3 Australians Face Death Penalty for Alleged Premeditated Murder in Bali

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Bali Murder Case: Three Australians Charged with Premeditated Murder, Face Death Penalty

Bali, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities have formally charged three Australian men with premeditated murder following a deadly shooting that left one Australian national dead and another critically injured in Bali on June 14. If convicted, the men could face the death penalty under Indonesian law.

The suspects — Tupou Pasa Midolmore (37), Coskun Mevlut (23), and Darcy Francesco Jenson (37) — were presented to the media Thursday evening in Badung, wearing orange prison uniforms, handcuffed, and masked with black balaclavas.

Australian national Coskun Mevlut, center, is presented at the Badung District Police in Bali as a murder suspect, Thursday, June 26, 2025. Photo : Antara/Nyoman Hendra Wibowo

“This was a carefully planned, organized attack — not a spontaneous act,” said Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya at the press briefing. “The three suspects carried out the assault professionally and with clear intent.”

The Attack

The shooting took place at Villa Casa Santisya in the Badung region. According to police, the suspects arrived on two motorbikes, posed as ride-hailing service drivers to avoid suspicion, and later fled the scene in two separate cars.

Their escape spanned multiple provinces, including East Java and Jakarta. While one suspect was captured in the Indonesian capital, the other two were arrested in Singapore in coordination with local law enforcement.

The attack claimed the life of Zivan Radmanovic (32), an Australian national. Another man, Sanar Ghanim (34), was seriously injured and remains hospitalized. Both were reportedly targeted inside the villa.

A Premeditated Crime

Investigators believe Darcy Jenson acted as the mastermind, arranging accommodations, transport, and logistics for the attack. He allegedly purchased a hammer used to force entry into the villa and prepared the suspects’ getaway — including ferry, bus, and flight tickets — in an effort to flee the country.

Midolmore and Mevlut are believed to have carried out the physical assault. Bullet residue was found on their bodies, gloves, balaclavas, and inside a white van used during the operation.

One of the weapons used in the attack was later recovered near a rice field, about 700 meters from the crime scene. Police are still investigating the source of the firearms, which are tightly regulated in Indonesia.

Ongoing Investigation

While police have gathered substantial forensic and circumstantial evidence, the motive behind the killing remains under investigation.

The surviving victim and several female witnesses have been relocated to a secure location for their protection, officials confirmed.

As the case unfolds, Indonesian authorities are working closely with international partners and are expected to release further updates in the coming days.


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Death Count Hits 16 in Violent Clashes During Kenya Protests

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Nairobi, Kenya — At least sisteen people were killed and over 80 others hospitalized, many with gunshot wounds, during violent anti-government protests that swept across Kenya on Wednesday, according to human rights groups and medical officials. The protests, which spanned 23 of the country’s 47 counties, were marked by widespread unrest, injuries, and growing calls for President William Ruto’s resignation.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), a state-funded body, reported monitoring large-scale demonstrations that left over 400 people injured and more than 60 arrested. Many victims sustained injuries from police batons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition.

The protests coincided with the one-year anniversary of 2023’s deadly anti-tax demonstrations, during which 60 people were killed and 20 others remain missing. This year’s demonstrations quickly escalated beyond tax grievances to encompass broader demands for police accountability and the president’s resignation over worsening governance and economic hardship.

In Nairobi, the capital, Parliament and the president’s office were barricaded with razor wire as police sealed off access roads. Thousands of demonstrators clashed with riot police, who responded with tear gas, live fire, and batons, leaving many wounded. Similar scenes unfolded in major cities like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyahururu.

“They Foiled a Coup”: Government Defends Police

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended the police response, denying any misconduct.
“There is no police officer who committed any excess yesterday; they foiled a coup and they deserve our defense,” Murkomen declared Thursday. “Police don’t carry guns as toys — they acted to protect the nation.”

His remarks drew sharp criticism from rights advocates, who accuse the government of using excessive force and suppressing constitutional rights to protest.

