Morning Briefing: Feb. 24, 2026

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including US Donald trump saying reports claiming top US general opposes war with Iran are incorrect, Türkiye, several countries condemning Israeli moves expanding control over West Bank, and EU failing to reach agreement on new sanctions package against Russia.

TOP STORIES

• Trump says reports claiming top US general opposes war with Iran are ‘100% incorrect’

US President Donald Trump has denied reports that Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine is against a US strike on Iran, labeling such stories inaccurate and saying that without a negotiated agreement, Iran could face dire consequences.

"Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran.

"The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

His remarks came after local media reported that Caine has been advising Trump and top officials that a military campaign against Iran could carry significant risks.

• Türkiye, Arab League, OIC and 18 other countries condemn Israeli moves expanding control over West Bank

Türkiye, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and 18 other countries on Monday condemned “in the strongest terms” a series of recent Israeli decisions to drastically extend unlawful Israeli control over the West Bank.

“Changes are wide-ranging, reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli ‘state land,’ accelerating illegal settlement activity, and further entrenching Israeli administration,” the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Brazil, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and others, as well as the OIC and the Arab League, said in a statement.

The foreign ministers stressed that Israeli settlements constitute “a flagrant violation of international law,” including previous UN Security Council resolutions and the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice.

• EU fails to reach agreement on new sanctions package against Russia

The European Union failed to reach an agreement on its latest sanctions package against Russia during Monday's foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, calling the outcome a "setback" but vowing that work would continue.

"Unfortunately, we did not reach an agreement on the 20th sanctions package. This is a setback and message we didn't want to send today, but the work continues," Kallas said, adding that outreach is ongoing with Hungarian and Slovakian authorities to advance the package.

Kallas said the decision to step back from the agreement reached by all EU leaders in the European Council is "regrettable" and violates the "sincere cooperation clause" in EU treaties.

She said EU Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will raise the issue with Viktor Orban, Hungary’s premier, who opposes the package.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Peter Mandelson, a former British business secretary and ambassador to the US, has been arrested "on suspicion of misconduct in public office" following the recent release of files related to American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, police said.
• Four Syrian security personnel were killed on Monday in an attack by the terrorist group ISIS (Daesh) targeting a security checkpoint west of Raqqa city center in northeastern Syria.
• Chad has closed its border with Sudan until further notice, the Information Ministry said Monday, citing repeated cross-border incursions and violations by warring parties in the neighboring country embroiled in civil war.
• US President Donald Trump threatened to impose steeper tariffs on countries that "play games" after a Supreme Court verdict last week that, by imposing sweeping global levies, his administration had overstepped its authority.
• A traffic police officer was killed early Tuesday after an explosion outside a railway station in Moscow, said Russia's Interior Ministry.
• South Korean former President Yoon Suk Yeol has filed an appeal against his conviction and life sentence for leading an insurrection related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024, local media reported Tuesday.
• China blacklisted 20 Japanese firms Tuesday, according to state-run media.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that the US was not directly involved in the military operation that led to the death of the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and only provided intelligence to the government.
• Croatia's president said Monday that he ordered the suspension of all cooperation between the Croatian Armed Forces (OSRH) and the Israeli army due to what he described as Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law.
• Ukrainian troops have retaken control of eight settlements along the Oleksandrivka front since the end of January, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
• An air ambulance crashed Monday in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, killing all seven people onboard, including two crew members, according to officials.
• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the United States is keeping all options open in its approach to Iran while urging the country to negotiate a deal.
• Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi urged Pacific island nations to cooperate to ensure maritime security while stressing the need for "free and open" oceans, the Kyodo news agency reported.
• US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib on Monday accused the Israeli government of responsibility in the killing of a Palestinian-American citizen in the occupied West Bank.
• A pro-government militia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo claimed to have killed around 50 members of the M23 rebel coalition and captured several during recent intense clashes.
• Sudan said Monday that any proposal to end the war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) must take into account the country’s supreme interests as well as its unity and territorial integrity.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• European Parliament freezes US trade deal approval over Trump tariff decision

The European Parliament on Monday suspended its work on approving the EU-US trade deal following renewed tariff threats by US President Donald Trump.

Bernd Lange, chair of the parliament's trade committee, said on US social media platform X that work on the agreement would be suspended until further notice.

• World Bank raises Ukraine reconstruction cost estimate to $588B

The World Bank updated its cost estimate for Ukraine's reconstruction on Monday, raising it to $588 billion as of the end of last year from $524 billion in its previous report.

It said in a statement that the updated cost for the next 10 years is nearly three times the gross domestic product (GDP) of Ukraine in 2025, as four years have passed since the start of the war with Russia.