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A supporter with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party election symbol painted on his body sits next to posters of West Bengal chief minister and…
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Europe needs Turkiye more than Turkiye needs it, adding that it must be recognized that the European Union will not be a global actor and center of attraction without Turkiye's accession.Erdogan pointed out at a press conference following a government meeting that his country was pushed off the EU accession negotiating table for purely political reasons, explaining that they did not find, in subsequent meetings with the Europeans, an encouraging picture that would overcome the current stalemate and move Turkiye-EU relations forward.He stressed that Turkiye, despite all the double standards to which it was exposed, persistently continued its efforts towards full membership, and that it is still intensifying its mutual contacts with the Union's institutions and countries.He added that closer ties would benefit Europe as a whole, stressing that Turkey is an integral part of the continent, and said that the country would pursue this path with patience and dignity, guided by the interests of its people.Turkiye has been an official candidate to join the European Union since 1999, and membership negotiations began in 2005, but the negotiations have been stagnant for about a decade. Source link
India condemned the recent airstrikes carried out by drones and missiles on Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, which resulted in the injury of three Indian nationals.It described the act as “unacceptable”, calling for an immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs of India affirmed in a statement that India continues to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation, so that peace and stability may be restored across West Asia.”We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues,” the statement added.The Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates announced that three Indian nationals were injured in the attacks on Fujairah. It said that their condition is moderate and that they are receiving the necessary medical care in coordination with local authorities, after being injured in a fire that broke out in a petroleum industries area. Source link
US President Donald Trump speaks to journalists before boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport. (AFP) US President Donald Trump said yesterday that US officials were holding “very positive discussions” with Iran over potential steps toward ending the war that has upended the Middle East. “I am fully aware that my Representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.Iran’s foreign ministry earlier said that Tehran had submitted a 14-point plan “focused on ending the war” and that Washington had responded to it in a message to Pakistani mediators. Trump also said the United States will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz from today, claiming that “countries from all over the world” had requested it. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time.” Earlier, Iran said it had received a US response to its latest offer for peace talks, a day after President Donald Trump said he would probably reject the Iranian proposal because “they have not paid a big enough price”. Related Story Source link
Pope Leo XIV will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, the Vatican said Monday, just weeks after serious criticism of the pontiff by US President Donald Trump.The private visit with the top US diplomat, who is a Catholic, will take place at 11:30 am (0930 GMT), according to a calendar published on the Vatican’s media site.A Vatican source on Sunday confirmed for AFP Italian media reports that the meeting was an attempt to “thaw” relations between the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and the US government.Rubio is also expected to meet Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani while in Rome, according to an Italian government source on Sunday. Rubio had also asked for a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of Trump’s closest European allies, against whom he turned after she defended the pope, the source added.Leo has increasingly spoken out against international conflicts and the politicians waging them, and last month issued his most forthright critique yet of the Trump administration’s actions.Thursday’s visit will be the second time that the pope and Rubio have met. The secretary of state was received at the Vatican with US Vice President JD Vance in May 2025, just days after Leo was elected pope. Related Story Source link
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to dialogue and diplomatic engagement as key tools for promoting peace and stability both regionally and beyond.His remarks came during a meeting on Monday with Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, who is currently visiting Pakistan.According to officials, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exploring opportunities to expand cooperation across sectors of mutual interest. The two sides also exchanged views on recent regional developments.Pakistan has in recent years emphasized diplomacy as central to its foreign policy, particularly in addressing regional challenges and fostering international partnerships. Source link
Three of the world's leading health organizations have condemned the international community's failure to protect healthcare providers and patients in conflict zones.In a joint statement, the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders called on world leaders to take action to protect health service providers. They stressed that the situation today is worse compared to 10 years ago.In their statement, the organizations pointed out that the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2286 ten years ago, which condemns attacks and threats against the wounded, the sick, medical personnel, hospitals and other medical facilities.’As violence affecting medical facilities, transport and personnel continues unabated, the harm this resolution sought to prevent has not diminished. It has continued and, in many contexts, intensified,’ the statement explained.It added, ‘when health care is no longer safe, it is often the clearest warning sign that the rules and norms intended to limit the harm of war are breaking down.”States and all parties to armed conflict must comply with the rules protecting health care,’ the statement continued. ‘We urge world leaders to act and show the needed political leadership to end this violence.’ Source link
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it will begin supporting “Project Freedom” starting Monday to help merchant vessels get through the Strait of Hormuz.In a statement, CENTCOM explained that its forces, under the direction of US President Donald Trump, will support commercial vessels seeking free passage. It noted that the Departments of State and War launched the Maritime Freedom Construct initiative to enhance coordination in the strait.For his part, Commander of CENTCOM Admiral Brad Cooper said that supporting this defensive mission is essential for regional security and the global economy, pointing out that the military support will include guided-missile destroyers.He added that the operation will involve more than 100 aircraft and approximately 15,000 military personnel, emphasizing that support for Project Freedom comes at a time when the United States is also continuing to enforce a naval blockade.The US President had previously announced the launch of an operation to free ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. He said, in a post on his Truth Social account, that countries that have no connection to the conflict in the Middle East have asked the United States for help in freeing their ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. Source link
