USA

Hurricane Milton slams into Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm

World /

 Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm packing 145 mile (233 kilometer) per hour winds, instantly destroying homes and buildings upon making landfall near Sarasota, according to media outlets. More than 20 million people in Florida and Georgia are under hurricane or tropical storm warnings, with much of north central Florida under tornado and flood warnings. The storm surge from Milton is expected to engulf the same area that was ravaged by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago, which killed more than 230 people across the southeast United States. While it is too early to accumulate casualty data, emergency officials have already confirmed several fatalities just moments after Milton made landfall. “We have lost some life,” St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson told the WPBF television station. Pearson did not reveal how many people died but said that search and rescue teams have already been called into duty. Nearly 1.7 million people are without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us, and that number is expected to increase dramatically as Milton carves its destructive path across the state, downing power lines. Residents living along Florida’s Gulf Coast were told to evacuate as the storm approached, and for those who did not leave, they were urged to shelter in place. “With night falling and power outages climbing, high winds are only getting worse across western FL,” the National Weather Service (NWS) posted on X. “While sheltering from #Milton, stay in interior rooms away from places with overhanging trees or branches,” the NWS continued, as people have died from falling trees and branches during previous hurricanes. Emergency officials on Florida’s east coast are responding to tornadoes which have reportedly touched down in several Atlantic Coast communities. Nearly 12 million residents are under tornado warnings. President Joe Biden referred to Hurricane Milton as “the storm of the century” at a White House emergency briefing and told residents to take all necessary safety precautions. “It’s a matter, literally, of life and death,” said Biden. In addition to the damaging winds and tornadoes, Milton is expected to cause catastrophic flooding across much of the state. The National Weather Service is expecting rainfall totals between 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 centimeters) in some areas. The National Hurricane Center is expecting widespread damage from Milton, forecasting tropical-storm-force winds extending out 255 miles (410 kilometers) from the center of the storm. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that hundreds of search and rescue personnel and 180 high-water vehicles are on alert to begin emergency operations. More than 6,000 state National Guard members and 3,000 more from other states are also on standby, in addition to 50,000 linemen who will work on restoring electricity after the storm.

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US confirms completion of military withdrawal from Niger

Africa /

The United States military on Monday said it had completed the withdrawal of its troops and assets from Niger, meeting a 15 September deadline. Its pull-out took place in phases, starting in May, after Niger’s new leaders scrapped a military cooperation deal with Washington. They seized power in a coup last year and in recent months, Niamey has pulled away from its Western partners, turning instead to Russia for security. The withdrawal of the US’ nearly 1,000 military personnel is seen as a major setback for Washington. Prior to the coup, Niamey had been a key partner in its battle against Islamist insurgents operating in the region. Together with France and other European countries, Washington had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance and training to Niger. The US had handed over its last military bases to local authorities last month, but about two dozen soldiers had remained, largely to oversee the withdrawal. Their departure comes amid concerns about the growing number of extremist groups operating in the West Africa region. Groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organisation operate in the vast region south of the Sahara desert. One of them, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo.

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Blinken to head to Egypt to discuss Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal

World /

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt this week to attend the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue and discuss ongoing efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal. Blinken will depart Tuesday for Egypt, where he will co-chair the opening of the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, aiming to “strengthen the bilateral relationship and deepen economic development,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. “In addition to co-chairing the strategic dialogue, the Secretary will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza that secures the release of all hostages, alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and helps establish broader regional security,” he added. The visit, Blinken’s 10th to the Middle East since Oct. 7 last year, comes as the US, along with Qatar and Egypt, are working to secure a cease-fire and hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas. US President Joe Biden said on May 31 that Israel presented a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave. The plan includes a cease-fire, a hostage-prisoner exchange, the Israeli military’s withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in aid and a permanent end to hostilities. A bridging proposal put forward by the US, Egypt and Qatar on Aug. 16 aimed to bridge the gaps over the prisoner exchange. However, critics argue that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic border area between Gaza and Egypt, has complicated potential prisoner exchange deals with Hamas. Hamas continues to demand a full Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and the return of displaced Palestinians. While US officials say that 90% of the terms of a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal have been agreed upon, Netanyahu rejects their assessment that a deal is close. Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack last year by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed 1,139 people and led to the taking of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, more than 41,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and nearly 94,400 injured, according to Gaza health authorities.​​​​​​​ Israel currently holds at least 9,500 Palestinian prisoners, while it estimates that 101 Israeli hostages are being held in Gaza, an unknown number of whom are believed to have been killed while in captivity.

