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ISTANBUL, May 8 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US President Donald Trump warned the European Union (EU) on Thursday that it must eliminate its tariffs by the 250th anniversary of American independence or face significantly higher trade barriers, Anadolu Ajansi reported. “I’ve been waiting patiently for the EU to fulfil their side of the historic trade deal we agreed in Turnberry, Scotland, the largest trade deal ever,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social after speaking to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the phone. He asserted that a promise was made to reduce tariffs to zero in the trade deal the two signed in the UK last year, a commitment he said remains unfulfilled. The president noted he has granted European leaders until July 4, 2026, to comply with the agreement. Should the 27-member bloc fail to meet the deadline, Trump threatened to escalate US tariffs to "much higher levels." The Turnberry deal, negotiated on July 27, 2025, establishes a 15 per cent rate on most European exports to the US in exchange for zero tariffs on key American industrial and agricultural goods entering the EU. Although the EU Parliament approved the implementing legislation in March with a 417-154 vote, member states continue to negotiate the finalisation of the framework due to attached conditions. Von der Leyen confirmed the "very good" call with Trump and stated on X that both sides "remain fully committed" to the deal's execution, asserting that "good progress is being made towards tariff reduction by early July." Politico, citing one person familiar with the meeting, reported on Thursday that talks between EU lawmakers and governments on implementing the US deal ended Wednesday night without a deal. Trump said last week that Washington would raise tariffs to 25 per cent on cars and trucks imported from the EU, saying ​the bloc had not complied with the trade deal. Beyond trade, the US president said he and von der Leyen discussed the Iran war.

Trump Gives EU July 4 Deadline To Comply With Trade Deal

ISTANBUL, May 8 (Bernama-Anadolu) — US President Donald Trump warned the European Union (EU) on Thursday that it must eliminate its tariffs by the 250th anniversary of American independence or .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Anwar Ibrahim and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone have reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral friendship and strategic cooperation for the benefit of both nations and the wider ASEAN region. During a meeting between the two leaders yesterday, both sides expressed their determination to expand collaboration in key sectors including trade, investment, renewable energy, higher education, defence, telecommunications and regional connectivity. Anwar said Malaysia remains committed to deepening cooperation with Lao PDR in line with the shared aspiration of promoting sustainable growth, regional stability and inclusive prosperity within ASEAN. The Prime Minister also voiced Malaysia’s support for efforts to strengthen ASEAN economic and logistics integration, particularly through the ASEAN Express railway network linking Malaysia, Thailand, Lao PDR and China. In addition, both leaders discussed the importance of enhancing regional energy cooperation through initiatives such as the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), aimed at improving cross-border electricity connectivity and advancing renewable energy development in the region. Anwar stressed that under the spirit of Malaysia MADANI and ASEAN solidarity, sustainable development, mutual respect and shared prosperity remain essential pillars in ensuring long-term regional stability and progress. “We believe that stronger regional cooperation and people-centred development will pave the way for a more resilient and prosperous ASEAN for future generations,” he said. -- MINUTESMY -- SOURCE:FB ANWAR IBRAHIM

PM Anwar Ibrahim, Lao PM Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthen Strategic Cooperation and ASEAN Connectivity

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Anwar Ibrahim and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone have reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral friendship and strategic cooperation for the benefit of .... read more

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Malaysia Remains Reliable Partner For Russia In Asia-Pacific – Russian Presidential Aide

MOSCOW, May 8 2026 — Malaysia is a reliable partner of Russia in the Asia-Pacific, with sustainable political dialogue maintained between the two countries, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said .... read more

ISTANBUL: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US troops would need to carry out a mission to Iran to recover nuclear assets following an air strike that destroyed Tehran's enrichment facilities, Anadolu Agency reported. "Now we're going to suffer the consequences, because we have to travel to Iran to get nuclear weapons," Trump told reporters. He is believed to be referring to about 1,000 pounds (453.6 kilograms) of enriched uranium reportedly trapped under the rubble of a site targeted in a US-Israeli strike last June. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that the material was "under the rubble" with no immediate plans to retrieve it. Trump claimed that Washington had destroyed Tehran's nuclear capabilities. "We destroyed their nuclear potential. It was completely eliminated," he said, explaining that Iran would need weeks to obtain the material and that the US "will not allow them to continue digging" because of ongoing military monitoring. He also claimed that Tehran knew they "had no chance," despite their public statements to the contrary. "They told me that when I spoke to them, but on television they said the opposite," he said. "They don't like playing games with us. They don't like it at all," Trump said. -- BERNAMA-ANADOLU

West Asian conflict: US should do a mission to Iran to seize nuclear material – Trump

ISTANBUL: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US troops would need to carry out a mission to Iran to recover nuclear assets following an air strike that destroyed .... read more

