Morning Briefing: Aug. 26, 2023
Anadolu's recap of top stories from around the globe
ANKARA
Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including Niger’s military administration’s giving the French, German, Nigerian and US envoys 48 hours to leave the country, Belarus' president saying Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot be behind a plane crash that killed the Wagner Group head, and Denmark set to ban Quran burnings.
TOP STORIES
Niger’s military administration has given the German, US and Nigerian ambassadors 48 hours to leave the country.
"In reaction to German Ambassador Olivier Schnakenberg’s refusal to reply to an invitation by the ministry for a discussion on Friday August 25 … and due to other actions of the German government contrary to Niger's interests, the ministry ... is giving 48 hours to Mr. Olivier Schnakenberg to leave Nigerien territory," according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
It gave similar reasons for expelling the other envoys.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin cannot be behind a plane crash Wednesday that killed Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin.
“I can't say who did it. I won't become a lawyer even for my older brother. But I know Putin. This is a prudent, very calm and even slow person, making decisions on other, less complex issues. Therefore, I cannot imagine that Putin did this, that Putin is to blame. Too rough, unprofessional work, for that matter,” Lukashenko said at a news conference in the capital Minsk, according to state news agency Belta.
Lukashenko said that Prigozhin never asked him to provide “security guarantees” for himself, adding that he does not have to ensure Prigozhin’s safety and talks he held with him never went in that direction.
The Danish government will ban public desecration of the Quran, according to its justice minister.
Peter Hummelgaard said the government will introduce a bill to ban the burning of religious scriptures in public places, Ekstra Bladet daily reported.
Public burnings of religious scriptures must be punishable by up to two years in prison, Hummelgaard told a news conference.
Denmark has recently been plagued by a series of burnings of the Muslim holy book, leading to international outrage, especially in majority-Muslim countries.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- The US urged UN Security Council members to condemn North Korea's latest satellite launch using ballistic missile technology and discourage it from holding mores test.
- The bodies of 10 people have been recovered from the site of Wednesday’s plane crash in Russia’s northwestern Tver region, according officials; Prigozhin was among the 10 people on board.
- Maui County officials released the names of 388 people still missing in the aftermath of the deadly Hawaii wildfires, according to a statement.
- The EU "strongly" condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's comments on the freedom of movement of Arabs in the occupied West Bank, said media reports.
- Spanish police announced it seized nearly 9.5 tons of cocaine in the port of Algeciras, the largest cocaine bust in Spanish history.
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said there are no alternatives to the suspended Black Sea Grain Initiative, as they carry risks.
- Due to an unprecedented drought that has lowered the water level, the Panama Canal put in place restrictions for the transit of ships for one year, said officials from the waterway.
- British Museum Director Hartwig Fischer announced his resignation after treasures were stolen from the institution.
SPORTS
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tipped off with an opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena, with 38,115 spectators setting a new attendance record.
"We all knew the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 was going to be special and within the first day we already have evidence of this, having witnessed this historic moment," Basketball World Cup Chairman Richard Carrion said in his opening speech.
In a speech, the president of Spain’s football federation refused to step down for kissing a female player while celebrating the women’s football team World Cup victory.
Luis Rubiales was widely expected to step down during an emergency meeting of Spain’s football federation. Instead, he insisted he was the victim of a witch hunt from people espousing “real feminism” and vowed to take legal action against Spanish politicians for accusing him of misconduct.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
• US inflation remains too high, Fed prepared to raise rates further: Chair Powell
US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said as inflation remains too high, the central bank is prepared to raise interest rates further.
"We intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down to our objective," he said at the annual three-day Jackson Hole symposium in the US state of Wyoming.
Powell said high inflation is a result of "very strong demand" and "pandemic-constraint" supply.
After two consecutive quarterly declines, the German economy stagnated, posting 0% gross domestic product growth in the second quarter, official figures showed.
Germany's economy did not continue to fall in the April-June period but nor did it grow, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
The country entered a recession after contracting 0.2% in the first quarter and 0.4% in the last quarter of 2022.