Grief, Loss, and Destruction

As the nation mourns the dead, heartbreaking stories emerged. In a chilling reminder of last year’s bloodshed, a woman searching for her missing son said she only found him at the city mortuary:

“I came across his photo in a group online and I started searching for him at the hospitals hoping he had survived,” she told reporters through tears.

In downtown Nairobi, businesses bore the brunt of the chaos. Shops were looted and set ablaze, leaving many business owners devastated. One phone vendor said she lost stock worth 800,000 Kenyan shillings ($6,000) in the overnight violence.

“We watched helplessly as looters broke in and carried everything. I have nothing left,” she said as smoke rose from nearby ruins.

Mounting Tensions, Uncertain Path Ahead

The scale and intensity of this year’s protests have heightened concerns over Kenya’s political stability and human rights trajectory. Critics argue that government crackdowns, rising inflation, and poor service delivery have left ordinary citizens disillusioned and desperate.

Calls for an independent investigation into police actions are growing, with both domestic and international rights groups urging accountability and restraint.

As Kenya braces for potential renewed unrest, civil society leaders continue to demand transparency, justice for the victims, and meaningful reforms to address the country’s deepening crisis.


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India Refuses UN Observer in Air India Crash Probe Amid Scrutiny Over Investigation Transparency

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New Delhi, India — India has declined a request from the United Nations’ aviation body to allow one of its investigators to observe the ongoing probe into the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had made a rare offer to assist India by assigning one of its officials as an observer in the investigation led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). However, Indian authorities reportedly turned down the request, citing sovereignty over the national investigation process.

RELATED NEWS : More than 290 feared dead after plane crashes outside airport in Indian city of Ahmedabad

The move has drawn attention, especially as some safety experts have raised concerns over the pace and transparency of the probe — including a delayed analysis of the aircraft’s black box data.

Deadliest Crash in a Decade

The incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed while attempting to land in Ahmedabad, marks the deadliest commercial aviation disaster globally in over ten years. The crash has prompted international scrutiny and calls for a more transparent inquiry.

Investigation Under Spotlight

India’s civil aviation ministry confirmed that flight recorder data was retrieved and downloaded nearly two weeks after the crash, a timeline that has sparked criticism. The combined cockpit voice and flight data recorder was recovered on June 13, and a second unit on June 16, but little official information has been released since.

The Indian government held only one press conference following the disaster, without taking questions, further fueling concerns about transparency. Under Annex 13 — the international standard governing air crash investigations — flight recorder data should be analyzed promptly to help prevent future tragedies.

International Tensions and Precedents

While the ICAO does not typically involve itself in accident investigations unless requested, it has previously deployed personnel in exceptional cases, such as the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the 2020 shooting of a Ukrainian jetliner in Iran.

In this case, ICAO independently offered assistance and requested observer status for a representative already present in India — a request that was declined.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States is also involved in the probe, as per international protocol, given the U.S. manufacturing origin of the Boeing aircraft. However, it remains unclear whether India will analyze the recorders domestically or send them abroad.

India Defends Its Position

An unnamed Indian aviation official said earlier this week that the country is “fully complying with ICAO protocols”, and that updates have been shared through the media. The AAIB has yet to issue a preliminary report, which is typically released within 30 days of a crash under global norms.

Growing Pressure for Transparency

With questions continuing to mount over India’s handling of the investigation, the denial of a UN observer may further intensify scrutiny from international aviation watchdogs, safety experts, and families of the victims.

As global aviation agencies await more clarity, calls are growing louder for India to provide frequent, transparent updates and prioritize international collaboration to ensure a thorough and credible investigation into one of aviation’s most devastating modern disasters.


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At least 7 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza by Hamas-linked explosive

Jerusalem, Israel – Seven Israeli soldiers were killed when they were hit by an explosive device in a clash with the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, while carrying out an operation in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army reported early Wednesday morning.

The soldiers were traveling Tuesday in a vehicle hit by an explosive device while moving through the Khan Yunis area.

RELATED NEWS : Israel, Iran trade ceasefire violation accusations, warn of retaliation

The army also reported in a statement the injuries sustained by an Israeli soldier during a clash that occurred Tuesday in another sector of the Gaza Strip.

