Author: Anadolu Agency
Protesters in Japan have urged Hungary to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to meet his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban in Budapest on Wednesday evening, over Gaza genocide. Netanyahu has begun his four-day visit to Hungary, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over allegations of war crimes in Gaza. Hungary, an ICC member, is obliged to arrest and hand over anyone subject to a warrant from the court. Hungary’s Premier Orban was among the first to condemn the ICC warrant. Terming it cynical, he had said Netanyahu’s freedom would be guaranteed when he wished to…
The UN reported on Wednesday that humanitarian workers are being killed at an “unprecedented” level, with 2024 being the “worst year” on record for aid personnel. “According to the available data, 2024 was the worst year on record, with 377 aid workers killed in 20 countries. This was nearly 100 more fatalities than in 2023, which had already seen a 137% increase over 2022,” Joyce Msuya, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator, told the UN Security Council. Msuya highlighted that “the last two years have been particularly brutal,” citing Sudan, where at least 84 humanitarian workers,…
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep alarm Wednesday about the human cost of intensified Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. “The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the human toll of the intensified hostilities in Gaza. He condemns the reported killing of over a thousand people, including women and children, since the collapse of the ceasefire,” according to a statement from his spokesperson’s office. Saying that “large-scale Israeli bombardments and ground operations have resulted in widespread destruction,” the statement reported that it also led to “the displacement of over 100,000 Palestinians from Rafah in the last two days alone.” Guterres also…
Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Wednesday thanked Germany for the support it has provided to her country at “key moments.” “The Head of State expressed gratitude for the consistent support provided by Germany at key moments for the Republic of Moldova,” said a statement by the Moldovan presidency following talks between Sandu and outgoing German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in the capital Chisinau. The statement said that Sandu further stressed the importance of continuing German assistance to Moldova, including for civil society and free press in the country. Indicating that the meeting focused on issues related to Moldova’s EU path,…
Russia could be ready and able to attack EU countries within five years, warned the bloc’s defense commissioner on Wednesday. Speaking at an EU security forum in Warsaw on the future of EU defense, Andrius Kubilius argued that Russia is already carrying out a hybrid war against the bloc in the form of disinformation campaigns, weaponization of migrants on the borders with Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland, and damaging undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. Maintaining that Russia turned into a war economy and consequently produces more weapons than all NATO members combined, he said: “If we do nothing, military…
The US State Department has cleared a possible foreign military sale to the Philippines involving F-16 fighter jets and related equipment worth an estimated $5.58 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Tuesday. The Philippine government requested 20 F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft—16 F-16C and 4 F-16D variants—along with targeting pods, radar systems, support gear, and a broad range of munitions. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner,” the agency said, highlighting the Philippines’ role in advancing stability and economic development…
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Irkutsk region of southeastern Siberia. The pilot was killed while the rest of the crew ejected, the ministry said in a statement without specifying the number of people. The incident took place in a remote area and caused no damage or casualties, it said. The Tu-22M3 bombers, part of the long-range aviation branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, are a key component of Russia’s nuclear triad, along with submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
As Washington and Moscow edge toward normalization, speculation is rising over the potential return of Western companies to the Russian market. But Russian officials caution that the road back will be far more difficult than the exit. Russia has been hit with more than 28,000 sanctions over the past three years due to the Ukraine war, triggering a wave of Western business departures. Global brands, including McDonald’s, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and IKEA, left the country. Many offloaded their assets to local firms or rebranded operations—McDonald’s became “Vkusno-i Tochka,” while Starbucks now runs as “Stars Coffee.” Following the return of US President…
New Zealand’s human rights chief Stephen Rainbow has apologized for “Islamophobic” remarks after he received strong criticism from Jewish and Muslim groups, according to reports Wednesday. Rainbow said in a statement that New Zealand has no place for Islamophobia and that he personally apologized to the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ). His comments indicating that Muslims are the greatest threat to the Jewish community on the island instead of the white supremacists drew criticism from the representative of Alternative Jewish Voices — Philippa Yasbek and Dayenu: Jews Against Occupation — two anti-Zionist Jewish organizations, along with FIANZ,…
An Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter jet crashed in western Gujarat state, officials said Wednesday. The crash occurred in the evening near Jamnagar while the jet was on a training mission and two pilots were onboard. State-run Doordarshan News said one pilot was rescued and taken to the hospital, but operations were underway to locate and rescue a second pilot. It said the crash occurred in an open area, with no impact to civilians. The Air Force has yet to issue a statement.