Morning Briefing: June 9, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including the Israeli army attacking the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least 210 Palestinians, D-8 ministers calling for 'immediate, permanent, unconditional' cease-fire in Gaza; protest against the US's Israeli war policy near the White House.

TOP STORIES

• Israel attacks Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least 210 Palestinians

The death toll from an Israeli bomb attack in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has risen to 210, said the Government Media Office in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

“Some 210 martyrs and more than 400 injured were brought to Al-Aqsa Hospital due to the brutal Israeli massacre in the Nuseirat camp,” the office said in a statement.

The office urged “an urgent appeal to the international community and international organizations to save Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and supply it with medical necessities and generators to ensure its continued operation.”

• D-8 Council of Ministers calls for 'immediate, permanent, unconditional' cease-fire in Gaza

The D-8 Council of Ministers on Saturday called for an "immediate, permanent, unconditional" cease-fire and an end to Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the besieged enclave.

The joint declaration also called on all countries to ensure Israel's strict adherence to provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

D-8 nations "affirm the unwavering support of D-8 Member States to the struggle of the Palestinian people to realize their inalienable rights, the full membership of Palestine in the United Nations and all the resolutions related to the Palestinian Cause in international fora," the statement said.

• 'Biden, We Are Your Red Line,' say pro-Palestinian protesters surrounding White House

Thousands of protesters surrounded the White House on Saturday to protest US President Joe Biden’s Israeli war policy, principally the invasion of Rafah.

The protest coincided with the eight-month mark of the onslaught between Israel and Palestine.

It started at Lafayette Park in front of the White House, where protesters, wearing red, surrounded the building with a two-mile-long red banner symbolizing Biden's "red line" concerning Israel’s invasion of Rafah.

Previously, Biden said that an invasion of Rafah would cross a "red line," but senior US officials were quick to backtrack on those remarks, saying the president did not set any "red lines" for Israel as it carries out its offensive.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Israel’s special forces, who retrieved four hostages from the central Gaza Strip, infiltrated the Nuseirat refugee camp using a humanitarian aid truck, according to Palestinian sources.
  
• The D-8 Council of Ministers called for an "immediate, permanent, unconditional" cease-fire and an end to Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
  
• The head of Hamas' Political Bureau reaffirmed that resistance forces would continue to defend Palestinian rights against Israel after attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
  
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz not to resign from the emergency unity government.
  
• Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity, carrying a six-person Galactic 07 mission team, including the second Turkish space traveler Tuva Cihangir Atasever, completed a suborbital flight by landing on Earth at 9.40 a.m. local time (1540GMT) in the US.
• The death toll from riots in New Caledonia, an overseas French territory, rose to eight, according to French media.
• The presidents of France and the US voiced a common wish to reach a cease-fire in the Middle East.
• Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged immediate action to halt the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• The Israeli army said it intercepted two rockets launched from Lebanon toward the Zarit area in the Upper Galilee region, while several others landed in the same area.
• A Danish court on Saturday afternoon ordered a 12-day imprisonment for a man arrested for assaulting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, state media broadcaster DR reported.
  
• Thousands of protesters swarmed the streets in Auckland, New Zealand, against a contentious bill allowing the coalition government to ramp up the consent process for major infrastructure projects.
• Nearly 13 million people are in dire need of agricultural assistance in Ethiopia, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
• North Korea again sent balloons to South Korea that are presumed to be carrying trash, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency.
  

SPORTS

• Türkiye wins European Amputee Football Championship title for 3rd straight time

Türkiye won the European Amputee Football Championship for the third time in a row after beating Spain 3 - 0 on Saturday.

Rahmi Ozcan broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Omer Guleryuz doubled the lead in the 28th minute and Fatih Senturk added one more in the 33rd minute in the final in Evian-les-Bains, located in the Haute-Savoie region in France.

Türkiye, which came third in the 2007 World Cup held in the Turkish Riviera resort of Antalya, were among the top three teams for the first time in the cup's history.

• Iga Swiatek wins 2024 French Open women's singles title by beating Jasmine Paolini

Iga Swiatek, currently ranked no. 1 in women's singles, beat Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to win the 2024 French Open women's singles title.

Playing at Court Philippe-Chatrier, the Polish star defeated Paolini, world no. 12, to clinch her fourth Roland-Garros title 6-2, 6-1.

With the victory, the Polish first seed has won four of the last five women’s singles finals at Roland Garros (2020, 2022, 2023).

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Türkiye imposes additional tariff for Chinese-made cars

Türkiye on Saturday announced plans to introduce additional customs duties on Chinese-made internal combustion engines and hybrid cars.

In an effort to protect domestic industry, the tariff of at least $7,000 will be 40% of each vehicle's import value, the Turkish Trade Ministry said in a statement, referring to the country's foreign trade and current account targets.

It said the additional tariff would be implemented together with customs duties on certain goods imported from non-EU members with which Türkiye has no free trade agreement.