Morning Briefing: July 1, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday with, including North Korea launching a suspected ballistic missile and a far-right party leading in France’s snap parliamentary elections.

TOP STORIES

• North Korea fired suspected ballistic missile, says South

North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile, said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The officials said that Pyongyang launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastwards, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

• Far-right RN leads in France's snap parliamentary elections: Exit polls

The far-right National Rally (RN) party leads in France’s snap parliamentary elections, according to media reports.

The RN got 34.2% of the vote, according to exit polls based on survey company Ifop’s estimations, the Le Figaro daily reported.

The New Popular Front gathering the left-wing parties received 29.1% and is second for now, while the centrist Together for the Republic alliance backed by President Emmanuel Macron ranked third with 21.5%.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• North Korea vowed to defend its sovereignty in response to joint military exercises by South Korea, the US and Japan, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.
• Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid denied any contacts with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the formation of an official investigation committee into the events of Oct. 7, 2023.
• At least 20 more Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces in military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.
• Oman hosted a new round of UN-sponsored prisoner swap negotiations between Yemen’s government and the Houthi rebel group.
• One Palestinian was killed and five others were injured in an Israeli missile attack in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, the Health Ministry said.
• Russia claimed to have taken control of two villages in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
• Three more Hezbollah fighters were killed in border clashes with Israeli forces, the Lebanese group said amid cross-border attacks between the two sides.
• France’s president called for unity in the second round of snap polls to counter a far-right surge.
• The Taliban-led Afghan interim administration called for “delineating” Afghanistan’s internal matters from foreign relations to achieve “advancements” in bilateral and multilateral engagements.
• Three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential apartment in Gaza City, the Civil Defense Agency said.
• Two wildfires fanned by strong winds have been burning a forest in Greece’s Attica region, the fire department said.
• The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong was reportedly detected near the Philippines.
• Nine people were injured in a drone attack launched from Lebanon into the Israel-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

SPORTS

• England advance to EURO 2024 quarterfinal after beating Slovakia 2-1 in extra time

Ivan Schranz scored the winner with a close-range finish in the 25th minute, assisted by David Strelec, but England equalized the game in stoppage time with a bicycle kick from Jude Bellingham.

The national teams leveled at 1-1 in the 90 minutes, so the match went to extra time at Arena Auf Schalke.

• Germany secure EURO 2024 quarterfinal spot with 2-0 victory against Denmark

Host country Germany sealed a UEFA EURO 2024 quarterfinal spot with a 2-0 shutout victory against Denmark.

Nico Schlotterbeck scored the opener for Germany, but referee Michael Oliver called it off for a foul on Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the fourth minute.

The match was suspended because of the weather and the players went to their dressing rooms in the 36th minute at BVB Stadion Dortmund.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• EU tariffs on Chinese electric cars 'threat to market': Industry body head

A recent EU decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles is "a threat to the market," warned the head of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in the UK.

SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes told Anadolu that duties of up to 38.1% on Chinese EV imports came as a result of an EU investigation, with no such probe going on in Britain.

"I'm not aware of any British manufacturers asking the government to undertake that, (but) we will watch closely what happens," he said.