Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Trump bemoans not selling F-35 jets to Turkey, and Game of Thrones smashes Emmy nomination record

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, July 17th.

Trump says not selling F-35s to Turkey is ‘unfair’

US President Donald Trump says it is “not fair” to either Turkey or the United States that Washington cannot sell F-35 fighter jets to Ankara after it purchased a Russian air defence system.

Trump bemoaned the fact and blamed his predecessor for the situation.

Trump said Barack Obama forced Turkey to buy Russian S-400s, and it was "foolish" for the US to not sell Patriot missiles to NATO member Turkey.

China aims at becoming space superpower

China plans to become the next superpower in space.

China is already the first nation to land a rover on the far side of the moon and now plans to build a research station there.

Its budget for the space programme is estimated to be around $8.4 billion, which is more than Russia and Japan and second only to the US.

Worsening world hunger affects 821 million – UN

More than 821 million people suffered from hunger worldwide last year, a new UN report shows.

After decades of decline, malnutrition began to increase in 2015, mainly because of the climate crisis and war.

Africa and Asia are two of the most affected continents.

The UN aims to reverse this trend as one of its 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

US House votes to condemn Trump's 'racist comments'

The US House of Representatives formally condemns President Donald Trump for his racist attacks on four minority Democratic lawmakers.

Trump was condemned for his "racist comments that have legitimised and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of colour."

Over the weekend, he told four Democratic congresswomen of colour to "go back" to other countries.

The resolution also takes Trump to task for referring to immigrants and asylum seekers as “invaders.”

Game of Thrones breaks record with 32 Emmy nominations

And finally,

The final season of Game of Thrones smashed the record for most Primetime Emmy nominations by a drama series in a single year.

GoT is already the most decorated fictional show in the awards' seven-decade history, and now has 161 nominations overall.

The show about families vying for the Iron Throne broke a 25-year nomination record previously held by ‘90s drama NYPD Blue.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... For more, head to TRTWorld.com.

US Congresswomen fight back as Trump insists on racism tweets, and director Baz Luhrmann finds his Elvis

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, July 16th.

*)Pakistan reopens airspace after standoff with India

Pakistan says it has reopened its airspace for all civilian traffic following months of restrictions imposed in the wake of a standoff with neighbouring India.

Pakistani aviation officials say the airspace is open for all types of civil traffic in a sign of lowering tensions in the region.

Besides international and local Pakistani flights, the closure had

disrupted Indian flights headed west, especially India's flag carrier Air India that reportedly witnessed a daily loss of approximately $0.7 to $1 million.

*)US congresswomen fight back after Trump targeted them

US President Donald Trump intensified his incendiary comments about four Democratic congresswomen of colour.

The women fired back at what they called his "xenophobic bigoted remarks" and said it was time for impeachment.

Trump had called for lawmakers to go back to their, quote, broken and crime infested countries, unquote.

He defended his remarks, saying many people agree with him.

*)EU nominee Von der Leyen faces sceptical parliament

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen is expected to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.

If she fails to secure a majority, EU leaders will have to come up with another name in a month.

There has been a stinging criticism over Von der Leyen’s candidature for the position.

*)Erdogan says S-400 to be fully deployed by April 2020

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the Russian S-400 missile defence system will be fully deployed by April 2020.

Russian planes have been delivering parts of the S-400 to Turkey over the past four days.

Turkey's purchase from Russia has raised tensions with US, which says the system is incompatible with the NATO defence network.

Turkey says S-400s will not be integrated into NATO systems.

*)Austin Butler to star as Elvis in Baz Luhrmann-helmed biopic

And finally,

After a competitive casting contest, 27-year-old actor Austin Butler will be cast as Elvis Presley in the untitled drama about the singer’s life.

Production is set to begin early next year on the Baz Luhrmann-directed film.

Tom Hanks co-stars as Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... For more, head to TRTWorld.com.

.)Iran ‘ready to negotiate’ if US lifts sanctions

President Hassan Rouhani says Iran is ready to negotiate with the United States if Washington lifts economic sanctions.

EU foreign ministers are exploring ways to convince Iran and the US to hold talks amid fears of a complete collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran began surpassing uranium enrichment limits set by the atomic pact but said this could be reversed in exchange for economic incentives.

.)Turkey remembers heroes of 2016 coup attempt

Turkey marks three years since the people’s power helped defeat a coup attempt.

