Newswatch

ANKARA:

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed.

NATO member Turkey has repeatedly said it is committed to buying the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system. (RTRS)

DOHA:

A group of sports bodies and broadcasters including the US National Basketball Association, US Tennis Association and Sky has called for the United States to add Saudi Arabia to its “priority watch list” over alleged TV piracy, filings show.

The filings, made this week with the office of the United States Trade Representative, come as a growing number of global sports and television bodies look to shut down beoutQ, a TV station they claim is based in Saudi Arabia and broadcasting sports and entertainment they hold exclusive rights for. (RTRS)

CAIRO:

Seven militants were killed and 15 Egyptian military personnel were killed or wounded in a clash in North Sinai on Saturday, the Egyptian military said.

The breakdown of military casualties was not immediately clear. However, two security sources told Reuters that the some of the injuries were serious.

Security forces launched a campaign a year ago against Islamist militants focused on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and say they have killed several hundred militants since then. (RTRS)