Morning Briefing: April 12, 2024

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Friday, including Russia urging Iran and Israel to exercise restraint, the UN Security Council demanding accountability for attacks on aid workers in Gaza and the Israeli army launching a new military operation in central Gaza

TOP STORIES

• Russia calls on Iran, Israel to exercise restraint

Russia on Thursday urged Israel and Iran to exercise restraint following Israeli strikes on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria earlier this month.

"Now it is very important for everyone to maintain restraint to avoid a complete destabilization of the situation in the region, which already is not an example of stability and predictability," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing in Moscow.

• UN Security Council demands accountability for attacks on aid workers in Gaza

The UN Security Council expressed deep concern Thursday about the rising number of humanitarian workers killed in the Gaza Strip, which stands at 224, marking an unprecedented level of danger faced by aid workers.

Security Council members pointed out in a statement that seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

The Council emphasized that the 224 killed was three times the annual average in any conflict.

• Israeli army launches new military operation in central Gaza

The Israeli army on Thursday announced the launch of a new "targeted" military operation in central Gaza.

In a statement, the army said that before Israeli soldiers started the incursion, Israeli warplanes and artillery struck the outskirts of the Nuseirat refugee camp, claiming that the targets were the military infrastructure of the Palestinian group Hamas, including rocket launchers.

It added that the military campaign was being carried out by the army's 162nd Division, the Nahal Infantry Brigade and other units, in addition to naval fire support.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Gunmen suspected of terrorist activities opened fire on security forces surrounding their position in southwestern Russia in an operation on Thursday, the country's Federal Security Service (FSB) said.
• A total of 33,545 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said on Thursday.
• Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill tightening the rules of mobilization and punishment for evasion of military service.
• The president of the European Council said Thursday that he agreed with the Italian prime minister who said the efficient management of migration is a priority.
• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that the US must continue to play a major role in global affairs.
• German airline Lufthansa on Thursday announced extending the suspension of its flights to Iran’s capital Tehran until April 13 due to security reasons.
• The Israeli air force on Thursday conducted a drill targeting distant objectives as tensions escalate with Iran over a suspected attack by Tel Aviv on one of its consulates in Syria.
• The US is closely following the situation in the Middle East, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.
• The US continues to be concerned about the risk of escalation in the Middle East and asked countries including Türkiye, China and Saudi Arabia to "urge Iran not to escalate," according to the State Department.

SPORTS

• Fenerbahce suffer 3-2 loss to Olympiacos in Conference League

Fenerbahce suffered a 3-2 defeat to Olympiacos in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarterfinal on Thursday.

Olympiacos broke the deadlock with Kostas Fortounis in the eighth minute, and Stevan Jovetic doubled the lead in the 32nd minute at Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis in Piraeus.

In the 57th minute, Chiquinho made a close-range finish to make the score 3-0.

• Atalanta claim 3-0 win over Liverpool in Europa League quarterfinal

Atalanta secured a 3-0 win over Liverpool on the road in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg on Thursday.

Gianluca Scamacca scored twice in 38th and 63rd minutes while Mario Pasalic added a goal in the 83rd minute at Anfield stadium.

In another Thursday clash, Roma defeated AC Milan with a narrow 1-0 win. The goal came from Gianluca Mancini in the 17th minute at San Siro Stadium.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• European Central Bank keeps interest rates unchanged

The European Central Bank kept its policy interest rates constant at its April meeting on Thursday in line with market expectations.

The interest rate on the main refinancing operations, the interest rates on the marginal lending facility, and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 4.5%, 4.75% and 4% respectively, the bank announced.

Starting from July 2022, the European Central Bank (ECB) increased its interest rate from 0% to 4.5% gradually until September 2023 and then kept it unchanged until now.

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• US producer inflation in March rises 2.1% annually, 0.2% monthly; both below estimates

US producer inflation in March rose 2.1% annually and 0.2% on a monthly basis, as both figures came below market estimates, according to official figures released on Thursday.

The producer price index (PPI), which measures changes in the price of goods and services from a producer perspective, was expected to show an annual gain of 2.2%.

The figure, however, is the largest advance since rising 2.3% in April 2023, and it paced up from February, when it showed a year-on-year increase of 1.6%.