Author: Anadolu Agency

Israel’s Justice Ministry on Friday released the names of 95 Palestinians slated to be released on Sunday in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The list includes women and young men up to 25 years old. Khalida Jarrar, a prominent leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament), is on the list. The list also includes journalist Bushra Al-Taweel, who was released in a previous prisoner swap in 2011 between Hamas and Israel. She is the daughter of senior Hamas leader Jamal Al-Taweel who served as mayor…

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday ordering reserve forces to participate in military training in 2025. The decree, published on the government portal, requires reserve personnel to train with the Russian Armed Forces, National Guard, Emergency Ministry units, state security agencies, and the Federal Security Service. The government and regional authorities have been instructed to organize and supervise the training. The decree went into effect immediately upon its publication. The annual training is aimed at enhancing the combat readiness of reservists.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed deep concern on Friday about the prisoner exchange and cease-fire agreement in Gaza with the Palestinian group Hamas, which was approved by the Security Cabinet earlier in the day. Ben-Gvir voted against ratifying the agreement during the Security Cabinet session and has previously threatened to resign from the government if it is passed. “I feel even more alarmed,” Ben-Gvir said in a video statement released following the meeting. “If I was horrified by the deal yesterday, today, after learning more details—including the release of ‘terrorists’ serving life sentences to Jerusalem and Judea and…

A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to jail time over a graft case related to the Al Qadir University Trust. The former premier was sentenced to 14 years behind bars, and his wife to seven, in the thrice-postponed verdict announced inside Adiala jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where Khan has been held since August 2023. Khan and Bibi were indicted in the case, popularly known as the “£190 million ($236 million) reference,” last February. They can challenge the verdict. The National Accountability Bureau said that Khan and his…

The G7 leaders said late Thursday they “fully endorse and will stand behind” the cease-fire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas “This is a significant development that has the potential to secure the release of all remaining hostages; further facilitate urgently needed humanitarian aid; and pave the way for civilians to return to, and rebuild, their homes and their lives,” they said in a joint statement. Thanking Egypt, Qatar, and the US for mediating, the leaders called on all parties to respect the terms of the agreement. “We also urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases…

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to continue supporting Lebanon’s new government led by Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam. The commitment came after a meeting between Mikati and Macron following the French president’s arrival at Beirut’s airport earlier in the day on a one-day visit. “We discussed the current challenges and the importance of continuing support for Lebanon on all fronts—economically and in reconstruction efforts,” Mikati said in a statement issued by the Lebanese Prime Minister’s Office. Mikati said the French leader is committed to organizing a follow-up meeting similar to…

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, serving as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, will attend Monday’s presidential inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington, DC. Han will attend the ceremony at the invitation of the US, said the country’s Foreign Ministry in a statement. Beijing upholds the “principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation in its approach to relations with the US,” said the statement, voicing China’s readiness to collaborate with the new US administration to strengthen dialogue and communication, effectively handle differences, broaden mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly strive for a stable, healthy, and sustainable relationship. The statement said…

The Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S. decision to make Greek Cyprus eligible for arms sales and military training as “a grave mistake.” Condemning the decision, the ministry said in a statement that Türkiye shares the same views expressed by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on the issue. “We consider this decision, which will increase armament activities on the Island, a grave mistake,” it added. “Given that our region is going through an extremely critical period, all relevant parties should refrain from provocative steps and act with common sense,” the ministry stated. It expressed Türkiye’s expectation from the incoming…

Azerbaijan and Armenia’s border delimitation commissions convened for their 11th meeting, state media reported Thursday. The discussions, held at the border between the two countries, were chaired by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Azerbaijani state-run Azertac reported, citing a statement on the results of the meeting. The meeting focused on advancing efforts to define and demarcate the border between the two nations. Officials continued talks on the sequence of border sections to be addressed in the next stage of delimitation. Both sides agreed to initiate the process from the northern point where…

Denis Becirovic, chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Presidency, praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a sincere friend of his country, emphasizing the importance of Ankara’s support for Sarajevo. In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, Becirovic described the ties between Türkiye and Bosnia and Herzegovina as not only political and economic but also rooted in historical, cultural, and spiritual connections. He said the two countries share a friendly and cooperative relationship, with room for further expansion in various areas, including defense, security, and trade. Referring to meetings with Erdoğan, he said: “We have met several times over the past two…