Morning Briefing: February 2, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Friday, including a bleak prospect of a suspension in UNRWA operations in Gaza, Cairo's outright rejection of rumors of a deal with Israel over a buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza, US President Joe Biden's sanctioning four Israeli settlers, and the sentencing of Ennahda party leader Ghannouchi.

TOP STORIES

• UNRWA likely to shut down operations in February amid fund cuts

The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) is likely to shut down operations by the end of February amid a suspension of funding by Western countries, its chief warned Thursday.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement that at the time the International Court of Justice calls for more humanitarian assistance, “it is the time to reinforce and not to weaken UNRWA.”

He said the UN refugee agency “remains the largest aid organization in one of the most severe and complex humanitarian crises in the world.”

• Cairo not nearing deal with Israel over buffer zone between Egypt, Gaza: Media reports

Cairo has not reached or is nearing an agreement with Israel to hand over a buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza, known as the Philadelphia Axis, Egyptian media reported late Thursday.

Israel’s Army Radio claimed Tel Aviv is close to reaching an agreement with Cairo to take control of the Philadelphia Axis, with Israel pledging to give Palestinians enough time to evacuate Rafah.

The AlQahera News, which is close to Egyptian authorities, quoted an unnamed "high-level security source" who denied the reports.

• Biden sanctions 4 Israeli settlers for attacks against Palestinians

US President Joe Biden signed a new executive order Thursday authorizing sanctions against Israeli settlers who have been attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as blacklisting four individuals.

The actions come as settler violence targeting Palestinians across the West Bank has escalated dramatically for months amid Israel's war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The dramatic increase in settler violence in the West Bank has prompted growing pressure from some of Biden's most vocal Democratic allies to take action to rein it in.

• Tunisian court sentences Ennahda party leader Ghannouchi to 3 years in prison

A Tunisian court sentenced head of the opposition Ennahda party, Rached Ghannouchi, to three years in prison Thursday, with "immediate enforcement," for receiving foreign donations for the party, according to the official Tunisian news agency.

It said the sentence was handed down by the Tunis Court of First Instance Financial Corruption Criminal Chamber.

Ghannouchi's son-in-law, former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem, was also sentenced to three years in the same case.

Ghannouchi is among the dozens of political opponents of President Kais Saied, who have been arrested since last February.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• France is seeking to reach a cease-fire in the embattled Gaza Strip faster, said the country’s President Emmanuel Macron told a press conference after a European Council meeting in Brussels.
  
  
• Kyiv on Thursday welcomed the agreement of EU leaders on providing Ukraine with an additional €50 billion ($54 billion) support package.
  
  
• The Palestinian death toll from Israel's deadly offensive against the Gaza Strip jumped to 27,019 since Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in Gaza said.
  
  
• Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party nominated its chairman Irakli Kobakhidze for the role of the prime minister.
  
  
• The Israeli army withdrew from parts of the Gaza City and North Gaza governorate for the first time since it started its ground offensive on Oct. 27.
  
  
• Yemen’s Houthi group said Thursday that they targeted with naval missiles a British commercial ship in the Red Sea that was heading to “the ports of occupied Palestine.”
  
  
• The Italian Coast Guard rescued 49 migrants attempting to travel from North Africa to Europe after their boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Lampedusa Island.
  
  
• United Nations rapporteurs condemned the killing and silencing of journalists in Gaza under intense Israeli attacks and blockade.
  
  
• Scientists have discovered a "Super-Earth," an exoplanet orbiting in the “habitable zone” around a Red Dwarf Star named TOI-715, which is 137 light-years away from our planet.

SPORTS

• Multi-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton will join Scuderia Ferrari in 2025, the Italian racing team confirmed on Thursday.

"Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract," it said on X.

Hamilton, 39, has raced for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team since the 2013 season, winning six of his seven F1 titles.

• Al-Nassr dominate Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 6-0 in Riyadh Season Cup

Al-Nassr without Cristiano Ronaldo hammered Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 6-0 in a Thursday Riyadh Season Cup friendly.

Al-Nassr midfielder Otavio scored an early goal. Midfielder Anderson Talisca doubled the lead.

Defender Aymeric Laporte scored to make it 3-0 in the 12th minute. Talisca converted the penalty successfully. Maran and Talisca scored one goal each to seal the win.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• IMF approves $4.7B for Argentina to restore macroeconomic stability

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved an immediate disbursement of $4.7 billion for Argentina to support policy efforts to restore macroeconomic stability in the country.

The decision comes after the IMF's executive board completed its seventh review of the extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility for Argentina.

The latest amount brings total disbursements under the arrangement to approximately $40.6 billion, according to a statement released Wednesday.

• Reduced shipping via Red Sea led volumes to other terminals: Fitch

Reduced shipping via the Red Sea and re-routing around Africa has led to volumes being redistributed from ports in the affected area to terminals in the United Arab Emirates and Africa, Fitch Ratings said Thursday.

"Re-routing and a decline in shipping capacity between Europe and the Far East are leading to losses in volumes for the ports on the Red Sea coast and near the Suez Canal and creating congestion in the terminals alongside alternative routes," it said in a statement.