*) China will promote peace talks on Ukraine crisis — FM Qin Gang

China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing will persist in promoting peace talks for the Ukraine crisis.

The country’s Foreign Ministry statement said China is "willing to maintain communication and coordination with Russia to make tangible contributions to the political settlement of the crisis."

The statement referred to Qin's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers' meeting in Goa, India.

*) Ten killed, 15 injured in Serbia shooting: state media

A gunman killed at least 10 people and injured 15 near the Serbian capital Belgrade, in the second mass shooting in the Balkan nation this week.

Police arrested the suspected gunman responsible for the killing, state media reported, following an hours-long manhunt throughout the night.

The back-to-back mass shootings have left the country in a state of shock, with thousands flocking to makeshift memorial sites while others have queued to donate blood.

*) Israeli forces kill Palestinian woman near Nablus

The Israeli army killed a Palestinian woman in a northern town of the occupied West Bank for allegedly carrying out a stabbing attack.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the woman as Iman Odeh and said she was killed by "a bullet to the chest fired by the occupation soldiers in Huwara.

Eyewitnesses said that an Israeli force shot the 26-year-old woman dead and prevented Palestinians from reaching her.

*) Western media's anti-Türkiye and Erdogan hostility is regrettable: Altun

Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has slammed the cover of The Economist, a weekly British magazine, depicting hostility against Türkiye and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Altun regretted the anti-Türkiye and Erdogan hostility of the Western media before the May 14 elections.

He said, "As our country gets rid of the shackles, we observe that the violence of Western-centred attacks increases, ignoring the principle of impartiality,”

*) Coffee fair kicks off in Istanbul

The fifth edition of the Istanbul Coffee Fair kicked off as coffee lovers and industry professionals flocked to the Halic Congress Center in the Turkish metropolis to taste a variety of coffees from different roasters.

Fair Coordinator Reha Kadak said that they brought together important national and international brands of the industry at the fair.

Kadak noted that nearly 20 thousand participants come to the fair every year.

*) Zelenskyy denies attacking Moscow, Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied claims of attacking Russia or trying to assassinate President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was attacking neither Putin nor Moscow, but fighting on its own territory to defend its villages and cities.

Zelenskyy claimed that Putin accuses him of the alleged attack and the assassination attempt because Moscow has "no victories" in Ukraine.

*) UN demands security guarantees for Sudan aid

The United Nations has called for security guarantees at "the highest level" to ensure desperately needed aid deliveries in conflict-torn Sudan.

The UN's top humanitarian official Martin Griffiths insisted on the need for commitments that are “publicly, clearly given by militaries, to protect humanitarian systems to deliver".

Griffiths arrived in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast on an urgent mission to find ways to bring relief to the millions of Sudanese affected by the conflict.

*) New Turkish oil reserve to bring annual $2.9B

Türkiye’s newest oil discovery in the country’s southeast has been estimated to increase the country’s overall hydrocarbon production from 100,000 barrels per day to 180,000.

According to the petroleum and natural gas platform association, the estimated yearly financial contribution from the new discovery will be around 2.9 billion dollars.

The recent discovery is one of many oil and gas explorations undertaken by the country since 2020.

*) Floods kill more than 100 in Rwanda

Torrential rains have caused flooding in western and northern Rwanda, killing at least 129 people.

The death toll “continues to rise,” according to the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency.

Strong rainstorms started last week, causing flooding and mudslides that swept away several houses across the country and left some roads inaccessible.

*) Indigenous leaders demand King Charles apologise

Indigenous leaders from a string of former British colonies have urged King Charles to apologise for centuries of racism and the "legacy of genocide" perpetrated by the crown.

In a letter that could sour the build-up to this weekend's coronation, Indigenous representatives from 12 Commonwealth nations also called for financial reparations.

The letter, signed by leaders from Australia as well as several Caribbean nations that were once plundered for slaves, also demanded the return of stolen cultural treasures.

*) Israel bombs Gaza after Khader Adnan's death

Israeli warplanes have carried out airstrikes targeting areas in Palestine’s besieged Gaza, provoking retaliatory rocket attacks from Palestinian groups.

Israel used fighter jets and drones to bomb multiple sites in northern Gaza, including sites of armed factions in Gaza City and central areas of the territory.

Both sides agreed to a ceasefire after hours of fighting.

