Anadolu Agency’s Morning Briefing - Feb. 15, 2023

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

More than 35,000 people were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye last week, said the country's disaster agency.

Türkiye is grateful to all the countries for the help they provided for the search and rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of the powerful twin earthquakes, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

South Korea’s National Assembly adopted a resolution to support Türkiye after devastating earthquakes that left more than 35,000 people dead in the country’s south.

New Zealand declared a national state of emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread flooding and landslides and displaced hundreds of people in several regions.

Poland has started training the Ukrainian crew who will operate the Leopard 2 tanks, local media reported.

The already promised military support should be quickly delivered to Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Japan has decided to provide the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with $5.7 million in assistance to support the Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh's southern border district of Cox’s Bazar and the remote island of Bhasan Char.

Japan is mulling buying around 500 US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles in one go from Washington amid growing tensions in the region, local media reported.

Moscow "strongly rejects insinuations" about alleged intentions to destabilize the political situation in Moldova, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

NATO must sharpen its focus and provide lasting capabilities to the Ukrainian army besides equipment, the US defense secretary said.

Türkiye's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said the country will come out of "this massive disaster" with the spirit of solidarity after twin earthquakes hit the country's southern region last week.

Deliveries of Russian S-400 air defense systems to India are being carried out according to terms of the contract, said Aleksandr Mikheyev, head of the Rosoboronexport company, an authorized exporter of the Russian arms.

European lawmakers on Tuesday approved a ban by 2035 on new sales of gasoline and diesel cars.

Palestine called Tuesday for action from the international community to halt Israel’s settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

A 50-nation naval exercise led by the Pakistan Navy concluded in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in the capital Ankara for talks.

Palestine has donated 20,000 sleeping bags worth $500,000 for earthquake victims in Türkiye.

Former South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley announced her 2024 presidential bid Tuesday.

The US government and the private sector have contributed more than $135 million to assist Türkiye and Syria's ongoing response to devastating earthquakes, a senior State Department official said.

The US said there was not any indication that three unidentified flying objects recently downed by American military jets were part of China's spy balloon program.

Tuesday's NATO defense ministers meeting started with a minute of silence honoring the victims of last week's earthquakes in Türkiye.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Tuesday with the head of northern Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Nechirvan Barzani, in the Turkish capital Ankara.

The US will do everything possible to aid Türkiye in the aftermath of strong earthquakes that jolted southern provinces, the State Department said.

The US military’s first shot at an unidentified object flying over one of the Great Lakes in the state of Michigan missed the mark, the US’ top general confirmed.

The US intercepted four Russian planes after the Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected them over Alaska.

More than 6,000 Ukrainian children are being held by Russia at a network of reeducation facilities, according to a US government-sponsored report.

The governor of Ohio called for the US Congress to investigate a train derailment that caused a hazmat evacuation in the village of East Palestine.