VIENNA: A suspect in an extortion case involving poisoned jars of baby food produced by the HiPP company has been remanded in custody, prosecutors in the Austrian city of Eisenstadt said on Tuesday. A judge agreed with the prosecution's argument that there was strong suspicion of the suspect's involvement, as well as the risk of concealing evidence and fleeing justice, a spokesman said. The 39-year-old man was arrested last weekend and will be remanded for an initial 14 days, before his case is reviewed. According to his lawyer, the suspect is a former employee at a HiPP facility in Austria. He is accused of putting rat poison in several jars of baby food in an attempt to commit extortion. Investigations are ongoing into attempted grievous bodily harm and extortion. The suspect, however, denied all allegations. Jars believed to be contaminated were found in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. -- BERNAMA-dpa

Suspect in baby food poisoning case remanded for 14 days in Austria

VIENNA: A suspect in an extortion case involving poisoned jars of baby food produced by the HiPP company has been remanded in custody, prosecutors in the Austrian city of Eisenstadt .... read more

German Pharmacies Decline As Sector Warns Of Underfunding

BERLIN, May 5 2026– The number of pharmacies in Germany continued to decline at the start of the year, according to data released on Tuesday by the German Pharmacists’ Association, .... read more

Bank Indonesia To Maintain Market Intervention As Rupiah Weakens Amid Global Pressures

JAKARTA, May 5 2026– Bank Indonesia (BI) will continue to intervene in the market to ensure orderly functioning as the rupiah weakens to around 17,400 against the US dollar amid .... read more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Pulitzer Prizes this year honoured multiple works examining the impact of policies by US President Donald Trump, reported German news agency dpa. Pulitzer administrator Marjorie Miller said during the announcement on Monday that much of the coverage had centred on controversial topics of the year, including immigration policy, sharp cuts to US development aid and reporting on files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Washington Post was awarded for its reporting on the impact of the Trump administration's restructuring of federal agencies. The New York Times won for investigations that uncovered how Trump used his power to financially benefit his family. Journalists at the Chicago Tribune were recognised for their coverage of operations by US immigration authorities in the city. Awards were also given for reporting on artificial intelligence, a deadly flood in the US state of Texas and destruction in Gaza. A special citation went to Julie K Brown of the Miami Herald for her 2017–18 investigations into Epstein and the abuse of young women. Miller said the awards also underscored a commitment to press freedom at a time of growing pressure on media, pointing to restrictions on access to the White House and Pentagon as well as legal action taken by the president against news outlets. The Pulitzer Prizes are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards in journalism and are also given for achievements in literature, music and theatre. --BERNAMA-dpa

Trump Policy Coverage Dominates Pulitzer Prize Winners

WASHINGTON, May 5 — The Pulitzer Prizes this year honoured multiple works examining the impact of policies by US President Donald Trump, reported German news agency dpa. Pulitzer administrator Marjorie .... read more

