Author: Anadolu Agency
US President Donald Trump on Friday sworn in Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “This is a very important day,” Trump said during the ceremony at the White House. Calling the leadership of CMS “a big deal,” Trump congratulated Oz, who was confirmed in the US Senate earlier this month by a vote of 53-45. “Dr. Oz comes to this position as one of the nation’s most talented and beloved medical professionals,” Trump said. As CMS Administrator, Trump said Oz will work “tirelessly” to strengthen and protect Medicare for the nation’s seniors…
Speakers of the Arab parliaments on Friday urged for joint efforts and action to force Israel to agree to a Gaza ceasefire during their speeches at the inaugural meeting of the Parliamentary Group in Solidarity with Palestine in Istanbul, Türkiye. Qatar’s Shura Council Speaker Hassan Al-Ghanim called for coordinated parliamentary action to pressure the international community into compelling Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza. Al-Ghanim said statements of condemnation are no longer sufficient, given the scale of the tragedy in the enclave, where more than 51,000 people have been killed since October 2023. The territory has been rendered uninhabitable…
Inflation in Türkiye has been falling for 10 straight months and this will continue, said the Turkish finance minister on Friday, stressing that the country’s will and program to fight inflation are robust and strong. “We are determined to implement the disinflation program. There is a very strong political will and we have a very strong program,” Mehmet Şimşek told an International Economic Summit in the Sakarya province, appearing via live link. Though the world faces serious structural problems, Türkiye has an advantageous position in dealing with them, he said. “We want to turn our advantages into permanent gains. For…
A former senior Israeli diplomat said the war in Gaza has created a deep divide among Israeli society, with pressure mounting on the government in Tel Aviv from both the public and the military to bring the hostages held by Hamas home, even at the cost of halting military operations. Support is growing for a petition launched by approximately 1,000 current and former Israeli Air Force reservists calling for the return of all captives held in the Gaza Strip, even if it means ending the war against Hamas. The petitions have now received over 122,000 signatures, with support from across…
China on Friday said it is “playing a positive role to ease tensions” as the US accused a Chinese firm of helping Yemen’s Houthis attack American warships in the Red Sea. A Chinese satellite company linked to the country’s military is supplying Houthis in Yemen with imagery to target US warships and international vessels in the Red Sea, according to American officials cited by the Financial Times. The Trump administration has repeatedly warned Beijing that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd. is providing the Houthis with the intelligence, but the concerns were ignored, the paper said, quoting American officials. Asked…
China on Friday criticized the United States over newly imposed port fees, warning that the measures will ultimately hurt American consumers and disrupt global trade, according to state-run Global Times. Port fees, “raise global shipping costs, disrupt supply chain stability, and increase inflationary pressures in the US, ultimately harming American consumers and businesses, without revitalizing the US shipbuilding industry,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. Lin added that the tariffs on cargo handling equipment “harm the interests of both others and itself,” and called on Washington to “immediately cease its wrongdoings.” He warned that Beijing will take “necessary measures…
Türkiye has destroyed almost 121 kilometers of tunnels in northern Syria near its border as part of an ongoing military operation, the National Defense Ministry said Thursday. At a briefing in the capital Ankara, spokesman Zeki Aktürk told reporters that efforts are ongoing to establish lasting peace, security, and stability in Türkiye’s operation zones in Syria, as well as to facilitate the safe return of Syrians to secure environments. In this context, Aktürk said: “As part of the tunnel destruction operations that began on Jan. 8, 2025, nearly 66 kilometers of tunnels have been destroyed in the Tal Rifaat area…
Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz met with Khamis al-Khanjar, leader of Iraq’s Sovereignty (Siyada) Party, in Baghdad, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. The ministry said on X that the two officials exchanged views on bilateral relations and recent regional developments as part of Yılmaz’s official visit to Iraq. The meeting comes amid growing engagement between Ankara and Baghdad aimed at strengthening political dialogue and cooperation on regional stability. No further details were provided about the specific topics discussed, but Türkiye has maintained close ties with multiple political actors in Iraq, focusing on areas such as security, trade, and…
Türkiye’s trade minister said Thursday that Türkiye will help the Syrian government develop institutional capacity and infrastructure deficiencies. On an official two-day visit to Syria’s capital Damascus on Wednesday and Thursday along with Turkish businesspeople, chamber, and union leaders, Ömer Bolat held bilateral and delegation meetings with his counterparts on various issues, including trade, customs, transportation, investment, finance and banking, contracting, and energy. He met with Syria’s Economy and Industry Minister Nidal al-Sha’ar, Finance Minister Mohamed Yasser Barnia, Transportation Minister Yarub Suleyman Badr, and land and sea ports chief Kuteybe Ahmed Badawi. Congratulating Syria on its Dec. 8 revolution last…
Cyclone Tam disrupted the daily life in New Zealand’s Northland region on Thursday. The weather brought heavy rain and strong winds to many parts of the North Island and upper South Island, reported local Radio New Zealand (RNZ). Nearly 5,000 properties in the region remain without power, with possible repairs taking up to three days. Cellphone towers are also reportedly without power. Domestic flights have also been canceled, along with ferry services. Over 60 calls were made by Kiwis in the region for damage and cleaning requests for fallen trees and debris overnight. The strong winds are expected to continue…