A rogue faction in the Turkish military launched a coordinated operation to overturn the government on the night of July 15, 2016.

The attempted coup, orchestrated by the Fetullah Gulen-led FETO, killed at least 251 people and wounded more than 2,000 people.

.)Floods and landslides devastate Nepal

The death toll in Nepal from flash floods and landslides over the last three days has risen to 67 people.

The country’s home ministry said there were still at least 30 people missing and 33 injured.

Northeast India has also been hit by floods which killed at least 11 people.

.)Trump under fire for racist attack on US congresswomen

US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism for targeting four Democrats – all first-time congresswomen – with his racist remarks.

In a tweet aimed at the four women of colour, he said they should return to what he called the “broken and crime-infested” countries they came from.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley all hit back at Trump on his favourite social media site – Twitter.

And finally,

.)England wins Cricket World Cup for first time

England won the Cricket World Cup for the first time in its history by sealing a thrilling Super Over win against New Zealand at Lord’s.

Amid scenes of agony and ecstasy, the contest was decided in the Super Over, also a first in a World Cup final match.

It was a heart-breaking loss for New Zealand, who also finished as runners-up in the previous World Cup in 2015 after losing to Australia in the final.

Trump gives up citizenship question on census

US President Donald Trump backed down from a push to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census.

He directed federal agencies to try to compile the information using existing databases instead.

Critics said adding citizenship to the census would discourage participation by people living in the US illegally and by Americans with non-citizen family.

Iran calls on Britain to release seized oil tanker

Iran called on Britain to immediately release an oil tanker that British Royal Marines seized last week in Gibraltar.

The tanker was seized on suspicion of breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.

Britain said three Iranian vessels tried to block a commercial UK tanker on Thursday on the Strait of Hormuz, an accusation Iran denies.

At least five killed in Afghan wedding suicide bombing

A suicide bomber targeted a wedding party in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, killing at least five people and injuring 40.

An official said a young boy set off his explosives inside the house of a pro-government militia commander.

No group has claimed responsibility.

Sudan's military rulers say coup attempt thwarted

Sudan's military rulers said several officers had attempted a coup in an effort to undermine an agreement between the military and the opposition.

The thwarted coup involved a number of retired officers as well as officers still in service, an official said.

At least 12 people were arrested and four detained.

R Kelly arrested again in Chicago on federal sex charges

And finally,

Singer R Kelly was arrested in Chicago for sex crimes and obstruction of justice.

He was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on 13 federal counts, including child porn, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice.

This is the second time the R&B singer was taken into custody this year on sex charges.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

UK accuses Iran of trying to seize British tanker, and Japan space probe lands on asteroid to collect underground samples.

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, July 11th.

UK: Iranian vessels tried to block British vessel in Gulf

The UK said three Iranian vessels tried to impede the passage of a British commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

Britain said the Iranian vessels only turned away after receiving "verbal warnings" from a UK navy vessel.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard denied the allegations and said if it wanted to, it would have immediately seized the ships.

UK ambassador to US quits after leaked cables crisis

Britain's US envoy resigned after his leaked memos characterising Trump's administration as “inept” triggered Twitter rage by the US president.

President Trump said he would no longer deal with career diplomat Kim Darroch, despite the US State Department saying otherwise.

British Prime Minister May, whom Trump branded as "foolish", said Darroch had the government’s support and had served the UK well.

Bosnia marks 24th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide

Bosnia marks the 24th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, burying 33 newly-identified victims in a collective funeral.

Every year on July 11, newly-identified genocide victims are buried in a memorial cemetery in Potocari.

The massacre by Bosnian Serbs in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995 killed more than 7,000 Bosnian Muslim boys and men.

Twin accidents kill at least 24 people in Pakistan

A passenger train rammed into a freight train in Pakistan’s Punjab province, killing at least 11 people, an official said.

Hospitals declared an emergency, receiving casualties from the collision in which dozens were injured.

Another 13 people were killed in another accident in the same province.

Japan space probe lands on asteroid

And finally,

Japan's space agency said data transmitted from the Hayabusa2 spacecraft indicated it successfully landed on a distant asteroid.

It completed its historic mission of collecting underground samples that scientists hope will provide clues to the origin of the solar system.

Hayabusa2 is the first to successfully collect underground soil samples from an asteroid.

And that’s your daily news brief from TRT World ... For more, head to TRTWorld.com.

