Author: Anadolu Agency

A US warship Thursday sailed near Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea amid tensions between the Philippines and China in the vast waterway. According to US Army’s 7th Fleet, USS Preble (DDG 88) “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, “consistent with international law.” The passage by the warship “upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging restrictions on innocent passage imposed by” China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, said the Japan-based US army fleet in a statement. “The unilateral imposition of any authorization or…

Russia on Friday advised its citizens in Syria to leave the country, as local sources said earlier that anti-regime armed groups have reached the Homs city center. A statement from the Russian Embassy in Damascus on Telegram said that it reminded its citizens of the possibility of leaving Syria on commercial flights “due to the difficult military and political situation.” “The Embassy and the Consular Section continue to operate as usual,” the statement added.
 The statement from the embassy came as local sources said earlier on Friday that anti-regime armed groups have reached the Homs city center, amid its advances…

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants have “largely restored” electricity production following reduced outputs last month over Russian airstrikes. A statement by the IAEA chief on Thursday said that eight of the nine reactors in the country’s Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and South Ukraine nuclear power plants are currently operational, with the remaining reactor currently being in shutdown. “Over the past week, most of them have gradually increased output again, even though some units operated below full capacity for several days after the military strikes on 28 November, which affected electrical…

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi hosted on Thursday his German counterpart Carsten Breuer, and the two discussed cooperation between the two armies, the Israeli military said in a statement on Friday. The two discussed the latest “operational events” with an emphasis on the northern arena, the “growing cooperation between the armies” “and the preparedness for threats near and far,” according to the brief post on X. Halevi expressed his appreciation to the Germany army chief for the “joint commitment” to “strengthening regional stability and security in the Middle East.” Germany has been a staunch ally of Israel, and government…

The Syrian regime has handed over control of Deir ez-Zor, a city near the Iraqi border, to the terrorist group PKK/YPG. The move comes following Syrian forces leaving several key areas in the region. The regime’s decision to relinquish control comes amid growing pressure from anti-regime groups, including the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led coalition, which has intensified its presence in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. Syrian forces have responded by moving some of their troops westward to reinforce Damascus. The Syrian regime’s withdrawal from Deir ez-Zor, which is located in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, has resulted in a…

Local armed groups in Syria’s Suwayda province, where the majority are Druze religious people, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to regime forces on Friday to leave the area and prevent bloodshed. According to local sources, representatives from local armed groups met with regime officials and demanded that regime forces withdraw from the province. While emphasizing their desire to avoid armed conflict, the groups set a 24-hour deadline for the regime forces to comply. Meanwhile, local armed groups have taken control of the Suwayda Police Headquarters building. The local armed groups reportedly have no direct ties to other opposition factions. Suwayda has…

Türkiye on Friday criticized the Greek Cypriot administration’s increased armament activities and warned such actions could undermine regional stability and peace. “This misguided policy could further undermine the stability and peace of our region and will lead to an arms race on the island,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said. It said that Türkiye shared the views expressed in a statement made on the issue by the Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The TRNC’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday expressed concerns over the intensification of the Greek Cypriot administration’s military activities, “bolstered by ‘strategic partnership’ with…

As Bashar al-Assad regime forces continued to withdraw from eastern Syria, the US-backed terrorist group PKK/YPG expanded and took over its control over territories that the regime forces had left behind. After suffering consecutive territorial losses to anti-regime groups in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs since Nov. 27, Syrian regime forces began withdrawing from their positions in Deir ez-Zor province, near the Iraqi border, during the day. The Syrian regime army and Iranian-backed forces, after handing over Deir ez-Zor’s city center, airport, and several strategic points to the PKK/YPG, moved toward Damascus and Homs, the gateway to the capital city.…

Türkiye’s exports to the US rose 9.8% year-on-year to $12.3 billion in the first 11 months of the year, becoming the second largest export destination, according to Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data compiled by Anadolu. Türkiye remains an important center of attraction for US-based firms, as the efforts of maintaining close ties with the US in bilateral relations reflect positively on foreign trade. Türkiye’s potential to attract investments with its strong, large, and dynamic economy plays an important role, while trade delegations also contribute to the increase of exports and sales to the US. The industrial sector stood out as…

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh announced Friday the closure of the Jaber border crossing with Syria, the only operational crossing between the two nations, citing security concerns. The decision, reported by the official news agency Petra citing Al Farrayeh, was made “due to the surrounding security conditions in southern Syria.” Under the directive, Jordanian nationals and Jordanian trucks will be allowed to return to the kingdom, but outgoing traffic to Syria will be prohibited. The minister emphasized Jordan’s ongoing monitoring of developments in Syria, adding that the armed forces continue to secure the border. Since the onset of the…