Islamist group Hamas said in a statement released Tuesday that Al Qassam fighters were responsible for the ambush that killed the Israeli soldiers.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated the day before that the army will refocus its offensive on the Gaza Strip following the start of the ceasefire with Iran.

“Now the focus is returning to Gaza, to return the hostages home and dismantle the Hamas regime,” Zamir said.

While tensions between Iran and Israel have grown in recent days and subsided with the start of the ceasefire, the Israeli offensive against Gaza has not stopped, reaching 56,000 deaths from Israeli fire and 131,848 wounded in the territory since the war began in October 2023.


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Israel, Iran trade ceasefire violation accusations, warn of retaliation

Washington/Jerusalem/Tehran – Israel and Iran accused each other of ceasefire violations on Tuesday, warning of retaliation just hours after the truce was announced.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have detected missiles fired from Iran after the ceasefire went into effect, saying defense systems were working to intercept them.

“In light of the severe violation of the ceasefire carried out by the Iranian regime, we will respond with force,” IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir said.

Iran’s general staff of the armed forces denied the accusation, while a spokesperson for the armed forces’ main operational command accused Israel of firing three waves of attacks on targets inside Iran in a truce violation, warning it would “pay a heavy price,” according to Iranian media.

Just hours earlier, US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

Damage at the site of a missile strike on a residential area in Be’er Sheva, southern Israel, 24 June 2025. EFE/EPA/ATEF SAFADI

The Israeli government said it had agreed to a ceasefire after achieving all the objectives of its military operation, and thanked Washington for its support.

“In light of achieving the objectives of the operation, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president’s proposal for a bilateral cease-fire,” it said, adding it would respond forcefully to any violation of the truce.

Trump declared that the ceasefire had been “fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran,” however, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that no such agreement existed, but that the state had no intention of continuing its attacks if Israel also stopped.

Iran’s state National News Network later said its military efforts had “imposed a ceasefire on the enemy,” followed by Iranian state media reporting the government’s first official reaction to the halt in hostilities.

The Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council released a statement, published by state media Tasnim, on “imposing a cessation of war on the Zionist enemy,” in which it claimed the “strategizing and struggle of the warriors and the wise leadership … forced the enemy to regret and accept defeat and unilaterally halt its invasion.”

The Council also warned that “any further aggression will be met with a decisive, firm, and timely response.”

Early Tuesday morning, following the US’ ceasefire announcement but before its scheduled implementation, Tehran launched volleys of missiles at Israel, killing at least four people and injuring 22 in southern Beersheba, and killing at least nine and injuring 33 in the northern province of Gilan.

The IDF said “about twenty missiles were fired from Iran toward various locations across the country, most of which were intercepted.”

Israel and Iran have exchanged daily missile and drone attacks since the early hours of Friday the 13th, when Iran launched airstrikes against Iran.

Over 12 days, the attacks killed around 430 people and injured some 3,500 in Iran, according to authorities, while more than 28 were killed in Israel.

Tensions escalated further in the region when the US bombed three key facilities of Iran’s nuclear program on Sunday, and Iran responded Monday, with an attack on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, which had already been evacuated. 


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Iran launches fresh attack on Israel after Trump claims ceasefire deal

Jerusalem, Israel – Iran launched missiles at Israel early Tuesday morning after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries, which was later contradicted by the Iranian government.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced three waves of Iranian attacks between 5-6 am local time (02:30 GMT) that left a dozen people injured, including three in critical condition, according to emergency and rescue service Magen David Adom (MDA).

Sirens sounded around Tel Aviv and in the region between Ashdod and the Gaza Strip, in the center and south of the country, and the fire department reported a projectile impact in the city of Beersheba.

The MDA reported that the attack left three people critically injured, one in moderate condition, and five people lightly injured. However, local media outlets such as the Times of Israel and Haaretz reported three fatalities, citing medical sources.

These attacks come after Trump announced Monday afternoon in Washington that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire that will begin around 04:00 GMT on Tuesday, 7 am in Israel and 7.30 am in Iran.

