Bolton remark, Iran threatens, U.N, Australian leadership: World news round-up

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Exclusive: Bolton remarks proof U.S. targeting Turkey in economic war - Erdogan spokesman

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Wednesday remarks by the U.S. National Security Adviser regarding Turkey's economic situation were proof that the U.S. administration is targeting a NATO ally as part of an economic war. In a written statement responding to an interview which John Bolton gave to Reuters, Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the U.S. administration's most recent policies were at odds with the fundamental principles and values of the NATO alliance.

Britain to set out advice on how to prepare for a 'no deal' Brexit

Britain will step up it's planning for a no-deal Brexit on Thursday as it publishes a series of notes advising people and businesses how to protect themselves from the potential disruption of a clean break with the European Union. With less than eight months to go until the March 29 exit day, Britain has yet to reach a divorce agreement with the bloc. Negotiations resumed on Tuesday but diplomats in Brussels expect an informal deadline of October to be missed.

Images indicate North Korea halted the dismantling of launch site: think tank

Satellite photos from last week indicate North Korea halted work to dismantle a missile engine test site in the first part of August, in spite of a promise to U.S. President Donald Trump at a June summit, a Washington think tank reported on Wednesday. The 38 North project said commercial satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station taken on Aug. 16 indicated "no significant dismantlement activity" at either the site's engine test stand or launch pad since Aug. 3.

Exclusive: U.S. disregard for Turkish legal process 'unacceptable' - Erdogan spokesman

The spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday slammed what he said was the United States' disregard for Turkey's legal process, adding Washington had made arbitrary comments and demands in the case of a detained pastor. In a statement to Reuters, Ibrahim Kalin called on the United States to respect Turkey's judicial independence, one of Ankara's most pointed responses yet to criticism over its detention of evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson.

Iran threatens to hit the U.S., Israel after Trump aide warns of 'maximum pressure'

Iran warned on Wednesday it would hit U.S. and Israeli targets if it were attacked by the United States after President Donald Trump's security adviser said Washington would exert maximum pressure on Tehran going beyond economic sanctions. A U.S.-Iranian war of words has escalated since Trump withdrew Washington from the world powers' nuclear deal with Iran in May, blasting it as flawed and reimposing sanctions to choke Iran's economy and force it to renegotiate or change direction.

U.N. warns of 'lost generation' of Rohingya children

The United Nations warned on Thursday of what it described as a lost generation of Muslim Rohingya children, with half a million in refugee camps in Bangladesh facing dangers including disease and floods and those still in Myanmar lacking access to proper education. One year since 700,000 Rohingyas fled a violent crackdown by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) gave a bleak assessment of the outlook for children on either side of the border.

U.S. Embassy cuts hobble influence in Cuba: report

The United States' ability to monitor Cuba, defend human rights, conduct consular activities and comply with bilateral agreements is being undermined by a drastic reduction in staff at the embassy in Havana, according to a congressional report. The administration of President Donald Trump, which has partly rolled back Washington's detente with Cuba, has sharply reduced U.S. staff in Havana and expelled 15 Cuban diplomats.

Islamic State chief, in a rare speech, urges followers to fight on

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in his first purported speech in nearly a year, has called on followers to fight on despite recent defeats, according to an audio recording posted on the group's media outlet. In the 55-minute statement, Baghdadi congratulated what he described as the "striking lions" behind recent attacks in Canada and Europe and called on followers to use bombs, knives or cars to carry out attacks.

Australian leadership contender requests second vote on Turnbull

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's internal leadership rival on Thursday requested a second closed-door party-room vote to decide the national leadership. "I spoke with Malcolm Turnbull to advise him I believed the majority of the party room no longer supported his leadership. Accordingly, I asked him to convene a party room meeting at which I would challenge for the leadership," Dutton wrote on Twitter.

U.S. to bring back Khalilzad as special Afghanistan envoy: sources

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to tap Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born former U.S. ambassador to Kabul and Iraq, as his special envoy on Afghanistan, two U.S. officials said, the latest signal to the Taliban that the United States is serious about talks to end its longest war. The decision to tap Khalilzad, a Republican foreign policy veteran, comes as U.S. military commanders acknowledge a stalemate in the fighting and follows a meeting last month between a U.S. diplomat and Taliban officials to explore possible negotiations.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)