Author: Anadolu Agency

Türkiye on Sunday commemorated the anniversaries of the Crimean Tatar and Circassian exiles, honoring the suffering of both communities and reaffirming its ongoing support. “We share the sorrow of our Crimean Tatar Turks and fraternal Caucasian peoples, wish mercy upon those who lost their lives in these tragic events that left an indelible mark on the collective memory of humanity, and respectfully honor their memories,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the 81st anniversary of the expulsion of Crimean Tatars. On May 18, 1944, Soviet authorities under Joseph Stalin deported more than 190,000 Crimean Tatars from their homeland…

Türkiye’s latest discovery of a 75 billion cubic meter natural gas reserve in the Goktepe-3 well in the Black Sea is being hailed as a major step toward energy security and a stronger role on the global energy stage. On Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the find, which was made during recent exploration efforts in the Black Sea. The Goktepe-3 well is located 69 kilometers (42.8 miles) west of the Sakarya Gas Field and 165 kilometers (102 miles) from the shore. The discovery was made at a depth of roughly 3,500 meters by the Abdulhamid Han, one of Türkiye’s…

Qatar expressed concern Saturday about recent developments in the Libyan capital of Tripoli and urged all parties to avoid escalating tensions and resolve disputes through dialogue. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi held a call with UN Special Representative for Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Hanna Tetteh, according to the Foreign Ministry. Al-Khulaifi reiterated that Qatar is closely following the situation in Tripoli and emphasized the importance of calm and dialogue to prevent further instability. INCIDENTS IN TRIPOLI Clashes erupted Monday in Tripoli following the death of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli,…

Over 100,000 people rallied in The Hague on Sunday to denounce the Dutch government’s stance on Israel and the war in Gaza, in what organizers say was the country’s largest protest in 20 years. The demonstration, which took place at Malieveld Square, was coordinated by a wide alliance of international and local NGOs under the banner “Draw the Red Line for Gaza.” According to official records, more than 70,000 people attended the demonstration, while Oxfam Novib, one of the organizing NGOs, reported the number as 100,000. Speakers at the protest emphasized that hundreds of people have died of starvation in…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan commemorated Sunday the 81st anniversary of the Crimean Tatar deportation with a message of solidarity. “On the 81st anniversary of their forced exile from their ancestral homeland, I solemnly remember the pain endured by our Crimean Tatar brothers and sisters, and I pray for mercy upon our compatriots who lost their lives during the deportation,” Erdoğan said on X. On May 18, 1944, Soviet authorities under Joseph Stalin deported more than 190,000 Crimean Tatars from their homeland to Central Asia, accusing them of collaborating with Nazi Germany during World War II. The deportation was carried…

The Israeli army began a “broad ground operation” in the war-torn Gaza Strip, the military said on Sunday. “Over the past day, IDF (army) troops in the Southern Command, both the standing army and reserves, began a broad ground operation throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip, as part of the start of Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” the army said in a statement. Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said the army intensified attacks in Gaza in the past days, hitting more than 670 Hamas targets “to disrupt the enemy’s preparations and assist the ground operation.” The Israeli army intensified air assaults on…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his negotiators in the Qatari capital, Doha, are examining a potential deal with Hamas, including a possible end to the Gaza war. “The negotiating team in Doha is working to exhaust all chances to reach a deal according to (US envoy Steve) Witkoff’s proposal for a short-term ceasefire and limited hostage exchange or an agreement to end the war, including the release of all hostages, the exile of Hamas fighters, and the demilitarization of Gaza,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. A new round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas began in…

Illegal Israeli settlers continued their assaults against Palestinians on Sunday, burning farmlands and establishing a settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank. Illegal settlers set ablaze hundreds of dunums of farmland, including olive trees, in Duma town, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, municipal chief Suleiman Dawabsheh said in statements carried by the official news agency Wafa. “Palestinians and their properties are coming under repeated settler attacks in the town,” he said. Meanwhile, illegal settlers established a settlement outpost in the Bedouin community of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, Al-Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights said…

“Children, families, and the elderly in Gaza were reduced to starvation,” noted Pope Leo XIV on Sunday in his inauguration mass in Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square. Thanking some 200,000 people and numerous delegations representing states, royal families, and other Christian churches, the pontiff added: “In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war,” according to the Vatican News Agency. Particularly on Ukraine, Leo underlined the importance of the negotiations to bring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Following the mass, the pontiff met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr…

More than 300 staff members of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023, the agency’s chief said on Sunday. “Today, that death toll has surpassed the gruesome milestone of 300,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X. “The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli Army with their children & loved ones: whole families wiped out.” Lazzarini said most of the dead UNRWA staff were health workers and teachers. “Several were killed in the line of duty while serving their communities,” he added. “Nothing justifies these killings,”…