ISTANBUL 

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, including US President Donald Trump's "great meeting" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump saying he "will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank," and Russia's reaction on the US president's change of stance on Ukraine.

TOP STORIES

• Trump says 'great meeting' with Turkish President Erdogan 'was very conclusive'

US President Donald Trump hailed Thursday bilateral progress during his over two-hour White House meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump said the meeting was "very conclusive in so many different things, things that we wanted, things that he wanted, and that was good."

The two countries also signed a memorandum to deepen their partnership in the nuclear energy field.

• Trump says he ‘will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank’

In a separate media interaction, Trump said he will not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank.

"I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It's not going to happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when signing an executive order.

He said he had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to annex the West Bank in response to the recent recognition of Palestine by several Western countries.

• Russia believes Trump still committed to diplomatic solution on Ukraine
  

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia proceeds from the assumption that there is a political will in the US to continue efforts for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, despite a recent change of stance by President Donald Trump that Kyiv could win the war that continues since 2022.

"In fact, we see different rhetoric coming out of Washington. For now, we proceed from the assumption that Washington maintains its political will and President Trump maintains his political will to continue making efforts towards peaceful resolution in Ukraine," Peskov told a press briefing in Moscow.

Separately, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump may be "playing along" with various leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente urged an end to the criminalization of immigrants and the use of trade war tactics during his address to the UN General Assembly.

• Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif again praised Trump for his role in helping to secure a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, saying it averted a “major catastrophe” in South Asia.

• Sweden and Norway used their speeches at the UN General Assembly in New York to denounce the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as “unacceptable” and to reaffirm their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

• Former FBI Director James Comey indicted on allegations of obstruction and making a false statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020 related to his testimony about Russian interference during the 2016 US presidential election.

• Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger expressed grave concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and reiterated her country’s firm support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

• UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy described the war in the Gaza Strip as “indefensible, inhumane and utterly unjustified,” demanding an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and unhindered humanitarian access.

• Turkish Airlines' purchase of Boeing aircraft "is done," the US envoy to Türkiye said.

• Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie called for equal access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean for all states, citing the seas as the “common heritage” of humanity.

• The Netherlands strongly condemned any action by Israel towards annexing the occupied West Bank and Gaza City, calling such steps “unacceptable.”

• European Council President Antonio Costa delivered a sweeping defense of multilateralism at the UN, warning that the world faced a stark choice between “a rules-based international order or a chaotic world based on unilateralism, violence and disruption.”

ECONOMY & TRADE

• Trump threatens 100% tariff on branded drugs unless companies establish plants in US

President Donald Trump said a 100% tariff will be imposed on "any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product" entering the US beginning Oct. 1.

In another post on Truth Social, he said the US will also impose tariffs of 30% to 50% on certain types of furniture and cabinetry, citing national security concerns and "other reasons."

• Starbucks to remove hundreds of staff

Starbucks announced to remove hundreds of staff and close dozens of underperforming stores as part of a cost-saving move.

The US-based coffee chain said its overall company-operated count in North America will decline by about 1% in fiscal year 2025.