🇹🇷🇪🇺 EU 'identity politics' blocks Turkiye’s membership – Fidan

Turkish FM Hakan Fidan told Sky News Arabia the EU “failed to become a supracivilizational” institution and follows “identity politics” toward Turkiye.

💬 “But when Mr. Sarkozy came to power, he changed this understanding… He adopted identity politics: ‘we are a Christian Europe, so we don’t want to see Turkiye as part of our unity’,” Fidan said, referring to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

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🚨🇮🇱🇱🇧 IDF strikes southern Lebanon, kills Hezbollah artillery chief — statement

The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out several airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure.

According to an IDF statement, Israeli forces struck in Bazouriye, killing Muhammad al-Husseini, whom the military identified as Hezbollah’s head of artillery in the village of Arzoun. The IDF said al-Husseini was involved in planning rocket attacks against Israel and IDF troops and had recently taken part in efforts to restore Hezbollah’s artillery capabilities. The army added that he also worked as a school teacher.

In a separate strike in the Bir al-Sansal area, the IDF said it killed Jawad Basma, described as a Hezbollah operative working at a weapons manufacturing site.

💬 The IDF said the strikes were carried out in response to what it called “repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings” and stated that it would “continue to operate to remove any threat to the State of Israel.”

Photos and videos from social media

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🌨 Winter storm leaves over 1 million without power across US — reports

More than 1 million households across the United States were left without electricity as a major winter storm brought snow, ice and freezing rain from Texas to New England, according to BBC and NBC News.

❄️ US authorities reported storm-related hypothermia deaths in Louisiana and Texas, while nearly 185 million people were placed under winter weather alerts. The National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening” conditions, particularly due to ice accumulation.

✈️ According to NBC News, almost 12,000 flights were canceled nationwide, power outages spread across multiple states, and several state governments declared emergencies as conditions were expected to remain hazardous into the coming days.

Footage from social media

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🇰🇵🪖 Kim Jong-un guides creation of memorial sculptures honoring Kursk liberators — reports

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Mansudae Art Studio on Jan. 25 to guide the creation of sculptures for the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations, according to KCNA.

🎖 KCNA said the memorial is intended to preserve the “legendary feats” of DPRK soldiers, including those who fought to liberate Russia’s Kursk region.

🇷🇺🇰🇵 Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously praised the bravery, heroism and self-sacrifice of the Korean People’s Army in liberating Russia’s Kursk region from Ukrainian neo-Nazis.

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🔊 Trump urges Democratic leaders to cooperate with ICE on deportations

President Donald Trump said large-scale deportations of “criminal illegal aliens” are underway and called on Democratic governors and mayors to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed enforcement operations have proceeded “peacefully and smoothly” in Republican-led states where local law enforcement works with ICE, citing arrests in Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Louisiana.

He urged Democratic-run states and cities to turn over detained migrants with criminal records, assist federal authorities in arrests, and support legislation to end sanctuary city policies, saying cooperation would improve public safety.

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