Morning Briefing: July 8, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start Monday with, including the leader a left-wing alliance in France hailing victory in the country’s snap parliamentary elections, the French prime minister announcing his resignation and Turkish President Erdogan urging Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza, saying "end these inhumane massacres."

TOP STORIES

• Left-wing leader hails victory in France’s snap parliamentary elections

As exit polls suggested the left to be leading in Sunday's French parliamentary elections, the leader of the left-wing alliance hailed victory and called on the president to admit defeat.

“Our people voted consciously,” the founder and member of the La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, told a news conference in Paris.

He said the far-right National Rally (RN) party, which led the first round of the elections on June 30, “is far from having an absolute majority” in parliament.

• French premier to submit resignation Monday over snap poll results

France’s prime minister announced that he will submit his resignation to the president on Monday following the results of the second round of snap elections.

Gabriel Attal hailed that “no extremes” secured an absolute majority to govern the country, referring to the far-right National Rally (RN) party and the left-wing alliance the New Popular Front (NFP).

“Tonight, the political formation that I represent in this campaign (also) has no majority. I will submit my resignation to the president tomorrow morning,” Attal said.

• 'End these inhumane massacres': President Erdogan urges Israel to halt attacks on Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Israel's actions in the region, urging it to halt its "inhumane" attacks on Gaza.

"Israel should stop insisting on continuing these massacres and end these inhumane attacks," President Erdogan told journalists on his return flight from Germany.

"To date, it is Israel that has insisted on attacks and continued massacres. It is Israel that tramples on human rights and international law,” he added.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Hamas said it has recruited thousands of new fighters and boosted its military capabilities amid a deadly Israeli offensive on Gaza.
• At least 11 people were killed and several went missing as incessant monsoon rains triggered landslides and flash floods across Nepal.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called his new Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty to wish him success on assuming the role, diplomatic sources said.
• The US continues to provide military aid to Israel for its operations in the Gaza Strip, despite mounting civilian casualties and violations of international law.
• Russia said it took control of the village of Chigari in Donetsk as its forces advanced in the eastern region.
• At least seven people were killed in fresh Israeli attacks in the battered Gaza Strip, according to medics and witnesses.
• Palestinian Deputy Labor Minister Ihab al-Ghussein was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, local authorities said.
• The Ukrainian military said it shot down a Russian Su-25 aircraft in the Donetsk region.
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the need for a "clear and urgent" cease-fire in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave where Israel has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians in nine months and reduced it to a rubble.
• At least four Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza City, local authorities said.
• At least 15 more Palestinians were rounded up by Israeli forces in military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.
• Malaysia rejected the Philippines' fresh maritime border claim, saying it will fight any claim on its territories.
• Dozens of Israelis gathered outside the residences of 18 officials, calling for an urgent hostage exchange agreement with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
• An elephant went on a rampage during a religious event in southern Sri Lanka, injuring 13 people.
• At least three children were killed in a house fire in Australia's New South Wales state.

SPORTS

• Hamilton beats Verstappen at British GP to achieve first F1 win after 945 days

Lewis Hamilton beat Dutch driver Max Verstappen in Round 12 of the 2024 Formula One World Championship to achieve his first F1 win after 945 days.

The 39-year-old Briton broke a new record by winning for the ninth time in his home country.

The Mercedes driver finished the British Grand Prix in 1 hour, 22 minutes and 27.059 seconds, while Red Bull's Verstappen finished 1.465 seconds behind him. McLaren driver Lando Norris finished third with a difference of 7.547 seconds.

• World’s No. 1 seed Swiatek stunned by Putintseva in women’s round at Wimbledon; Svitolina eliminates Jabeur

World No. 1 women’s tennis player Iga Swiatek was stunned Saturday by Yulia Putintseva at Wimbledon, while Elina Svitolina eliminated two-time tournament champion Ons Jabeur.

"It feels really great. I don’t know how I did it. I was focused on playing fast and not giving her any time, and it worked," Putintseva from Kazakhstan said after knocking off the reigning French Open champion 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

"My coach told me to stay intense in every point. I’ve always been fired up since I was a kid."

Putintseva will face Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia in the fourth round.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• West African leaders meet amid new breakaway confederation

Leaders of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS are meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja to unveil a single currency for its 15 member states.

The day-long summit comes after the three military-ruled nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced Saturday signing a pact to form a coalition called the Alliance for the Sahel. They withdrew from ECOWAS in January after the regional bloc’s tough stand against coups.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is also the bloc’s chairman, is expected to open the summit.