Morning Briefing, Dec. 6, 2024

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday with, including Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Chief Antonio Guterres discussing regional and global issues, anti-regime groups in Syria capturing Hama city, French President Emmanuel Macron's accepting the Prime Minister Michel Barnier's resignation.

TOP STORIES

• Turkish president, UN chief discuss regional, global issues

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by phone for the first time during a National Security Council meeting on Thursday, discussing regional and global issues, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said on Thursday.

Erdogan told Guterres that “the Syrian conflict has reached a new phase, managed with composure,” stressing that “Türkiye’s greatest desire is for Syria to avoid further instability and civilian casualties,” according to a readout issued by the directorate following their talks.

“At this stage, the Syrian regime must urgently engage with its own people to work towards a comprehensive political solution,” the Turkish president emphasized.

• Anti-regime armed groups in Syria capture Hama city

Anti-regime armed groups in Syria have captured Hama city, seizing the city center, solidifying control and forcing the regime forces to concede the city.

Anti-regime groups established full control in the city center after capturing the Mezarib, Sanayi, and Arbain neighborhoods.

Hassan Abdul Ghani, commander of the Military Operations Department formed by anti-regime groups, said on X: "The criminal Hafez al-Assad entered it with tanks and stole it from its people, and today we entered it with tanks and returned it to its people."

French president accepts Premier Barnier’s resignation following no-confidence vote.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday accepted the toppled Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s resignation, local media reported, citing a statement from the French presidency.

Barnier went to the Elysee presidential palace and handed in his resignation during a meeting with Macron, BFMT reported.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Barnier lost the trust of the National Assembly, or lower chamber of the French parliament, after the majority of lawmakers voted for a no-confidence motion, two days after he used his discretionary powers to pass the much-debated social security budget bill without voting in parliament.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Türkiye adheres to agreements it made in operation areas in northern Syria and expects others to do the same, the National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
• A Pakistani court on Thursday indicted jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case related to attack on army headquarters last year, according to a court record.
• Russia said on Thursday that it will close Poland’s consulate general in St. Petersburg as a response to Warsaw’s decision to close Moscow’s in the city of Poznan in October.
• Hamas said Thursday that it has accepted an Egyptian proposal to form a joint Palestinian committee to run the Gaza Strip after the ongoing Israeli war.
• Türkiye’s National Security Council (NSC) declared on Thursday evening its support for Syrian territorial integrity and expressed its commitment towards stability in the country.​​​​​​​
• Turkish foreign minister Thursday discussed the latest developments in Syria with Arab League secretary-general over the phone.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of California on Thursday, prompting a tsunami warning, according to the US Geological Survey.
• The Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Thursday expressed grave concerns over Southern Cyprus' increasing militarization and facilitation of foreign forces through strategic partnerships with powerful allies like the US.
• The US on Thursday urged a return to a serious UN-facilitated political process in Syria, adding that Bashar al-Assad's refusal to engage led to recent developments.
• The Israeli army on Thursday admitted that it struck tents housing displaced Palestinians in the al-Mawasi area, which has been designated as a “safe zone” in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The airstrike killed 23 Palestinians and injured dozens more.
• The US on Thursday rejected Amnesty International's report that said there is “conclusive evidence” of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
• The head of Hezbollah announced Thursday that the group is "allowing an opportunity" for the success of a cease-fire agreement with Israel, despite Tel Aviv violating the terms dozens of times.
• US deputy envoy to the UN, Robert Wood, on Thursday accused the Bashar al-Assad regime of using chemical weapons against Syrians when it "feels most at risk."

SPORTS

• Turkish Football Federation refers Maccabi Tel Aviv to UEFA for review, possible action

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) officially requested Thursday that Gavriel Kanichowsky and his club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, be referred to UEFA for disciplinary review.

The TFF said in a statement to Anadolu that the Israeli player’s military salute to his army during his goal celebration was "political, thoughtless, and intended to convey a message."

The Turkish Football Federation announced it requested UEFA's Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Board launch an investigation into the incident involving the player and his club.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Global trade to hit record $33T in 2024

Global trade is set to hit a historic $33 trillion in 2024, posting a 3.3% annual growth, according to the latest Global Trade Update by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released on Thursday.

The robust growth in services trade, which surged by 7% this year, was a key driver, contributing $500 billion, or half of the total hike.

Goods trade grew by just 2% and remained below its 2022 peak.

• US initial jobless claims up by 9,000, above forecasts

The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims increased by 9,000 last week to 224,000, according to Labor Department data released on Thursday.

The figure was higher than the market forecast of 215,000 and up from the previous week's revised level of 215,000.

The four-week moving average was 218,250 – a raise of 750 from the previous week's revised level of 217,500.

• Bitcoin falls below $100,000

The price of Bitcoin fell below $100,000 on Thursday after hitting a record high of $103,900.

The price of the world’s largest cryptocurrency was at around $99,300 as of 2000GMT.

The market expects positive developments for cryptocurrencies after US President-elect Donald Trump’s win in the presidential election because he pledged that his country would be the "crypto capital" of the world.