.)US calls for forming coalition force to ‘protect Gulf waters’

The United States announced plans to enlist allies in a military coalition to safeguard strategic waters off Iran and Yemen.

Tensions spiked after oil tanker ships in or near the Strait of Hormuz were attacked.

Marine General Joseph Dunford believes it will be clear within a couple of weeks which nations would be willing to join the effort.

.)Trump returns to Twitter to slam UK envoy and PM

An unprecedented row between Washington and London deepened after US President Trump called UK Prime Minister May “foolish.”

May gave UK’s ambassador to the US, Kim Darroch, her full support after his leaked memos described the Trump administration as “inept.”

Trump said Darroch should have talked to May about “failed Brexit negotiation” instead of the White House.

.)Javelin missiles found in Libya were ‘unusable’ – France

Missiles found in a Haftar base were purchased from the US for the “self-protection” of a French military unit, France said.

The French Army Ministry said the “damaged and unusable” Javelin missiles were not meant for sale to any party in Libya’s conflict.

The cache of four Javelin anti-tank missiles were recovered in June by Libyan government forces in a rebel camp in the town of Gharyan.

.)At least 24 killed in Papua New Guinea tribal massacres

At least 24 people, including two pregnant women, were killed in tribal fighting in Papua New Guinea.

Highland clans have fought each other for centuries, but an influx of automatic weapons has made their clashes more deadly.

Prime Minister James Marape vowed to hunt down the killers, promising swift justice.

And finally,

.)Nicki Minaj cancels Saudi concert after backlash

Nicki Minaj pulled out of a concert in Saudi Arabia scheduled for next week.

Minaj says she took the decision to show support for women, freedom of expression and LGBTQ rights.

The rapper’s scheduled appearance in Jeddah sparked a massive social media backlash over human rights conditions in the kingdom.

.)Hong Kong leader says extradition bill is dead after mass protests

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the controversial extradition bill was dead.

Lam admitted the government’s work on the bill had been a total failure.

Some protest groups rejected the city leader’s statements and have vowed to hold new protests.

.)Iran goes beyond uranium enrichment limit

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed Iran enriched uranium beyond the 3.67 percent limit set by its deal with major powers.

The nuclear deal was signed by the US, UK, EU, Russia, China, France and Germany in 2015.

However, the US quit the pact under President Trump, triggering an escalation of tensions in the Middle East.

.)Trump will ‘no longer’ deal with UK ambassador

President Trump said he will no longer deal with the UK ambassador to the US after memos leaked criticising his presidency.

Kim Darroch’s cables branded Trump’s administration as “dysfunctional” and “inept”.

Downing Street said Darroch has its “full support” after Trump refused to work with him.

.)Afghan rivals conclude talks on ‘roadmap for peace’

Influential Afghans concluded two days of talks with the Taliban in Qatar.

They issued a joint statement containing an appeal and promise to reduce violence in Afghanistan.

The gathering will be followed by the resumption of direct contact between the US and the militant group in Doha to end the bloody 18-year conflict.

And finally,

.)British Museum to return looted Iraqi, Afghan artefacts

The British Museum said looted ancient artefacts from Iraq and Afghanistan would be returned to their country of origin after appraisal.

These include Afghanistan’s Gandharan sculptures illegally exported to Britain in 2002.

Iraq will receive 154 Mesopotamian texts written on clay in cuneiform script, one of the earliest systems of writing.

PM-elect Mitsotakis vows to make Greece 'proud' after vote triumph

Opposition New Democracy won Greece's general election with 158 seats in the parliament, winning nearly 40 percent of the vote.

Party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the son of a former prime minister, will be sworn in as prime minister on Monday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras conceded defeat, saying he respects the will of the people.

Iran steps further from nuke deal, adding pressure on Europe

Iran says it will increase its uranium enrichment beyond the 3.67 percent limit allowed by the 2015 nuclear deal which the US quit in 2018.

Iran’s move, coupled with breaching the limit set on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, pressures Europe to bypass US sanctions on Tehran.

Up to 5 percent enriched uranium can be used for power reactors, 20 percent for research reactors and 90 percent is considered weapons grade.

Fresh clashes in Hong Kong after huge march to China station

At least five people were arrested during overnight clashes in Hong Kong, police said.

Police with batons charged protesters in Hong Kong to break up their demonstration against a controversial extradition bill.

