ISTANBUL 

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including casualties reported as a result of Israel targeting Palestinians waiting for aid, Türkiye and the U.S. agreeing on the importance of ending the conflict in Gaza, and Russia requesting a UN Security Council meeting to discuss French President Macron's threats to send troops to Ukraine.

TOP STORIES

• Casualties reported as Israel targets Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza

Several Palestinians were killed and many others injured Saturday as the Israeli army again targeted hundreds of people who were waiting for aid trucks east and west of Gaza City.

“A number of dead and wounded arrived at the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City after being targeted by Israeli drones while they were waiting for aid trucks to arrive in the areas of Kuwait and Nabulsi Roundabouts,” medical sources told Anadolu.

They added that many of the wounded are in serious condition, while there are no capabilities to provide them with the necessary treatment.

• Türkiye, US agree on importance of ending conflict in Gaza: Turkish Foreign Ministry

Türkiye and the US agreed on the significance of finding a way to end the conflict in Gaza, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday after the seventh meeting of the US-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism in Washington.

“Türkiye, US in joint statement emphasize the importance of finding a way to end the conflict in Gaza, and to immediately overcome the humanitarian crisis,” the ministry said in the statement released after the meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

The statement also added that the countries relaunched the Türkiye-US Counterterrorism Consultations to “expand cooperation against terrorism that threatens both countries' national security.”

• Russia requests UN Security Council meeting to discuss Macron's threats to send troops to Ukraine

Russia on Saturday requested a UN Security Council meeting to discuss French President Emmanuel Macron's idea to send NATO troops to Ukraine.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York, Russia's deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council Dmitry Polyansky said Moscow would like to know more about such "ideas fraught with the beginning of the Third World War."

On Feb. 27, Macron confirmed his offer to NATO partners to send troops to Ukraine. However, he added that an official consensus to send ground troops "has not yet been reached, but nothing can be ruled out."

Later, he said France would send soldiers if Russia moved to Kyiv or Odesa.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The US Senate narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown by passing a comprehensive six-bill package aimed at funding federal programs through September.
• US military officials are investigating a large balloon and payload discovered by fishermen off the coast of Alaska last week, according to the Defense Department.
• The US denied involvement on Saturday in the killing of five Palestinians who were waiting for much-needed humanitarian aid when several parachutes dropped from a plane failed to open northwest of Gaza City on Friday.
• Türkiye has delivered some 40,000 tons of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip through 19 aircraft and seven civilian aid vessels so far, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday.
• Three people, including two National Guard members and a US Border Patrol agent, were killed in a National Guard helicopter crash near the US-Mexico border in Texas on Friday.
• Sweden announced on Saturday that it is lifting a freeze on aid for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) after the UN warned the Security Council last week of “imminent famine” in the Gaza Strip.
• Pakistani lawmakers elect Asif Ali Zardari as the new president of the South Asian country for the next 5 years
• Azerbaijan demanded the immediate return of four villages under the occupation of Armenia, according to Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev on Saturday.
• The head of Israeli spy agency Mossad met with the head of the CIA to discuss a possible hostage release deal with Hamas, the Israeli Premier’s Office said on Saturday.

SPORTS

• Arsenal edge out Brentford at home to claim English Premier League lead

London's Arsenal topped the English Premier League in a hard-fought 2-1 win over visitors Brentford on Saturday.

After Arsenal's Ben White whipped a cross, Declan Rice gave a 1-0 lead to the Gunners in front of their crowd at the Emirates Stadium through a header in the 19th minute.

Brentford were on level in the first half's injury time.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Türkiye led animal production in Europe in 2023

Türkiye emerged as a key player in animal production in 2023, ranking first in the number of ovine and second in bovines among European countries, according to data compiled by Anadolu from Eurostat and TurkStat figures.

The total number of cattle in EU countries was 74.8 million in 2022 but fell to 73.8 million in 2023.