Morning Briefing: July 17, 2026
Anadolu’s recap of top stories from around the globe
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, including US forces targeting southern Iran for the sixth consecutive day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledging to continue to fight against the FETO terrorist group until it is “totally eradicated,” and US President Donald Trump alleging that starting during the 2020 election cycle, China acquired 220 million US voter files.
TOP STORIES
US launches 6th consecutive night of strikes against Iran: CENTCOM
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces launched a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night.
"At 2 p.m. ET today, U.S. forces began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night to further degrade Iranian military capabilities," it said.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said earlier that the reason for recent US strikes is "because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them."
Turkish president vows to continue fighting FETO terror group until it is ‘totally eradicated’
Türkiye’s president pledged to continue to fight against the FETO terrorist group until it is “totally eradicated” as the nation marks the 10th anniversary of the group’s July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt.
“Let no one have any doubt: our fight will continue until FETO is totally eradicated and this treacherous network, which disguises itself in every possible form, is uprooted once and for all," Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
Trump accuses China of 'illicit acquisition' of 220M US voter files
US President Donald Trump alleged that starting during the 2020 election cycle, China acquired 220 million US voter files, calling this the "largest compromise of election data in history."
In a primetime address to the nation, Trump announced the declassification of intelligence that he said showed widespread foreign interference and serious vulnerabilities in US election systems.
Citing a CIA report, he said that in mid-2018, during his first term in office, the policy of the Chinese Communist Party was to "leverage all domestic and foreign elements" that were opposed to him in an effort to reduce the votes he would get in the 2020 election, make him resign, or prevent his reelection.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- In a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye believes that continuing the process conducted through the Istanbul talks on the Russia-Ukraine war would be highly beneficial.
- At least 11 people were killed and 19 others injured in a fire at a child welfare institution near the Algerian capital, the country's civil protection authority said.
- Ukraine's parliament approved Serhii Koretskyi as the country's new prime minister in the latest government reshuffle.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his planned trip to Washington next week, his office said.
- The UK communications regulator Ofcom launched a formal investigation into TikTok to examine whether the platform is complying with its obligations under the country’s Online Safety Act to protect children from harmful content.
- Israel's government has approved more than 1 billion shekels ($334 million) to build and upgrade roads connecting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli media.
- The Kremlin said that Russia is grateful to Türkiye for its willingness to facilitate a settlement in Ukraine.
- Syria and Germany signed an air transport agreement and announced the formation of a joint committee to advance cooperation on economic recovery, reconstruction, investment and refugee issues.
- Italy's lower house approved a contentious electoral reform bill proposed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's ruling coalition, paving the way for the legislation to be considered by the Senate.
- France has recorded nearly 11,000 fires since the beginning of the year, with around 35,000 hectares burned, already exceeding the total area destroyed during the whole of last year's fire season, Civil Protection Director General Julien Marion said.
- The Netherlands officially declared a water shortage after weeks of persistent drought, prompting authorities to raise the national drought response level.
- Poland scrambled fighter jets above the Baltic Sea after Russian military aircraft carried out another series of flights near NATO airspace.
- German troops are reportedly set to take part in a French nuclear deterrence exercise for the first time this autumn as Berlin and Paris deepen military cooperation.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Türkiye’s central government budget posts $2.4B surplus in June
The Turkish central government’s budget posted a surplus of 114.2 billion Turkish liras ($2.4 billion) in June, according to official figures.
Budget revenues jumped 66% from a year earlier to $32.09 billion, while expenditures increased 12.6% to $29.7 billion, data from the Treasury and Finance Ministry showed.
Over 1.1M flights use Turkish airspace in first half of year
More than 1.11 million flights, including 237,919 transit overflights, passed through Turkish airspace in the first six months of the year, according to data from the State Airports Authority General Directorate (DHMI).
An aircraft crossed Turkish airspace every 14 seconds during the January-June period as passenger traffic continued to grow.
EU orders Google to open Android AI features, share search data under bloc's digital rules
The European Commission adopted two legally binding decisions requiring Google to expand interoperability for rival artificial intelligence (AI) assistants on Android devices and share Google Search data with eligible third-party search providers under the Digital Markets Act.
SPORTS
British premier backs calls for FIFA investigation over Argentina Falklands banner
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer supports calls for FIFA to investigate Argentina players who displayed a banner asserting the country's claim to the Falkland Islands after their World Cup semi-final victory over England, his office said.
After Argentina's 2-1 win in the match in Atlanta, some players held up a banner which said: "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" using Argentina's term for the South Atlantic islands.
