6.2 magnitude earthquake near Istanbul rattles Turkey
(LONDON) — A 6.2 magnitude earthquake has rattled much of Turkey Wednesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The quake occurred at a depth of just 6.2 miles with the epicenter of the quake located approximately 14 miles southeast of Marmara Ereğlisi and 70 miles west of Istanbul.
No casualties have been reported so far, but hospitals reported that many patients were admitted due to anxiety and panic as citizens could be seen rushing into the streets and parks.
ABC News’ Engin Bas and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.
(VATICAN CITY) — Pope Francis’ death is bringing renewed attention to his historic virtual town hall in 2015, during which he connected with followers via satellite, demonstrating how modern technology can bridge distances and bring the Catholic Church closer to its people.
Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, died Monday at the age of 88. The Vatican announced that the pope died from a stroke followed by heart failure, as mourners worldwide gathered to honor his legacy of compassion and inclusivity.
Francis’ death followed a series of worsening health problems, including a respiratory crisis that left him in critical condition back in February.
During his decade-long papacy, Francis broke new ground in many ways, including a 2015 virtual town hall with Americans that showcased his dedication to connecting directly with the faithful.
ABC News and “World News Tonight” revisited the pope’s historic town hall, where he participated in a virtual audience with Americans from across the country, moderated by ABC News anchor David Muir.
The groundbreaking event, held Aug. 31, 2015, marked the first time a pope had ever engaged in such direct dialogue with Americans through virtual technology. The conversation revealed Francis’ characteristic warmth and accessibility, moving many participants to tears.
The pope spoke for nearly an hour via satellite to groups including Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago; Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, Texas; and homeless individuals and outreach workers in Los Angeles.
Throughout the conversation, the pontiff responded directly to participants’ questions and provided encouraging words of wisdom.
“It really touched my heart. It really made me feel that he is really connecting with us,” Ricardo Ortiz, 19, told ABC News at the time, after speaking to Francis from the church in McAllen.
Valerie Herrera was 17 when she shared her story with Pope Francis about struggling with a rare skin disorder and turning to music to cope with bullying. In a touching moment during the virtual town hall, the pope asked her to sing for him.
As cheers filled the room at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, Herrera sang a song of her choice, moving many in the audience. The pope thanked her with his characteristic warm smile.
Now 26 and working as a nurse outside Chicago, Herrera reflects on that transformative moment.
“When I think about Pope Francis, I remember his warming and welcoming smile when he asked me to sing for him,” Herrera told ABC News. “That’s the face I will always remember.”
Herrera detailed how the moment with the pontiff inspired her in her carrer and personal life, saying it “taught me to just to be more of a woman of faith that is here to serve others, that is here to provide care as a nurse.”
“I have the responsibility to care for those that are under my care. I have the responsibility to provide and give everything that I have in order to ensure that people are healing, people are getting better, and to provide the love and compassion that family members and patients really need in their time of weakness when they’re sick,” Herrera said.
Members of the audience who did not get a chance to ask the pope a question were still equally touched by the event, including Adam Nichol, a formerly homeless man who lives and works at the Midnight Mission.
“This experience touched me, and it will be something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Nichol told ABC News at the time.
The virtual town hall remains a testament to Francis’ pioneering efforts to modernize the Church’s outreach while maintaining its focus on compassion, social justice, and connecting with those on society’s margins.
(LONDON) — A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that President Donald Trump “is not getting enough information” about Moscow’s war on Ukraine, after Trump criticized Putin for his apparent reluctance to pursue a peace deal and warned that the Kremlin was “playing with fire.”
“There is a lot that Trump says, we read it all, track it, but in many ways we come to the conclusion that Trump is not getting enough information about what is really happening in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian confrontation,” Yuri Ushakov said in an interview with Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin published on Wednesday.
“In particular, he is not being informed enough about what massive terrorist attacks are being carried out by Ukraine against peaceful Russian cities,” Ushakov said. “Trump only knows what countermeasures we are taking, and he does not fully understand that we are attacking military institutions or military industrial complexes.”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he was “disappointed” by Russia’s barrage of strikes in recent days.
