July 13, 2023

*) Türkiye 'more hopeful than ever' over F-16 purchase from US: Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he is "more hopeful than ever" about the country’s F-16 purchase from the United States. Erdogan issued the statement at the end of the NATO summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius. He said Ankara expects that to reach a positive outcome, although no timeline has been set. US President Joe Biden has already signalled his approval of the deal which needs approval from the US Congress. *)Russian general says top military brass betrayed soldiers fighting in Ukraine A Russian general claimed he was fired as a commander in southern Ukraine after telling Moscow of the dire situation at the frontline Major General Ivan Popov made the revelation in a voice message published by a Russian lawmaker. He said more and more Russian soldiers were killed by Ukrainian artillery and that the army lacked proper fighting equipment. Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far kept Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his top general in their jobs after the June 24 mutiny by Wagner mercenaries. *)Junior doctors begin 'longest strike' in UK's NHS history Hospital doctors in England are set to stage the biggest walkout in the history of the state-funded National Health Service, prompting fears for patient safety. The unprecedented five-day stoppage will begin Thursday over pay and staffing. It is the latest in eight months of industrial action across the country’s health service, which is already reeling from a vast pandemic backlog. Nurses, ambulance staff and other medical staff have all joined picket lines in recent months, adding to pressures on patient appointments. *)UN: Conflict in Sudan displaced over 3 million people The UN has reported that the conflict in Sudan has already driven more than 3 million people from their homes. More than 2.4 million are now displaced internally, while over 700,000 have fled to other countries, the International Organization for Migration said. Egypt is hosting the larg