Author: Anadolu Agency

Greenland is heading to the polls Tuesday with independence a key campaign theme amid US President Donald Trump’s push to take control of the mineral-rich island, a territory of Denmark. Voters in the world’s largest island, with a tiny population of around 56,000, are heading to cast their ballots to elect lawmakers for seats in the 31-member parliament, the Inatsisartut. Polls open at 1100GMT and close at 2200GMT, while there will be no exit polls in the elections. The result is expected on March 12 between 0100GMT and 0300GMT. Sixteen seats are needed for a majority in the chamber, where…

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his North Macedonian counterpart Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties, with a focus on energy cooperation, economic partnerships, and cultural diplomacy. Welcoming Siljanovska-Davkova in Baku, Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s growing role as a strategic energy partner for Europe, according to the state-run AZERTAC news agency. “Azerbaijan currently exports natural gas to 12 countries, 10 of which are European nations. Last year, we supplied 25 billion cubic meters of gas to foreign markets, and we stand ready to expand these supplies,” AZERYAC quoted Aliyev as saying. “The Declaration on Strategic Partnership in…

The Israeli army detained at least 30 Palestinians in fresh military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups on Tuesday. Former prisoners were among the Palestinians arrested from different areas across the West Bank, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement. Israeli army forces held over 200 people in the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank, for field interrogation before setting them free, the statement said. The arrests came amid Israeli military escalation in the northern West Bank, where at least 68 people…

German carmaker giant Volkswagen reported a 15% fall in its operating profit in 2024 compared to the previous year due to rising competition and increase in fixed costs, according to the financial report released by the company on Tuesday. Volkswagen Group, which also includes Audi, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda and Porsche brands, had an operating profit of €19.06 billion ($20.7 billion) in 2024. The company’s sales revenues, meanwhile, increased by 0.7% to €324.6 billion in 2024 from €322.2 billion in 2023. Volkswagen sold 9 million vehicles last year, down 3.5% from 2023’s 9.4 million units. “Growth in South America could not…

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Washington seeks to broker a cease-fire in Ukraine, according to a report by Bloomberg on Monday. Witkoff’s visit, expected this week, marks his second trip to Russia in his role as Trump’s envoy, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions. His trip is set to coincide with meetings in Saudi Arabia between Ukrainian officials, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Trump suggested Sunday that the US expects Ukraine…

Türkiye’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines aims to integrate Africa with the world by expanding its already large flight network on the continent. Since its first flight to Africa in 1956, Turkish Airlines established 51 destinations in 39 African countries so far. The flight network’s expansion, one of the largest in the region, is a part of the airline’s “2033 Strategy” plan. The airline’s journey to Africa started in Cairo, Egypt almost 70 years ago. Turkish Airlines plans to bring larger prominence to the continent in global aviation with its strategy plan and investments. Africa is increasingly becoming more significant than…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said the “ball is now in Russia’s court” on Ukraine ceasefire. “Today, we’ve made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable,” Rubio, along with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, told reporters. His remarks came after the US and Ukraine officials held talks in Saudi Arabia to discuss ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine expressed a readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an “immediate, interim” 30-day ceasefire,…

Chinese researchers have discovered that rising methane emissions could unexpectedly have a positive effect on the future recovery of ozone, offering new insights into climate governance. The findings by Chinese researchers from Beijing Normal University were recently published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, Xinhua News reported on Tuesday. The ozone layer serves as Earth’s protective barrier, shielding us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Although international efforts have helped to reduce ozone-depleting substances, the future recovery of the ozone layer is now uncertain due to global warming and human activities. The research underscores methane’s dual role in ozone recovery. Methane…

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday questioned the purpose of initiatives aimed at organizing a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Speaking at a news conference in Moscow with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary-General Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Lavrov asked what peacekeepers would be tasked with protecting in Ukraine after a peace settlement with Russia. “What will the peacekeepers, so to speak, protect? What remains of the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime, which has passed laws that eradicate Russian culture, language, and media, and banned the Ukrainian canonical Orthodox Church?” he asked. Lavrov stressed that Moscow’s primary goal is to…

South Korea on Tuesday said it will establish diplomatic relations with Syria, local media reported. The South Korean government is proceeding with relevant procedures to pursue diplomatic relations, the Yonhap news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying. Last month, a ministry official from Seoul visited Syria to explore the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties. According to the ministry, Syria’s foreign minister expressed willingness to establish diplomatic tie between two countries. Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. Ahmed…