The proposed bill which sparked the demonstrations would mean criminal suspects could face trial in mainland China.

Intra-Afghan peace dialogue under way in Qatar

Dozens of powerful Afghans met the Taliban to discuss a ceasefire and the future of women and minorities after 18 years of war in Afghanistan.

Stakes are high for the talks held in Doha, which follow a week of US-Taliban negotiations with both sides eyeing a peace deal.

Washington said it wants a political deal with the Taliban ahead of Afghan presidential polls in September so foreign forces can start to pull out.

US rejoices after women’s football World Cup win

And finally,

The United States won the Women’s World Cup for the fourth time after beating the Netherlands 2-0.

Megan Rapinoe’s coolly taken penalty put the defending champions ahead in the 61st minute and Rose Lavelle’s goal made it 2-0 in the 69th.

Shortly after the team's win in Lyon, France, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a parade on Broadway in the team's honour on Wednesday.

Sudan military, opposition in agreement on governing body

Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups reached an agreement to share power.

The two sides agreed to a joint sovereign council with a rotating presidency to rule the country for "three years or a little more."

Five seats will go to the military and five to civilians with an additional seat for a civilian with a military background.

Hong Kong students reject city leader's call to meet

Student unions from two Hong Kong universities rejected city leader Carrie Lam’s invitation for talks after mass protests over her extradition bill.

The invitations followed a pledge by Lam to do a better job of listening to the youth.

Student leaders said they do not think Hong Kong’s leader was being sincere after she invited them to closed-door meetings.

Libya migrants face hard dilemma

A boat carrying 86 migrants from Libya sank in the Mediterranean with four initial survivors.

The UN Refugee Agency said more than 80 were feared drowned.

The tragedy struck migrants from Libya just days after air strikes on a Libyan detention camp for migrants killed more than 50 people.

China separates Muslim children from families – BBC

Uighur and other Muslim children in Xinjiang region have been deliberately separated from their families, the BBC reported.

Hundreds of children in Xinjiang lose their parents to some form of “internment”, in camps or in prison.

Children are then assessed to determine if they need “centralised care” so they can be placed in orphanages or giant boarding schools, not with family.

Tutankhamun bust sells for $6 million

And finally,

A 3,000-year-old quartzite head of Egyptian "Boy King" Tutankhamun was auctioned off for $6 million in London despite a fierce outcry from Cairo.

Egyptian authorities said the bust was "stolen" in the 1970s from the Karnak Temple complex.

Christie's argued Egypt didn’t express the same level of concern for the bust which was "well known and exhibited publicly" for many years.

TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Thursday, July 4th:

*) UN Security Council fails to condemn deadly Libya strike

A divided UN Security Council failed to denounce an air strike on a detention camp in Libya, which killed at least 53 migrants.

The attack was blamed on warlord Khalifa Haftar, who has been trying for three months to seize Libya’s capital.

UN chief Antonio Guterres demanded an independent investigation into the “horrendous” attack.

*) Trump warns Iran about ‘threats’ over uranium enrichment

US President Trump warned Iran to “be careful with threats” after Tehran said it would boost uranium enrichment to any amount it needs.

President Rouhani’s announcement put further pressure on Europe to save the 2015 nuclear deal and offer Iran a way to sell oil despite the US sanctions.

Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the Iran nuclear pact in 2018.

*) Arrests in Hong Kong raise fears of more violent protests

Hong Kong police arrested 13 people over disrupting a ceremony marking the city’s return from Britain to China in 1997 and storming the parliament.

A lawmaker warned the situation could worsen after the arrests, which followed unprecedented anti-government protests this week.

The UK summoned China’s ambassador in a diplomatic feud over Hong Kong’s protests, as Beijing told London to keep its “hands off” the city.

*) Oil supertanker bound for Syria detained in Gibraltar

British marines and officials in Gibraltar detained a supertanker suspected of carrying crude oil to Syria, in breach of EU sanctions.

The Gibraltar government said it had reasonable grounds to believe the Grace 1 vessel was carrying crude oil to the Banyas Refinery in Syria.

The refinery belonged to an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.

*) Joss Stone says she was deported from Iran

And finally,

British soul singer Joss Stone said she was deported from Iran after arriving there as part of a worldwide tour.

Stone said on Instagram that she knew solo performances by women were illegal in Iran and didn’t plan to sing there.

She wrote Iranian authorities placed her on a “blacklist” because they believed she might try to perform a public show.