Morning Briefing: October 5, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) — Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Thursday, including the release of radioactive water by Japan, a deal on migration policies reached by EU member states, and remarks by Türkiye’s foreign minister on facilities used by the PKK/YPG terror group days after it staged an attack in the country's capital.

TOP STORIES

• Japan releases treated radioactive water from Fukushima plant

Japan began releasing a second batch of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.

The second stage of the release will continue until Oct. 23, Yonhap News reported.

The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) plans to eject about 460 tons of treated water daily about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) off the coast through an underwater tunnel.

Tepco first began releasing the treated radioactive water from the plant in August, triggering a strong reaction from China and opposition parties in South Korea.

• EU reaches breakthrough deal on migration policy reform

EU member states have reached a breakthrough deal on reforming the bloc’s migration and asylum policy, the Spanish EU presidency announced on Wednesday.

While details of the deal have yet to be announced, the agreement is considered a breakthrough towards reforming EU asylum and migration policy.

EU member states have been strongly divided over how to handle the issue.

The deal will lay the groundwork for Council of the EU representatives as they negotiate the final legislation with the European Parliament and European Commission.

• PKK/YPG terror group facilities in Iraq, Syria 'legitimate targets' of Türkiye: Foreign Minister Fidan

Facilities belonging to the terror group PKK/YPG in Iraq and Syria are "legitimate targets" of the Turkish Armed Forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday.

In a press conference with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Tahsin Ertugruloglu, Fidan said that it became clear that the two terrorists involved in Sunday’s attack in Ankara, came from Syria.

The PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG, are known for using northern Iraq and northern Syria, near the Turkish border, as hideouts to plot terror attacks on Türkiye and Turkish forces.

Fidan also warned third parties — without naming them — to stay away from PKK/YPG facilities.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Hours after US Representative Jim Jordan announced his candidacy Wednesday for House Speaker in the wake of Kevin McCarthy's ouster, another Republican, Steve Scalise, said he would also run for the post.

• Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus, and Alexei Ekimov were jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots."

• Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has refused to attend Thursday's meeting on the Karabakh settlement in Granada, Spain, where Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and leaders from the EU, France, and Germany were expected.

• Beijing said Wednesday it welcomes a trip by US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who will be leading a bipartisan delegation of senators to China.

• Flash floods that swept through India's northeastern Sikkim state on Wednesday morning killed at least 10 people and left 82 others missing, including 22 Indian Army personnel, officials said.

• Türkiye on Tuesday destroyed 16 terror targets and “neutralized” several terrorists of the PKK and other groups in air operations in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said.

• The European Space Agency (ESA) warned Wednesday of a growing hole in the atmosphere's ozone layer above Antarctica and said it was one of the “biggest on record.”

SPORTS

• Morocco, Portugal, Spain sole candidate to host World Cup 2030 in joint bid

Spain, Portugal, and Morocco joined forces as the only bidder to host the 2030 World Cup, FIFA confirmed Wednesday.

FIFA said its council unanimously agreed to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in Uruguay's capital of Montevideo, along with three matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

• Saudi Arabia to bid to host FIFA World Cup 2034

Saudi Arabia's Football Federation is set to make a bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The move fits in with the kingdom's 2030 vision, in which sports plays a vital role in economic growth.

The Saudi Pro League recently attracted many world-class football stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US payrolls record slowest growth since 2021

US private payrolls rose by 89,000 in September, much less than market estimates, according to a report released Wednesday by a research institute.

Markets expected an increase of 153,000 jobs.

The figure for August, on the other hand, was revised up from a gain of 177,000 to 180,000.

• World Bank revises Latin America, Caribbean growth forecast to 2% from 1.5%

The World Bank revised Latin America and the Caribbean region's economic growth forecast for 2023 to 2% on Wednesday, up from a previous projection of 1.7% in June.

According to the bank, while GDP in Central and South American nations have bounced back to surpass pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, they are still in the process of converging on their former state.