Author: Anadolu Agency
Speaking to the US Congress, President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Türkiye stressed the country’s vital strategic importance. “Sitting at the most strategic crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Turkey’s NATO contributions are numerous,” Tom Barrack told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at his confirmation hearing, highlighting the country’s importance for regional security. The veteran businessman and longtime Trump associate pointed to Türkiye’s military capabilities, saying it maintains one of NATO’s largest militaries and naval fleets and has been a “valued” partner in the fight against ISIS (Daesh). Barrack, who said he has visited Türkiye numerous times,…
The price of gold hit a new record on Monday, with an ounce trading at $3,127.88 amid uncertainties caused by US President Donald Trump’s trade policies. After hitting an all-time high, the price of gold currently stands around $3,126 as of 0810GMT. The ounce of gold rose 1.4% on Monday to set a new record. The safe haven asset has gained around 15% since Trump took office on Jan. 20. After starting 2025 at $2,620, it has gained around $506 in value since the beginning of the year. While the ounce price of gold rose 27% throughout all of 2024,…
Many people in Gaza are dying due to a “totally” crippled health care system, a situation exacerbated by recent bombings by Tel Aviv that have further strained the enclave’s already limited medical resources, a Palestinian doctor said. Speaking to Anadolu, Ibrahim Elakkad, who served as head of ENT department at Nasser Medical Complex, Gaza’s one of the largest hospitals, until February, said the public and private health systems almost “no longer exist.” Elakkad is currently in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, where his wife, an English teacher at a now-dysfunctional Gaza school, has recently undergone eye surgery. “Israeli forces have…
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Monday for nations to pool resources to tackle the problem of illegal migration at “every step” of the route, from North Africa and the Middle East to Britain’s streets. Starmer spoke at a meeting of more than 40 countries and organisations, including the United States, France and Vietnam, aimed at coordinating global efforts to counter illegal migration and the people-smuggling gangs who profit from it. Starmer, like his predecessors for more than a decade, is seeking ways to stop migrants coming illegally to Britain, where immigration remains a major issue for voters worried…
Moldova on Monday declared three employees of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau persona non grata, the Foreign Ministry said, citing “clear evidence” that the diplomats had carried out activities incompatible with their diplomatic status. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a note to the Russian diplomat stating that three employees of the Russian Embassy have been declared undesirable persons,” the statement said. The ministry added that the three diplomats are required to leave Moldovan territory. Meanwhile, Moscow said it will respond to Chisinau’s decision, state news agency TASS reported.
Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of violating a mutual pause on targeting energy infrastructure by launching repeated strikes on energy sites in the Bryansk border region. The Defense Ministry said two separate attacks late Sunday hit energy facilities in Bryansk, causing power outages in the Sevsky and Suzemsky districts. “The ongoing deliberate attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian energy facilities demonstrate the complete inability of the Kyiv regime to agree on any of its obligations regarding the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry also claimed it shot down 41 Ukrainian…
The EU foreign policy chief on Monday addressed a series of pressing topics ahead of security talks in Madrid, emphasizing the importance of continued support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia to halt its ongoing war. Senior diplomats and foreign ministers from several European countries, including France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, and the UK, gathered in Madrid for the “Weimar+” format discussions aimed at enhancing European security. Kaja Kallas began by acknowledging the ongoing challenges surrounding the situation in Ukraine, stressing the urgency of international involvement. “So it’s good to be here. We have many topics to discuss. I…
Thousands have fled the French island territory of New Caledonia since the riots that took place in May last year in the capital Noumea. Approximately 11,000 people have reportedly left France’s overseas territory, including 20% of the 1,000 medical workers, causing a medical staff shortage in the island’s health system, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is not yet clear whether the departed will return or not, however if they do not it would significantly impact the population of 270,000. One in five people has been unemployed since the riots occurred. France’s Overseas Minister Manuel Valls is on a…
Sweden on Monday unveiled its largest military aid package to date for Ukraine, amounting to 16 billion Swedish crowns (approximately $1.6 billion), the Swedish Defense Ministry announced. This 19th military assistance package was developed in close coordination with Ukraine and international partners to address the immediate needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the ministry said in a statement. “With this aid package, Sweden demonstrates that more can be done for Ukraine. The package will be of great help to Ukrainian society, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and Ukraine’s defence industry,” said Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson. According to the statement, 9…
Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has submitted a legal request to temporarily suspend the ban on the Taliban, officially designated as a terrorist organization in Russia, state news agency TASS reported Monday. According to the Supreme Court’s press service, the court has accepted the administrative claim concerning the suspension of the Taliban’s status on Russia’s federal list of banned terrorist groups. A closed-door hearing is scheduled for April 17. The move follows a law signed by President Vladimir Putin in December 2024 that permits the temporary suspension of such bans under specific conditions. Leonid Slutsky, chair of the State Duma’s foreign…