Morning Briefing: Sept. 19, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday with, including tensions between Canada and India over the death of a Sikh leader, Türkiye’s developing cooperation with the US, and the latest in a prisoner swap deal between US and Iran.

TOP STORIES

• Canada, India expel diplomats as tensions soar over Sikh man's murder

Tensions between Canada and India soared as the two countries expelled each other's senior diplomats following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusations of India's involvement in the murder of a Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In the latest move, India expelled a Canadian diplomat, and told him to leave the country in the next five days. India said Tuesday that allegations of its involvement in any act of violence in Canada are "absurd and motivated."

On Monday, Canada expelled a diplomat, who according to reports is identified as Pavan Kumar Rai, the Canadian head of New Delhi’s Research and Analysis Wing, the Indian foreign intelligence agency.

Nijjar was shot dead in British Columbia on June 18, and was a vocal supporter of independence for the Khalistani state in the Punjab region.

• Türkiye pleased with developing cooperation with US, says President Erdogan

Türkiye is pleased with its developing cooperation with the US, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

"We have resolved most of our deadlocks during talks with (President Joe) Biden, and we have decided to hold more talks," said Erdogan during a roundtable discussion with think tank representatives in New York, where he is taking part in the UN General Assembly.

The Turkish leader said the two nations will strengthen cooperation in efforts against terrorism, which he said “poses threats to both countries."

• Iran confirms release of 5 Iranians held by US, transfer of frozen assets

Iran has confirmed the release of five of its prisoners in the US on Monday as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Washington.

Iranian media also confirmed that five Americans held by Tehran were also transferred to the Qatari capital, Doha, on a Qatari flight.

Iran's top banker also confirmed on Monday that €5.57 billion ($5.95 billion) have been transferred to six Iranian bank accounts in Qatar as part of the deal.

Shortly after a prisoner swap between Washington and Tehran, US President Joe Biden announced on Monday new sanctions against former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the country's Intelligence Ministry.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that it carried out strikes on warehouses where Ukrainian troops were storing depleted uranium shells.

• Baku on Monday demanded Armenia to immediately withdraw its armed forces from the Azerbaijani territory of Karabakh, and abolish the military and administrative structure of the so-called regime in the region.

• Only the Russian and Ukrainian presidents can determine when the war in Ukraine will come to an end, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with the Public Broadcasting Service, an American public broadcaster.

• A number of Palestinians on Monday sustained injuries from Israeli forces in eastern Gaza during a protest against Israeli violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

• Libya’s Tripoli-based unity government on Monday said that 70% of the infrastructure in eastern Libya was damaged by last week’s devastating floods, including 80% of water pipelines, and 50% of roads.

• One in four Somalis, or 4.3 million people, face hunger and need urgent assistance due to hostile weather events and other conflicts, the UN and other humanitarian groups operating in the Horn of Africa country said on Monday.

• A group of 12 Muslim Americans, including a longtime New Jersey mayor, sued the Justice Department on Monday in an attempt to end its use of a secretive FBI watchlist that they describe as a "de facto Muslim registry."

• Thousands of Iranians lined up outside an airport in the capital Tehran to welcome Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of his team’s face-off against Iran’s Persepolis club.

SPORTS

• Monaco remains at top of French Ligue 1 despite Lorient draw

Monaco remained at the top of the French Ligue 1 after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Lorient.

After the latest matches in the top five European leagues over the weekend, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, and Monaco are in top positions in their respective leagues.

• Tennis champion Djokovic to miss 2023 Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic will miss next month’s 2023 Rolex Shanghai Masters, the 36-year-old tennis legend has announced on X.

Djokovic bagged his 24th Grand Slam singles title by beating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in the 2023 US Open final on Sept. 10.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Iraq Development Road project an 'opportunity to build new world,' says Turkish president

Türkiye will have an opportunity to build a new world with steps taken on the Iraq Development Road project, linking southern Iraq to its neighbor Türkiye, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

Speaking at the Concordia summit in New York, where he is taking part in UN General Assembly meetings, Erdogan said: “Through taking such a step we will have the opportunity to build a new world.”

• Rents in UK reach record highs

The UK is experiencing an unprecedented surge in residential rents, said data from estate and letting agent, Hamptons.

The average rent for newly let properties has skyrocketed by an astonishing 12% over the past year, marking the fastest rate of increase since the index's inception in 2014.

The average monthly rent for newly let homes in August soared to £1,304 ($1,616).