Morning Briefing: Jan, 1 2024

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Sunday, including Türkiye's President Recep Erdogan's remarks about the postponement of the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia, deadly Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 21,822 Palestinians and injured 56,451 others since Oct. 7, Israel's War Cabinet members' refusal to join a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the US shooting down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi Group in the Red Sea.

TOP STORIES

• Türkiye’s president calls on global community to put end to killing of defenseless women, kids in Gaza
  Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that “all countries and institutions” ought to unite in their opposition to the killing of defenseless women and children in the Gaza Strip for a better future. “All countries, institutions need to take a united stand against the killing of innocent children and women in Gaza,” Erdogan said in his video message on New Year eve.

“We hold hope for a better future for humanity. So-called democratic, freedom-loving countries must stop supporting bloody terrorists for this to happen,” the president said.

• UK preparing to launch attacks on Yemen's Houthi group: Report
  Britain is reportedly preparing to launch a wave of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen amid targeting of vessels in the Red Sea, according to a media report on Sunday.

  Under the plans, the UK would join with the US and possibly another European country to unleash a salvo of missiles against preplanned targets, either in the sea or in Yemen itself, British newspaper The Times reported.

• US Navy exchanges fire with Houthis in 4 boats, sinking and killing all aboard 3 of them: CENTCOM

  The US said on Sunday that it fired toward Houthi boats “in self-defense, ” sinking three of the four small boats and killing the crew.

  “On Dec. 31 at 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats

  “The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, fired crew served and small arms weapons at the MAERSK HANGZHOU, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The death toll from Ukraine's Saturday attack on the Russian city of Belgorod has risen to 22 after another person died of his injuries overnight, local authorities said on Sunday.

• Russia "will never retreat," President Vladimir Putin proclaimed on Sunday in a New Year’s address to the nation.

• Shelling by Russian forces injured 28 civilians in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, a local official said, a day after a missile strike on a nearby region in Russia claimed 24 lives.

• At least 150 Palestinians have been killed and another 286 injured as the Israeli forces continued their ongoing onslaught against them in the besieged Gaza Strip, with 12 families becoming the latest victims in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said on Sunday.

• The Israeli government voted Sunday to postpone municipal elections to Feb. 27, according to local media.

• Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called for encouraging the “voluntary emigration" of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

• Israel's ongoing war on Gaza is unlikely to end rocket attacks from the Palestinian enclave into the country, unnamed military officials said Sunday.

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Spot market electricity prices for Monday, Jan. 1

  The highest electricity price rate for one megawatt-hour on Türkiye's day-ahead spot market for Monday will be 2,601.44 Turkish liras at 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT), according to official figures on Sunday.

  The lowest rate was set at 1,000 liras at 12 p.m. local time (0900 GMT), the data showed.

SPORTS

• Fulham cruise to 2-1 win over Arsenal in London derby

  Fulham came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday in a London derby and 20th-week game of the English Premier League.

  Arsenal broke the deadlock with a close-range finish from Bukayo Saka in the fifth minute, but Fulham leveled the game with Raul Jimenez in minute 29 at Craven Cottage.

• Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat found dead with stab wounds in Kenya

  Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead in western Kenya on Sunday, according to police.

  Local police chief Stephen Okal said that the body of Kiplagat, a prominent figure in the field of athletics, was found inside his brother's car with stab wounds in the city of Eldoret.