ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit to Türkiye, the whereabouts of Wagner chief, and the number of protestors arrested in France.

TOP STORIES

• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to visit Türkiye today

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday will pay a working visit to Istanbul and meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During one-on-one and inter-delegation meetings, Erdogan and Zelenskyy are set to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues, including the latest developments in Russia-Ukraine, the Black Sea grain deal, which is set to expire on July 17, and ensuring peace and stability in the Black Sea region.

• Russia does not know Wagner chief’s current location, says spokesperson

The Kremlin does not monitor the movements of paramilitary Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"We do not follow his movements, we have neither the opportunity nor the desire," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

Earlier, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Prigozhin was not currently in Belarus, where he was exiled following the group's brief uprising last month. Lukashenko added that there are no risks for Belarus if the paramilitary group fighters are stationed in his country.

• French police arrest nearly 4,000 during protests over teen killing

French police have arrested nearly 4,000 people during nationwide protests over the killing of a 17-year-old boy, the country’s interior minister said.

Gerald Darmanin, testifying at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, said the average age of the protesters arrested was 17.

"12,031 vehicles were set on fire, 2,508 buildings were either set on fire or damaged, including 105 town halls and 168 schools," Darmanin explained.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Sweden's legislative changes in line with a Madrid memorandum signed last year must be implemented, Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after a joint mechanism meeting between Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden in Brussels.

• US urged Russia to extend a crucial grain deal Thursday aimed at facilitating the transportation of grains from Ukrainian ports. "Russia halts and delays grain shipments sometimes for months," the State Department said on Twitter.

• UN strongly condemned Israeli violence Thursday and its excessive use of force in the occupied West Bank City of Jenin, which left 12 Palestinians dead.

• French Foreign Ministry rejected Russian claims about weapons supplied to Ukraine being used in protests, adding that they provide Kyiv with arms to support its legitimate defense action against illegal Moscow aggression on its soil.

• Ivan Marquez, who used to be second-in-command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and later became the leader of a faction of former FARC rebels who returned to arms after a peace deal with Colombia's government, has died in Venezuela.

• Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon region dropped by 33.7% during the first six months of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s term, according to newly released data from the country's Environment Ministry.

• Twitter threatened to sue Facebook parent, Meta, for its new Threads platform, according to a report on Thursday. The news website, Semafor, citing a letter reported that Twitter accused Meta of "systematic" and "unlawful misappropriation" of trade secrets following the launch of the Threads app.

SPORTS

• Turkish sensation Arda Guler signs 6-year contract with Real Madrid

Turkish wunderkind Arda Guler moved to Real Madrid from Fenerbahce on a six-year contract, the Spanish club confirmed on Thursday.

Fenerbahce said on the Turkish Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) that Real Madrid would pay a €20 million ($21.7 million) transfer fee to the 18-year-old Guler.

Guler produced six goals and claimed seven assists last season in 35 matches for Fenerbahce, which came second in the Turkish Super Lig standings.​​​​​​​

• Spanish winger Marco Asensio joins PSG

Spanish winger Marco Asensio moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a three-year deal until June 2026, the club said on Thursday.

The 27-year-old said it is a "privilege" to be a PSG player, and he cannot wait to join the team.

During his seven seasons with Real Madrid, Asensio tallied 61 goals and 32 assists in 286 matches to win three UEFA Champions League titles, three Spanish La Liga titles, and four FIFA Club World Cups.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

• Major central banks mostly raise interest rates over last year

Ten major central banks, including those of the US, EU, Canada, and Australia, raised interest rates in most of their meetings last year as inflation saw record levels.

Persistent and high, the speed by which prices increased since July 2022 prompted central banks to hike interest rates one after the other in 66 of their total 77 monetary policy meetings.

• Mortgage applications in US dive 4.4% to lowest as rates rise

Mortgage applications in the US dove last week to the lowest level in a month as rates increased, according to a report Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 4.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending June 30, compared to the previous week. On an unadjusted basis, however, the index increased by 6%.​​​​​​​