The Israeli strikes came after rocket barrages were launched from Gaza following the death of Palestinian Khader Adnan in Israeli custody after an 87-day hunger strike.

*) Sudanese parties agree on seven-day ceasefire

Sudan's warring military factions have agreed in principle to a seven-day ceasefire from May 4th to 11th as more air strikes and shooting disrupted the latest short-term truce.

The credibility of the South Sudan mediated ceasefire deal between Sudan’s army and paramilitary RSF was unclear given violations that undermined previous agreements.

Now in its third week, Sudan's war has forced 100,000 people to flee over its borders, and is creating a humanitarian crisis according to UN officials.

*) Türkiye discovers oil reserve with 100k barrel per day capacity

Türkiye has discovered a high-quality oil reserve in the country's eastern region with a production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the newly-found petroleum will be extracted with 100 wells and will meet one-tenth of Türkiye’s daily use.

According to Erdogan, "Türkiye will no longer depend on others for energy but rather become an energy exporter."

*) Colombia govt, rebels commit to reaching truce

Colombia's government and National Liberation Army rebel group have affirmed their commitment to reaching a ceasefire agreement.

The two sides also agreed on the need for civil society to be involved in any negotiated peace as they met in Havana for a third round of peace talks.

The peace process was launched by Colombia's first-ever leftist President Gustavo Petro — himself a former urban fighter — at the end of last year.

*) PSG suspends Messi after unauthorised tour

Paris Saint-Germain has suspended Lionel Messi for two weeks without pay for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia, according to French media.

The Argentine superstar would not be able to play or train, and will miss the Ligue 1 match against Troyes on May 7 and one against Ajaccio on May 13.

Messi had traveled to Saudi Arabia to fulfill commitments as part of a contract with the country's tourist office, and missed a PSG training session as a result.

*) Rocket fire from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies

Rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory after the death in custody of Palestinian Khader Adnan, who was affiliated with the Islamic Jihad group.

Adnan, charged for terror offences by Tel Aviv, had been on hunger strike for 87 days following his detention by Israeli forces in February in the occupied West Bank.

Adnan's lawyer accused Israel of medical negligence.

Israel's military reported three rockets were launched from Gaza following Adnan’s death and Islamic Jihad warned Israel would pay a price for what they called a crime.

*) More than 800,000 may flee unrest in Sudan

A United Nations official has warned that over 800,000 people may flee Sudan due to fighting, which erupted on April 15 between the army and rival paramilitary group RSF.

The official, Raouf Mazou, said consultations with concerned governments and partners arrived at a planning figure of 815,000 people that may flee into neighbouring countries.

The estimate includes around 580,000 Sudanese, and many who had already come to Sudan as refugees.

So far, he said some 73,000 people have already fled to Sudan's seven neighbours - South Sudan, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Central African Republic and Libya.

*) Turkish expatriates in Europe, Middle East begin voting

Turkish expatriates in Finland, Sweden, Qatar, and Lebanon have begun voting for the presidential and parliamentary elections that will be held across Türkiye on May 14.

Polling in Finland will continue until May 7 for 6,791 Turks eligible to vote, while Sweden will welcome 42,800 Turkish voters until the same date.

Separately, polling has begun in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar, where 10,868 Turk expatriates are eligible to vote until Sunday.

A total of 8,336 Turk expatriates registered to vote in Lebanon also have seven days to cast their ballot.

*) Kuwait's Parliament dissolved again

Kuwait's Parliament has been dissolved by royal decree, just over a month after it was reinstated in March following a previous dissolution, state media reported.

Kuwait's Crown Prince had said last month that the legislature would be dissolved, and that new parliamentary elections would be held in coming months.

Sheikh Meshal, who was handed most of the duties of the ruling emir in late 2021, signed Monday's Emiri decree after it was submitted by the cabinet earlier in the day.

*) Biden reaffirms US commitment to Philippines' security

President Joe Biden has reiterated the United States’ commitment to the Philippines' security, noting the "deep friendship" of the two nations.

The remarks came as Biden welcomed Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for White House talks after the Southeast Asian nation completed its largest war drills ever.

The Philippines became an important US ally as the hegemon looks to deter China’s increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea.

*) Türkiye neutralises Daesh leader in Syria: Erdogan

Türkiye has neutralised the so-called leader of the Daesh terrorist organisation, Abu Hussein al Qurayshi, during an operation in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced.

