Erdogan to visit Gulf region amid row
ISTANBUL • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be visiting Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are locked in a deep diplomatic crisis, his office announced yesterday. Mr Erdogan will also visit Kuwait, the main mediator in the Qatar crisis, during his July 23-24 tour.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Ankara would continue to play a "constructive and active" role to help solve what he described as a "pointless" crisis. Mr Yildirim added that Mr Erdogan's visit would be part of this effort.
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
Lebanon ready for Syrian border op
BEIRUT • Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said yesterday the army would carry out an operation in an area of the border with Syria that has been a base of operations for militants, including militant groups.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Hariri described the operation planned for the Juroud Arsal area as carefully studied, the National News Agency reported. The government had given the army the "freedom" to act, he said.
REUTERS
Polish lawmakers to debate court Bill
WARSAW • Poland's Lower House of Parliament voted yesterday to start a debate on a Bill that the opposition said would erode judges' independence. Amid loud opposition chants of "shame, disgrace", Parliament voted to start debating the Bill that calls for an overhaul of the Supreme Court.
REUTERS