Morning Briefing: April 7, 2024

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Sunday, including the latest death toll in Gaza due to an Israeli onslaught, Peter Pellegrini’s victory in presidential election of Slovakia and a Hamas delegation’s heading to Cairo to discuss Gaza cease-fire.

TOP STORIES

• 46 additional Palestinians killed in Gaza as Israeli onslaught continues: Health Ministry

At least 46 additional Palestinians were killed and 65 injured in the last 24 hours as Israel continued its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the territory's Health Ministry.

“The Israeli occupation (forces) committed four massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 46 martyrs and 65 injured during the past 24 hours,” said a ministry statement.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 33,137 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 75,815 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

• Peter Pellegrini wins Slovak presidential election in unofficial results

Slovakian Parliament Speaker Peter Pellegrini, supported by Prime Minister Robert Fico, won the second round of the presidential election with 53.24% of the vote, according to unofficial results on Sunday.

Pellegrini, who advanced to the second round March 24, competed against former diplomat Ivan Korkov for the president’s post in a country with approximately 4.3 million voters, said the Slovak Statistical Office.

Korkov received 46.76% in the election where approximately 60% of voters went to the polls.

• Ecuadorian police raid Mexican Embassy to arrest former vice president

Police in Ecuador raided the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted asylum by Mexico.

Police entered the Mexican Embassy and detained Glas despite Mexico granting him political asylum, according to media reports.

Roberto Canseco, the head of political affairs at the Mexican Embassy, denounced the raid and said Ecuadorian police entered the embassy by force and assaulted staff.

"This is absolutely unacceptable, it cannot be, and this is literally barbaric. We are concerned for Glas' safety," said Canseco.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Hamas delegation heads to Cairo to discuss Gaza cease-fire

• Türkiye arrests 48 in anti-terror raids targeting Daesh/ISIS terrorists, Santa Maria Church attackers

• UK warns of Gaza famine as Royal Navy ship en route to region for aid effort

• Ireland ‘repulsed’ by Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza: Fine Gael party leader

• Crew of Soyuz spacecraft successfully lands in Kazakhstan

• 2 killed in terror attack in Syrian town of Cobanbey near Turkish border

• More than 31% of eligible voters cast ballots in South Korea's early voting

• Paris candle-lit vigil commemorates Australian aid worker killed in Israeli attack

• Russian Defense Ministry claims it carried out group strike on Ukraine's military industry facilities

• Israeli army detains 45 more Palestinians in West Bank raids

• German frigate thwarts cargo ship attack in Red Sea

• Thousands rally across Israel demanding early elections, hostage swap deal with Hamas

• Kuwaiti government resigns following results of parliamentary election

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Türkiye's Mesopotamia Express wraps up promotional tour, set to debut April 19

Türkiye's new tourist Mesopotamia Express train has completed its promotional tour.

A promotional tour was held before the first voyage of the tourist train, which will offer travel enthusiasts an opportunity to discover natural views along the 1,051-kilometer (653-mile) route extending from Ankara to the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

The train will make its first run April 19.

• Palestine relies on Turkish agricultural products amid instability in Red Sea

Palestine relies heavily on Turkish products specialized in fertilizers and agricultural pesticides, according to a Palestinian official.

Türkiye ranks third behind China and Israel in importing products to Palestine, a member of the Palestine Industrial Federation Board of Directors, Mohammed Abidin, told Anadolu.

Abidin said that among products his country imports from the rest of the world via Israel, food and clothing are at the top of the list.

SPORTS

• Kevin De Bruyne scores 100th goal for Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne scored his 100th goal for Manchester City after his two strikes against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"The Belgian's two magnificent strikes against Crystal Palace saw him become just the 18th man in our Club's history to reach three figures for goals scored," Manchester City said in a statement.

• Trabzonspor's stadium ban for violent clashes on pitch reduced to 4 matches

A stadium play ban for top-tier Turkish club Trabzonspor over violent clashes on the pitch has been reduced from six matches to four, according to the Turkish football authority.

After appealing the ban, Trabzonspor have been ordered to play their next four games behind closed doors, said the Turkish Football Federation in a statement.​​​​​​​