Author: Anadolu Agency

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, severely damaged by a devastating fire on April 15, 2019, will reopen its doors on Dec. 7 following a five-year repair. French President Emmanuel Macron, who pledged to rebuild the cathedral within five years, oversaw the completion of the approximately $1.08 billion (€1 billion) restoration, funded by global donations. The opening ceremony will host 2,000 guests, including political leaders such as US President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and King Charles III, Europe 1 reported. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were not invited,…

Bitcoin’s post-US election rally hit a roadblock on Tuesday, slipping under pressure from a wave of profit-taking. The world’s largest cryptocurrency dropped to $92,360 at 0830GMT before recovering above $93,000. Market sentiment took a hit as President-elect Donald Trump reignited fears of a trade war, with fresh threats of additional tariffs on China and other countries. Bitcoin has seen an impressive 40% surge since election day on Nov. 5 and hit a record-breaking $99,000 last week. Ethereum, the world’s largest altcoin by market capitalization, was trading at $3,367 for a daily decline of 3.6%. The value of the cryptocurrency market…

The UN secretary-general on Tuesday deplored that the “Security Council is outdated and frequently paralysed.” Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 10th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Portugal’s Cascais, Antonio Guterres called on the international community to “keep working to strengthen global governance.” “The Security Council is outdated and frequently paralysed. Meanwhile the International Financial Architecture does not reflect today’s economy and has become inadequate and unfair,” Guterres said. He stressed the need for “updating and reforming international cooperation to make it more networked, fair and inclusive.” Guterres also called for peace “above all”…

Several “wanted” posters depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have appeared across the UK’s Birmingham, referencing the recent International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him. Although it is unknown who organized the posters, many took to social media to share photos from different parts of the city, showing Netanyahu’s image alongside an ICC logo. When asked about a possible arrest of Netanyahu on his arrival to the UK, the British government said it fully respects international law and sees the ICC as the main judicial body in the international arena. “The government will comply with our international obligations,”…

In her long-awaited memoir published on Tuesday, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel portrayed Donald Trump as a leader who viewed international relations through the lens of “real estate deals.” Merkel recounted her first Oval Office meeting with Trump in 2017, writing: “He judged everything from the perspective of the real estate entrepreneur he had been before entering politics. From our conversations, I concluded that collaborative efforts toward an interconnected world would be impossible with Trump.” The memoir revealed Trump’s distinctive worldview, with Merkel saying: “Each piece of land could only be given away once. If he didn’t get it, someone…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Russia “may be” aiding North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs in exchange for Pyongyang’s provision of troops to aid the Kremlin’s war effort in Ukraine. Blinken said the US is “deeply concerned” by what he called a growing “two-way street” between North Korea and Russia amid the more than two-year war in Ukraine. “We see what North Korea is doing for Russia and Ukraine right now with the troops, but we also are looking attentively at what Russia is and may be doing for North Korea, including potentially boosting its…

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant serve as a “warning” to their supporters, according to Olivia Zemor, founder of France’s EuroPalestine, which organizes pro-Palestine demonstrations in the country. The ICC announced on Nov. 21 that it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. “This decision is not only a slap for the criminals themselves but also for those collaborating with the genocidal state, including the leaders of our governments who, for over a year, have provided assurances…

NATO ambassadors on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine after a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile test launch, the alliance announced. The NATO-Ukraine Council convened to discuss Ukraine’s security situation in the wake of Russia’s recent attack, said a NATO statement, adding that “senior Ukrainian military officials briefed the Council via video link.” The statement emphasized that NATO allies reaffirmed their support for Kyiv during the meeting. “The attack, which targeted Dnipro, is seen as another attempt by Russia to terrorize the civilian population in Ukraine and intimidate those who support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s illegal and…

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Tuesday that impunity for crimes against humanity would create generational divides, blocking any chance of peace in the Middle East. “Crimes against humanity cannot be rewarded with impunity. If justice is not served, this would create generational fractures that will impede any chance of peace in the Middle East,” Fidan said at a meeting of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum in Portugal. “We cannot take the Alliance or the values it aims to promote for granted,” he said, adding that the vision of the alliance is facing growing challenges from all sides.…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday received Odile Renaud-Basso, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Turkish presidency said. The meeting between Erdoğan and Renaud-Basso was held at the presidential complex in Türkiye’s capital Ankara. Following the meeting, Renaud-Basso wrote on X: “A pleasure to be in Türkiye again and to see Erdoğan in Ankara this evening. I reaffirmed the country’s importance to EBRD and welcomed its reform ambitions, which we are ready to support. This includes its transition to a green economy.” Founded in 1991, the EBRD aims to foster economic development in…