Morning Briefing: Dec. 12, 2024

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Thursday with, including Ethiopia and Somalia reaching an agreement in Türkiye-mediated peace talks, pro-Palestinian protestors disrupting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's testimony in Congress, and the UN General Assembly adopting a resolution calling for an "immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire" in Gaza as well as the release of all hostages held in the conflict.

TOP STORIES

• Ethiopia, Somalia reach agreement in Ankara-mediated peace talks, Turkish president announces

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement to solve the conflict between the two nations in Ankara-mediated peace talks.

“We have taken the first step toward a new beginning based on peace, cooperation between Somalia, Ethiopia,” President Erdogan said at a joint news conference with his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Ankara’s fundamental expectation is to establish peace and stability “in this distinguished corner” of Africa between Somalia and Ethiopia, he added.

Türkiye believes the agreed-upon joint statement by Somalia and Ethiopia will establish a solid foundation for cooperation and prosperity based on mutual respect, he said.

• Gaza protesters disrupt Blinken's testimony in Congress

A group of pro-Palestinian protestors repeatedly disrupted Secretary of State Antony Blinken's testimony before a House of Representatives panel on the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

One protester shouted: “Bloody Blinken” and “Butcher of Gaza” as Blinken began his remarks.

A second demonstrator, holding a sign that read “Stop Bombing Kids” yelled: “Stop killing kids in Gaza” and “I don’t know how you can sleep at night when you’re killing so many kids in tents.” The protester was arrested and removed from the chamber.

Blinken continued his testimony despite the disruptions.

• UN General Assembly demands 'immediate, unconditional' cease-fire in Gaza, release of all hostages

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an "immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire" in Gaza as well as the release of all hostages held in the conflict.

The resolution, urging immediate humanitarian access, was adopted with 158 votes in favor, nine against and 13 abstentions.

Submitted by the Palestinian mission to the UN, the resolution demands immediate access to essential services and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.

Explicitly rejecting any actions aimed at starving Palestinians, the resolution calls for the unimpeded delivery of assistance to all areas, including besieged northern Gaza, where urgent relief is critical.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The family of Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed by Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, will meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, a family spokesperson confirmed to Anadolu
• Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on Palestine, called for a halt to direct arms transfers to Israel and a review of Israel's UN credentials to demonstrate that impunity will not be tolerated.
• Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is recovering and in stable condition, said the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital in Sao Paulo where the president was admitted.
• Russia said the inviolability of Russian facilities in Syria, including its diplomatic mission in Damascus, is a priority for Moscow, as it is closely monitoring ongoing events in the country after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
• The UN secretary-general said he stands side by side with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the people of Africa in their fight for justice on all fronts.
• Afghan acting Refugees and Repatriation Minister Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani was killed along with six others in an explosion inside his ministry building in central Kabul, local media reported.
• French President Emmanuel Macron has contacted Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream Party, to discuss ways to help resolve ongoing tensions caused by protests, the party said
• An estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths were reported worldwide in 2023, nearly the same number of fatalities but 11 million more cases compared to 2022, according to a report released by the World Health Organization.

BUSINNESS & ECONOMY

• US annual consumer inflation rises 2.7% in November, meeting estimates

The annual consumer inflation rate in the US rose for a second consecutive month to 2.7% in November, in line with estimates, according to official data.

The figure rose from 2.6% in October partly due to low base effects from the last year.

• OECD unemployment rate steady at 4.9% in October

The unemployment rate across the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area remained stable at 4.9% in October for the third consecutive month, according to data.

The total number of unemployed individuals in OECD countries rose slightly by 131,000 from the previous month, reaching 34.1 million, said the Paris-based organization.

SPORTS

• Saudi Arabia named FIFA World Cup 2034 host

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, FIFA announced during an extraordinary congress.

It will become the second Middle Eastern country to host the top-tier international football tournament after Qatar in 2022.

Morocco, Portugal and Spain were named the joint hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.