Morning Briefing: June 4, 2023

TOP STORIES

Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled Türkiye’s new Cabinet at the Cankaya Palace in the capital Ankara on Saturday after he was sworn in as president in parliament.

Erdogan named Cevdet Yilmaz as new vice president and 17 other ministers took their seats in the new Cabinet.

The death toll from a massive train crash in India rose to 288 as rescuers ended a search for survivors.

The accident occurred in the Balasore district of eastern Odisha state late Friday and a rescue operation was carried out involving the National Disaster Response Force, military and other agencies, according to officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site in Odisha and reviewed the relief work.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the West does not leave Russia any path in Ukraine but the military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is “open” to achieving goals in Ukraine “by other means” than a military operation, Peskov said.

“President Putin has been, is, and will be open to any contacts in order to achieve the fulfillment of our tasks by other means than military operation. If (non-military ways) were possible, it would be preferable,” Peskov told TV channel Rossiya 24.

Preparations have begun for the transfer of units to Sultan Murat Barracks in the southern Kosovar city of Prizren by Sunday or Monday, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said.

“Amid recent developments in Kosovo, a commando battalion affiliated to our 65th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command, which was previously assigned to the NATO Kosovo Force, was assigned as a reserve force at the request of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Naples,” the ministry said in a statement.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Azerbaijan advised its citizens against traveling to Iran after it sent a note of protest to Tehran regarding a missing Azerbaijani student.

• The US, South Korea and Japan decided to operate a system enabling them to share warning data in real time of future missile launches by North Korea.

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian armed forces are now ready to launch a counteroffensive against Russia.

• A mosque in the central German city of Duisburg received a racist threat letter, said a religious official.

• The EU urged Kosovo to suspend police operations in the north where ethnic Serbs have been protesting.

SPORTS

• Leipzig beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to claim the 2023 German Cup.

Christopher Nkunku netted the first goal in the 71st minute at Berlin Olympic Stadium.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s second goal in the 85th minute brought back-to-back Pokal cup victories to Leipzig.

• Marco Asensio leaving Real Madrid

Spanish attacker Marco Asensio will leave Real Madrid, the his club announced.

Los Merengues thanked the 27-year-old player for seven seasons with the club.

“As madridistas we will never forget his career and his outstanding conduct during all this time,” said the Spanish powerhouse. “Real Madrid is and will always be his home, and we wish him and all his family the best of luck in this new chapter in his career.”

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

• US President Biden signs debt ceiling bill into law

Joe Biden signed the bill into law aimed at preventing a potential default crisis.

“I just signed into law a bipartisan budget agreement that prevents a first-ever default while reducing the deficit, safeguarding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and fulfilling our scared obligation to our veterans,” said Biden.

• Russia opens Arctic port of Tiksi for entry of foreign vessels

The Russian government decided to open for the entry of foreign vessels to its port of Tiksi, located on the coast of the Laptev Sea in the northern part of the Arctic region of Sakha or Yakutia.

The Cabinet believes the port could handle 30 million tons of cargo per year.

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