ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Thursday with, including US President Donald Trump signing an executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, the White House refusing to commit to ensuring that Palestinians can stay in Gaza under Trump's plan, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the capital Ankara.

TOP STORIES

• Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports.

"With this executive order, the war on women's sports is over," he said.

Trump signed the “No Men in Women’s Sports Executive Order,” which he called "historic."

• White House refuses to commit to ensuring Palestinians can stay in Gaza under Trump's plan

The White House refused to commit to ensuring that any Palestinian that wants to remain in the besieged Gaza Strip will be allowed to do so under a highly controversial proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump this week.

Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the White House expects Jordan and Egypt to accept displaced Palestinians "temporarily."

But when asked directly by a reporter if she could confirm that under Trump's plan to take ownership of the territory Palestinians would be allowed to stay, Leavitt said: "I can confirm that the president is committed to rebuilding Gaza and to temporarily relocating those who are there."

• Türkiye to continue cooperation with Germany on regional issues: President Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye will continue to cooperate with Germany on regional issues including Syria, Gaza and the war in Ukraine.

A lasting peace and prosperity in Syria, where a new administration has taken charge after the fall of the Bashar-al Assad regime in December, is a "desire of all of us," Erdogan told a joint news conference with his visiting German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the capital Ankara.

Steinmeier said Germany has a common interest with Türkiye to establish lasting peace in the region, noting that Ankara is an important actor in the process.

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's widely condemned proposal to expel Palestinians from Gaza to countries such as Jordan and Egypt, Steinmeier said the suggestion caused great concern and is unacceptable under international law.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the importance of refraining from "any form of ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians amid a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s proposal for the US to “take over” the Gaza Strip, describing it as a “very generous” offer aimed at rebuilding the war-torn enclave.
• A Palestinian child was killed by Israeli army gunfire in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, despite a ceasefire in place between Hamas and Israel, Anadolu has learned.
• The Kremlin described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s demand for nuclear weapons as “bordering on madness.”
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the post-Assad Syrian administration has no plans involving either a federation or autonomous regions.
• Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its stance that it will not normalize relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, rejecting a claim by US President Donald Trump that Riyadh had dropped the demand.
• The Colombian government faced a deep crisis following a dramatic Cabinet meeting that ended in tears and resignations.
• A debate over media organizations receiving government funding has intensified after tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk criticized certain outlets for allegedly receiving payments from federal institutions.
• The Israeli army blew up the entrance to a mosque and imposed a curfew in the town of Tammun in the northern occupied West Bank.
• The Pentagon announced that the first group of 10 migrant detainees arrived at a detention facility in Guantanamo Bay following US President Donald Trump's order to establish a detention center.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) chief announced that the UN agency has partially resumed mpox vaccinations in Goma, an eastern city in the Democratic Republic of Congo affected by M23 rebels' attacks and clashes with the Congolese military.
  

SPORTS

• Trent Alexander-Arnold ruled out of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semifinal clash

Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Tottenham on Thursday due to an injury.

"He is going to miss the game tomorrow and we have to see if he is able to play on Sunday. But what we do know is that he is not available for tomorrow," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said in a statement.

Alexander-Arnold, 26, had to leave the pitch during last weekend’s victory at AFC Bournemouth, with right-back Conor Bradley replacing him in the 70th minute.

• Former world No. 1 Simona Halep announces retirement from tennis

Former world number one Simona Halep announced her retirement from tennis after her 1st round defeat to Lucia Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open.

"I'm making this decision with my soul...I'll come to the tennis here as often as I can and of course I will continue to play. But to be competitive, it requires much more, and at this moment it is no longer," said the two-time Grand Slam champion.

The Romanian previously said that she was struggling to continue to play tennis because of a knee injury.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Google abandons pledge to not use AI for weapons, surveillance

Google has revised its artificial intelligence (AI) ethics guidelines, dropping commitments against using the technology for weapons or surveillance.

A previous version of Google's AI principles included a commitment not to pursue the technology for arms, surveillance and technologies that "cause or are likely to cause overall harm" and not to use AI for cases violating international law and human rights principles.

• US trade deficit hits highest since 2022

The US trade deficit widened by 24.7% month-on-month to $98.4 billion in December 2024, its highest level since March 2022, according to the Commerce Department's Census Bureau.

The figure was above the market forecast of $96.5 billion, while the trade gap for November was revised to $78.9 billion.