Shortly afterward, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that no such agreement exists: “As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Araghchi wrote in a message on X.

“However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards. The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”

The message was published just after 4 am, after several Iranian media outlets reported new explosions in areas of Tehran.

In addition, the Iranian foreign minister published a new message in which he asserted that the Islamic Republic’s army carried out operations against Israel “until the very last minute, at 4 am.”

Since Israel began its military attack on Iran on June 13, the two countries have regularly fired drones and missiles at each other that have killed around 450 people in Iran and 24 more in Israel.

Tensions escalated further in the region when the United States bombed three key facilities of Iran’s nuclear program on Saturday and Iran responded on Monday with an attack against US military bases in Qatar and Iraq.


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At least 15 killed, over 174 injured in Russian attack on Ukraine’s Dnipro

Kyiv, Ukraine – A daytime attack by the Russian army on the city of Dnipro killed 15 people, according to Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, who put the number of injured at over 174.

Dnipropetrovsk region’s governor, Sergiy Lysak, warned that the death toll could rise, as the broad daylight attack targeted a residential area with many civilians present at the time.

The strike caused extensive damage to several civilian buildings, including a hospital, schools, and kindergartens, as well as a passenger train, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Many of the casualties occurred at the site of the explosion, Lysak said.

Ukrainian media reported that Russia used a ballistic missile in the attack, which caused significant destruction in the area.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the strike and urged NATO and the European Union to increase pressure on Moscow, accusing Russia of deliberately rejecting peace efforts.

RELATED NEWS : Putin’s 3-day ceasefire begins, rejected by Ukraine

“While leaders gather in The Hague for the NATO summit, Russia sends a message of terror and rejection of peace,” Sybiha said.

“It is a matter of credibility for allies to step up pressure on Moscow. This must be a month of pressure on the aggressor. We urge this week’s NATO and EU summits to reach decisions that project strength,” he added.

Despite recent peace efforts supported by the United States and mediated by Turkey, hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue.

The two sides held two rounds of peace talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, but failed to reach a ceasefire. However, they did agree to exchange a significant number of prisoners of war.

Both sides have continued to launch missile and drone strikes deep into each other’s territories.


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Israel welcomes US strikes on Iran as Arab nations condemn; UN, EU urge diplomacy

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Madrid, Spain – Israel welcomed the overnight airstrikes by the United States on Iranian nuclear facilities, while Arab and Latin American nations condemned the move, whereas the United Nations and European Union urged restraint and renewed calls for a diplomatic solution.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned the strikes, accusing Washington of betraying diplomacy and violating international norms.

“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi said.

In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the US airstrikes, calling them a “bold decision” by President Donald Trump.

“Trump and I often say, ‘Peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace,’” he added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed” by the US airstrikes on Iran.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”

“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV expressed deep concern and urged global efforts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of regional stability and international law.

“Iran must never acquire the (nuclear) bomb. Now is the moment for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution. The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis,” she said.

Several Western nations, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand, echoed calls for de-escalation and a negotiated resolution.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the US strikes, citing Iran’s nuclear program as a “grave threat to international security.”

“Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon (…). We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis,” Starmer said.

However, Araghchi reminded the UK and EU that it was Israel and the US that undermined diplomacy by attacking Iran.

“Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,” he said.

Several Arab nations, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Oman, and Qatar, condemned the US strikes as a serious threat to regional stability and urged a diplomatic resolution.

Palestinian group Hamas denounced the US attacks as violations of international law, while Yemen’s Houthi rebels expressed support for Iran and threatened to target US ships in the Red Sea.

In Latin America, Mexico called for peace, while Chile, Venezuela, and Bolivia condemned the US airstrikes.


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Taiwan detects highest number of Chinese warplane incursions in 8 months

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Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan reported the highest number of incursions by Chinese aircraft in the last eight months on Friday, a day after the island’s president called for “strengthened surveillance” in the face of Beijing’s military pressure around the territory.

