World News Update: Syria Deal, Iran Tensions, Ukraine Calm, Myanmar Violence, and Trump Lawsuit
Syria's government reached an agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to gradually integrate Kurdish forces and institutions into the state, according to BBC World News. The deal followed weeks of clashes in which Syrian troops reclaimed territory in the northeast that had been under SDF control for over a decade. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack called the agreement "a profound and historic milestone in Syria's journey toward national reconciliation, unity, and enduring stability."
Meanwhile, tensions remained high between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump stated that Iran must cease its nuclear ambitions and stop killing protesters to avoid military action. "Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters," Trump said, adding that Iran was "killing them by the thousands." He also noted the presence of U.S. naval forces in the Gulf, stating, "We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn't have to use them." Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said armed forces were ready "with their..."
In Ukraine, a relatively quiet night was reported after President Trump said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had agreed not to attack Kyiv and "various towns" during a cold snap. The Kremlin confirmed it had agreed to cease attacks on Kyiv until Sunday to "create favourable conditions" for peace talks. Air raid alerts sounded in just eight Ukrainian regions overnight into Friday, with two minor injuries recorded in Zaporizhzhia. Temperatures in the capital, Kyiv, were expected to plummet to -24C (-11F) over the coming days.
The United Nations reported that at least 170 people were killed in Myanmar during military air strikes during the country's widely criticized election period. The UN rights office stated that "credible sources" had counted the civilian deaths, as well as 408 military aerial attacks from December 2025 to late last week, when the third and final round of voting was held. The election, which saw the Union and Solidarity Party (USDP), backed by Myanmar's military, win an overwhelming victory, has been widely denounced as a sham by numerous countries and human rights groups.
In the United States, former President Donald Trump and his sons filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against the federal government over leaks of their business and personal tax returns. The civil complaint, filed in Miami federal court, seeks $10 billion (7.25 billion) in damages. The Trump family accuses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department of failing to prevent the disclosure of "confidential, personal financial information" by a former IRS contractor, Charles "Chaz" Littlejohn, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
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