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May 12, 2025
Türkiye welcomes Russia-Ukraine peace talks President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to resume Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, expressing Türkiye’s readiness to host negotiations. In Sunday’s phone call, Erdogan and Putin discussed bilateral ties, energy projects and regional issues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his attendance. Erdogan also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, stressing cooperation for peace. US President Donald Trump, on the other hand, urged Ukraine to accept Putin’s proposal immediately. Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul in 2022 to discuss ongoing conflict. Hamas to release US-Israeli captive as Washington criticises Israel Hamas announced it will release 21-year-old US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander as part of direct ceasefire talks with the US. The Palestinian resistance group linked his release to the reopening of aid crossings. Trump welcomed the move as a gesture of goodwill towards Washington and mediators Egypt and Qatar. Meanwhile, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing his government of prolonging the Gaza war and stalling hostage deals, during a meeting with Israeli families. Israel has killed over fifty-two-thousand-eight-hundred Palestinians in its genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023. Pakistan provides details of its strikes on Indian targets Pakistan claimed to have struck 26 Indian military sites and deployed drones over major Indian cities, including New Delhi, in recent fighting, as both nuclear-armed rivals observe a cautious cessation of hostilities since Saturday. Pakistan also said it had downed five Indian jets. The Indian Air Force acknowledged losses without giving details but confirmed that all pilots had returned safely. Reuters reported three jet crashes in India-administered Kashmir. Despite the ceasefire, border residents remain displaced, while cities such as Jammu and Amritsar remained subdued amid ongoing security concerns. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump stated that the US would work with India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Severe flooding in DRC leaves 62 dead, dozens missing Severe flooding in the Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province has claimed at least 62 lives, with 50 people still missing. The deluge, triggered by torrential rains, struck at 5 am local time on Friday, flooding Kasaba village in the Ngandja sector. Search efforts are hampered by damaged infrastructure and communication breakdowns, with only the Red Cross assisting. It followed the recent flooding in Kinshasa that killed 33 people. The region is already grappling with ongoing conflict with rebels, further complicating the humanitarian response. Trump declares 'total reset' in US-China relations US President Donald Trump announced a ""very good meeting"" on trade with Chinese officials in Switzerland, claiming a ""total reset"" in US-China relations. The talks, which began in Geneva on Saturday, resumed on Sunday. The US delegation, led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, met with Vice Premier He Lifeng of China. The negotiations are the first face-to-face talks since both nations imposed trade tariffs.
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May 11, 2025
India, Pakistan agree to ceasefire after border clashes Palestinian Water Authority warns Gaza is dying of thirst Ukraine allies threaten Russia with sanctions if it rejects 30-day ceasefire Iran vows to defend nuclear rights amidst US talks Soviet spacecraft falls to Earth after 53 years in orbit
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May 10, 2025
* Pakistan launches retaliatory military operation against India Pakistan has launched 'Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos' in retaliation against India, targeting military sites in Beas and destroying an S-400 missile defence system, according to state broadcaster PTV. The strikes come after India allegedly attacked Pakistani territory, prompting Islamabad to respond with what it calls a “solid structure” of defence. India condemned the strikes, labelling them as a "blatant violation of sovereignty" and vowed to counter any further aggression. * UN: 70% of Gaza under Israeli military orders or militarised zones The UN says 70% of Gaza is now either under Israeli military control or displacement orders, severely hampering humanitarian efforts. UN spokesperson Farhan Haq criticised Israeli authorities for blocking repairs to a damaged fibre optic cable vital for communication in the region. Despite recent attempts to access fuel supplies in Rafah, the UN reports continued challenges in securing critical resources for humanitarian work. * Turkish FM Fidan: 'I was poisoned in assassination attempt' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has revealed he was targeted in an assassination attempt involving arsenic and mercury poisoning five years ago. Speaking on 24 TV, Fidan said he was exposed to high levels of the toxic metals in a plot he linked to terrorist groups. The former intelligence chief also accused opposition parties of using information from criminal networks to undermine him, calling it a "dangerous path". * 80% tariff on Chinese goods 'seems right': Trump US President Trump has endorsed an 80% tariff on Chinese goods ahead of key trade talks in Switzerland, saying it "seems right" in a Truth Social post. Trump has already raised tariffs to 145% on Chinese imports, escalating tensions with Beijing, which has retaliated with its own levies on US goods. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet China’s economic chief He Lifeng, as both sides attempt to resolve the trade standoff. *Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk released on bail in US A US federal judge has ordered the release of Turkish PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was detained for co-authoring an op-ed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the school’s student newspaper. The judge ruled Ozturk posed no flight risk and lifted travel restrictions, allowing her to return to Massachusetts. Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, had been held by immigration authorities for over six weeks.
