Author: Anadolu Agency
A French bill banning headscarves in sports is an attempt to erase Muslim women from public spaces, an organization for Muslim women’s rights told Anadolu. “In sports but more generally … in all spaces where visibly Muslim women can be seen, there is an attempt to make them disappear,” said Rani Belkhy, founder of Khlass Les Cliches. Belkhy said that banning headscarves at all levels of sports restricts individual freedom while discouraging already underrepresented young Muslim women from participating. “It’s no longer just about athletes representing the nation, which was the argument used, right? The idea was that they represent…
Europe has spent more on Russian oil and gas than on defending Ukraine against Russia, US President Donald Trump said on Monday. “Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine —BY FAR!,” he said on Truth Social. EU member states purchased €21.9 billion of Russian oil and gas in the third year of its war on Ukraine, according to estimates from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The amount is greater than the €18.7 billion the 27-member bloc allocated to Ukraine in financial aid in 2024, figures cited…
As Ramadan unfolds, the Muslim community in London is embracing the holy month with family gatherings, attending mosques, and decorating homes to create a unique spiritual atmosphere. Across the city, homes are adorned with festive decorations, mosques are filled with worshippers, and local markets see a surge in shoppers preparing for sahur and iftar, the pre-dawn and evening meals. For many, Ramadan is not only a time of fasting and prayer but also a period of reflection, charity, and togetherness. Nawal Adam, a London resident and engineer, shared how her family prepared for the month by coordinating daily routines to…
Actor Khalid Abdalla, best known for his role as Dodi Fayed in Netflix’s The Crown, has been summoned to a police interview in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest that took place in January. Abdalla, 44, revealed the development in an Instagram post on Thursday, stating that he received a letter from the Metropolitan Police inviting him to attend the interview. The protest in question, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, occurred on Jan. 18 in Whitehall, London. Abdalla is not alone in facing police scrutiny—he stated that others, including Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, have also received similar letters…
Ukraine is open to peace negotiations, but it cannot discuss territorial losses, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Tuesday. “We do not discuss and cannot discuss Ukraine’s territorial losses. We can talk about a peace plan that includes certain stages,” Shmyhal said at a news conference, according to Interfax-Ukraine. Despite a recent clash between Ukrainian and American leadership in the Oval Office, he expressed gratitude to the US for its significant military support that he said has saved tens of thousands of lives and helped Ukraine resist Russian aggression. “This support is ongoing, and we hope it will continue in…
NATO member states need to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, US President Donald Trump’s pick for NATO ambassador said Tuesday. “The United States will no longer subsidize nations that refuse to pay their fair share. That is why, if confirmed, I will work to advance a policy of peace through strength, by ensuring that all NATO members meet a minimum defense spending level of 5%, thereby ensuring NATO is the most successful military alliance in history,” Matthew Whitaker said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This is not just an American “mandate,” it…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday expressed regret to US President Donald Trump over their contentious meeting last week at the White House, saying that it had not gone as planned. On X, Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to begin negotiations with Russia as soon as possible to resolve the conflict, which just entered its fourth year. “Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right,” he wrote. “We would like future cooperation and communication…
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that no new rounds of Russia-US negotiations are scheduled for today or tomorrow. “Not today. And not tomorrow,” Peskov said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV, adding that discussions on organizing future talks are ongoing through diplomatic channels. Regarding the Iran nuclear issue, Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s stance as an ally of Tehran and its commitment to a peaceful resolution. “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has repeatedly emphasized that the Iranian nuclear dossier must be resolved exclusively through peaceful means. As an ally and partner of Iran, Russia stands ready to do everything possible…
Britain on Tuesday sought to play down the significance of the US President Trump’s recent decision to halt military aid to Ukraine, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson emphasizing that the two countries are “on the same page” in their commitment to securing a lasting peace for Ukraine. Starmer reiterated this morning that he would continue to pursue his Ukraine peace strategy, despite the uncertainty surrounding US military support. Speaking to the Cabinet, Starmer expressed confidence in remaining steadfast in his approach, in line with the government’s objective of a secure, stable, and sovereign Ukraine. In a briefing following a…
The US and Ukraine are on track to sign a critical minerals deal as soon as Tuesday, according to multiple reports. The pending action could come just days after US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky got into a bitter public dispute in the Oval Office Friday that derailed plans to sign the agreement that day. Trump ultimately booted Zelensky from the White House, and he then departed the US to meet with European allies. Two anonymous sources cautioned that nothing is final, but said Trump has indicated he wants to finalize the deal before he addresses a…