AnewZ Morning Brief - April 27th, 2025

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 27th, covering the latest developments you need to know.

Driver kills, injures multiple people at Vancouver Filipino festival

A driver has been arrested after ramming into a crowd at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver, leaving several people dead and injured.

Authorities said the driver has been taken into custody.

The incident occurred near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, where the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party, a festival commemorating a 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader was being held.

Iran blast: death toll rises to 25

A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 25 dead and 800 injured, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.

The death toll from the explosion at Iran’s largest port, Bandar Abbas, has risen to 25, with 800 injured.

The massive blast, believed to have been caused by the explosion of chemical materials, struck the Shahid Rajaee section of the port. President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an investigation into the incident and dispatched his interior minister to the site, where efforts are continuing to extinguish the fires and prevent them from spreading.

Iranian Red Crescent teams are assisting at the scene, while a firefighting plane has been dumping water near the still-burning areas.

Shahid Rajaee Port, located about 15 kilometers southwest of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province along the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz, is considered strategically vital for Iran’s trade and shipping activities.

As relief workers battled the fires, customs officials said trucks were being evacuated from the area and that the container yard where the blast occurred likely contained dangerous goods and chemicals. Activities at the port have been halted following the explosion.

Putin: Russia ready for Ukraine talks "without preconditions"

The Kremlin says President Putin confirmed readiness for direct talks with Ukraine during a meeting with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia’s readiness to negotiate with Ukraine without preconditions during his recent talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Putin and Witkoff discussed the possibility of direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations during their meeting in Moscow on Friday, the fourth round of talks between the two this year. The meeting lasted three hours.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who also attended the meeting, called the talks constructive and useful, adding that dialogue between Moscow and Washington would continue at various levels.

However, Trump has recently expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to end the war. In a social media post, he suggested imposing secondary sanctions on Russia if civilian settlements in Ukraine continue to be attacked.

Macron: Ukraine ready for unconditional ceasefire

French President Macron says Ukraine is open to an unconditional ceasefire, following talks with Zelenskiyy in Rome.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire with Russia.

His comments followed what he described as a "very positive" exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy after attending the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome.

Macron also stated that the Coalition of the Willing, led by France and Britain, would continue efforts to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine.

According to Macron, Zelenskiyy expressed a willingness to work with both the United States and Europe to help bring a peace deal to fruition.

Trump suggests secondary sanctions on Russia over Ukraine strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin must stop targeting civilian areas in Ukraine, suggesting that secondary sanctions or banking measures may be needed as too many lives are being lost.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin should not be targeting civilian areas in Ukraine and suggested that secondary sanctions on Russia might be needed in response.

"There was no justification for Putin launching missiles into cities and towns over the past few days. It seems he may not truly want to end the war", Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added, "He’s dragging things out and must be handled differently, possibly through banking measures or secondary sanctions. Too many lives are being lost!"

World leaders gather in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral

Thousands of mourners and dozens of world leaders are attending the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica, following his death at age 88.

Dozens of world leaders and thousands of mourners gathered for the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

The funeral Mass took place on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, attended by over 50 world leaders and 11 reigning monarchs. U.S. President Donald Trump, on his first foreign trip of his second term, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were among those present.

Pope Francis passed away after suffering a stroke, just a day after delivering an Easter blessing. Over 250,000 people visited his body laid out before the altar inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter, led the host nation's delegation. Britain’s Prince William, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Victoria Starmer paid their respects. Argentina’s President Javier Milei, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and former U.S. President Joe Biden with First Lady Jill Biden also attended.

Other prominent attendees included UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and French President Emmanuel Macron with his wife, Brigitte Macron.

Azerbaijani Parliament speaker attends Pope Francis' funeral

Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, attended the funeral of Pope Francis held at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on April 26.

The ceremony gathered heads of state, government officials, parliamentary leaders, clergy, and notable public figures. Gafarova represented Azerbaijan at the event.

During her visit, she also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, where she conveyed condolences on behalf of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

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