Rabia Ali
06 August 2025•Update: 06 August 2025
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday, including a meeting between the US special envoy and Russian officials, Israeli airstrikes killing 49 more Palestinians in Gaza, and the US president saying that Washington is increasing India tariffs "substantially" in 24 hours.
TOP STORIES
- US special envoy to meet with Russian officials on Wednesday
US President Donald Trump said his special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Russian officials on Wednesday as a deadline nears for the Kremlin to end the Ukraine war or face increased sanctions.
"We have a meeting with Russia tomorrow. We're going to see what happens," Trump told reporters Tuesday.
Asked whether he still plans to impose 100% tariffs on all countries that purchase Russian energy, including China, he said: "I never said a percentage, but we'll be doing quite a bit of that. We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time."
Trump said the US will "make that determination" on sanctions on countries that purchase Russian energy after Wednesday's meeting.
- 49 more Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes in war-torn Gaza
At least 49 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in a fresh wave of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, medics said.
A medical source said that 20 people were killed, and dozens of others injured by Israeli gunfire while waiting for aid delivery in the Zikim area, west of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.
Other incidents included five more people killed in Israeli strikes targeting tents for displaced families in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
In Gaza City, four Palestinians were killed and others were wounded in two Israeli airstrikes on two residential apartments.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reported 95 new cases of the rare Guillain‑Barre syndrome, including 45 children.
- US to increase India tariffs 'substantially' in 24 hours
US President Trump said Tuesday that he plans to raise tariffs on India "very substantially" within 24 hours, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil and high trade barriers.
"So we settled on 25% but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil," Trump told the broadcaster CNBC in an interview. "They're fueling the war machine. And if they're going to do that, then I'm not going to be happy."
Trump also claimed that India maintains the world's "highest tariffs," saying: "We do very, very little business with India because their tariffs are so high."
The US president has accused India of profiting from Russian oil resales, writing on Truth Social Sunday that New Delhi buys "massive amounts" of Russian oil and sells much of it "for big profits."
NEWS IN BRIEF
- A newly formed Turkish parliamentary committee tasked with addressing the legal and political dimensions of the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday.
- A senior UN official, Miroslav Jenca, on Tuesday warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's possible plans to expand military operations throughout the entire Gaza Strip would have "catastrophic consequences."
- Belgium will vote in favor of the European Commission's proposal for the partial suspension of Israel’s participation in a research program with EU participation, the nation’s prime minister said Tuesday.
- Slovenia on Tuesday criticized Israeli state institutions for failing to provide justice and due process after the killing of a Palestinian human rights defender by an illegal Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank.
- A UN agency is seeking urgent funding to sustain livelihoods in Afghanistan, where a worsening drought threatens the survival of rural households throughout the Central Asian country.
- The Lebanese Cabinet has authorized the army to prepare a plan to consolidate weapons under state control by the end of this year, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday evening.
- 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.
- The Kremlin on Tuesday said that Moscow does not consider US President Trump’s threat against India to impose higher tariffs over its purchase of Russian oil to be “legitimate.”
- A group of pro-Palestinian activists held a protest Tuesday outside the headquarters of major US news outlets in Washington, DC, accusing them of biased coverage of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
- Denmark, Norway, and Sweden announced on Tuesday a $500 million military aid package for Ukraine, as part of NATO's newly launched Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List initiative, the alliance announced.
- The US State Department confirmed on Tuesday that another American was killed in the occupied West Bank, and urged an Israeli investigation.
- An Israeli drone strike killed one person in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday night, marking a fresh violation of last year’s ceasefire agreement, the Health Ministry said.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday called on Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas to reach an agreement that would enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance and facilitate contact with hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- Turkish defense giant Aselsan signs record $1.3B worth of export contracts in 1st half of year
The Turkish defense giant Aselsan announced Tuesday that it signed direct and indirect export contracts worth $1.3 billion in the first six months of the year, continuing its export-oriented growth strategy with "determination."
During the first six months of 2025, revenue rose to 53.7 billion Turkish liras ($1.32 billion), up 11.3% year-on-year, "driven by ongoing deliveries in areas such as air defense, electro-optics, radar, avionics, electronic warfare, security, and weapon systems."
- US stocks end in red as Trump threatens more sectoral tariffs
US stocks ended in negative territory on Tuesday after President Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals as high as 250%, and separate levies on semiconductors and chips as soon as next week.
The Dow fell 0.14%, or 61.9 points, to close at 44,111.74.
The Nasdaq was down 0.65%, or 137.03 points, to 20,916.55, and the S&P 500 dropped 0.49%, or 30.75 points, to 6,299.19.