The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) had been following al Qurayshi for a long time, Erdogan said in a live interview on Turkish broadcaster TRT Turk.

He added that Ankara would continue its fight against terrorist organisations without any discrimination.

*) UN sends relief chief to Sudan over 'unprecedented' scale of conflict

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official is heading to Sudan due to the "rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis" in the conflict-racked country.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' announcement came shortly after rival Sudanese forces announced the extension of a truce they have largely violated.

More than 500 people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled since fighting erupted on April 15 between the country’s army chief and commander of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.

*) Santiago Pena wins Paraguay's presidential election

Paraguayans have elected a president from the rightwing Colorado Party, in power for nearly eight decades.

Economist and former finance minister Santiago Pena won the election with more than 42 percent of votes cast, results showed, with 90 percent of ballots counted, according to the country's election body.

Challenger Efrain Alegre of the Concertacion centre-left coalition garnered 27.5 percent despite having had a narrow lead in opinion polls ahead of the vote.

*) Ukrainian air defences 'shoot down' 15 Russian missiles

Ukrainian air defence crews have destroyed 15 missiles launched by Russian forces, according to the military, as air raid sirens blared across the country in the early morning for more than three hours.

Kiev's city officials wrote on the Telegram messaging app that all missiles directed at the capital were destroyed.

The city administration said there were no recorded casualties among the civilian population and no destruction of residential facilities or infrastructure.

And finally…

*) Grocery app Getir in talks to take over German rival Flink

Turkish delivery app Getir is in talks to take over German rival Flink in a key step toward consolidation in Europe's food delivery market, the Financial Times has reported..

There is no guarantee of an agreement being reached, however, said the paper, which cited people familiar with the matter.

The talks come almost five months after Getir, the Istanbul-based online grocery start-up, closed its acquisition of Berlin-based rival Gorillas.

*) Sudan military approves truce extension but fighting flares

Sudan's army chief has given initial approval to a regional bloc’s proposal to extend the shaky truce between military forces and the paramilitary RSF.

In addition to extending the previously agreed three-day ceasefire for 72 hours, both parties are expected to send an envoy to neighbouring South Sudan for talks.

There was no immediate response from the paramilitary force to the proposal, while fighting continued on Khartoum's outskirts, undermining the existing truce.

Over 500 people have died and thousands wounded since tensions between Sudan’s army and RSF erupted into an unprecedented power struggle on April 15.

*) Russia pounds positions in Bakhmut, Mykolayiv

Fighting has gripped eastern Ukraine’s Bakhmut and nearby areas as Russian forces failed to advance on two villages to the northwest, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Meanwhile, the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force said Ukrainian troops were pouring in ahead of an inevitable counter-offensive.

In the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolayiv, a Russian missile killed one person and wounded over a dozen others as a high-rise building and a house were hit.

*) Kenya finds more bodies as starvation cult toll nears 100

The number of victims linked to a suspected starvation cult in Kenya has climbed to 98 after investigators unearthed dozens of bodies buried in Shakahola forest last week.

Cult leader Paul Mackenzie Nthenge is accused of driving his followers to death by preaching that the world would end on April 15, and starvation was the only path to God.

According to rights group Haki Africa, which tipped off the police about Nthenge's activities, 50 to 60 percent of the victims were children.

*) Brazil Congress launches inquiry into rampage

Brazil's Congress has opened an inquiry into the January 8 congress attack by violent demonstrators who denied the electoral victory of recently inaugurated President Lula.

The parties began selecting committee members, with opposition parties and government allies battling for influence.

Lula's Workers Party had tried to avoid the congressional inquiry, hoping to leave investigations to law enforcement and keep lawmakers' focus on his legislative agenda.

The right-wing opposition has pushed for an inquiry as a way to blame his new government for security failures in the Brazilian capital that day.

*) Palestine demands apology from EU Commission chief

Palestine has slammed EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen for her anti-Palestinian trope to mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of Israel.

Her comment that Israel "made the desert bloom" particularly drew criticism as it suggests Palestine was an empty desert before the creation of the Jewish state.

Demanding an apology, the Palestinian foreign ministry said: "Such propagandist discourse dehumanizes and erases the Palestinian people,” and casts doubt on the EU's declared commitment to international law and human rights.

*) Ceasefire shaky as Sudanese, foreigners flee

A US-brokered ceasefire between Sudan's generals has entered its second day but remains fragile as witnesses reported fresh air strikes.

