Morning Briefing: July 21, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ANKARA (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start Sunday, including Israeli airstrikes in western Yemen and southern Gaza Strip, and German police cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

TOP STORIES

• 2 killed, 80 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on western Yemen: Houthi-run media

At least two people were killed and 80 others injured on Saturday in Israeli airstrikes on the Al Hudaydah port in western Yemen.

“The crime of the Israeli enemy targeting Al Hudaydah governorate has killed two people and injured 80 others, most of them with severe burns,” the Houthi-affiliated Health Ministry said, according to the group’s SABA news agency.

Earlier, the Al-Masirah broadcaster reported that the airstrikes targeted oil storage facilities in the Al Hudaydah port.

The Yemeni Houthi group vowed to respond to Israeli airstrikes on the western Yemen.

• 6 killed, including children, in Israeli airstrike on Gaza displaced residents

At least six Palestinians, including children, were killed and others injured Saturday in an Israeli airstrike on an area housing displaced residents in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

“An Israeli plane targeted a warehouse sheltering displaced people in the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis,” the Gaza Civil Defense said on Telegram.

A medical source told Anadolu that the Nasser Hospital “received six martyrs, including children, and an unspecified number of injured” from the attack.

• Berlin police crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators

German police cracked down harshly on pro-Palestinian protesters Saturday and detained many in Berlin.

During a march that started from Neptunbrunnen Square, demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Germany finances, Israel bombs", "Terrorist Israel", "Palestine is ours" and "Freedom for Palestine."

Tension rose after three people with opposing views raised the Israeli flag at Potsdamer Platz, the endpoint of the march.

Police intervened harshly against those in support of Palestine and detained many of the protesters. Two female demonstrators were injured during the harsh intervention.​​​​​​​

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Several civilians were reportedly injured in an Israeli airstrike on a town in southern Lebanon.
• The Sudanese army said it has defeated the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in southeastern Sennar state.
• The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip has warned about a critical shortage of fuel and medical supplies, emphasizing it poses a threat to the lives of many injured patients amid the ongoing Israeli war since October.
• The Israeli army killed 37 more Palestinians in attacks on Gaza, taking the death toll to 38,919 since Oct. 7, according to the enclave's Health Ministry.
• Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated support for a two-state solution on Cyprus, saying that ignoring the realities on the Eastern Mediterranean island would lead "nowhere."
• A new COVID-19 variant, LB.1, hit Australia as health experts warned it could spread faster than previous variants.
• Canada reaffirmed the one-China policy as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Canadian counterpart, Melanie Joly, met in Beijing, according to a Canadian agency.
  
• Former US President Donald Trump's White House doctor said Saturday that the ex-president, who was the target of an assassination attempt, is in good condition.
• At least eight civilians were killed and eight others injured in an air attack by the army in Myanmar on a market area in northern Shan State, according to media reports Saturday.
  
• The Bangladeshi government enforced a nationwide curfew and deployed troops amid violent protests which killed at least 75 victims.
  
• The Congo's Foreign Ministry summoned Uganda's charge d'affaires, Matata Twaha, following a UN report that alleged Ugandan support for the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group.
  

SPORTS

• Mert Muldur's strike against Georgia selected Goal of EURO 2024 by fans

Türkiye's right back Mert Muldur's volley against Georgia topped the vote for fans' Goal of the UEFA EURO 2024.

"Mert Muldur's stunning strike for Türkiye against Georgia during the group stage has topped our fans' Goal of the Tournament vote for UEFA EURO 2024," UEFA said in a statement.

Türkiye beat Georgia 3 - 1 in the match with goals from Mert Muldur, Arda Guler and Kerem Akturkoglu in a Group F opener at BVB Stadion Dortmund in June.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Japan extends continental shelf in search for rare minerals, drawing ire from China

Japan on Saturday extended its designation of its continental shelf east of a series of Pacific islands southeast of the country, despite opposition from China, local media reported.

The move came into effect with a revised Cabinet order, designating a significant portion of the Ogasawara Plateau maritime area as part of its continental shelf to launch research on extracting maritime natural resources, including rare earth minerals, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Last month, Japan's Cabinet decided to issue decrees on the 120,000-square-kilometer (about 46,330-sq-mile) expansion in the plateau region, located on the east side of Father Island in the Ogasawara Island.