Morning Briefing: June 4, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including the US disputing Israel’s claims on cease-fire agreement, Mexico’s first female president, voting count kicking off in India, and Palestine joining South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ.

TOP STORIES

• White House disputes Netanyahu's claims of 'gaps' on cease-fire proposal

The White House strongly disputed Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's suggestion that there are "gaps" between the close allies on a proposal to end the eight-month war on Gaza.

Netanyahu reportedly told lawmakers earlier Monday that the three-stage proposal, as laid out by US President Joe Biden on Friday, "is incomplete," adding that there are "gaps" between the plan and how the American president presented it to the public.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby disputed the characterization, and repeatedly maintained that the plan is of Israel's creation.

• Claudia Sheinbaum emerges as winner in Mexico's presidential election

Mexico's electoral body unveiled the preliminary results of the 2024 election day on Monday, with the candidate for the ruling party, Claudia Sheinbaum, taking the lead in the election results and emerging as the winner of the Mexican elections.

According to the count, Sheinbaum has garnered more than 58% of the votes to become the nation's first female president.

She surpassed her opposition, Xochitl Galvez Ruiz, who accounted for 26.6%-28.6% of the voting, and Jorge Alvarez Maynes, with 9.9%-10.8%.

• Vote count begins as Indians await outcome of mammoth elections

Vote counting in India's general elections began Tuesday morning after the seven-phase mega polls concluded last week with millions casting their votes across the South Asian country.

The vote count began at 8 a.m. local time (0230GMT), with the final official results expected by the end of the day, according to the Election Commission of India.

The election is primarily a battle between the National Democratic Alliance led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition alliance INDIA led by the main opposition Indian National Congress.

• Palestine to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Palestine said it submitted a request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to join the genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel, local media reported Monday.

Palestine filed "an application for permission to intervene and a declaration of intervention" at the court’s registry office on May 31, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The agency said the request "comes in the context of Palestine’s commitment to legitimacy and international law as a basis for ending historical injustice," including holding Israel accountable for its crimes.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• US President Joe Biden confirmed Israel's "readiness to move forward" with a cease-fire proposal presented to Hamas last week during a call with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

• More than one million Palestinians have been forced to flee Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip due to continuous Israeli onslaughts, says the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

• A Pakistani court on Monday acquitted former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case that accused him of leaking state secrets.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he is "not ready to stop" the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, claiming that President Joe Biden's remarks about a cease-fire proposal were “inaccurate.”

• Slovenia’s main opposition party filed a motion Monday requesting a referendum on a decision to recognize an independent Palestinian state, possibly delaying a vote in parliament.

• The US is still working to rebuild and repair a temporary humanitarian pier off the coast of Gaza after rough seas caused motorized sections to run aground last month, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

• Three Palestinians were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday evening, according to the Health Ministry.

• US Senator Bernie Sanders reiterated Monday that he will not attend an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a joint session of Congress.

• The Israeli army confirmed Monday that four hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7 last year by Hamas had died while being held captive in Gaza.

• China's Chang'e-6 probe lifted off from the far side of the moon Tuesday morning with samples it collected, a report said.

SPORTS

• Real Madrid reinforce squad with French football superstar Kylian Mbappe

French football superstar and former FIFA World Cup champion Kylian Mbappe signed for Real Madrid, the Spanish powerhouse confirmed on Monday.

"Real Madrid CF and Kylian Mbappe have reached an agreement whereby he will be a Real Madrid player for the next five seasons," it said in a statement.

• Russian 5th seed Medvedev eliminated from French Open

Russian 5th seed Daniil Medvedev was eliminated from the 2024 French Open (Roland Garros) on Monday.

Australia's Alex De Minaur, the world No. 11, won against Medvedev with sets of 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 at Court Suzanne-Lenglen in Paris to reach the quarterfinals.

De Minaur will face either German 4th seed Alexander Zverev or Denmark's Holger Rune in the last eight.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Türkiye's int'l reserves move to positive side

The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye's international net reserves -- excluding swaps -- moved to the positive side by reaching $1.5 billion last week on Friday.

It was at minus $65 billion on March 29, and posted an increase of $66.5 billion over nearly the next two-month period, according to data compiled by Anadolu.

Gross reserves increased from $123.1 billion to $143.6 billion during the same period.

• Budget deficit, Pemex debt hurdles for Mexico’s new administration: Fitch

A high budget deficit and state-owned petroleum firm Pemex's debt are key challenges for the new administration in Mexico, Fitch Ratings said Monday.

"The 2024 budget presented a fiscal deficit above 5% of GDP, its highest point in over three decades," it said in a statement.

Fitch expects general government debt to rise to 48.8% of GDP this year from 45.6%.