ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Friday with, including the Israeli army withdrawing from Tulkarem in the West Bank after a 48-hour military operation, the CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram being charged in France and released on $5.5 million bail, and the US rejecting the idea of mass displacements of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

TOP STORIES

• Israeli army withdraws from Tulkarem in West Bank after 48-hour military operation

The Israeli army withdrew from the city of Tulkarem and its refugee camps in the northern occupied West Bank following a 48-hour military operation.

Witnesses told Anadolu that the army pulled out of the city leaving behind four people dead, several injured and significant damage to infrastructure.

They added that Israeli military bulldozers destroyed main roads, vandalized water and sewage networks, knocked down power poles, demolished homes and damaged vehicles.

• Telegram CEO charged in France, released on $5.5M bail

Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, was charged in France for failing to take action against users' criminal behavior after almost four days in detention.

Durov's detention, which began on Saturday and was extended once, ended on Wednesday, and he was brought before a Paris court, broadcaster BFMTV said.

French judges charged Durov but released him on €5 million ($5.5 million) bail under judicial supervision, with a restriction on leaving France, according to the broadcaster.

• US rejects idea of mass displacements of Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The US rejected the idea of mass displacements of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for the "temporary evacuation" of Palestinian civilians to carry out an operation.

"We reject the idea of mass displacements of Palestinians in the West Bank, while we recognize that localized evacuation orders may be necessary in certain instances to protect civilian lives during sensitive counter-terrorism operations," a State Department spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said in response to a question by Anadolu.

On Israel's military offensive in the occupied West Bank, the spokesperson said the US recognizes Israel’s "very real security needs, which includes countering terrorist activity in the West Bank.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The US Army strongly rebuked Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's election campaign, saying a cemetery staffer was "abruptly pushed aside" when she attempted to enforce longstanding rules at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC).
• At least 20 more Palestinians were killed, including children, and several others injured due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, according to multiple sources.
• The EU foreign policy chief called for international attention to the escalating situation in the West Bank and Gaza, suggesting potential sanctions against Israeli ministers.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a "preliminary commitment for area-specific humanitarian pauses" during a polio vaccination campaign set to begin on Sept. 1 in the Gaza Strip.
• Ukraine announced the crash of an F-16 fighter jet recently delivered as part of a batch from Western countries.
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the volatile situation in the Middle East.
• China urged the US to reduce its nuclear arsenal "substantively" and cease the proliferation of nuclear materials and technology.
• The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) met with leaders of UN agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo to address the ongoing mpox outbreak that is affecting the region.
• Israel’s ongoing military operation in the northern West Bank “may continue for several days and possibly longer,” a military spokesperson told Anadolu.
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned of the “extreme danger” from an ongoing Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank.
• Two Israeli ministers attacked EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell over his calls for imposing sanctions against Israeli ministers.
• The EU called for humanitarian pauses in the war-torn Gaza to allow for a critical vaccination campaign against poliovirus, according to a statement from the EU High Representative’s office.
• Turkish security forces “neutralized” 65 PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Iraq and northern Syria over the past week, the country’s National Defense Ministry said.
• The Israeli foreign minister’s call to displace people from the West Bank is “completely unacceptable,” the EU foreign policy chief said.
• Ukraine claimed that it downed 60 Russian drones in multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv.

• The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry has accused Somalia of "colluding with external actors" following recent military aid provided to the country by Egypt.
• The EU foreign policy chief said he will ask the bloc’s foreign ministers to consider sanctions against Israeli ministers, who have been launching “unacceptable hate messages against Palestinians.”
• At least 17 Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire amid an ongoing military operation in the northern West Bank since Wednesday, the Red Crescent Society said.
• Recent Russian missile strikes that struck an area close to a major dam and hydroelectric power plant near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv sparked concerns about potential flooding and power outages.
• Venezuela strongly condemned a large-scale military operation launched by Israel in the occupied West Bank.

SPORTS

• Dutch striker Weghorst moves to Ajax from Burnley

Wout Weghorst has moved to Ajax from Burnley FC in a deal that will last until June 30, 2026, Ajax confirmed.

"I have played here before, also with the national team. But this time, walking in felt a little different. I am super happy and incredibly proud," Weghorst said in a statement on X.

Technical director Alex Kroes heaped praise on Weghorst in a separate statement, saying: "Wout stands for an absolute top sports experience, and we find that extremely important at Ajax. He is a prolific striker who constantly makes things difficult for every opponent. There are many matches coming up in the next few months, so we are happy that Wout is joining us."

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Canada's current account deficit widens to $8.5B in Q2

Canada’s current account deficit widened to $8.5 billion in the second quarter of this year on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking an increase of $3.1 billion from the previous quarter, Statistics Canada reported.

The country’s current account balance has been in deficit for eight consecutive quarters.

"This increase reflected a higher trade in goods deficit combined with a deterioration of the investment income balance and was partially offset by a lower trade in services deficit," said the statement.