HYDERABAD, May 5 -- India's key regional elections have produced stunning results in the states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, electrifying its national politics. The most unexpected result came from Tamil Nadu, where C. Joseph Vijay, aged 51, unfancied as a political contender but popular as a movie icon, led his newly-formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to victory against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Commonly known as Vijay or Thalapathy (meaning leader), he was not seen as a major political threat either to the DMK or the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the two parties that have ruled Tamil Nadu for more than six decades. The TVK has secured 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, followed by 59 for the DMK and 47 won by AIADMK, with the rest going to other parties, according to seat tallies on the Election Commission's website on Tuesday morning. Vijay is poised to lead the state as chief minister, even though the party, launched in 2024, has fallen short of the 118 seats required to form a majority government on its own. DMK leader and outgoing chief minister M.K. Stalin lost his own seat of Kolathur, which he had won three times since 2011, to the TVK's V.S. Babu by a margin of 8,795 votes. Stalin in his post-result reaction said he has seen victories as well as defeats in his public life but the DMK's political journey will continue and it will act as a good opposition party. Outgoing deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin emerged victorious in the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency. Tamil Nadu is no stranger to creating big politicians out of film stars. The AIADMK was started by famous actor-turned-politician M.G. Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, after breaking away from the DMK in 1972. He later served as the state's chief minister. J. Jayalalithaa, hailed as "Puratchi Thalaivi" (revolutionary leader) and popularly known as Amma, took over the party upon MGR's death in 1987, and dominated Tamil Nadu's politics for three decades during which she served as chief minister six times. The AIADMK has considerably weakened since Jayalalithaa's death in 2016 at the age of 68. Now Vijay is being hailed as a new political icon in the state whose more than 80 million people have a strong sense of regional and linguistic identity. The assembly elections were held in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the federally-administered territory of Puducherry last month and votes were counted on Monday. In the state of West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) achieved a landslide win against three-term chief minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC). Winning in the state bordering Bangladesh would enable the Hindu nationalist party to burnish its image as a party of broader national appeal rather than an organisation with its core strength in the Hindi-speaking region and western states like Gujarat and Maharashtra. The BJP had pulled out all the stops to snatch West Bengal state from the TMC and the occasion was celebrated by its supporters across states. West Bengal, India's fourth most populous state with a population of more than 100 million, witnessed a particularly fierce election campaign. Banerjee, a strong critic of BJP policies, lost her assembly seat of Bhabanipur to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by about 15,000 votes. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who spent many days in the state campaigning for the BJP, reacted to Banerjee's defeat on social media. "Hats off to the people of Bhabanipur. Their mandate has made it clear what fate awaits an anarchic ruler," he said on X. Banerjee and her allies bitterly criticised the "Special Intensive Revision (SIR)" of voter rolls in which nine million voters, representing 12 per cent of the state's electorate, were controversially removed. "Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC (Election Commission)," India's main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X on Monday, adding that he agrees with Banerjee that "more than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal." The Election Commission has called the elections fair, defended the voter list revision to take into account absentee or deceased voters and hailed high voter turnouts in West Bengal. The BJP won 206 seats in West Bengal's 294-member assembly, with the TMC getting 81 and the Congress party managing just two wins. The BJP's vote share is 45.8 per cent compared with 40.8 per cent support for the TMC. Meanwhile, Modi along with top party leaders celebrated his party's election wins at the party headquarters in New Delhi. He told his cheering supporters that "a new chapter has begun in the destiny of West Bengal." Modi also hailed the party's victory in Assam state, where it will form a government for the third consecutive five-year term. The BJP's seat tally in Assam is 82, followed by 19 seats for the Congress, and 10 each for the Bodoland Peoples Front and the Asom Gana Parishad. In Puducherry, the BJP scored wins in four seats and its regional ally All India N.R. Congress won 12 seats to secure a combined majority in the 30-member legislature. In the southern state of Kerala, the Indian National Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 63 seats and its alliance partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) won 22 seats, enough to enjoy a comfortable majority in the 140-member house. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) returns to power after a decade-long rule of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state with a population of more than 35 million. -- BERNAMA

From Star Power To Stunning Victories, India’s Regional Elections Deliver Electrifying Outcomes

HYDERABAD, May 5 — India’s key regional elections have produced stunning results in the states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, electrifying its national politics. The most unexpected result came .... read more

ISTANBUL, May 4 -- US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States would begin escorting neutral foreign vessels safely out of the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning West Asian time, describing the effort as a “humanitarian gesture” toward countries caught up in a conflict they have no part in. Anadolu Ajansi reported Trump said ships from countries around the world had asked the US for help after becoming trapped in the waterway. He said he had instructed his representatives to inform those nations that the US would use its "best efforts" to guide their ships and crews out of the restricted passage, adding the vessels would not return until the area was safe for navigation. Trump named the initiative "Project Freedom," saying many of the stranded ships were running low on food and other essentials needed to keep large crews in healthy condition. "The ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong - They are victims of circumstance," he said. He said the move was “for the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States,” adding that any interference with the humanitarian effort would "have to be dealt with forcefully." Trump also said his representatives are engaging in "very positive" discussions with Iran that he believed "could lead to something very positive for all." Iran did not immediately react to his announcement. The announcement came as Trump told the Israeli media outlet Kan News that he had studied Iran's proposal to end the war and found it unacceptable. "It's not acceptable to me. I've studied it, I've studied everything — it's not acceptable," he said. On Saturday, he had already expressed skepticism, saying Tehran had not yet paid a "big enough price" for its actions over the past 47 years. Despite the public dismissal, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that Washington remained engaged, Anadolu reported. "We're in conversation," Witkoff said when asked about the state of discussions. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Saturday that Tehran had submitted a 14-point response to a US proposal through a Pakistani intermediary. Iran said Sunday that it had received a US response and was reviewing it. The Axios news site reported that the US on Sunday submitted a newly revised draft agreement aimed at ending the war in response to Iran’s latest proposal. The war paused after a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire took hold in early April and was later extended indefinitely. Peace talks were held in Islamabad last month, but an agreement was not reached, and another round could not be arranged. Trump said "we're not flying anymore with 18-hour flights every time we want to see a piece of paper. We're doing it telephonically.” -- BERNAMA-ANADOLU

Trump Says US To Help Escort Neutral Ships Out Of Strait Of Hormuz Starting Monday

ISTANBUL, May 4 — US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States would begin escorting neutral foreign vessels safely out of the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning .... read more

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