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May 9, 2025
International media authenticates Pakistan's claims of downing Indian Jets "Militaries worldwide will closely scrutinise a dogfight between China-made Pakistani jets and France-made Indian Rafale fighters, seeking insights that could give them an edge in future conflicts. A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter jet shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two US officials confirmed, marking a potential major milestone for Beijing's advanced jet. Pakistan has claimed to have downed at least five Indian jets, including three Rafales, in a battle involving a reported thirty Pakistani and seventy Indian fighter aircraft. Reuters and BBC have authenticated multiple videos that appear to support Pakistan's claim." Israel dropped 100,000 tons of explosives over Gaza "Authorities in Gaza have said that Israel has dropped a hundred thousand tonnes of explosives on Gaza since launching its genocide nineteen months ago, killing or leaving missing over sixty-two thousand Palestinians and committing more than twelve thousand massacres. Israel completely erased over two thousand two hundred families from civil registries. The campaign also targeted cemeteries, with Israeli forces stealing two thousand three hundred bodies from Gaza graves and establishing seven mass graves inside hospitals, five hundred twenty-nine of whom have been recovered so far. " JD Vance says India-Pakistan conflict 'fundamentally none of our business' "US Vice President JD Vance has said that Washington wanted to see a ""de-escalation"" in a worsening conflict between India and Pakistan, but that it was ""fundamentally none of our business."" Vance, who has been a proponent of US disengagement from international conflicts, said that the US is not going to get involved in the middle of a war and has nothing to do with America's ability to control it." Trump reportedly cuts ties with Netanyahu over 'manipulation' concerns "US President Donald Trump has decided to cut off direct contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Israeli media, Trump made the decision after close associates told Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer that the president believes that Netanyahu is manipulating him." Robert Francis Prevost becomes first American Pope "Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the first pope from the United States. A moderate who was close to Pope Francis and spent years as a missionary in Peru, he became the Catholic Church's 267th pontiff, taking the papal name Leo fourteen. Cardinals chose a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, sending up white smoke from the Sistine Chapel on their second day of voting in conclave."
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May 8, 2025
This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, May 8th. Pakistan shoots down Indian jets as tensions soar "To calm tensions between the two arch-rivals India and Pakistan, world leaders have urged them to stop fighting. US President Donald Trump called for both nations to cease hostilities, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered diplomatic support to de-escalate the situation. Pakistan has said Indian strikes resulted in the deaths of 31 Pakistani civilians and injuries to 57 others, vowing to respond. It also said its air force brought down five Indian fighter jets and one drone in an act of ""self-defence” — including three Rafale aircraft." Israel kills over 50 Palestinians in continued Gaza bombardment "At least 54 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded in fresh Israeli air strikes across Gaza, according to medics. In Al-Tuffah, 16 Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling of a school-turned-shelter, while 22 others were killed in an attack on a market in Gaza City. Further casualties occurred in Khan Younis, Bani Suhaila and various refugee camps. Gaza’s government media office confirmed that Israel has targeted over 234 shelters. Total blockade on Gaza has caused severe famine among Palestinians, with the world urging Tel Aviv to allow aid to flow. Israel has killed over 52,600 people in the Palestinian enclave, mostly women and children, since October 7, 2023. " US court blocks Trump admin's transfer bid for detained Turkish student "A federal appeals court has ordered the transfer of Turkish doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk from an immigration jail in Louisiana to a court in Vermont, where a bail hearing is scheduled for May 9. Ozturk was arrested in March after co-authoring a critical op-ed on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. The ruling rejects the Trump administration’s attempt to block her transfer. Ozturk's legal team argues her detention violates free speech rights." Russia declares ceasefire with Ukraine during Victory Day "Russia declares a unilateral ceasefire lasting until midnight on 11 May, marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, a national holiday, commemorating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. President Vladimir Putin’s move to pause hostilities during the national holiday met resistance from Kiev. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the initiative and warned foreign dignitaries against attending Moscow’s celebrations, citing safety concerns. The Kremlin hit back, labelling the warning a “threat,” while spokesman Dmitry Peskov vowed a “swift and effective” military response to any breach by Ukraine." Black smoke rises again as Vatican delays papal decision "Tension runs high in Vatican City as black smoke once again billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signalling no decision yet on the next pope. The 133 cardinals, the most diverse group ever assembled, began their second day of secret voting Thursday. With no clear favourite, speculation swirls—from Italy’s Pizzaballa to Sri Lanka’s Ranjith. As Catholic pilgrims crowd St Peter’s Square, hope lingers as the Christian world awaits the white smoke that will herald the 267th pontiff."
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