Author: Anadolu Agency

The Palestinian group Hamas on Thursday welcomed a statement by US President Donald Trump showing an apparent retreat from his proposed displacement plan of Palestinians from the war-devastated Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, Trump said during a meeting in the White House with Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza” in response to a question. “If the statements by US President Trump represent a retreat from all the idea of displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, they are welcomed,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement. “We call for reinforcing this position…

Russia on Thursday accused European countries of obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine, claiming that their goal is to escalate tensions and prolong the war. In response to a question from Anadolu, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Germany and France openly admitted to violating the 2014-2015 Minsk agreements over eastern Ukraine, while Britain discouraged Ukraine from negotiating with Russia in March 2022. At a Moscow press briefing, she stressed that these countries have made no efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, which makes their positions on Ukraine irrelevant. “If they were to change their fundamental approach, which is currently based…

Hungary on Thursday announced a special referendum on Ukraine’s potential EU membership, citing serious economic, political, and security concerns. “Ukraine’s EU membership is on the table. A post-war accession of Ukraine would bring huge risks. This cannot happen against the will of the Hungarian people, so the Hungarian government is launching a special referendum on the issue,” Balazs Orban, political director for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said on X. He emphasized that Hungary’s decision cannot be dictated by Brussels. Orban said the economic modeling conducted by the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs Senior Fellow Philipp Pilkington suggests that the…

In a major policy shift, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday announced plans to abolish NHS England, placing the health service management directly under the control of the central government. Starmer criticized the former Conservative government’s decision to make National Health Service England more independent, saying it had led to unnecessary bureaucracy and inefficiency. In a speech in East Yorkshire, Starmer said: “It was a mistake for the last Conservative government to make NHS England more independent of central government. Decisions about £200 billion ($259 billion) of taxpayer money-money that is spent on something as fundamental to our security…

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said his country sees that Türkiye is advocating for stability in the South Caucasus. “Our perception is that Türkiye, at least the messages it gives are in this direction, advocates for stability in the South Caucasus. We see that Türkiye, both at the presidential and foreign ministers levels, supports the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Pashinyan told Turkish media outlets in Yerevan, his country’s capital. Armenia’s prime minister said representatives of Türkiye and his country are in constant contact, noting the presence of a “very direct conversation” between the two countries.…

Mark Carney is set to be sworn in as Canada’s prime minister on Friday at Rideau Hall in the capital Ottawa, ushering in a new administration with a streamlined Cabinet. Governor General Mary Simon will preside over the swearing-in ceremony at 11 a.m. local time, her office said in a statement on Wednesday. Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will officially resign the same day, dissolving his 37-member Cabinet. Carney, who won a decisive victory in the Liberal leadership race, is expected to appoint a significantly smaller team, with sources cited by public broadcaster CBC indicating that 15 to 20 ministers…

The Czech Republic is sending 150 paratroopers to Bosnia and Herzegovina in response to the growing tension in the country, public broadcaster Radio Prague reported on Wednesday. The troops will be moving to Bosnia within this week, and are scheduled to stay there for a month. Czech troops will join Romanian and Italian troops, who are also expected to arrive in Bosnia this week, and will reinforce the EUFOR, which is overseeing compliance with the 1995 Dayton peace agreement that ended nearly four years of war in the country. Milorad Dodik, president of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Serb entity of the…

The World Trade Organization (WTO) said Thursday that Canada has submitted a complaint over US President Donald Trump’s tariff measures. “Canada has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding the imposition by the United States of import duties on certain steel and aluminum products from Canada,” said a WTO press release. The organization said Canada claimed that the measures, which terminate Canada’s exemption from additional duties on certain steel and aluminum products and increase duties on aluminum articles, and which took effect on 12 March, are inconsistent with US obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade…

European stock markets ended Thursday with losses as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes, and alcoholic products from the EU unless the union withdraws a 50% tariff on American whisky. He accused the EU of being “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World,” claiming it was formed to “take advantage” of the US. “If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump…

The EU is “ready” in case the US responds to countermeasures taken by the EU against Washington’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, a European Commission spokesperson said on Thursday. “We are ready for whatever may happen. We have been ready for over a year,” Olof Gill said in a news conference in Brussels. Gill expressed regret over the 25% tariffs that the US imposed on steel and aluminum imports on Wednesday. “We urge the US to immediately lift the decreed tariffs and start negotiations to avoid new tariffs in the future,” he added. Stating that they want to negotiate with…