ISTANBUL 

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including Israel's allegations about killing a Hamas leader in southern Lebanon; the US is not interested in talks about talks on Ukraine, desires to see progress "in the weeks" and Germany slamming Israel for airstrikes on Syrian soil.

• Israeli army claims assassination of Hamas leader in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army claimed it killed Hassan Farhat, the commander of Hamas' Western Sector in Lebanon, in an airstrike on the southern Lebanese city of Sidon.

According to Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the attack Thursday night targeted Farhat, who was accused of “orchestrating several attacks against Israeli forces.”

Farhat was allegedly responsible for “launching rocket attacks towards the Israeli city of Safed on Feb. 14, 2024, which resulted in the death of a soldier and injuries to several others,” he added.

• US not interested in 'negotiations about negotiations' on Ukraine, wants to see progress 'in weeks'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is "a lot that has to happen" in the coming weeks to reach a cease-fire in Ukraine and negotiations will not continue forever.

"We're closer to peace simply because we're talking to both sides, but we're not closer to peace because we have a deal on our hands to end this conflict, but we're going to know soon enough," Rubio said at a news conference in Brussels.

When asked about his timeline to see progress on a cease-fire, he said: "We're talking weeks."

• Germany criticizes Israel’s airstrikes on Syrian territory

Germany criticized Israel's airstrikes on Syrian territory and urged Israel to halt actions that are not permitted under international law.

At a Berlin news conference, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Amelie Tittel emphasized that neighboring countries should not compromise Syria's political stability and national transition process.

“Armed forces can only take military action on foreign territory in the exercise of the right to self-defense,” Tittel said. "Until Israel explains how these military measures comply with international law, we urge Israel to refrain from these military operations."

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen announced it targeted an Israeli military site in Tel Aviv with a drone.
• A federal judge denied the Trump administration's attempt to dismiss or transfer Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk’s case to the state of Louisiana, instead ruling that the proceeding will be transferred to Vermont.
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off Papua New Guinea, the US Geological Survey said.
• Ukrainian authorities claimed that a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region killed at least 12 people and injured more than 50
• Myanmar has identified 180,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh as "eligible" for repatriation, the interim government leader said.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said no date has been set for his visit to the US.
• NATO’s chief said sweeping new tariffs announced earlier this week by US President Donald Trump do not violate the alliance’s treaties, not even the one that mentions “encouraging economic collaboration.”
• Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least 86 more Palestinians, bringing the death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 50,609, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
• Moscow expelled three Moldovan diplomats in a retaliatory measure, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced.
• US President Donald Trump said China "panicked" in its trade policy response to his administration's recent tariff actions.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Fed chair says 'larger than expected' tariffs to result in higher inflation

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said reciprocal tariffs announced Wednesday by President Donald Trump were "larger than expected" and will result in higher inflation and slower growth.

"We have stressed that it will be very difficult to assess the likely economic effects of higher tariffs until there is greater certainty about the details, such as what will be tariffed, at what level and for what duration, and the extent of retaliation from our trading partners," Powell said at a conference in Virginia.

Stating that the size and duration of the effects caused by the tariffs remain uncertain, he said that they will likely cause at least a temporary rise in inflation, adding that it is also possible that the effects could be more persistent.

• China hits back at US with 34% tariffs

China hit the US with a 34% tariff on imports in a tit-for-tat move following US President Donald Trump's 34% tariffs on products from the East Asian giant.

The tariffs, set to go into effect next Thursday, will affect all US products imported to China, according to a Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council statement.

The statement called the US' reciprocal tariffs one-sided "bullying," adding that they violate international trade rules and harm China's rights and interests.