Author: Anadolu Agency

The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned a “terrorist attack” in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people on Tuesday. Members of the Council “reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” it said in a statement. The Council stressed that those responsible should be held accountable for “this reprehensible act of terrorism.” They also urged all states to cooperate with relevant authorities. “The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by…

The UN is paying “very close attention” to the situation between India and Pakistan, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday. “Obviously, we continue to follow the situation with very deep concern,” Dujarric told reporters. He reiterated condemnation of an attack Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 victims. “We again urge both the governments of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further,” said Dujarric. Tensions between the two nuclear neighbors rose after unidentified gunmen killed 26 people in Pahalgam, including 25 tourists, mostly Indians, and a local. India described…

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he will not lower tariffs on China unless they offer something “substantial” in return. “We will not lower tariffs unless China gives us something substantial,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday. He called the prospect of a new 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs after the current one “unlikely” and said if efforts to reach a deal are unsuccessful, they will set tariffs in a reasonable way. Claiming that the US lost $5 billion a day under former President Joe Biden and that he brought this figure down, Trump said that…

A new survey on Friday showed a dramatic shift in public sentiment, as nearly 100 days into the US’ Trump administration, Canadians view their country’s relationship with the US as poorly as its ties with Russia. According to a report by the Canadian Press, only 16% of Canadians surveyed said Ottawa has a good relationship with Washington-nearly the same as the 15% who rated ties with Moscow positively. The Leger survey, done for the Association for Canadian Studies, showed that in contrast, 36% said Canada has good relations with China, while over 75% gave positive ratings to ties with Mexico,…

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani addressed the UN Security Council for the first time Friday and declared the end of the Assad regime. He urged the international community to support the “new Syria.” “I have the honor to address you on this historic day, the day when right before this statement, the flag representing the new Syria, the Syria of freedom and dignity, was raised on the flagpole of the United Nations alongside 193 of our partners in the international community,” said al-Shaibani. Describing the former Bashar Assad regime as responsible for “decades” of atrocities, he said: “The country plunged…

Türkiye’s U.N. envoy Ahmet Yıldız said Friday that Syria has made “noteworthy progress” since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, urging greater international support for the country’s political transition and reconstruction efforts. “In just four months, the administration has achieved what many once deemed unthinkable: the successful convening of the National Dialogue Conference, the announcement of a Constitutional Declaration, and the formation of a technocratic Transitional Government,” Yıldız told a U.N. Security Council meeting on Syria. “These milestones mark a clear and promising path toward a Syrian-owned, Syrian-led political transition that aligns with the aspirations of the Syrian people,”…

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş will travel to the Vatican this weekend to represent Türkiye at Pope Francis’ funeral, officials announced Friday. Numerous world leaders and royals will attend the farewell to the pontiff. Figures confirmed to be attending include U.S. President Donald Trump, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, British Prince William, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Also set to attend are Brazilian President Luiz…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday claimed that components manufactured by US companies were found in a missile used to attack the country’s capital Kyiv earlier this week, killing 12 people. “The missile that killed civilians in Kyiv contained at least 116 components sourced from other countries-and most of them, unfortunately, were manufactured by American companies,” Zelensky said on X. On Thursday, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed 12 people and injured 90 others, with Ukraine alleging the use of a North Korean missile in the attack. Neither Russian nor North Korean officials have commented on the claims. “The…

Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula “will stay with Russia” as part of any agreement to end the Kremlin’s war on its eastern European neighbor, US President Donald Trump said in remarks published Friday. “Crimea will stay with Russia. And Zelensky understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time. It’s been with them long before Trump came along,” Trump said during an interview with Time Magazine. The strong backing of Russia’s position came just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would never recognize Moscow’s occupation of Crimea, remarks that prompted Trump to lash out at…

Numerous world leaders and royals will attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on Saturday. US President Donald Trump, UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, German President and Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prince William, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have all confirmed their attendance at the funeral. Other leaders and royals who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral include Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Argentine President Javier Gerardo Milei, Ecuadorian President Daniel…