Morning Briefing: July 17, 2024

By Faruk Zorlu

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday with, including the election of European Parliament president, two separate terrorist attacks in Pakistan, US Sen. Bob Menendez found guilty on federal corruption charges.

TOP STORIES

• Metsola reelected European Parliament president with strong support from lawmakers

Roberta Metsola has been reelected president of the European Parliament in a decisive vote, demonstrating a strong endorsement of her leadership and vision for the EU.

Following the EU elections on June 6-9, the EU Parliament Plenary Session met in Strasbourg, France, which is the formal seat of the European Parliament and is close to the German border.

The president was elected in the first session by 720 MEPs, who will serve for five years in the 10th legislative term.

Metsola, the European People's Party (EPP) candidate, won with an absolute majority and was reelected as European Parliament president after voting against Spanish MEP Irene Montero of the Left Group.

Metsola secured 562 votes out of 699 and Montero received 61 votes in the closed envelope voting, demonstrating widespread support for her across the EU.

During her victory speech, she spoke about creating a more equal Europe by remembering past struggles and promoting inclusivity.

• 28 people, including 5 civilians, 10 soldiers, killed in past 24 hours in Pakistan

At least 28 people, including five civilians, 10 soldiers, and 13 suspected militants, were killed in two separate terrorist attacks, which included a suicide bombing, in northwestern Pakistan over the past 24 hours, the military said.

A group of heavily-armed militants stormed the cantonment area in the Bannu district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in early hours of Monday before a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the area, killing eight soldiers.

"The attempt to enter the cantonment was effectively thwarted by the security forces personnel, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive laden vehicle into perimeter wall of the cantonment," the military said in a statement.

• US Sen. Bob Menendez found guilty on federal corruption charges

A federal jury in New York found Sen. Bob Menendez guilty of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

The jury reportedly deliberated for three days following the senior senator's nine-week trial, ultimately finding him guilty on all 16 charges against him.

Prosecutors alleged that Menendez accepted bribes from a trio of New Jersey businessmen that included gold bars, a luxury car and more than $480,000 in cash. The payments were made in exchange for Menendez carrying out a series of favors that included shielding individuals from prosecution and illicitly using his office to benefit the Egyptian government.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Japan completed the release of the seventh batch of treated radioactive water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
• Israeli protesters blocked a main highway in Tel Aviv demanding a prisoner swap and a cease-fire in Gaza.
• At least 40 people were killed while 347 others injured due to floods in Afghanistan, an official said.
• At least five people were killed and 28 others injured by gunfire near a mosque in Oman's capital Muscat, police said
• A second contingent of 200 Kenyan police officers left Nairobi for Haiti to join the UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
• At least 40 Palestinians were killed and scores injured in Israeli attacks targeting displaced people in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities.

• The power grid operators of three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, officially notified Moscow and Minsk of their withdrawal from the Soviet-era joint BRELL system, which will delink them from Russia and Belarus's electrical grids in February next year.

• The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague sentenced former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) member Pjeter Shala to 18 years in prison for war crimes during the 1990s Kosovo uprising.

• US police officers shot and killed a man in the secure zone surrounding the Republican National Convention in the state of Wisconsin, according to the media.

SPORTS

• Xherdan Shaqiri retires from Swiss national team

Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri has announced his retirement from the Swiss national football team after a 14-year spell.

"Seven tournaments, many goals, 14 years with the Swiss national team and unforgettable moments. It's time to say goodbye to the national team. Great memories remain and I say to you all: Thank You!" the 32-year-old said on Instagram on Monday.

Shaqiri is the second-most capped Swiss player with 125 appearances. He is also the fourth top scorer of the national team with 32 goals.

• Gareth Southgate resigns as England manager after EURO 2024 final defeat

England manager Gareth Southgate resigned after their EURO 2024 final defeat against Spain, the English Football Association confirmed.

"As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all. But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager," Southgate said in a statement.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Canada's annual consumer inflation rises 2.7% in June, slowing from 2.9% in May

Annual Canadian consumer inflation came in at 2.7% in June, slowing from a 2.9% year-on-year gain recorded in May, the country’s statistical authority said.

The figure, in addition, reflects a significant slowdown since the 8.1% annual gain recorded in June 2022 -- the highest for the consumer price index (CPI) in 39 years.

"The deceleration was largely the result of slower year-over-year growth in gasoline prices, which rose 0.4% in June following a 5.6% increase in May," Statistics Canada said in a statement.