U.S. to send nearly 200 letters to trading partners on tariffs, says Trump

The United States will send close to 200 letters to its trading partners on trade tariffs in the coming days, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday.

Speaking to reporters before his departure for the United Kingdom, Trump said, "When that letter goes out, that's a deal, and we'll be sending maybe almost 200 of those letters out."

The letters will mean "they have a deal. It's done. They pay that tariff, and that is a contract essentially," said Trump, claiming that he would keep the tariffs "minimal."

Iran, European countries agree to continue consultations following talks in Istanbul

Diplomats from Iran and the E3, namely France, Britain and Germany, have agreed to continue consultations following a discussion in Istanbul on Friday concerning sanctions relief and the nuclear issue, according to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi.

The closed-door meeting took place at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, with Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Gharibabadi leading the Iranian delegation.

Following the meeting, which lasted around four hours, Gharibabadi said on the social media platform X that Iran and the European trio held "serious, frank, and detailed" discussions regarding the nuclear issue and sanctions-lifting.

Syria reaches agreement with U.S., France on advancing political transition, national stability

Syria's foreign affairs authorities announced Friday that Damascus has reached a joint agreement with the United States and France aimed at accelerating the political transition process and reinforcing national stability, particularly in the country's northeast and the southern Sweida province.

In a statement carried by state media, the ministry said the agreement includes support for the Syrian interim authorities in its efforts to lead the political transition, with international backing focused on preserving territorial integrity and national unity.

As part of the deal, the three sides agreed to hold a new round of consultations in Paris between the Syrian interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) "as soon as possible" to follow up on an agreement reached between the two sides in March, which outlines key transitional and governance mechanisms.

M23 rebels set conditions for direct talks with DR Congo gov't

The March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group announced on Friday that the release of over 700 people detained in connection with the conflict is a prerequisite for any further dialogue with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government.

Benjamin Mbonimpa, M23's representative in several rounds of talks with Kinshasa in Doha, made the remarks at a press conference in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, which has been under M23 control since late January.

On July 19, the DRC government and the M23 signed a declaration of principles in Doha, under the mediation of Qatar, which laid out a negotiation timeline for the goal of reaching a peace deal by Aug. 18.

UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, on Friday warned of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling for urgent measures to avert further hunger-related deaths.

In a post on social media platform X, Lazzarini expressed concern over the aid distribution mechanism led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private organization backed by the United States and Israel.

"The flawed distribution system is not designed to address the humanitarian crisis. It's serving military and political objectives. It's cruel as it takes more lives than it saves lives," he said.

France's recognition of Palestinian state "courageous step" toward peace: Palestinian president

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday welcomed France's announcement to officially recognize the State of Palestine, calling it a "courageous step" that will help promote peace and preserve the two-state solution.

In a statement released by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas said the move affirms France's commitment to supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and upholding international law and United Nations resolutions.

"It is a victory for the Palestinian cause and a reflection of France's historic stance in support of our people and their right to freedom and self-determination," he added.

Over 100 British MPs urge PM Starmer to recognize Palestinian state

More than 100 British members of parliament (MPs) on Friday urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognize the State of Palestine, following French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement a day earlier that France would officially recognize the Palestinian state.

In a cross-party letter organized by Labour Party backbencher Sarah Champion, MPs emphasized that British recognition would be "particularly powerful," as reported by Sky News.

The letter also states that since the 1980s, Britain has backed a two-state solution, and such recognition would "give that position substance."