International

Erdogan Backs Zelensky’s Peace Plan “in Principle,” Urges More Diplomacy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed “in principle” his support for the 10-point peace plan presented in 2022 by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which envisions an unconditional withdrawal of Russia, while also calling for “more diplomacy.”

“I believe that at least a joint effort should be initiated to determine the general parameters of peace. In this regard, we support in principle the 10-point peace plan proposed by the Ukrainian president,” Erdogan said in a video message sent to the Western Balkans Summit in Tirana today, which Zelensky also attended.

Plan Proposed in 2022

The aforementioned plan, proposed at the end of 2022, envisages the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, the restoration of internationally recognized borders, and the establishment of a tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes.

Zelensky emphasized in Tirana the need to receive money and weapons to defend against Russian aggression by proposing initiatives to manufacture more ammunition to Balkan countries, while Erdogan insisted on the importance of negotiations.

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“I maintain my opinion that diplomacy and dialogue should be given a chance to end the war with a just and lasting peace. It is crucial to use diplomatic channels at the highest level to achieve this goal,” the Turkish president said.

Turkey “Supports the Independence” of Ukraine

He recalled that Turkey “supports the independence, sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” mentioned its numerous mediation attempts between Kiev and Moscow, and expressed readiness to resume negotiations held in Istanbul in March 2022, which were ultimately fruitless.

Erdogan also invoked the reactivation of the grain export agreement from Ukrainian ports, negotiated with Turkish assistance and suspended by Russia last July, and noted that he is in contact with the United Nations for “a new regulation, with security commitments in the Black Sea.”

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International

Hiroshima survivor who embraced Obama dies at 88

The emotional embrace between Barack Obama and Hiroshima survivor Mori—who was eight years old when the United States dropped the atomic bomb in 1945—resonated around the world.

According to Asahi Shimbun and other local media, Mori died on Saturday at a hospital in Hiroshima.

Mori, known for his research on the fate of American prisoners of war in Hiroshima, was thrown into a river by the force of the explosion on August 6, 1945, during the atomic bombing of the city.

In a past interview with AFP, ahead of his meeting with Obama at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in 2016, Mori recalled the chaos and desperation that followed the blast.

He described how, after emerging from the water, he encountered injured civilians seeking help amid the devastation, an experience that stayed with him throughout his life.

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In 2016, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, where he paid tribute to the victims of the first atomic bomb used in warfare. During the visit, Mori was visibly moved as he met the president, sharing a brief but powerful moment that symbolized remembrance and reconciliation.

The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 people, including those who succumbed to radiation exposure in the aftermath.

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people and contributing to the end of World War II.

International

Colombia seeks ‘total suffocation’ of armed groups with regional support

Colombia is advancing a strategy aimed at the “total suffocation” of illegal armed groups, seeking to corner them in border regions with the support of Ecuador and Venezuela, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said in an interview with AFP.

According to the minister, coordinated pressure from neighboring countries—backed by United States—aims to dismantle criminal networks that use cross-border routes to traffic Colombian cocaine toward North America and Europe.

For decades, armed groups involved in Colombia’s internal conflict have relied on border territories as strategic rear bases to evade military operations and maintain logistical support.

However, Sánchez said that dynamic is beginning to change.

“We expect a total suffocation between both nations so they have no spaces where they can live or feel safe […] to close off any room they might have,” he stated during the interview in Bogotá, less than five months before the end of President Gustavo Petro’s term.

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Regional developments have reinforced this strategy. Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation, Washington has increased its influence in Caracas, where interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has implemented a renewed anti-narcotics policy.

Meanwhile, in Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa—a key U.S. ally in the region—has launched a two-week security plan under strict curfews to combat criminal gangs, with U.S. support.

Sánchez argued that these combined efforts leave illegal organizations with fewer escape routes and operational spaces, effectively placing them in a “dead end.”

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.