Author: Anadolu Agency

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…

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,…

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…

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.

Palestinians woke up on Wednesday to a devastating Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis that killed 13 members of the same family, including women and children, as they slept in their home. Rida al-Jabour, a displaced woman living near the targeted house, awoke at 4 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) to a massive explosion that reduced the area to rubble. Thick black smoke and ash clouded visibility, while the smell of gunpowder and fear filled the air. As the haze cleared, scattered bodies and body parts, including those of women and children, were found littering the…

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow wants to resolve the Ukrainian conflict and that “eliminating its root causes” will be mandatory in any solution. Speaking at a news conference with his Vietnamese counterpart, Bui Thanh Son, in Moscow, Lavrov said he briefed his colleague on the situation around Ukraine. “We have provided (Vietnam) with relevant information about our approaches (to Ukraine — in the current situation and will seek a settlement of the conflict with the mandatory elimination of its root causes,” he said. Lavrov said both nations are clear on further strengthening cooperation, focusing specifically on…

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,…

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…

Italian producers would be hit hard by new US tariffs and every effort should be made to avoid a trade war, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday. “It is clear that the introduction of new tariffs would have heavy repercussions for Italian producers,” Meloni said at a prize-giving ceremony for Italian cuisine. US President Donald Trump was set to impose sweeping new tariffs later on Wednesday as he proclaimed “Liberation Day” in the country, in what could escalate a trade war with global partners, increase costs and destabilize a decades-old trade order. “I remain convinced that we need to…