Morning Briefing: May 24, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday, including Russia saying it pushed back a cross-border raid from Ukraine, F-16 fighter jet training taking off for Kyiv's pilots, and the continued stall of humanitarian operations in Sudan despite a cease-fire.

TOP STORIES

• Russia claims 70 Ukrainian attackers killed in cross-border raid

Moscow said on Tuesday said that it had repelled an attack from Kyiv and killed 70 "terrorists" in its Belgorod border region.

In the rare cross-border intrusion, armed insurgents from Ukraine killed at least one woman and injured 12 people in the border areas, said Russian Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Ukrainian military intelligence said two-armed groups were responsible for the attack but denied involvement.

Russia claimed the attackers were "blocked, defeated, and thrown back to Ukrainian territory."

• Ukrainian pilots start F-16 training: EU

Ukrainian pilots have started training to use US-made F-16 fighter jets, the EU's foreign policy chief told reporters in Brussels.

Training is taking place in several countries, including Poland, Josep Borrell noted.

On the other hand, the Pentagon said it hopes to start training Ukrainians to fly F-16 fighter jets within "weeks or months."

Four countries -- the UK, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium -- have expressed willingness to train Ukrainian pilots fighting in the war against Russia, now nearly 15 months old.

• Humanitarian operations in Sudan yet to resume: UN

The UN said Tuesday that conditions were "not allowing for full-scale humanitarian operations" in Sudan despite a cease-fire between warring parties.

Humanitarian organizations are ready to move about 168 trucks to reach more than 4 million people across the country, said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

The Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group agreed last week to a seven-day truce.

More than 700 people have been killed, including 190 children, and 6,000 others injured since April 15, according to the UN.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• A Moscow court has extended the detention of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months. He was detained by Russian security services in March on suspicion of espionage.
  
  
• The death toll from last week's devastating floods in northern Italy rose to 15, local media reported. The region is still on alert for extreme weather as it recovers from its worst floods in about a century.
  
  
• German police reported over 15,500 child abuse cases in 2022, with an average of 48 children becoming victims of sexual violence every day.
  
  
• Brazil has declared a 180-day animal health emergency following the discovery of avian flu among wild birds, in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease to poultry farms.
  
  
• China's new ambassador to the US said relations between the two countries could face "serious difficulties and challenges," while expressing that he wants to enhance bilateral cooperation.
  
  
• Representatives of Brazil and the US met for the first time since 2013 to discuss a joint action plan to benefit marginalized racial and ethnic communities.
  
  
• Prince Harry lost a legal battle over his request to be allowed to make private payments for police protection while in the UK.
  
  
  SPORTS
• Cristiano Ronaldo prostrates after scoring goal

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated after scoring a goal in a Saudi Professional League match Tuesday by prostrating, as many Muslim players do in a religious show of thanks.

In the week-28 clash, Ronaldo scored Al-Nassr's third goal in the 59th minute against Al-Shabab and then performed the prostration at Riyadh's KSU Stadium.

• Arsenal star Bukayo Saka renews his contract

Arsenal's star forward Bukayo Saka signed a "new long-term contract," the London club said in a statement on Tuesday.

"It's great for the club that Bukayo has extended his contract," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. Sky Sports said the contract is for four years.

Saka, 21, has been playing for the Gunners' senior team since 2019.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

• 'Fed done or close to being done,' says former US treasury chief

The US Federal Reserve is either "done or close to being done," the former US treasury chief said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, Steven Mnuchin said the central bank was slow to raise rates and will be slow to lower them.

• Economic sanctions hurt the poor the most

Economic sanctions generate high costs, especially for poorer populations in target countries, a new study by the Munich-based Ifo Institute shows.

According to the study, UN sanctions caused growth in sanctioned countries to decline by 2% annually.