Author: Anadolu Agency

Over 1,500 Israeli armored corps troops, including generals, signed a petition on Monday demanding the Israeli government prioritize the return of hostages held in Gaza, even if it comes at the cost of ending the war in the enclave. According to the daily Maariv, the petition was signed by 1,525 members of the armored corps, ranging from riflemen to generals. They called on the government “to do everything possible to secure the release of the hostages-even if it comes at the cost of halting the fighting.” Signatories include soldiers who served in the tank units and later became civilians without…

Türkiye condemned on Monday the recent attacks on the Zamzam refugee camp near Al Fasher in Sudan, which killed many civilians and humanitarian aid workers. “We condemn the attacks carried out on the Zamzam refugee camp near Al Fasher, Sudan, which resulted in the killing of humanitarian aid workers and many civilians,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in an official statement. Emphasizing Ankara’s stance against the targeting of non-combatants, the statement added: “Targeting civilians cannot be justified under any circumstances.” The ministry also renewed Türkiye’s appeal for a resolution to the worsening humanitarian situation in Al Fasher, where ongoing clashes…

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Monday urged the US to exclude the vulnerable and least developed countries from reciprocal tariffs, warning they could “devastate” economies while having minimal impact on US trade deficits. In a report, UNCTAD said 28 of the 57 countries targeted by the paused tariffs each contribute less than 0.1% to the US trade deficit, yet face steep tariff rates-up to 50%. Lesotho, Madagascar, and Laos are among the most affected nations. “These economies are small in size, structurally weak with low purchasing power, they offer limited export market opportunities for the US.…

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Cuba’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Penalver Portal held consultations in Moscow on Monday, reaffirming their commitment to a strategic partnership and a shared vision of global affairs, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. During the talks, both sides “exchanged detailed views on bilateral, regional and global issues” and stressed the “unacceptability of unilateral coercive measures and neocolonial practices” by what they called the “collective West,” the ministry said in a statement. They voiced support for building a “fairer multipolar world” and welcomed Cuba’s accession to the BRICS group as a partner country to…

More than 6,500 Israeli academics and teachers, as well as approximately 1,000 parents, signed petitions on Monday urging the government in Tel Aviv to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, even if it meant ending the war in the enclave. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, approximately 3,500 academics signed a petition supporting a previous letter from Israeli Air Force reservists demanding the return of the hostages and the end of the war. “We, members of the academic staff in higher education institutions, join the call of the Air Force soldiers and demand the immediate return…

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with his US counterpart Marco Rubio by phone on Monday and discussed the latest developments in Syria and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, diplomatic sources said. Fidan and Rubio discussed efforts to establish a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the sources added. Fidan and Rubio met on April 3 in the Belgian capital of Brussels as part of a NATO foreign ministers meeting.

Palestinians decried an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Sunday, as Tel Aviv continued its deadly onslaught on the enclave. An Israeli warplane fired two missiles into the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital early Sunday, causing damage to the facility and putting it out of service. The hospital serves over a million Palestinians in northern Gaza. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as “one of the ugliest forms of genocide.” “This is a clear contempt for international law, humanitarian principles, and the global community,” it said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “deliberately destroying…

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi departed for Qatar on Sunday as the start of a Gulf tour for talks on bilateral cooperation and regional developments, particularly mediation efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire. During his visit to Qatar, Sisi is expected to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, a presidential spokesman said. He will also meet with members of the Qatari business community to discuss economic cooperation opportunities. Sisi’s discussions will also center on the Palestinian cause and joint efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. The…

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday separately received multiple high-level officials as part of his contacts at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025 in the Turkish resort city, with Anadolu as the global communication partner. Erdoğan received Chairwoman and Serbian member of Bosnia’s Presidential Council Zeljka Cvijanovic, as well as the council’s Bosnian member Denis Becirovic and Croatian member Zeljko Komsic. The meeting focused on the Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina bilateral ties, along with broader regional and global matters, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on X. The Turkish president underscored Ankara’s commitment to upholding stability in the Balkans and safeguarding Bosnia and…

The North African nation of Sudan has officially recognized Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, the Balkan nation’s president, said Saturday. “Sudan has recognized the Republic of Kosovo, and the two countries have agreed to establish diplomatic relations,” Osmani said in a social media video after meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousif on the sidelines of Türkiye’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF). Expressing her gratitude for Sudan’s move, Osmani said: “We extend our deepest thanks to (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan for making this impactful day happen for all of us, for our nations, at ADF.” Yousif underlined that Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the…