Author: Anadolu Agency

Former Austrian President Heinz Fischer on Wednesday called on the Austrian government to speak out against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. “I am outraged to see the way in which Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu and his so-called war Cabinet of extreme right-wing members of the government, who carry their Zionism before them, are waging war against the people of the Gaza Strip,” Fischer said in an interview with public broadcaster ORF. He said atrocities in Gaza should not be overlooked any more than those in Ukraine. “I am very serious about this,” Fischer continued. He added that one must…

The UN’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People demanded the immediate lifting of Israel’s blockade on Gaza on Tuesday, warning that deprivation and disease are ravaging the displaced population. Condemning the Israeli siege imposed March 2, the committee said the collapse of the cease-fire on March 18 has led to relentless bombardments, worsening the humanitarian catastrophe. “Since 18 March, more than 2,308 Palestinians have been killed, part of over 52,400 killed and 118,000 injured, the majority of them women and children, since 7 October 2023, amid relentless bombardment and blockade,” said the committee. It…

Belgium on Wednesday issued a strong call for the EU to urgently address the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that isolated national efforts will not be enough to alleviate the suffering. In doorstep remarks ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot blasted the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. “It’s time for the European Union and the international community to wake up, honestly,” Prevot said. “What we are seeing is an absolute shame. It’s not acceptable-cutting off, on a voluntary basis as a war strategy, any humanitarian…

The Pakistani Air Force downed two Indian Air Force jets, state-run Pakistani state TV reported, following missile strikes by New Delhi. The Air Force has “downed two jets of the enemy,” PTV said on X. Earlier, India launched missile attacks targeting several cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesman for Pakistan’s military, said India had fired missiles on the cities of Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Kotli from its air space. He confirmed at least three deaths and more than a dozen injuries. The escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors comes in the wake of…

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Wednesday that Russia used four ballistic missiles and 142 drones in overnight attacks on multiple cities, including the capital Kyiv. The Defense Ministry in Moscow, however, in its counterclaim said its air defenses shot down more than 500 Ukrainian drones and several Western-supplied missiles. “Kyiv was hit twice-first by ballistic missiles, then by drones,” Zelensky said on X, adding that seven people were injured in the attack and emergency services were on the site to clear the rubble. He said dozens of drones remained airborne across the country, with attacks also reported in Zaporizhzhia,…

The UN appointed Spanish diplomat Miguel Angel Moratinos Cuyaube on Wednesday as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ special envoy to combat Islamophobia. Moratinos will continue in his current role as High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), which he has held since 2019, according to a statement by the UN spokesperson’s office. “Mr. Moratinos brings decades of diplomatic experience and leadership on multilateral issues, including dialogue among civilizations and combating discrimination,” it said. “Mr. Moratinos has reinforced UNAOC’s role as a global platform for dialogue and bridge-building.” A seasoned diplomat, Moratinos served as Spain’s foreign minister from 2004 to…

Germany called on India and Pakistan on Wednesday to avoid further escalation following India’s overnight missile strikes and Pakistan’s retaliatory action. “After the horrific terrorist attack in Kashmir and the Indian military response, there is an urgent need for both countries to act responsibly,” the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on social media. “Escalation must be prevented and civilians must be protected. We are in contact with India and Pakistan,” the ministry said, adding that Berlin was monitoring the situation very closely. The ministry also announced that the German government’s Crisis Response Team would meet today to…

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry claimed Wednesday that a Russian attack once again endangered the power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), leaving it reliant on a single external power line. One of the two transmission lines connecting the Russia-occupied plant to Ukraine’s national power grid was damaged by shelling, resulting in its deactivation, the ministry said. “The plant’s external power supply, necessary for safe operation, is again under threat,” the ministry warned, adding that a complete disconnection could trigger another blackout and pose a “serious threat to radiation safety.” Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko emphasized the urgency of the situation,…

A US federal jury ordered Israeli spyware company NSO Group to pay more than $167 million in damages for hacking the devices of approximately 1,400 WhatsApp users in 2019 using its Pegasus software. The verdict delivered Tuesday after a five-year legal battle includes $167.25 million in punitive damages and $445,000 in compensatory damages to WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta. The US District Court for the Northern District of California rejected NSO Group’s claim of sovereign immunity as a private company, finding that the Pegasus spyware exploited vulnerabilities in WhatsApp’s platform. The Pegasus tool enabled “zero-click” attacks that could infect…

Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday warned the US against interfering in his country’s domestic politics. “I would like to embolden and encourage the American government to let domestic politics in Germany be domestic politics and to largely stay out of these partisan considerations,” Merz said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF. The US government must “stay out” of German domestic politics, he reiterated while pointing out that he plans to have a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Thursday. He added that he does not yet know Trump personally, but will speak with him “openly.”…