Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – June 2, 2022

By Seda Sevencan

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments from around the world.

Türkiye is set to clear two areas of northern Syria near the Turkish border of terrorist elements in a bid to eliminate the terror threat from the region, the nation’s president said Wednesday.

“We are entering a new phase of our decision to establish a safe zone 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) deep south (of the Turkish-Syrian border). We are clearing Tel Rifat and Manbij of terrorists,” said Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

All 30 NATO members are ready to come to the table to address Türkiye's security concerns related to the PKK terror group, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.

Stoltenberg said he will convene a meeting of senior officials from Türkiye, Sweden and Finland in Brussels "in the coming days," adding he is confident "we will find a united way forward."

The country name "Türkiye" is replacing "Turkey" at the UN following a request by Ankara to be referred to as such, the international body announced Wednesday.

Third countries face the risk of involving themselves in the war in Ukraine if they follow that country's "demands," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned Wednesday.

US President Joe Biden announced $700 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday as the war drags on in the eastern part of that country.

A jury in the US state of Virginia handed actor Johnny Depp a court victory, finding that he was the victim of defamation from ex-wife Amber Heard in a 2018 op-ed.