Morning Briefing: August 21, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Wednesday, including Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Qatar, and Israeli media claiming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sabotaging a possible cease-fire deal.

TOP STORIES

• Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on marketplace, school in Gaza

At least nine Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a marketplace in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah on Tuesday, a medical source said.

The targeted area was classified by the Israeli army as a “civilian safe zone” amid Tel Aviv’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The attack came shortly after at least 12 people were killed on Tuesday in an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City.

• Blinken, Qatari prime minister discus 'swift implementation' of Gaza cease-fire proposal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Tuesday with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on a bridging Gaza cease-fire proposal presented last week by mediators.

In Doha, Blinken and Al Thani "underscored that the bridging proposal presented by negotiators addresses the remaining gaps in a manner that allows for swift implementation of the deal," said US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel.

"The secretary and prime minister discussed continuing to work together to convey that no party should take actions to undermine efforts to reach a deal," he added.

• Netanyahu trying to 'blow up’ potential deal with Hamas: Israeli public broadcaster

Sources from the Israeli negotiating team accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to “blow up” talks to reach a hostage swap deal with Hamas, Israeli public broadcaster KAN said Tuesday.

The news coincided with media leaks about a recent meeting Netanyahu had with representatives of the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza, during which he admitted that he was unsure about the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians.

“Netanyahu's statements aim to sabotage the negotiations,” the authority reported, citing sources on the Israeli negotiating team.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• At least four people were killed and six others injured late Tuesday from Israeli airstrikes targeting the town of Al-Dhahirah in southern Lebanon, said the Lebanese Health Ministry.

• President Joe Biden approved a classified document in March directing US forces to get ready for potential "coordinated nuclear confrontations involving Russia, China and North Korea,” the New York Times reported.

• An initial assessment of the deaths of six hostages, whose bodies were recovered from Gaza by Israeli forces on Tuesday, suggests they died of suffocation caused by a gas leak in a tunnel during an Israeli army attack.

• More than 100 people are missing after a boat capsized in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said Tuesday.

• Three Palestinians were injured Tuesday in separate incidents involving Israeli army gunfire and attacks by illegal settlers across the occupied West Bank, according to official Palestinian media.

• Russia is moving a small number of forces into its Kursk region, where Ukraine has been mounting an offensive since Aug. 6, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

• Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger petitioned the UN Security Council president on Tuesday to denounce what they called Ukraine's “open and assumed support for international terrorism,” particularly in Africa’s Sahel region.

• The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon warned Tuesday of the worsening situation in Lebanon, saying that at least 3.7 million people there need assistance.

• The US is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East amid rising tensions, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

SPORTS

• Barcelona unveils photos of renovated Camp Nou

Barcelona on Tuesday released new images of its iconic Camp Nou, saying it is on track to be the biggest sports facility in Europe.

The New Barca stadium, sponsored by music streaming company Spotify, will hold 104,000 supporters, with construction set to be officially completed in the 2026-27 season.

However, the club plan to move back into the complex by mid-season this December with around 60% capacity.

• Fenerbahce ends Italian striker Joao Pedro's contract

Joao Pedro, an Italian of Brazilian descent, officially departed Fenerbahce following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract on Tuesday.

Pedro, 32, previously played for Vitoria S.C., Palermo, Santos FC, and Gremio.

The striker helped Fenerbahce win the 2022-23 Turkish Cup and scored five goals in 28 games for the team.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Canada's annual consumer inflation rises 2.5% in July, slowest pace since March 2021

Annual Canadian consumer inflation rose 2.5% in July, increasing at the slowest pace since March 2021, the country’s statistical authority said Tuesday.

While the figure came in line with market expectations, it marked a slowdown from a 2.7% annual increase in June.

• Türkiye leaves interest rates unchanged, in line with expectations

Türkiye's Central Bank on Tuesday kept the benchmark one-week repo rate constant at 50% for the fifth straight meeting, as widely expected.

Pointing to a slight hike in July inflation, the bank said indicators for the third quarter suggest that domestic demand continues to slow down with a diminishing inflationary impact.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​