Asked if he believed the Russians are being disrespectful and if Putin actually wants to end the war, Trump responded, “I can’t tell you that. But I’ll let you know in about two weeks.”
“Within two weeks. We’re going to find out very soon,” he continued. “We’re going to find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not. And if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks.”
He said he hasn’t imposed new sanctions on Russia because “I think I’m close to getting a deal.”
“I don’t want to screw it up by doing that,” he said. “This isn’t my war. This is Biden’s war, Zelenskyy’s war and Putin’s war. This isn’t Trump’s war. I’m only here for one thing to see if I can end it.”
The comments came after hundreds of Ukrainian drones crossed into Russia overnight into Wednesday morning, dozens of which targeted Moscow and again caused disruption to flights in and out of the capital, according to officials there.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 296 Ukrainian drones over 12 regions — including the capital Moscow — during the latest round of long-range strikes.
Moscow Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram that at least 42 drones were downed over the region. Vorobyov reported damage to three homes in the town of Chekhov around 40 miles south of the capital.
Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport — one of four international airports in the capital — also warned travelers of delays due to flight restrictions imposed during the latest drone attack. Recent weeks have seen regular disruptions to Moscow’s airports during such strikes.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on Telegram there were “some pretty good hits” during Tuesday night’s attack.
Among the targets were the Dubna Machine-Building Plant — involved in the production of aviation, missile and drone technology, Kovalenko said — in the city of Dubna, around 70 miles north of Moscow.
Kovalenko said the Technopark ELMA-Zelenograd facility — which hosts the development of microelectronics, IT, robotics and medical equipment — was also targeted. The facility “is one of the centers where import substitution of critical components previously imported from the West takes place,” Kovalenko said.
ABC News could not immediately verify Kovalenko’s claim of successful strikes on the facilities.
Russia continued its own long-range attacks on Ukraine overnight. Ukraine’s air force said Moscow launched six missiles and 88 strike drones into the country, of which 71 drones were shot down or otherwise neutralized. The air force said it recorded impacts in eight locations.
The intensity of strikes by both sides has only increased since Trump’s return to office in January, the president having promised to end Russia’s war on its neighbor in 24 hours. Trump has not delivered on that promise, and his frustration appears to have been building in recent weeks with the continued failure of U.S.-led ceasefire efforts.
Trump called Putin “absolutely crazy” in a Sunday social media post, then on Tuesday said Putin doesn’t realize “that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
The U.S. and Ukraine are now waiting for Russia to deliver its peace memorandum — a document promised by Putin to Trump during a phone call between the two leaders earlier this month.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to present its memorandum to Ukraine and proposed holding a second round of talks with Kyiv in Istanbul on June 2.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier Wednesday floated the idea of a trilateral meeting with Putin and Trump.
“If Putin is uncomfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if everyone wants it to be a trilateral meeting — I don’t care. I’m ready for any format,” he said.
Trump, meanwhile, said Wednesday he would sit down with Putin and Zelenskyy “if it’s necessary.”
“At this point, we’re working on President Putin, and we’ll see where we are,” he told reporters.
Zelenskyy has cast doubt on the Russian proposal. “They’ve already spent over a week on this,” he wrote on social media on Tuesday. “They talk a lot about diplomacy. But when, in the midst of all that, there are constant Russian strikes, constant killings, relentless assaults, and even preparations for new offensives.”
On Wednesday, Andriy Yermak — the head of Zelenskyy’s presidential office — wrote on Telegram, “Russians are masters of empty words.”
(LONDON) — Tehran has rejected direct negotiations with the United States in regarding its nuclear program, responding to a letter from President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.
However, he added, the path for indirect negotiations remains open, the state news agency reported.
“In this response, although direct negotiations between the two parties are rejected, it has been stated that the path for indirect negotiations is open,” Pezeshkian said.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s response to the U.S. president’s letter was sent via Oman.
He emphasized that Iran has never avoided negotiations and blamed the United States for not fulfilling its former commitments, including terminating the former nuclear deal in Trump’s first term in 2018.
It was the breach of commitments that caused problems on this path, which must be addressed to restore trust, the letter underscored, according to Pezeshkian.
“It will be the actions of the Americans that determine whether negotiations continue,” he added.
