December 20, 2022

*) UN chief Guterres believes Russia-Ukraine conflict will go on UN chief Antonio Guterres has said he is not optimistic about the possibility of the war in Ukraine ending anytime soon. Guterres told reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York that he does not see “effective peace talks” happening in the immediate future. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the country’s armed forces continue to have control of Bakhmut despite Russian attacks. *) US January 6 committee recommends criminal charges against Trump The congressional committee that investigated last year's attack on the US Capitol has recommended criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. The House panel unanimously urged the Justice Department to pursue Trump for inciting an insurrection, conspiring to defraud the US government and more. In response, Trump accused the lawmakers of recommending "fake charges" against him to prevent him from running for the White House again. *) UN reports highest fatalities in years in Palestine UN’s Middle East envoy has said more than 150 Palestinians and over 20 Israelis were killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year. This is the highest number of fatalities in years, according to Tor Wennesland who called for an end to the violence at a UN Security Council meeting. He also urged Israel to cease advancement of all settlement activities as well as the demolition of Palestinian-owned properties. *) Türkiye saves over 180 irregular migrants after illegal Greek pushbacks The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued a total of 181 irregular migrants, including many who were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greece. In the first incident, teams were dispatched off the coast of Ayvacik after the coast guard learned that there were irregular migrants in an inflatable boat. They saved 39 people. In the second incident in the same region, 54 migrants were rescued. In addition, in Türkiye’s Aegean province of Mugla, 88 irregular migrants we