Author: Anadolu Agency
US Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday hailed a US federal judge who ordered the release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, detained by immigration agents in March. “Judge Sessions is right. Neither Rumeysa Ozturk or anyone else in America should be in jail for authoring an op-ed critical of Israel, or on any subject,” Sanders said on X. His remarks came after Judge William K. Sessions III, a federal judge in the US state of Vermont, ordered the release on bail of Ozturk, who was arrested on March 25 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents…
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov on Thursday said Moscow and Washington are moving closer to a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, despite what he called “mutual disappointments” in their bilateral relations. “Yes, we probably disappoint them somewhere. They disappoint us too, perhaps even more than we disappoint them, and for a long time,” Ushakov told Russian state-run broadcaster Rossiya 1 journalist Pavel Zarubin. He said that while not all of Russia’s proposals are accepted, the Trump administration “understands Russia’s demands and goals.” Ushakov acknowledged that bilateral efforts are continuing and that both sides…
The UN said Friday that 70% of the Gaza Strip is either within Israeli militarized zones, under displacement orders, or in areas where the two overlap. Emphasizing continued obstruction of aid efforts due to Israeli restrictions, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference that UN’s “partners working to support telecommunications in Gaza tell us that the fiber optic cable has been damaged for more than six weeks, while Israeli authorities continue to deny coordination requests to allow us to repair it.” “The latest rejection was this morning, as the cable is a critical source of data connectivity for…
At least six army personnel were killed when an Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter crashed in North Central Province on Friday, according to local media. The Bell 212 helicopter crashed into the Maduru Oya reservoir during a training mission, Sri Lankan Daily Mirror reported. A total of 12 people were aboard the chopper when it crashed. It added that the deceased included two Sri Lanka Air Force gunners and four special forces personnel. The chopper took off from the Hingurakgoda Air Force Base for a training operation as part of a graduation ceremony at the Special Forces Training School in…
The US is in “constant communication” with the leaders of India and Pakistan as President Donald Trump seeks a rapid de-escalation between the nuclear powers, the White House said Friday. “This is something that the secretary of state and, of course, now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President has expressed he wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible,” spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval…
North Korea conducted a joint strike drill to test ballistic missiles and long-range artillery, state-run media reported on Friday. Leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw Thursday’s exercise, which featured the 600 mm multi-layer rocket system and the Hwasongpho-11-Ka tactical ballistic missile, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The drill was aimed at enhancing the combat capabilities and coordination of long-range artillery and missile units stationed on the country’s eastern front. KCNA said the exercise was held in response to what it described as a series of “nuclear operation drills” by the United States and its allies, accusing them…
The US and China are holding high-level trade talks in Switzerland on Saturday in a bid to ease the escalating trade tensions fueled by mutual high tariffs, an expert told Anadolu, who emphasizes that this represents a significant opportunity for global trade and that “ending the tariff war will be a lengthy process.” Rahmi Incekara, assistant professor of economics at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, said the US and China’s willingness to “resume diplomacy” while considering China’s interests as well as the demands of US industry and consumers is “a significant development.” The high-level trade meeting between the US and China…
Kishi Ace, a hotel manager in Kyoto, Japan, said they require Israeli guests to sign a pledge affirming that they have not committed war crimes, to avoid remaining passive about the situation of children in Gaza. Calling Israel’s attacks on Gaza “totally unacceptable,” Kishi told Anadolu that such actions violate international law. Having worked for many years as a teacher and educated many students, Kishi said: “Whenever I see the pictures and the videos of the children killed in Gaza every day, and those, the vision overlaps with my own students. And so, I couldn’t just stay without doing nothing.…
Six people were killed when an air ambulance crashed in Chile, authorities said Thursday. Gonzalo Duran, the presidential delegate for the Metropolitan Region, told reporters that the wreckage of the aircraft was found in a mountainous area near the town of Curacavi in the Metropolitan Region. Duran confirmed that all six people on board — the pilot, co-pilot, doctor, nurse, patient, and the patient’s companion — died in the crash. Chilean President Gabriel Boric also offered his condolences in a statement on his X social media account. “I extend my deepest sympathies and love to the families of the six…
In a letter congratulating new Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed hope for joint efforts to end humanitarian tragedies, especially in Gaza. According to a statement on the Presidency’s X account, Erdoğan said: “On the occasion of your election to the Papacy, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on behalf of my nation and myself.” Erdoğan stated that the late Pope Francis, a distinguished statesman, earned the admiration of the entire world through his great efforts to establish peace and tolerance during a time of intensified regional and international conflicts. “I am fully confident…