ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday with, including Türkiye and Israel holding their first technical meeting on conflict prevention in Syria, Russia and the US concluding a second round of talks in Istanbul, and a helicopter crashing into the Hudson River in New York City, killing all six people on board.

• Türkiye, Israel hold first technical meeting on conflict prevention in Syria

The first technical meeting between Türkiye and Israel on a conflict prevention mechanism aimed at avoiding "unwanted incidents" in Syria was held in Azerbaijan, said the Turkish National Defense Ministry.

The ministry said that Israel must immediately end its "provocative attacks," which are threatening Syria's territorial integrity and destabilizing its security and stability.

• Russia-US talks in Istanbul conclude after more than 5 hours

A second round of talks between Russia and the US concluded in Istanbul after over five hours, according to Russian media.

On Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the delegations would meet to address efforts to "further stabilize the operations of their bilateral missions," meaning embassies and consulates.

Ahead of the meeting, Alexander Darchiev, Russia’s ambassador to the US, announced that some progress had already been made on a number of issues.

• Helicopter crashes into Hudson River in New York City, killing all 6 passengers

A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near lower Manhattan, killing all six passengers on board, according to officials.

"Three adults and three children were on board a Bell 206 helicopter that had left from the downtown Skyport just about 3 p.m.," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams during a news conference, adding the pilot and the family were visiting from Spain.

He noted that an investigation is ongoing into the cause of the crash.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed a prisoner swap with the US, with one American citizen exchanged for one Russian national.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rebuffed allegations about China's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the country’s president.
• A senior Iranian official warned that Iran may expel inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and suspend cooperation with the agency if “external threats” persist.
• The director-general of the World Health Organization called for the "urgent lifting" of an aid blockade and the protection of health care and humanitarian access in Gaza, warning the siege increases the risk of disease and death.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara will continue to work with Indonesia on the reconstruction of Gaza and defending the Palestinian cause.
• US President Donald Trump is considering adding Türkiye to his upcoming Middle East tour schedule next month, CNN Arabic reported.
• At least four people were injured in Afghanistan in an explosion at an ammunition depot at police headquarters in the southern city of Kandahar, police said.
• Syria and South Korea signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations, marking a significant shift in Damascus’ foreign policy following the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024.
• The Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced that it has submitted a legal filing to the UK Home Office requesting the cancellation of its designation as a “banned organization.”
• A group of 1,000 current and former Israeli Air Force reservists called for the return of all captives held in the Gaza Strip, “even if it means ending the war” against the Palestinian group Hamas.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is preparing decrees to further impose sanctions on Russia as the war between the two countries continues.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US using tariffs to exert 'maximum pressure,' says China

The US is exerting “maximum pressure” and using tariffs as a "weapon,” said China, vowing not to give into Washington's latest trade moves.

Beijing will not fear the US’s “selfish” moves, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in the Chinese capital, adding that Beijing's response “will continue until the end.”

He said US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs of up to 125% are “against the whole world” and undermined the multilateral trading system.

“The US threat and blackmail against the rest of the world with tariffs is a real attempt to hold the world by the throat and coerce them into making a compromise or concessions," said Lin.

• EU agrees on 90-day pause in countermeasures against US tariffs

The European Union agreed to suspend for 90 days the countermeasures it had planned to impose next week in response to US tariffs, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a pause and in a bid to allow negotiations to go forward.

"We took note of the announcement by President Trump. We want to give negotiations a chance," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

Von der Leyen confirmed that while the EU had finalized the adoption of its retaliatory measures with "strong support" from member states, their implementation would be put on hold for three months.

• Total US tariffs on Chinese imports now at 145%: White House official

US tariffs on Chinese imports now total 145% after President Donald Trump dramatically increased import duties this week, a White House official confirmed.

Trump said that Chinese imports would now be subject to a 125% reciprocal tariff, but that did not include a 20% tariff related to fentanyl that he had previously imposed earlier this year.

"When POTUS and we were talking about 125%, that only referred to the total reciprocal tariff. The fentanyl tariffs of 20% tack onto those," a White House official told Anadolu, referring to Trump by an acronym.