ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Thursday, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah slamming a government decision to disarm non-state groups as a “grave sin," US President Donald Trump calling a meeting of his special envoy Steve Witkoff with Russian President Vladimir Putin "highly productive," and Russian officials expressing their desire to have a sit-down with US President Donald Trump during a critical meeting with his special envoy in Moscow.

TOP STORIES

• Hezbollah calls Lebanese government’s decision to disarm non-state groups ‘a grave sin’

The Lebanese group Hezbollah denounced a government decision to disarm non-state groups as a “grave sin.”

“The government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has committed a grave sin by adopting a decision that strips Lebanon of its weapons to resist the Israeli enemy,” the group said in a statement.

Salam said Tuesday that his government authorized the army to prepare a plan to consolidate weapons under state control by the end of this year.

• Great progress was made!': Trump after US special envoy’s meeting with Putin

US President Donald Trump said his special envoy Steve Witkoff had a "highly productive" meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Great progress was made!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He said he updated some of the European allies.

"Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," he added.

• Russians voice 'desire' to meet Trump, White House says after Moscow meeting

Russian officials "expressed their desire" to have a sit-down with US President Donald Trump during a critical meeting with his special envoy in Moscow, the White House said.

Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reiterated in a statement that "great progress" was made during Steve Witkoff's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said Trump "is open to meeting with both President Putin and (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy."

"President Trump wants this brutal war to end," she added.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Myanmar's acting President U Myint Swe passed away, the country's National Defense and Security Council said. He was 74.
• India said it was “extremely unfortunate” that US President Donald Trump raised tariffs to 50% on India for “actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest.”
• Ghana’s Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed and six others were killed in a military helicopter crash, the chief of staff said.
• The Kremlin said that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow was "useful and constructive."
• Türkiye leads the world in archaeological discoveries, both on land and underwater, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the International Archaeology Symposium in Ankara.
• China urged its citizens to stay away from the conflict in Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that foreign “mercenaries” had joined the war.
• The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) decided to revoke the mandate of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik.
• A massive rescue operation is underway to locate around 100 missing people after a mudslide and flash floods triggered by a cloudburst struck a village in northern India.
• Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reiterated his country’s opposition to Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, warning that it risks undermining the two-state solution.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US imposes additional 25% tariff on India

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on India in response to its continued purchase of Russian oil, the White House said.

"To deal with the national emergency described in Executive Order 14066, I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to impose an additional ad valorem duty on imports of articles of India, which is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil," said the order's text.

On Tuesday, Trump said the US will "make that determination" about sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil after talks between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian officials in Moscow.

• Trump says reciprocal tariffs have taken effect with billions of dollars at stake

President Donald Trump heralded the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on more than 90 countries, saying billions of dollars in import duties would be collected.

"RECIPROCAL TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT (0400GMT) TONIGHT! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, LARGELY FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS, LAUGHING ALL THE WAY, WILL START FLOWING INTO THE USA," Trump said on social media.

"THE ONLY THING THAT CAN STOP AMERICA’S GREATNESS WOULD BE A RADICAL LEFT COURT THAT WANTS TO SEE OUR COUNTRY FAIL!" he added.