JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli government announced Thursday it would double the amount of Palestinian tax money it confiscates to about $30 million. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tweeted: “I signed a double offset of the terrorist funds that the Palestinian Authority transfers to the families of terrorists.” For more than two ...
Mogadishu, Somalia (AFP): The leaders of Somalia and neighbouring countries vowed at a summit on Wednesday to “make the final push” against Al-Shabaab as a wide-ranging offensive against the group gathers pace. Kenya’s William Ruto, Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attended the summ...
ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye summoned the Norwegian Ambassador in Ankara Erling Skjonsberg over reported plans to desecrate the holy Quran in the Scandinavian country on Friday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources. “Upon learning that there will be an attack against our holy book, the Quran, in Norway tomorrow, the Norwegian ambassado...
ISTANBUL (AA) – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday discussed development of the Southern Gas Corridor with a senior US official. “President Ilham Aliyev thanked the US delegation for their participation in the 9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting,” a statement by the Azerbaijani presidency read. The ...
PARIS (AA) – France on Thursday shot back at Russia for its accusations of “colonial” treatment of Africa. Responding to an Anadolu question at a news conference, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre denounced what she termed Russia’s “neocolonial political involvement” in Africa. Legendre’s remarks were in response to Russ...
ISTANBUL (AA) – Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, discussed the ongoing situation in the Lachin Corridor in a telephone call, according to the Azerbaijan foreign ministry. Bayramov and Lavrov discussed bilateral issues, measures to ensure peace and stability in the region and the cu...
Sakoira, Niger (AFP): After fleeing the militants who threatened their remote village, Aichata Hassan had no idea that another mighty challenge lay ahead: proving to the authorities that her 12-year-old daughter existed. Like countless other children in Niger, Nadia has no birth certificate, which meant that when she arrived with the family in...
Peshawar, Pakistan (AFP): A suicide blast at a mosque inside a police headquarters in Pakistan that killed more than 90 people was a targeted revenge attack, a police chief has said. Between 300 and 400 policemen had gathered for afternoon prayers at the compound’s mosque on Monday in the provincial capital Peshawar when an entire [&hell...
Ramallah, Palestinian Territories (AFP): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his Middle East tour, criticised Palestinians who celebrated the synagogue attack, saying: “We condemn all those who celebrate… acts of terrorism, that take innocent lives.” He also appeared to chastise Israelis blamed for dozens of incident...
UNITED NATIONS (AA) – The UN and several international humanitarian agencies have asked the Taliban to expand exceptions for women to work in humanitarian, health and education sectors. UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths traveled to Kabul last week with a delegation including Janti Soeripto (president of Save the Children US), Sofia ...