In its latest daily report, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that in the 24 hours to 6 am Friday, a total of 46 out of 50 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, drones and helicopters crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, southwestern, and eastern regions of Taiwan’s self-proclaimed Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

RELATED NEWS : Tokyo protests to Beijing over increased military maneuvers near its territory

It is the highest number of incursion recorded since Oct. 14, when 111 Chinese warplanes crossed the Strait dividing line and penetrated the self-proclaimed ADIZ as part of the Joint Sword-2024B exercises, a large-scale military exercise around Taiwan.

“ROC (Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name) Armed Forces have monitored the situation and deployed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” the ministry said.

On Thursday, President William Lai, branded a “troublemaker” by Beijing, had asked the ministry and the National Security Team to step up monitoring and intelligence capabilities in response to China’s military activities.

“From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China’s military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East,” he said.

“The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community.”

This intensification of Chinese air activity also occurred after the British patrol ship HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, a transit that Beijing called an “intentional provocation.”

Colonel Liu Runke, spokesman for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement Friday that the United Kingdom has distorted legal principles and misled the public with statements seeking to justify provocative actions that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

These movements come amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, an island that has been autonomously governed since 1949 and considered a rogue province by the Chinese government.

China’s stated objective is to achieve “reunification” with Taiwan, a goal for which it has not ruled out the use of force.


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Tokyo protests to Beijing over increased military maneuvers near its territory

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Tokyo, Japan – Japan expressed concern Friday over China’s increased military maneuvers near its territory, prompting it to protest to Beijing and to publish detailed information about these activities for the first time.

In recent weeks, the Chinese Navy’s two aircraft carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, have been conducting several simultaneous exercises in the Pacific, an unprecedented move.

RELATED NEWS : India Protests, But IMF Approves Major Funding for Pakistan

“Since the end of May, the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong have repeatedly carried out a total of 1,000 takeoffs and landings of Kansai fighter jets from the two ships up until yesterday,” Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Friday, marking the first time Tokyo has released such data.

Nakatani said one of the vessels approached east of the island of Iwo Jima, and hosted more than 100 takeoffs and landings of fighter jets in waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Okinotori, Japan’s southernmost island, about 1,740 kilometers south of Tokyo.

“This is likely an attempt to improve the operational capabilities of China’s Liaoning and Shandong, and their ability to carry out operations in distant areas,” according to the defense minister, who added Tokyo will continue to monitor and gather information on the two aircraft carriers’ activities.

China has asserted that the activities are in accordance with international law and has accused Japan of “dangerous operations.”

Nakatani’s appearance comes days after the Self-Defense Forces released a report with these and other details of the aircraft carrier maneuvers, including a detailed map of their movements and where some of the fighter exercises took place, as well as photographs.

Days earlier, on June 12, Tokyo had expressed its concern to Beijing over a recent incident in which a missile-armed Chinese fighter jet repeatedly shadowed a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) patrol plane while it was conducting surveillance duties on the high seas in the Pacific Ocean.

Amid these developments, and according to leaks from diplomatic sources to local media, the JMSDF destroyer Takanami sailed through the Taiwan Strait in apparent response to the incident.

Nakatani declined to confirm the veracity of this information on Friday, arguing that it is a matter for self-defense operations.

According to information reported by local news agency Kyodo, the Takanami entered the strait from the East China Sea on June 12 and spent more than 10 hours sailing south, after which it headed for waters near the Philippine island of Luzon. The entire transit was tracked and monitored by the Chinese military, according to the sources.

The Takanami conducted a joint maritime exercise with the Philippine navy last Saturday in an area of the South China Sea over which the Southeast Asian country claims jurisdiction, amid China’s escalating claims in those waters.

Japan has traditionally refrained from sending military vessels through the Taiwan Strait to avoid provoking China, but appears to have changed its stance in the face of Beijing’s growing assertiveness.

These latest developments also come at a heated geopolitical moment, with attention focused on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, the latter an ally of China, and a pending US decision on whether or not to join the conflict.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier that US President Donald Trump will make a decision on the matter in the next two weeks.