Morning Briefing: January 18, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Thursday, including retaliation strikes by Pakistan inside Iran, re-designation of Houthis as specially designated global terrorists by US, and UK lawmakers voting in favor of controversial asylum bill.

TOP STORIES

• Pakistan retaliates, hits ‘terror’ targets inside Iran

Pakistan has hit several targets inside Iran, a day after Tehran launched cross-border airstrikes which Islamabad called “illegal, unacceptable.”

“We hit at least seven BLA terrorist locations inside Iran,” a senior Pakistani intelligence official told Anadolu, referring to the Balochistan Liberation Army, a militant group fighting Pakistani security forces in the country's southwestern Balochistan province.

The targets were hit around 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) inside Iran, the official added.

Earlier, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with Iran by recalling its ambassador from Tehran while suspending high-level contacts.

• US puts Houthis back on global terrorism list

The US on Wednesday put Yemen's Houthi group back on its list of "specially designated global terrorists" in response to the Iran-backed group's attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Yemeni rebels’ "attacks against international shipping have endangered mariners, disrupted the free flow of commerce, and interfered with navigational rights and freedoms. This designation seeks to promote accountability for the group’s terrorist activities," said Blinken.

He said if the Houthis cease attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the US will "reevaluate this designation."

• UK lawmakers vote in favor of controversial bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda

A majority of British lawmakers voted Wednesday to back a controversial bill that would allow the government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The "Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill," the flagship asylum policy of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was backed by a vote of 320-276.

Submitted to the parliament last month, the bill aims to address the concerns of the UK Supreme Court, which ruled that the government's original plan to send asylum seekers to the East African country was unlawful.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• US military strikes Houthi missile launchers in Yemen as CENTCOM says that strikes target 14 'Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
  
  
• Britain urged Iran on Wednesday to “use its influence” with Yemen’s Houthi group to prevent further threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
  
  
• The Israeli government prepared a proposal to initiate new negotiations with Hamas for the release of Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the offer, says local media.
  
  
• SpaceX's space mission launch to carry Turkish Col. Alper Gezeravci and three other astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed for one day, and will now blast off on Thursday.
  
  
• US military confirms Houthis hit US-owned bulk carrier ship in Gulf of Aden, says CENTCOM, adding that there were no injuries and some damage reported.
  
  
• Kuwait formed a new government on Wednesday, the first under the country’s new Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah, the government includes new ministers for oil, finance and foreign affairs, according to the state news agency.
  
  
• The prosecutor in charge of investigating the takeover by armed men of an Ecuadorian television station during a live broadcast on Jan. 9 was shot to death on Wednesday while driving his car in the city of Guayaquil, authorities said.
  
  
• Yemen’s Houthi group said Wednesday that a US decision to re-designate the group as “global terrorists” will not deter them from supporting Palestine, Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Salam told media.
  
  
• The World Health Organization (WHO) secretary-general on Wednesday highlighted the importance of getting prepared for Disease X, expressing hope that countries will reach a pandemic agreement by this May to address this "common enemy."
  
  
• At least 33 people have died as of late Wednesday from severe winter storms that have put most of the US in a deep freeze, many of the nearly three dozen deaths reported because of car accidents due to icy roads and hypothermia.

SPORTS

• Djokovic, Sabalenka reach Round 3 at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka advanced to Round 3 of their respective races for the men's and women's titles at the 2024 Australian Open on Wednesday.

The men's world tennis no.1 beat Australian Alexei Popyrin in 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) and 6-3 sets.

Serbian tennis legend Djokovic will face Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Round 3.

• Morocco beat Tanzania in their Africa Cup of Nations group opener

Morocco made a good start to the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after the Atlas Lions beat Tanzania 3-0 in their first match at the tournament on Wednesday.

Moroccan defender Romain Saiss scored the opening goal of the match. Olympique Marseille midfielder Azzedine Ounahi and Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri were the other scorers for Morocco.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Apple ranks 1st in world’s most valuable brands, dethrones Amazon

Apple ranked first on Brand Finance’s 25 Most Valuable Brands list, with its value reaching $516.6 billion, retaking the throne from Amazon.

The leading valuation group released its Global 500 report on Wednesday, featuring Apple as the world’s most valuable brand in 2024, as its value jumped 74% year-on-year.

The iPhone maker was followed by US tech giant Microsoft with a brand value of $340.4 billion.

• Red Sea container, dry cargo ship traffic plunges amid attacks

Container and dry cargo ship traffic through the Red Sea has posted a significant decline as shipping companies are forced to suspend their voyages through this route or divert it to the Cape of Good Hope.

While daily container vessel traffic through the Red Sea halved on Jan. 1-10 compared to the same period last year, total ship traffic decreased by 25%, according to data compiled by Anadolu from MarineTraffic.