Author: Anadolu Agency
The Palestinian Scholars Association condemned on Saturday the escalating Israeli violations against Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan. In a statement, the association said: “We are following with great anger and sorrow the escalating oppressive measures taken by the Israeli occupation against” the Al-Aqsa Mosque. “The pace of systematic provocations and targeting by settlers against Al-Aqsa Mosque, its worshipers, and those observing prayer has been increasing on a daily and noticeable basis,” it added. The association explained that Israel is preventing worshipers from “praying inside Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan while opening the mosque…
Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Saturday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of stalling the second phase of the ceasefire and hostages-prisoner exchange deal with Hamas to appease far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The 42-day first phase of the truce expired on March 2 following several prisoners-for-hostages exchanges. The second phase, which is meant to negotiate a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza, including the return of all remaining captives and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory, is yet to begin. In a statement, Ya’alon said Netanyahu “is delaying the implementation of the second phase…
Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has been hospitalized after three days on a hunger strike protesting his rebellion trial. Castillo was taken by ambulance from the prison on Thursday where he has been held since December 2022 to a hospital in the Vitarte neighborhood in the Ate district, according to local media. Authorities said Castillo was transferred to the hospital on suspicion of fluid-electrolyte imbalance and mild dehydration. Judge Norma Carbajal said the 55-year-old was not in a life-threatening condition, adding that the former president was hospitalized for precautionary purposes and that his condition is stable. Meanwhile, Castillo’s visitor rights…
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday discussed the developments of the Ukraine crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as part of the kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv conflict, according to local media. The conversation was held over the phone, which came after a meeting in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah earlier this week between Ukrainian and US officials aimed at ending the Moscow-Kyiv war, according to Saudi Press Agency SPA. SPA reported that bin Salman reviewed with Putin “the existing areas of cooperation between the two countries and ways to develop them, as well…
Germany criticized Russia on Friday for its conditional support for a ceasefire in Ukraine, accusing Moscow of not being serious when it comes to solving the Ukrainian conflict. “It will come as no surprise that the federal government views this critically,” deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer told journalists in Berlin. “One can only speak of a delaying tactic, at best, regarding a ceasefire, when such an offer is backed up by such conditions and provisions and one must certainly ask whether there is a serious interest in working toward a lasting ceasefire and a solution,” she added On Thursday,…
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a phone conversation initiated by the Armenian side, discussing the finalization of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Kremlin said Friday. Pashinyan informed Putin that Armenia and Azerbaijan had completed negotiations on the text of the agreement, with Yerevan ready to sign the deal. In response, Putin reiterated Russia’s consistent support for normalizing relations between Armenian and Azerbaijan, emphasizing that stability, security, and sustainable socio-economic development in the South Caucasus remain key priorities. He assured that both Armenia and Azerbaijan could rely on Moscow’s assistance in achieving…
Ukraine is strengthening its defense cooperation with Spain, with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announcing a new agreement following a meeting Friday with Spanish counterpart Margarita Robles. Umerov said the talks focused on key security issues and further strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces. “We have identified priority areas of cooperation that require special attention, particularly in deepening industrial interaction, enhancing air defense systems, and supplying ammunition and armored vehicles,” he said, according to a Ukrainian Defense Ministry statement. Robles presented Spain’s detailed assistance plans for Ukraine in 2025. The meeting concluded with the signing of the agreement on training Ukrainian military…
The US Air Force announced on Friday that South Korea and the US carried out joint air drills with F-35 fighter jets over a US aircraft carrier. The drills took place Thursday as part of the annual Freedom Shield exercise, involving two South Korean F-35As, two US Air Force F-35As, and one US Navy F-35C, according to the Yonhap news agency. The advanced fighter jets were deployed from the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier that visited South Korea earlier this month, according to the US Air Force stationed in South Korea. “Rehearsing combat operations with ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air…
The World Food Programme (WFP) announced Friday that it will be forced to cut aid for approximately one million people in Myanmar by April due to a lack of sufficient funding to maintain its operations. These aid cuts come amid escalating conflict, displacement, and access restrictions that have significantly increased the demand for food assistance. If additional funding is not received, the program will only be able to assist 35,000 of the most vulnerable individuals, a WFP statement said. The UN had earlier reported that a third of Myanmar’s population is facing acute food insecurity and that the ongoing crisis…
US President Donald Trump on Friday described his recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very good and productive,” expressing optimism about ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. “There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,” Trump wrote on social media. However, Trump also warned of a dire situation for Ukrainian troops, saying that thousands are “completely surrounded by the Russian military” and in a “very bad and vulnerable position.” He stressed his request to Putin to “spare” their lives, calling the potential loss a “horrible massacre, one not seen…