August 29, 2023

*) President Erdogan to visit Russia 'soon', raising hopes over the grain deal Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Russia's coastal city of Sochi "soon", raising hopes of revival of the Black Sea grain deal. Currently, Türkiye is continuing its efforts to revive the grain deal, and says that there is no alternative to the initiative, seen as crucial to ensuring global food security. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is also expected to visit Russia soon to hold face-to-face talks for resumption of the deal. *) Judge rejects Trump plea for delay, sets March 2024 trial in poll case US District Judge Tanya Chutkan has set a March 4, 2024, trial date for Donald Trump in the federal case in Washington, where the former president is charged with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Trump’s attorneys had requested to push back the trial by years, claiming that it is necessary to account for the huge volume of evidence they say they are reviewing and to prepare for what they contend is a novel and unprecedented prosecution. However, the judge rejected their request saying, “The public has a right to a prompt and efficient resolution of this matter”. *) Germany reports over 250 anti-Muslim crimes in first half of this year German police have recorded 258 anti-Muslim crimes in the first half of 2023, according to figures by the parliament. According to the information provided by the ministry, the cases include hate crimes, threatening letters, verbal and physical assaults, vandalism or property damage. More than a dozen mosques were attacked between January and June, and dozens of Muslims were physically assaulted or verbally harassed on the street or in public places. Seventeen people were injured in these attacks. Most of the crimes were committed in the eastern German states, the traditional stronghold of far-right parties, according to the figures. But scores of these hate crimes were also registered in the capital Berlin, and the western cities of Cologne, Frankfurt and M