other’s goods, with the US lowering its tariffs on Chinese products from 145% to 30% and China decreasing its own from 125% to 10% by May 14. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade…

An Australian citizen was killed while volunteering to remove landmines in eastern Ukraine, according to local media reports on Monday. Nick Parsons, 28, died in a demining explosion near the city of Izyum last week, broadcaster SBS News reported. He had been working with Prevail Together, a humanitarian and mine-clearance charity. Two others were critically wounded in the same incident, including the organization’s co-founder, Chris Garrett, who later died of his injuries. “We are very thankful to him and for his courageous work in Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko told SBS. “I would like to express my condolences…

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for “standing resolutely” with Pakistan during its recent tensions with India. “Through his steadfast support, President Erdoğan demonstrated, once again, his love and affection for the people of Pakistan,” Sharif said during a meeting with Irfan Neziroğlu, Turkish ambassador to Pakistan, according to a press release by Sharif’s office. Praising Turkish people’s support for Pakistan during “these challenging days,” Sharif said it added “a new and glorious chapter in the history of Pakistan-Türkiye fraternal ties.” He reiterated that while Pakistan has consistently sought peace in South Asia,…

More than 600 prominent figures from the film, media and cultural industries on Monday criticized the BBC’s “bias in reporting,” urging the British broadcaster to air a delayed Gaza documentary on the plight of medics in Gaza. The open letter, addressed to BBC Director-General Tim Davie, calls for the release of Gaza: Medics Under Fire, which documents the experiences of Palestinian health workers operating under Israeli bombardment. Signatories include Oscar-winning US actor Susan Sarandon, comedian Frankie Boyle, and Lindsey Hilsum, an English television journalist and writer. According to the letter, 130 anonymous individuals also signed, including more than a dozen…

The French presidency on Monday denied allegations circulating on social media that President Emmanuel Macron used drugs during a train trip to Ukraine over the weekend. Macron was traveling with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer when a video surfaced showing him appearing to pick up a white object from a table, sparking speculation online. In a statement posted on X, the Elysee Palace called the accusations “disinformation” and dismissed the claims as an attempt to undermine European unity. “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like…

UN agencies on Monday warned of a growing risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, where renewed Israeli military operations and continued aid blockade have left the entire population acutely food insecure. A statement by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) pointed to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) finding and stated: “470,000 people in Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5), and the entire population is experiencing acute food insecurity.” The report also projects that at least 71,000 children and more than 17,000 mothers require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition. “The risk of famine does not arrive…