US President Donald Trump speaks to journalists before boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport. (AFP) Iran said Sunday it had received a US response to its latest offer for peace talks, a day after President Donald Trump said he would probably reject the Iranian proposal because “they have not paid a big enough price”.Iranian state media reported that Washington had conveyed its response to Iran’s 14-point proposal via Pakistan, and that Tehran was now reviewing it. There was no immediate confirmation from Washington or Islamabad of the US response.”At this stage, we do not have nuclear negotiations,” state media quoted Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying, an apparent reference to Iran’s proposal to set aside talks on nuclear issues until after the war ends and the foes agree to lift opposing blockades of Gulf shipping.On Saturday, Trump said that he had yet to review the exact wording of the Iranian peace proposal, but that he was likely to reject it.”I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years,” he wrote on social media.The United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and US and Iranian officials held one round of talks. But attempts to set up further meetings have so far failed.Iran handed over its latest proposal on Thursday, and a senior Iranian official confirmed on Saturday that Tehran envisions ending the war and resolving the shipping standoff first, while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear programme for later.Though Trump initially said on Friday that he was not satisfied with the Iranian proposal, he said on Saturday he was still looking at it.”They told me about the concept of the deal. They’re going to give me the exact wording now,” he told reporters. Asked if he might restart strikes on Iran, Trump replied: “I don’t want to say that. I mean, I can’t tell that to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we’ll see. But it’s a possibility that could happen.”The proposal to delay talks on nuclear issues until a later phase would appear at odds with Washington’s repeated demand that Iran accept stringent restrictions on its nuclear programme before the war can end.Washington wants Tehran to give up its stockpile of more than 400 kg (900 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, which the United States says could be used to make a bomb. Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful, though it is willing to discuss some curbs in return for the lifting of sanctions, as it had accepted in a 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.While saying repeatedly he is in no hurry, Trump is under domestic pressure to break Iran’s hold on the Strait of Hormuz, which has choked off 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies and pushed up US gasoline prices. Trump’s Republican Party faces the risk of a voter backlash over higher prices in midterm congressional elections in November.Iranian media said Tehran’s 14-point proposal includes withdrawing US forces from nearby areas, lifting the blockade, releasing frozen assets, paying compensation, lifting sanctions, ending the war on all fronts including Lebanon and creating a new control mechanism for the strait.Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month, the US imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential diplomacy, the senior Iranian official said Tehran believed its latest proposal to shelve nuclear talks for a later stage was a significant shift aimed at facilitating an agreement.”Under this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere,” the official said. Related Story Source link
There was “no meaningful shift” away from big tech platforms like TikTok and Instagram in the immediate wake of Australia’s world-leading teen social media ban, government documents obtained by AFP show.Australia in December banned under 16s from a raft of popular social media platforms, launching a world-first crackdown designed to protect children from online bullying and “predatory algorithms”. There is strong global interest in whether Australia’s laws could provide a blueprint for how to rein-in increasingly powerful tech giants.Government documents obtained by AFP using freedom of information laws give an early glimpse into how the restrictions are working. They showed that platforms such as Instagram and TikTok were still “dominating app store rankings and downloads” one month on from the ban.Data compiled throughout January showed “no meaningful shift away” from these platforms, noted an internal briefing from Australia’s eSafety Commission. Users dabbled with other apps not covered by the ban but “largely returned to major, established platforms”, officials wrote in the briefing dated February 2. A separate document cautioned it was hard to draw firm conclusions from app download data so soon after the ban.“Limitations of this data are that it does not reflect usage of an app or the age of the user, however it gives early indicators if an app is rising in popularity.” One of the chief concerns driving Australia’s social media ban was the desire to stamp out cyberbullying.Complaints of cyberbullying on banned social media platforms increased 26 % when comparing January 2026 with January 2025, the documents said. Complaints had largely stemmed from TikTok. A spokeswoman for the eSafety Commission — Australia’s online watchdog — said the documents only covered a short period of time as the laws were bedding down.“Continued analysis as more data becomes available will support more robust, evidence-based conclusions regarding longer-term trends, reporting behaviours and impacts of (a minimum age for social media),” the commission told AFP in a statement. TikTok was approached for comment.A raft of nations are now reportedly mulling a similar social media crackdown. The documents showed that Israel, the United Kingdom, Norway and New Zealand met with Australian officials after expressing an “interest” in the ban. “eSafety has experienced significant global interest in the world’s first social media minimum age legislation, including implementation and compliance,” the commission said.“The internet doesn’t stop at the border and nor should our efforts to minimise harm, especially to children.” Australia in March accused big tech companies of “failing to obey” their obligations under the new laws.The eSafety Commission found a “substantial proportion of Australian children” were still scrolling banned platforms. “Australia’s world-leading social media laws are not failing. But big tech is failing to obey the laws,” Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters at the time.“Australia will not let the social media giants take us for mugs.”Tech companies face fines of up to $33.9mn (Aus$49.5mn) under the laws.More than 5mn accounts belonging to underage Australian users have been removed since the laws came into effect, according to government figures. Related Story Source link