U.S. Senate votes to eliminate Trump's global tariffs

U.S. Senate voted 51-47 on Thursday to eliminate the national emergency cited by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose global tariffs in early April.

The votes are symbolic as the U.S. House has passed a rule against legislation to block Trump's tariffs through March, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

While most Republicans voted against the measure, four Republicans joined Democrats to vote for the ending of the national emergency.

UN urges U.S. to halt unlawful airstrikes on boats in Caribbean, Pacific

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Friday urged the United States to stop airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific and prevent the extrajudicial killing of people on board.

In a statement, Turk said that more than 60 people had reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks since early September, carried out by U.S. armed forces against boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking. He said the attacks "find no justification in international law" and violate international human rights law.

"These attacks - and their mounting human cost - are unacceptable," Turk said. "The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them."

Russia expands entry ban list after new EU sanctions

Russia has imposed more extensive entry bans on representatives from European institutions and countries in response to the 19th package of anti-Russian sanctions by the European Union (EU), the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.

In response to the approval of the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, Moscow has "significantly expanded" the entry ban list of representatives of European institutions, EU member states, and several other European countries that follow the EU's anti-Russian policy, the ministry said in a statement on its official website.

The statement said that the measure applies to officials from law enforcement agencies, government and commercial organizations, and citizens of EU member states and other Western countries involved in providing military assistance to Ukraine, supplying dual-use goods, undermining Russia's territorial integrity, and organizing blockades of Russian ships and cargo.

Hezbollah leader accuses U.S. of fueling "Israeli aggression" in Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Friday accused the United States of fueling "Israeli aggression" in Lebanon, saying Washington presents itself as a mediator while working to undermine the country's sovereignty.

"America has given Lebanon nothing and justifies violations," Qassem said at an event in Beirut's southern suburbs, accusing the United States of exerting political pressure on Lebanon.

He reaffirmed Hezbollah's commitment to resisting Israel and defending Lebanon's sovereignty. "Every piece of land in Lebanon is Lebanon. No land belongs to one sect over another... this land belongs to all of us," he said.

German FM reaffirms support for Lebanon's sovereignty, stability

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul concluded a series of high-level meetings in Beirut on Thursday, reaffirming Germany's commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and regional stability.

During his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Wadephul emphasized Germany's support for measures to strengthen Lebanon's territorial integrity and empower the Lebanese army. He also reaffirmed Berlin's backing of the UN peacekeeping forces operating in southern Lebanon and called for adherence to UN resolutions respecting Lebanese sovereignty.

Aoun urged the international community, the European Union, and the United States to pressure Israel to comply with the ceasefire agreement announced last November.

Iran slams U.S. plan to resume nuclear tests as "serious threat"

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday condemned the United States' plan to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling it a "serious threat" to international peace and security.

Araghchi made the comments on social media platform X hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had "instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons."

Araghchi said the United States poses the world's "most dangerous proliferation risk" and urged the international community to hold Washington accountable for "normalizing the proliferation of such heinous weapons."