Amid the fighting, a boat with 1,687 civilians from more than 50 countries fleeing the violence has arrived in Saudi Arabia - the largest rescue effort by the Gulf kingdom to date.

Fighting broke out in Sudan on April 15 between forces loyal to army chief and de facto ruler of Sudan Abdel Fattah al Burhan and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo - commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

*) US, Filipino forces show power in drills amid China tensions

US and Philippine troops have conducted the final exercise of their largest-ever joint military drills in the disputed South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

The drills aim to boost Manila's military capability while serving as a US show of support for its Asian ally as China's assertiveness in the region grows stronger.

The joint military exercises fall in sync with the Biden administration’s aim of reinforcing an arc of alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.

*) Afghan Taliban kills Daesh 'mastermind' of Kabul airport attack

The Taliban government has killed the alleged mastermind of a suicide bomb attack that left at least 183 people dead at Kabul airport during the withdrawal of US forces in 2021.

That’s according to US officials.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said the attacker was a key Daesh affiliate directly involved in plotting operations.

The leader of the Daesh cell was killed by Taliban authorities in recent weeks, a senior US administration official told Politico on condition of anonymity.

*) FBI working with US companies to collect war crime evidence in Ukraine

Ukraine is working with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and American companies to collect evidence of war crimes by Russians, senior officials have said.

Ukrainian authorities are collecting digital information from battlefields and Ukrainian towns ravaged by the war since Russia began its offensive last February, according to FBI special agent Alex Kobzanets.

The work reflects deepening collaboration between the US and Ukraine on the cyber front, where Russia has been a common adversary for both nations.

*) One in five cars sold this year will be electric - IEA

Electric cars are expected to make up nearly one-fifth of the global market this year, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) outlook report for the electric vehicle market.

Sales are expected to grow by 35 percent this year to reach 14 million, the report said, comprising 18 percent of the market - up from just 4 percent in 2020.

The shift from combustion engine to electric cars will reduce global demand for oil by at least five million barrels a day, according to the IEA's projections.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, April 25th.

*) UN chief proposes 'way forward' for Ukraine grain initiative

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has presented a "way forward" on extending Black Sea grain deal during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York.

Guterres gave Lavrov "a letter to President Vladimir Putin, outlining a proposed way forward aimed at the improvement, extension and expansion" of the deal, a spokesperson for the Secretary General said.

An agreement has been in place since last July that allows Ukrainian grain to be exported via the Black Sea after they were blocked amid the conflict with Russia.

*) Poll: Gun violence, homelessness worry young Americans

Concerns over the US's gun violence epidemic and the prospect of losing their homes have increasingly weighed on young Americans, according to a poll.

Highlighting the instability experienced among 18-29 year-olds, about half of all young Americans - 48 percent - said they have felt unsafe in the past month, according to the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School survey.

About 40 percent reported being worried they could fall victim to gun violence amid repeated grisly mass shootings in the US.

Nearly three-quarters - 73 percent - said they agree homelessness can happen to anyone.

*) Thousands flee Sudan conflict, arrive in neighbouring South Sudan

Over 10,000 people fleeing the conflict in Sudan have arrived in neighbouring South Sudan since fighting broke out in mid-April between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The returnees and refugees have reportedly arrived in the border town of Renk in Upper Nile state and Aweil North County in Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, officials have said.

*) Deadly explosions rock counter-terrorism office in northwestern Pakistan

Two explosions have rocked a counter-terrorism office in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 12 people and injured over 50, police said.

According to the provincial police chief there was an old ammunition store in the office, and police are probing whether that caused the explosions or if it was a militant attack.

And finally…

*) Anzac Day: Hundreds gather in Türkiye's Gallipoli to remember WWI dead

Hundreds of visitors from Australia and New Zealand have gathered at the site of the Gallipoli campaign in western Türkiye for a dawn service.

Tuesday's event marked the 108th anniversary of the first landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops on the Gallipoli peninsula during a military campaign in World War I.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World. For more, head to trtworld.com

*) Countries evacuate citizens amidst raging battle in Sudan

Foreign countries have rushed to evacuate their nationals from Sudan as deadly fighting raged into a second week between forces loyal to two rival generals.

Evacuation flights were continuing early Monday, with hundreds of people flown out overnight on military aircraft.

