Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing

ANKARA

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

• A blast ripped through a mosque in the Afghan capital, with at least 10 casualties reported.

• Rudy Giuliani, the personal lawyer of former President Donald Trump, exited an Atlanta courthouse in the US state of Georgia without commenting on his six-hour session before a grand jury investigating interference in the 2020 presidential election.

• Former Vice President Mike Pence said he would consider testifying before a US House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.

• US Rep. Liz Cheney -- one of Donald Trump's fiercest adversaries -- lost her Republican primary in the state of Wyoming against Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman.

• LeBron James will extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for two years, said NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed bilateral relations and regional issues with the prime minister of Israel in a phone call amid a decision by the two countries to reappoint ambassadors.

• Israel’s prime minister said the renewal of relations with Türkiye is an important asset for regional stability and important economic news for the citizens of Israel.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in the Ukrainian city of Lviv for a trilateral meeting with the Ukrainian and Turkish presidents to oversee a recently-brokered grain deal.

• A prominent rights group in an open letter to digital platforms expressed concern about "disinformation and threats of violence" ahead of Brazil's presidential election scheduled in October.

• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance stands ready to prevent an escalation between Kosovo and Serbia because of recent border tensions.

• Iran said it is ready for a prisoner swap with the United States.

• A former minister with the ruling Nea Dimokratia (ND) party said the surveillance scandal has severely harmed democracy in Greece.

• The European Parliament is working with Greek authorities on an investigation into the illegal surveillance of Nikos Androulakis, a Greek EU lawmaker and the leader of the PASOK party, the spokesman for the EU institution’s president told Anadolu Agency.

• Germany is under the threat of drought as summer temperatures and reduced rainfall have seen water levels fall further in the Rhine River, a major transportation route.

• The Syrian regime denied reports about holding American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing a decade ago while covering the country’s civil war.

• Mali accused France of providing information and weapons to terrorists, according to local media.

• A coalition of 15 civil society organizations in Niger has expressed disappointment over the deployment of French troops in their country.

• North Korea test-fired two cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea, the South Korean military claimed.

• Turkish Airlines has been the “biggest winner” as global aviation and tourism picks up again after the abrupt halt brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a French financial newspaper.

• Türkiye’s Communications Directorate held a panel in Paris to emphasize the need for UN Security Council reform.

• At least 21 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels surrounded Taiwan, the self-ruled island’s Defense Ministry said.

• A major British water company announced a hosepipe ban for the south of England from next week following prolonged heat waves and a drought.

• Ukraine’s president has warned Ukrainians to be careful against explosions after blasts Tuesday in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

• Billionaire Elon Musk said he has no plans to buy football club Manchester United, hours after sparking an internet frenzy with a tweet.