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US approves $1.3B in military aid to Egypt

Egypt /

The Biden administration will provide Egypt with $1.3 billion in military assistance, including funding that Congress had tied to human rights improvements, a US State Department spokesperson said Wednesday. “This decision is important to advancing regional peace and Egypt’s specific and ongoing contributions to US national security priorities, particularly to finalize a cease-fire agreement for Gaza, bring the hostages home, surge humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in need, and help bring an enduring end to the Israel-Hamas conflict,” a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu. The spokesperson added that Egypt’s role in promoting a cease-fire in Sudan and facilitating humanitarian assistance was also critical to the decision. The decision comes despite persistent concerns from rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers over Egypt’s human rights record under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power one year after a military coup against democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.  Out of the $1.3 billion in US military aid designated for Egypt, $320 million is tied to human rights related conditions. But for fiscal year 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken used a national security waiver to bypass conditions on $225 million of the $320 million. The remaining $95 million in conditional funding lacked a waiver and is subject to the statutory requirement that Egypt “is making clear and consistent progress in releasing political prisoners, providing detainees with due process, and preventing the harassment and intimidation of American citizens,” according to the State Department. However, Blinken informed Congress Wednesday that Egypt has met these conditions, allowing the release of the remaining funds.

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EU, US, UK sign 1st-ever global treaty on artificial intelligence

Discover /

 The EU, US, and UK are among the countries that signed the first-ever international legally binding treaty addressing risks of artificial intelligence (AI), the Council of Europe said Thursday. The Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy, and the rule of law was opened for signature during a conference of Council of Europe ministers of justice in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.
 The treaty is the first-ever international legally binding treaty aimed at ensuring that the use of AI systems is fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In a statement, the Council of Europe said that the Framework Convention was signed by Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, Moldova, San Marino, the UK as well as Israel, the US and the EU. Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric said that they must ensure that the rise of AI upholds “our standards, rather than undermining them.” “The Framework Convention is designed to ensure just that. It is a strong and balanced text – the result of the open and inclusive approach by which it was drafted and which ensured that it benefits from multiple and expert perspectives,” she said in the statement.
 Buric noted that the Framework Convention is an open treaty with a potentially global reach, hoping that these will be the first of many signatures and that they will be followed quickly by ratifications so that the treaty can enter into force as soon as possible. The treaty provides a legal framework covering the entire lifecycle of AI systems, promoting AI progress and innovation while managing the risks it may pose to human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

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US defense chief to visit Germany to host Ukraine meeting

World /

 US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel Thursday to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany to host the Ukrainian defense contact group on Sept. 6, the Pentagon said Tuesday. “The Secretary and chairman (US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown) will join ministers of defense and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the continued close coordination by the international community to deliver to Ukraine the support it needs to defend itself,” spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. It will be the 24th meeting of the Ukraine defense contact group since Austin formed the international body in April 2022, he said. Austin will have a chance to meet Ukrainian and international partners later this week at Ramstein, where the US will be “very focused” on Ukraine’s security assistance needs. “In terms of any changes to our policy, I’m not going to have anything to provide again. There has been no changes. And as it relates to potential Ukrainian operations, I’m just not going to speculate or talk about potential future ops,” said Ryder. The US remains committed to supporting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and to protect its sovereign territory, as well as build its ability to deter against Russia, he reiterated. The Pentagon recently announced its latest package of security assistance for Ukraine at up to $125 million. It included key weapons and ammunition to meet Ukraine’s most urgent needs, including air-defense capabilities.

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US military destroys Houthi missiles, uncrewed surface vessel

World /

 The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday that it destroyed two Houthi missiles and a ground control station in Yemen and a vessel in the Red Sea in the past 24 hours. “U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles and one Houthi ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” CENTCOM wrote on X. “Additionally, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one Houthi uncrewed surface vessel in the Red Sea,” it said. The weapons presented a “clear and imminent threat” to US and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region, CENTCOM said. “This reckless and dangerous behavior by Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and security,” it added. Yemen’s Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Gaza. The Red Sea is one of the world’s most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments. Earlier this year, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter Houthi attacks.

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Pakistani national linked to Iran charged in US assassination plot

World /

A Pakistani national has been charged with murder-for-hire in an alleged plot to assassinate current and former government officials, the US Justice Department announced Tuesday. Asif Merchant, 46, arrived from Pakistan in April after spending time in Iran. He met an undercover FBI agent posing as a hitman and paid him $5,000 as an advance for the assassination plot, according to the statement. Merchant was arrested in New York and is currently in federal custody. In the statement, US Attorney General Merrick Garland noted the Justice Department’s commitment to countering threats from Iran. “The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens,” Garland said. FBI Director Christopher Wray described the plot as “a threat to our national security” and vowed that it “will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters there is an ongoing investigation and that “there has been no evidence to suggest that the individual named in today’s indictment has any connection to the assassination attempt against former President (Donald) Trump that happened in Butler, Pennsylvania.” Merchant was arrested while trying to leave the country a day before Trump was shot on July 13. – Pakistan in touch with US officials Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said they have seen the media reports and are in touch with Washington. “We are in touch with the US authorities and await further details. We have also noted the statements by US officials that this is an ongoing investigation,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in statement. “Before giving our formal reaction, we also need to be sure of the antecedents of the individual in question.”

