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The outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), led by Abdullah Ocalan, has declared the end of the organization’s armed conflict against Turkiye and calls for a complete transition to democratic politics.

The jailed leader retransmitted his message via a videotape from June that the PKK-aligned Firat News Agency broadcast on Wednesday, describing the shift as a “historic gain.”

Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999 but still holds a significant position among Kurds in Turkiye and beyond, said, “This represents a voluntary transition from the phase of armed conflict to the phase of democratic politics and law.”

He argued that the creation of a Turkish parliamentary committee to oversee the peace process and the voluntary disarmament of Kurdish PKK fighters would be “crucial.”

He continued, noting that “care and sensitivity are essential,” and that the disarmament process’ specifics would be “determined and implemented quickly.”

Just days before the first PKK disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq, Ocalan’s message was made public.

After more than 40 years of armed struggle against the Turkish state, the PKK had already made the announcement in May.

Two months prior, Ocalan, also known as “Appo,” or “Appo,” a Kurdish for Uncle, demanded the group’s disarmament in February.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, stated in a statement to lawmakers from his ruling party on Wednesday that he anticipated immediate progress in the peace initiative and a positive outcome for everyone in the nation and the region.

Everything will change once the wall of terror is destroyed, according to God. Erdogan predicted that there will be no more pain and tears. The Turks, Kurds, and Arabs will be the Turks, the process’ winners. Then, the entire region will be affected.

“We hope that this positive process will come to an end as quickly as possible, free of road accidents, and free from dark and corrupt circles,” Erdogan continued.

The PKK has been labeled a “terrorist” group by Turkiye, the European Union, and the United States for the majority of its history.

Ocalan was born in 1948 in Omerli, Sanliurfa, a Turkiye region with a high proportion of Kurdish people.

He became politically active and helped found the PKK in 1978 after finishing his political science degree at Ankara University.

Under his leadership, the group launched a separatist rebellion against Turkiye six years later.

Before Wednesday’s FIFA Club World Cup semifinal match against his former team Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Luis Enrique refused to be drawn into comparisons between his UEFA Champions League-winning squad and the one that previously featured Kylian Mbappe.

When asked if his PSG are a better team now without Mbappe, Luis Enrique said, “This is a question about the past, and I’m not here to talk about the past, I’m only thinking about the future.”

Enrique led Mbappe during his final campaign in Paris in the 2023-24 season, a turbulent year for the France captain who was initially out of the team for refusing to sign a new deal and later sparingly used once he made it clear he would leave.

Enrique stated, “Mbappe’s final season at PSG belongs in the past, it is behind us now,” adding.

The Spanish coach acknowledged that facing his ex-star player adds spice to the encounter, claiming that it is “definitely extra motivation” to play against “the most successful team in the world.”

After temperatures in Tuesday’s semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense soared past 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and over 54 percent humidity, a National Weather Service issued a warning, PSG will once again have to deal with brutal conditions in New Jersey.

“We’re adjusting to it,” the statement read. Because that’s what was customary during the World Cup, playing in these circumstances. Luis Enrique stated that business will continue as usual. Because of the difficulty of playing in that position, it’s not good for the spectacle. For both teams, everything is the same.

The former Barcelona boss relishes the high-stakes encounter despite the challenging circumstances.

No doubt about it, playing against Real Madrid will be a special match. We enjoy playing these kinds of games because it indicates that you have performed well and are in a position to advance to the semifinals, he said.

After the Premier League side defeated Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday, the winner will face Chelsea in the final, where Joao Pedro scored twice.

As Southeast Asian ministers convene for a summit in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned that global trade is being stooped against weaker nations.

Anwar said that while power had always shaped trade, it is now more important than ever, as he said at the ASEAN foreign ministers’ annual meeting on Wednesday.

Tools that were once used to encourage growth are now used to pressure, isolate, and contain people all over the world. Without naming Trump, Anwar said that tariffs, export restrictions, and investment restrictions have now become more sophisticated tools of geopolitical rivalry.

This is not a blizzard in time. The current weather is “new.”

Anwar made his remarks as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made his first appearance in Asia as the top diplomat of the United States.

Rubio is scheduled to attend a number of ASEAN-related events, including the East Asia Summit forum, which also includes non-ASEAN nations like China, India, Japan, and South Korea.

In light of China’s growing influence, Rubio’s interactions with regional officials are likely to concentrate on trade, despite US officials’ claim that Rubio’s trip serves as a chance to emphasize Washington’s commitment to “a free, open, and secure” Asia Pacific.

If Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations don’t agree to trade agreements with the Trump administration by August 1st, they will be subject to significant tariffs.

Exports from 14 countries, including ASEAN’s Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar would be subject to duties of 25 to 40% under Trump’s most recent tariff plans, which extended a 90-day reprieve that was scheduled to expire on Wednesday.

Vietnam is the only member of the bloc to have signed a trade agreement with Trump so far.

Anwar urged the region to “clarity and conviction” when confronting the reality of the global landscape. ASEAN must work more closely with foreign and economic policy, Anwar said.

We must fortify our internal foundations as we face external pressures. Increase cooperation, invest more in one another, and advance integration across sectors with resolve,” said Anwar.

A strategic imperative that will strengthen and sustain our relevance for decades to come is the creation of a stronger, more connected ASEAN economy.

Southeast Asian nations “must reject the notion that decisions affecting the region can be made in other spheres of influence,” Anwar said.