Morning Briefing: August 22, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including political developments in Thailand, the Turkish president's concerns about Northern Cyprus, wildfires in Greece, and the latest on the Sudan conflict.

TOP STORIES

• Thai lawmakers to elect new prime minister today as ex-premier returns from exile

Pheu Thai party leader Chonlanan Srikaew has nominated Srettha Thavisin for prime minister, as the bicameral parliament will vote for a second time on Tuesday to elect the chief executive of the Southeast Asian nation.

The vote in parliament is taking place at a time when former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned home, ending his 15 year self-exile on Tuesday. He faces corruption charges and his jail term extends at least eight years.

• UN peacekeeping force's intervention in Northern Cyprus road construction 'unacceptable': Turkish President

The UN peacekeeping forces' intervention in the road construction in Northern Cyprus was "unacceptable," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after a cabinet meeting on Monday.

His remarks came after the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) last week intervened in road construction work to link the Turkish Cypriot village of Pile in the buffer zone with the rest of the TRNC.

The road expansion is strategically important for residents as it will give them more options to reach Pile, where Turks and Greek Cypriots live together.

• Evacuations continue in Greece as its requests help from EU

Greece continued to grapple with major wildfires as it requested the European Civil Protection Mechanism to be activated by the European Union.

Evacuations continued in affected areas as fires ravaged the northeastern regions of Kavala and Rodopi as well as on Evia Island and in the province of Boeotia.

One person, reportedly an immigrant, was found dead in the village of Lefkimmi, while in Boeotia, an 80-year-old shepherd who reportedly went to save his flock was found dead.​​​​​​​

• RSF says it killed 260 Sudanese soldiers

Sudan's main paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said Monday that they killed 260 soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) amid intensified clashes.

The RSF said in the statement that it also captured part of a SAF tank unit in southern Khartoum and seized tanks and military vehicles. However, the SAF denied the claims.

Eyewitnesses said there were aggressive battles Monday between the two sides in southern Khartoum and Omdurman with intensive airstrikes, bombings and drone strikes.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Former US President Donald Trump announced on a social media platform that he intends to surrender himself at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday.

• China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in South Africa close to midnight on Monday for his fourth state visit to the country, which coincides with the 15th BRICS summit.

• Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the envoys of Denmark and the Netherlands over continued desecration of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, said Turkish diplomatic sources.

• The US has approved the sale of 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and related equipment to Poland for an estimated cost of $12 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Monday.

• The Pakistan Army said Monday that Indian border guards resorted to “unprovoked” firing at the Kashmir border, killing a 62-year-old man.

• Türkiye rescued 94 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea after they were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities, the Turkish Coast Guard said on Monday.

• Greece will train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 jets, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is on an official visit to Athens, said on Monday night.

• Nurse Lucy Letby has been sentenced to whole life in prison for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others in a neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwestern England.

SPORTS

• Mason Greenwood set to leave Manchester United after inquiry

Manchester United on Monday announced that Mason Greenwood will leave the English Premier League side following an internal investigation into allegations of attempted rape.

Greenwood was arrested last year on suspicion of rape and assault after police were notified of online social media images and videos posted by a woman who reported physical violence.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Oil surge over global supply concerns

Oil prices increased on Monday over tight global supply concerns after lower output from OPEC+ countries, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

International benchmark Brent crude traded at $85.45 per barrel at 10.28 a.m. local time (0728 GMT), a 0.77% rise from the closing price on Friday of $84.80 per barrel.

• China suspends mango imports from Taiwan

The country's General Administration of Customs said it decided to suspend the mango imports after it detected Planococcus minor pest in mangoes originating from the island nation, Beijing-based daily Global Times reported.

This pest poses a serious threat to both the agricultural and ecological security of the mainland, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council spokesman Zhu Fenglian said in a statement.​​​​​​​