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Global markets recovered after historically high selling pressure

Business /

After concerns that economic activity in the US may slow down more sharply than expected led to deepening selling pressure in global markets on Monday, risk appetite increased in the markets on Tuesday. The effects of concerns that the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates in the near future could raise concerns about the course of the economy, causing panic in the markets, were also felt intensely. The emergency rate cut decision could be interpreted as the Fed losing control over the markets, analysts pointed out, adding that the bank should clarify the steps it will take in the short term. On the other hand, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the service sector in the US provided some relief in July, while the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) service sector (PMI) increased by 2.6 points on a monthly basis to 51.4 in July, in parallel with market expectations. “It doesn’t make sense to maintain a restrictive policy stance if the economy is weakening,” said Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, a closely followed Fed officials, in an interview on Tuesday. “The employment numbers came in weaker than expected, but it doesn’t look like a recession yet,” he added Goolsbee refrained from commenting on whether the Fed would go to an emergency meeting and cut interest rates, saying that this is a very big table, so everything is always on the table, such as rate hikes and rate cuts.  With these developments, forecasts for the Fed to cut interest rates by 50 basis points in September have also strengthened. In the Eurozone, the composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which was 50.9 in June, fell to 50.2 in July, the lowest level in the last five months. The service sector PMI in the Eurozone, which was 52.8 in June, fell to 51.9 in July, the lowest level in the last four months. In Germany, service sector PMI, which was 53.1 in June, fell to 52.5 in July, the lowest level in the last four months. In the region, the Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 0.5% on a monthly basis in June, while it decreased by 3.2% annually. While cryptocurrency markets also recovered, Bitcoin increased by 2.1% to $55,506. Reflecting the decline in technology stocks yesterday.  Nvidia’s shares, one of the companies that attracted attention in the artificial intelligence rally, fell 6.36%. Apple’s shares also dropped 4.82%, while Berkshire Hathaway, where US investor Warren Buffett is the Chief Executive, halved its shares in the company. Microsoft’s shares declined 3.27%, Meta’s shares fell 2.54%, Alphabet’s shares fell 4.61% and Amazon’s shares fell 4.1%, while Tesla’s shares fell 4.23%. While banking stocks also decreased with recession fears, Citigroup’s shares fell 3.42%, Wells Fargo’s shares fell 2.14%, JPMorgan Chase’s shares fell 2.13% and Morgan Stanley’s shares fell 3.94%. US markets saw a slight downbeat on Monday, with the Nasdaq index fell 3.38%, the S&P 500 dropped 3%, and the Dow Jones decreased by 2.60%. The US 2-year bond yield closed at 3.97% while Brent crude oil prices have stood at $76,9 per barrel. The US 10-year bond yield closed at 3.84%, and gold prices down by 0.3% to $2,403 an ounce. As for the VIX volatility Index, also known as the fear index, fell to 38.57. European stock markets continued to follow a mixed trend. The FTSE 100 index in the UK dropped 2.04%, France’s CAC 40 index 1.42%, Germany’s DAX 40 index decreased 1.82% and, Italy’s MIB 30 index 2.27% on Monday.  In Türkiye, the BIST 100 index in Borsa Istanbul closed at 9,893.41 points, down 5.54% from the previous close. The USD/TRY exchange rate traded at 33.3502 at the opening of the interbank market on Monday. On the other hand, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 3.23% and the Domestic Producer Price Index (D-PPI) by 1.94% on a monthly basis in July. Annual inflation realized as 61.78% in consumer prices and 41.37% in domestic producer prices. In Asian markets, which experienced a historic decline on Monday due to rising recession concerns, some of the losses experienced with the upward trend were compensated on Tuesday. The investments made in high-yielding assets with Japanese yen borrowing on Monday triggered the selling pressure in the regional markets with the BoJ’s interest rate hike and the rapid appreciation of the Japanese yen, analysts said. Thus, both the yen, which strengthened with the hawkishness of the BoJ, and the concern that the increasing recession concern in the world could negatively affect the performance of exporting Japanese companies played an important role in deepening the selling pressure in Japanese stock markets. On the other hand, Japan’s Finance Ministry, Financial Services Agency and BoJ officials are expected to meet today to discuss the state of the markets. In addition, the Reserve Bank of Australia left the policy rate unchanged at 4.35 percent. Near the close, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 8.9%, South Korea’s Kospi index 4%, while the Hong Kong’s Hang Seng composite index fell 0.1% and China’s Shanghai index decreased 0.3%.

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UN: Nuclear weapons represent ‘real and present danger

World /

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Monday of the clear and present danger of nuclear weapons. “Nuclear weapons, and the threat of their use, are not confined to history books. They have once again appeared in the daily rhetoric of international relations,” Guterres said in a message to mark the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the US. “They represent a real and present danger that remains with us today,” he added. The Aug. 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima during World War II left an estimated 140,000 people dead by the end of the year, while an atomic bomb dropped on the city of Nagasaki three days later killed an estimated 74,000 people. “The lessons of Hiroshima, which once guided our collective efforts towards disarmament and peace, have been pushed aside,” Guterres said. While “some are recklessly rattling the nuclear saber once more,” he stressed that the UN endeavors to keep alive the lessons of 1945. He called on the world to stand together to condemn “this unacceptable behavior” and find new solutions to bring disarmament to life. “We will never forget the lessons of 6 August 1945. No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis,” he added.

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