Morning Briefing: August 7, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday with, including, closure of airspace in Niger, a deadly train accident in Pakistan, and Ukraine's strikes on Russian bridges.

TOP STORIES

• Niger closes country’s airspace as ECOWAS deadline to reinstate president ends

Niger’s military leaders announced Sunday that the country’s airspace had been closed in response to the possibility of military intervention from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

"A foreign country is preparing to attack our country with ECOWAS cooperation," said Col. Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for the military junta, adding that any airspace violation would be met with a swift and strong response.

The Wall Street Journal reported that ECOWAS needed more time for military operations, after its deadline to military junta expired for releasing President Mohamed Bazoum and allowing him to return to office.

• Dozens killed in Pakistan as passenger train derails

At least 30 were killed and 100 injured after several carriages of a local train derailed in southern Pakistan.

Army and paramilitary force were called in to assist the rescue operation as authorities feared a rise in the death toll as passengers remain trapped inside the toppled carriages, while several injured are critical.

Train accidents are not rare in the South Asian nation, mainly because of weak infrastructure and lax safety standards.

​​​​​​​Some 63 passengers were killed in a collision between two trains in Sindh in June 202

• Ukraine confirms it hit 2 key bridges to Crimea

The Ukrainian armed forces confirmed on Sunday that they hit the Chonhar and Henichesk bridges leading to Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

"At around 15.00, the defense forces struck the Chonhar and Henichesk bridges, which are important communication routes of the invaders," the armed forces said in a statement.

Earlier, Russia said that Ukraine fired missiles at the Chonhar bridge that connects the Kherson region to the Crimean Peninsula.

The Russian-installed head of Crimea said that some missiles were shot down by air defense systems and that there were no casualties.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Mali and Burkina Faso declared head of the African Union (AU) persona non grata due to a controversy over a family photo taken during last month’s Russia-Africa Summit.

• Two bodies of a woman and a child were recovered and 31 migrants are still missing after two boats capsized overnight off Italy, local media reported on Sunday.

• Israeli protesters took to the streets on Saturday against the coalition government's judiciary regulation, entering their 31st straight week.

• The Sudanese Armed Forces conducted their first aerial bombardment of positions of RSF in the presidential palace, which has been controlled by the paramilitary group since April.

• China’s foreign minister held a phone call Sunday with the European Union’s foreign policy chief calling for increased dialogue for development of strategic partnership between China and the EU.

• Attacks on the Muslim holy book continued in Denmark, as an Iranian-born Danish woman desecrated a copy of the Quran in the capital Copenhagen.

• YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat was charged over the weekend with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly after a PlayStation 5 giveaway he organized sparked mayhem in New York City.

SPORTS

• Sweden eliminate defending champions US from FIFA Women’s World Cup

Sweden on Sunday beat the US 5-4 on penalties to eliminate the defending champions from the FIFA Women's World Cup.

This result marked the earliest elimination of the US, which is the most successful team in the history of the tournament with four titles.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands reached the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinals by beating South Africa 2-0 in a round of 16 game on Sunday.

• Turkish archer Gazoz bags gold at 2023 World Archery Championships

Turkish archer Mete Gazoz on Sunday bagged a gold medal at the Berlin 2023 Hyundai World Archery Championships.

Gazoz beat Canadian Eric Peters 6-4 in the recurve men’s final.

Gazoz had also bagged a gold medal in the men's individual archery at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.