Foreigners also fled the capital Khartoum in a long United Nations convoy, while millions of frightened residents hunkered down inside their homes, many running low on water and food.

*) Serbian president signals possible referendum for deal with Kosovo

Serbia’s president signaled a possible referendum for the Ohrid Agreement for the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

Aleksandar Vucic's remarks came on Sunday after several opposition parties requested that a referendum be held to ask citizens whether the European Union-facilitated agreement should be used as a facilitator of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

Vucic said that if the opposition is asking for his legitimacy to be tested in a referendum, he is ready for it.

*) Tens of people killed by militants in Burkina Faso

Sixty people were killed in Burkina Faso by men wearing military uniforms, a prosecutor said, announcing an investigation into the latest attack in the insurgency-hit country.

According to residents, survivors said more than 100 people on motorbikes and pick-up trucks raided Karma.

The west African country is battling a militant insurgency that spilled over from neighbouring Mali in 2015.

*) Australia unveils major millitary reform in bid to counter China threat

Australia has unveiled its biggest military shakeup in decades, refocusing the armed forces on deterring would-be foes far from its shores.

Sketching a future in which Australia would have substantially longer-range strike capability, Defence Minister Richard Marles on Monday said the decades-old territory-focused strategy was "no longer fit for purpose".

Facing a more combative China, he said Australia will shift its focus to deterring enemies before they reach its shores - at sea, in the air and online.

And finally…

*) Türkiye's largest warship TCG Anadolu sets off from Istanbul for Black Sea

Türkiye’s largest warship TCG Anadolu has rendered a 21-gun salute in honour of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as it sailed through the Istanbul Strait on its way to the Black Sea.

The vessel, which is the world’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) carrier, departed the port of Sarayburnu in Istanbul and sailed past the Dolmabahce Palace on Sunday, 23 April.

Built in Istanbul-based shipyard Sedef, the TCG Anadolu ship can carry helicopters, drones, land vehicles, light warcraft, and personnel.

*) Scores killed, injured in stampede during charity distribution in Yemen

More than 80 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Yemen after a charity distribution event sparked one of the deadliest stampedes in a decade.

That’s according to Houthi officials.

The tragedy late on Wednesday came days ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

People had gathered at a school in Houthi-controlled Sanaa to receive about $10 each from a charity funded by local businessmen, witnesses said.

*) New Sudan truce bid fails with vital supplies running short

A new attempt at a ceasefire between Sudanese troops and paramilitary forces in Khartoum has failed, leaving people fearful about dwindling food supplies and a breakdown in medical services.

The new 24-hour ceasefire was supposed to come into effect at 1600 GMT on Wednesday.

However, eyewitnesses in the capital said fighting had continued.

Nearly 300 people have been killed and 2,600 injured, Sudan's Health Ministry estimates.

*) Türkiye’s biggest offshore gas field in Sakarya ready for operation

Türkiye has completed work on its Sakarya gas field in less than three years, with natural gas set to start flowing from the offshore wells in the Black Sea later this week.

Critics had raised doubts over the seriousness of the timeline announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in August, 2020, when he declared that the project would be completed in 2023.

Based on the latest price, gas produced from Sakarya translates into an economic gain of $5 million per day for the country, according to Mehmet Dogan, Managing Director of the Istanbul-based GazDay Energy consultancy.

*) Brazil security chief resigns after leaked video of Brasilia rampage

One of Brazil's top national security officials has resigned after the disclosure of videos of him at the scene of the January 8 attacks on the capital Brasilia.

General Marco Edson Goncalves Dias submitted his resignation on Wednesday after CNN Brasil broadcast images from security cameras showing him at the Planalto Palace, directing protesters as they ransacked federal buildings.

The protesters were seeking to restore defeated former president Jair Bolsonaro to power, just days after he left office.

*) Mudik: Millions of Indonesians travel in annual Eid al Fitr exodus

Indonesia's transport ministry said that up to 123 million people will travel for the end of Ramadan holidays this year in the world’s most populous Muslim country. That’s up from 85 million estimated to have made the trip last year.

On motorcycles, cars, buses, planes or by boat, millions of Indonesians are travelling to their hometowns in the annual Eid al Fitr holiday exodus that is expected to peak by Thursday.

Major seaports and toll roads are packed, while airports and bus terminals are also full of travellers looking forward to reuniting with their families.