Morning Briefing: April 6, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Saturday, including NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's expressing concern about Russian spying activities with the Western military alliance, the UN's report on nearly 200 humanitarian workers who have been killed in Gaza, including 180 UN staff in six months and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's flaying Israel's aid provision in Gaza as ‘woefully insufficient, unacceptable’

TOP STORIES

- Stoltenberg concerned about Russian spying activities within NATO

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern about Russian spying activities on the Western military alliance.

“We have seen that Russian intelligence services have operated across European countries for many years. We also see attempts to step up their activities, but of course NATO allies are monitoring and following this very closely,” Stoltenberg said in an interview with Germany's top-selling Bild daily.

“And we have also taken some measures to make it harder for the Russian security intelligence services to conduct illegal activities among or inside NATO allied countries,” he said.

Stoltenberg said several Russian personnel had in the past been expelled from NATO headquarters amid espionage allegations

- US secretary of state flays Israel's aid provision in Gaza as ‘woefully insufficient, unacceptable’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described Israel's measures to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as "woefully insufficient and unacceptable," stressing immediate humanitarian assistance for people in the besieged enclave.

"Despite important steps that Israel has taken to allow assistance into Gaza, the results on the ground are woefully insufficient and unacceptable," Blinken said during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Belgium.

One hundred percent of the population in Gaza knows acute levels of food insecurity, he said, adding that 100% of the population needs humanitarian assistance.

He emphasized Israel's "moral, strategic, and legal" responsibilities to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid to those in need

- Nearly 200 humanitarian workers, more than 33,000 Palestinians killed in Israel since Oct. 7: UN

Nearly 200 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza, including 180 UN staff in six months, and more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed in Israel, the UN human rights office said.

"This week, the world was shocked by Israel's killing of seven people working for World Central Kitchen," said Jeremy Laurence, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"As we approach six months of hostilities, it is with deep sadness and outrage that we reflect on the devastation and death toll in Israel and Gaza," he said.

"Over 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, are dead, 75,000 or more are injured, and at least 7,000 are presumed dead under the rubble," he said at a UN news conference.

NEWS IN BRIEF

- India’s defense minister denied the government had ordered "at least 20 assassinations in Pakistan" since 2020.

- Some UN Security Council members voiced concern about the killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip.

- Hamas welcomed the UN Human Rights Council passing a resolution demanding a halt in arms sales to Israel and calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes in Gaza.

- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned Israeli forces’ ban on thousands of Palestinians reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem to worship, and assaulting them.

- After Ecuador ordered Mexico's Ambassador Raquel Serur Smeke to leave, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his government would not break diplomatic ties with Ecuador.

- A UN Security Council meeting came to a brief halt when an earthquake struck the eastern US.

- The US is not planning to carry out an independent probe into Israel’s killing this week of seven food aid workers in Gaza, the White House said.

- Russia claimed that the Ukrainian settlement of Vodiane in the Donetsk region went under its control.

- European Council President Charles Michel urged an end to the use of hunger as a means of war in Gaza.

- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described Israel's measures to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as "woefully insufficient and unacceptable," stressing immediate humanitarian assistance for people in the besieged enclave.

- Despite an action plan by Germany to remove gun licenses from extremists, more than 1,000 far-right suspects still own guns legally.

- Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused US intelligence services of using journalists as agents.

- The US destroyed an anti-ship missile launched by the Yemeni Houthi group in the Red Sea, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

- Greece to purchase 35 US-made Blackhawk helicopters

Greece will purchase 35 US-made UH-60M Blackhawk general utility helicopters, defense giant Lockheed Martin announced.

“The Government of Greece signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) today making official its intent to procure 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters built by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company,” the defense firm said in a statement.

- Global food prices up after 7-month downward trend

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food price index rose 1.3 points, or 1.1%, to 118.3 points in March compared to February, increasing for the first time after a seven-month downward trend.

According to the FAO's press release on Friday, the increase in food prices was driven mainly by vegetable oils, dairy products, and meat.

Meanwhile, the index posted an annual decline of 9.9 points, or 7.7%, in March, despite the monthly overall rise.