Morning Briefing: January 23, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday, including thousands of children killed by Israel since Oct.7, strikes by the US and UK on Houthi targets in Yemen, and a magnitude 7 earthquake in northwestern China.

TOP STORIES

• Israel killed 11,000 children in Gaza since Oct. 7, says Palestinian government

In the last 108 days, Israeli army attacks have killed 11,000 children and 7,500 women in the Gaza Strip, said the media office of the government in Gaza Monday.

In the strip, 7,000 people, 70% of whom are women and children, are still mission or under the debris from Israeli attacks, said the office, citing a host of new figures to convey the depth of loss and destruction in the Palestinian enclave.

The number of bodies that have been brought to hospitals has surpassed 25,900, while 63,000 people have been injured since last Oct. 7.

• US, UK conduct strikes against 8 Houthi targets in Yemen

US and British forces, with support from other allies including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted strikes Monday against eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the group's attacks on ships in the Red Sea, according to a joint statement.

The precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the Houthis' capabilities to threaten global trade and the lives of mariners, said the statement by the countries.

They are also in response to a series of "illegal, dangerous and destabilizing" Houthi actions since coalition strikes on Jan. 11.

• Magnitude-7 earthquake jolts northwestern China

A magnitude-7 earthquake shook northwestern China on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the quake was the town of Aykol, located near the border with Kyrgyzstan, hitting at 1809 GMT, said the US government agency.

The quake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometers (8.07 miles), it added.

The tremor was also felt across the Central Asian republics of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. No damage or causalities have yet been reported.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met Monday in New York for talks, a day before a UN Security Council meeting.

• More deaths and destruction in Gaza will not serve Israel's security, the EU's foreign policy chief said Monday after a Foreign Ministers Council meeting.

• Three more Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip, the army said on Monday, pushing the death toll to 535 of those Israel soldiers killed since Oct. 7.

• Hamas has not received a proposal for a two-month cease-fire in Gaza via mediators, a media officer for the Palestinian resistance group told Anadolu on Monday.

• The UK and US announced a new round of coordinated sanctions targeting key figures and entities involved in the leadership and financial operations of Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Monday.

• Palestinians in Gaza have begun grinding animal fodder to make bread due to lack of wheat flour following Tel Aviv's decision to block humanitarian aid.

• The Arab League called Monday on the UN Security Council to issue a "binding" resolution to halt Israel's devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip.

• British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suffered a setback Monday as the House of Lords voted against his new Rwanda bill, which was recently passed in the House of Commons.

• The Gaza Strip is experiencing the "longest communications shutdown" since the outbreak of the conflict on Oct. 7, the UN refugee agency said Monday.

• Three Dutch human rights groups on Monday pressed to cut off exports of fighter jet parts to Israel, arguing that continuing them could make the Netherlands a partner in "war crimes."

• Nearly 30,000 professors and lecturers throughout the faculty of California State University began a walkout Monday in the largest university strike in US history, negotiating for workload, humanely paid parental leave, and wages.

SPORTS

• Alcaraz, Zverev reach Australian Open men's quarterfinals

The 2024 Australian Open is poised for a men's singles quarterfinal showdown between Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.

In Round 4, Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz secured victory Monday by defeating Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic with sets of 6-4, 6-4, 6-0.

Germany's Alexander Zverev won the match against British Cameron Norrie with sets of 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3) in the fourth round.

• Unbeaten German leaders Bayer Leverkusen extend gap against 2nd-place Bayern Munich in league

Unbeaten German leaders Bayer Leverkusen went seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga after their nearest opponents Bayern Munich took a shocking home loss on Sunday.

Bayern Munich, who won 11 straight titles in the Bundesliga, lost against Werder Bremen 1-0 at the Allianz Arena after Leverkusen won at RB Leipzig 3-2 Saturday thanks to a late goal scored by Ecuadoran defender Piero Hincapie.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Global markets start new week on mixed course

Global markets started the week on a mixed course as uncertainties over the future monetary policies of central banks continued affecting pricing.

Expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates for the first time in March declined to 47%, while pricing for a rate cut fell by about 30 basis points compared to the previous week.

• Renewables total 99.5% of Türkiye’s electricity capacity growth in 2023: Energy minister

Türkiye's installed electricity capacity last year increased by 2,858 megawatts, with 99.5% of the growth attributed to renewable energy sources, the country's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Monday.

Renewable installed capacity grew by 2,845 megawatts last year, and electricity production reached 326 terawatts, Bayraktar said in a written statement.

With the new capacity additions, total installed capacity reached 106,668 megawatts at the end of the year.