Author: Anadolu Agency
In what the group calls a “historic” move, a Brazilian court has directed police to investigate an Israeli soldier accused of war crimes in Gaza, following a complaint by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), the group announced on Friday. A week ago, HRF alleged the suspect-said to be currently in Brazil as a tourist-participated in demolishing civilian homes as part of Israel’s genocidal campaign. “This individual actively contributed to the destruction of homes and livelihoods,” said HRF lawyer Maira Pinheiro, citing video and photographic evidence linking the suspect to the acts, according to the group. HRF is an organization that…
Lebanese authorities reported on Saturday 12 more Israeli violations of the cease-fire agreement that was meant to end hostilities between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah group on Nov. 27. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the violations occurred in the districts of Marjayoun, Nabatieh, and Bint Jbeil in the Nabatieh Governorate, as well as in the Tyre district in the South Governorate. In the Marjayoun district, Israeli military personnel advanced toward the town of Burj Al-Muluk and stationed near the Farah gas station before blocking the road with barbed wire. Israeli incursions were also observed in the area…
Türkiye has taken significant strides in shaping developments in Syria and the “sun is rising” again in the neighboring country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday. Speaking at the AK Party’s 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in the northern province of Ordu, Erdoğan highlighted the transformation in Syria as a key achievement of Türkiye’s regional policies. “We didn’t step directly into Syria, but we have addressed every dimension of its issues comprehensively and brought it to its current state. Now, the sun is rising again in Syria,” he said. The president underscored Türkiye’s proactive approach to safeguarding its southern…
At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in an explosion on a passenger bus in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported on Saturday. CCTV footage aired by Geo News showed the passenger bus in flames after the explosion occurred in Turbat, a city in Balochistan. The nature of the blast has yet to be ascertained.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a video on Saturday evening of an Israeli hostage in Gaza, who expressed frustration with the Israeli government and military for ignoring her plight. The Israeli captive, Liri Albaj, 19, appeared in the footage addressing her family and government, saying: “I have been a captive in Gaza for 450 days. My life has been on pause. Today marks the beginning of a new year. While the whole world is celebrating, we begin a dark year, a year of isolation.” She added: “We are not a priority for our government or our military.…
Qatar’s minister of state at the Foreign Ministry on Saturday held discussions with the new Syrian administration’s foreign minister on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. According to a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement, the discussions took place during a phone call between Egypt’s Mohammed Al-Khulaifi and Syria’s Asaad Al-Shaibani. The call came a day after Al-Shaibani announced his planned visit to Doha this week. The two officials discussed “cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to the latest developments in Syria, and the Qatari humanitarian aid efforts to relieve the…
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned on Saturday that his group’s patience “might run out” over Israeli violations of the cease-fire agreement. Addressing critics of Hezbollah’s silence on Israel’s violations of the cease-fire agreement, Qassem said in a televised speech that the group’s leadership “is the one that decides when to resist, how to resist, the method of resistance, and the weapons to use.” Warning further, he said: “Our patience (regarding these violations) might run out … and when we decide to act, you will see it immediately.” In this context, Qassem said that the cease-fire agreement “exclusively applies to the…
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated on Friday that Türkiye’s principled stance on Gaza will be vindicated by history, much like its position on Syria. “Just as we have been proven right in the case of Syria, history will attest to our righteousness in the Gaza crisis as well,” President Erdogan said at a Türkiye Exporters Assembly event in Istanbul. He said Türkiye’s commitment to justice, peace, and compassion will be proven to be the right approach. Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath…
The French and German foreign ministers are visiting Damascus, marking the first trip by European foreign ministers to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime or the severing of diplomatic ties between the EU and Syria about 12 years ago, the German Foreign Ministry announced Friday. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is traveling to Damascus for talks alongside her French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot. Speaking on behalf of the EU, the two will meet with Ahmed Sharaa, the leader of Syria’s new administration, and representatives of Syrian civil society, according to a statement from the ministry. “After the fall of…
The US State Department approved the possible sale of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and related equipment to Japan, the Pentagon said Thursday. The estimated cost of the sale is $3.64 billion. “The proposed sale will improve Japan’s capability to meet current and future threats by defending its homeland and U.S. personnel stationed there. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” it said in a statement. The principal contractor will be RTX Corporation, located in Tucson, Arizona. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale on Thursday.