Rabia Ali
01 July 2025•Update: 01 July 2025
ISTANBUL
Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday with, including US President Donald Trump signing an executive order for the termination of Syria's sanctions, unidentified projectiles striking Kirkuk airport in northern Iraq, and Israeli airstrikes killing nearly 100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
TOP STORIES
- Trump signs executive order to terminate Syria sanctions
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to terminate the US sanctions program on Syria, according to the White House.
"The United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors," Trump said in the order posted by the official Rapid Response account of the Trump 47 White House on X.
"A united Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity," he added.
Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the move aims to support Syria’s “path to stability and peace.”
- 1 wounded in attack on Iraq’s Kirkuk airport
One person was slightly wounded late Monday after three unidentified projectiles struck Kirkuk airport in northern Iraq, according to a statement from airport authorities carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
The projectiles landed at 11.30 p.m. local time (2030GMT), with two falling in the military section of the airport and one in the civilian area, the airport’s administration said.
The strike caused a brush fire near a gate adjacent to the military zone, which was quickly extinguished by the airport’s fire department.
No damage was reported to the runway or airport facilities. “All airport components remain fully operational,” the statement said.
- Israeli airstrikes kill nearly 100 more Palestinians in Gaza Strip
At least 97 Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Monday when Israeli warplanes and artillery struck multiple locations across the Gaza Strip, including areas sheltering displaced families.
The Israeli army has escalated its airstrikes and artillery shelling on the southern and eastern parts of Gaza City, especially in the neighborhoods of Zeitoun, Shejaiya, and al-Tuffah, witnesses said.
The army also conducted air strikes on four schools sheltering displaced Palestinians after issuing evacuation warnings -- three of them in the Zeitoun neighborhood and one in al-Tuffah neighborhood east of Gaza City, according to local sources.
In the latest attack, at least 34 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli strike targeting the Gaza City beach, a medical source said.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Türkiye will host the 2026 NATO leaders summit in the capital, Ankara, and will prepare the ground for "very important" decisions to be taken, the Turkish president said on Monday.
- The UN said Monday that Israel must facilitate access and entry of essential supplies into Gaza through available crossing points to address people's "urgent needs."
- The European Council on Monday announced that the EU would extend its sectoral sanctions on Russia for six more months.
- The Philippines and Lithuania signed a defense cooperation agreement Monday to enhance their bilateral defense partnership amid concerns over global security.
- British police said Monday that they have launched a criminal investigation into the rap-punk duo Bob Vylan’s weekend performance at the Glastonbury Music Festival over its vocalist’s chants against the Israeli army.
- Poland’s president called on the government to take action to prevent non-EU immigrants from being sent back into the country from Germany.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo’s president said Monday that his government will remain firm in demanding justice and accountability for the victims of atrocities committed in the country’s eastern region, despite a peace agreement signed recently with Rwanda.
- US President Donald Trump's special presidential envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, on Monday rejected Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's claims that the US is stalling peace negotiations, urging an "immediate ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine.
- China said Monday that its long-running boundary dispute with India is “complicated” and will take time to resolve, while reaffirming its commitment to existing diplomatic communication mechanisms.
- A group of over 400 cultural figures urged the British government on Monday to step back from its intention to ban the Palestine Action group and to "stop arming Israel."
- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday warned that millions of Sudanese refugees who fled conflict are facing major cuts to food aid due to critical funding shortages.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- US to resume trade talks after Canada agrees to repeal digital services tax
US President Donald Trump's top economic advisor, Kevin Hassett, stated Monday that the US is "immediately" resuming trade negotiations with Canada after it agreed to stop enacting the digital services tax (DST).
Asked if they would start the trade talks with Canada after they conceded with the DST, Hassett told Fox News: "Absolutely."
He said that Trump asked Canadians to retract the tax at the G7 meeting.
- Meta fined over $512,000 by Taiwan for lack of transparency over advertisers
Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) fined Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, NT$15 million ($512,324) for its “inadequate transparency” regarding information related to advertisers, Focus Taiwan reported.
MODA fined Meta for 23 recent cases involving incomplete transparency about advertisers, noting that it failed to comply with the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act, which requires online advertising platform operators to disclose information related to those who commissioned an ad or put up the money for it.
This marks Meta’s second fine in Taiwan for the same issue, after the company was fined NT$1 million ($34,139) on May 22.
