Morning Briefing: March 19, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA)- Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including US President Joe Biden warning Israel against the Rafah operation, Canadian lawmakers voting for a motion towards a Palestinian state, a famine imminent in northern Gaza according to a global food security body, and Vladimir Putin winning Russia’s presidential election.

TOP STORIES

• Biden says Israel 'should not' invade Rafah during call with Netanyahu

US President Joe Biden said Israel "should not" follow through with its plans to invade Rafah during a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said Monday.

"A major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Biden instead proposed that Netanyahu send a delegation to Washington to hear US concerns about Israel's current Rafah planning, the official added.

• Canadian lawmakers pass motion to work toward Palestinian state

Lawmakers voted for a motion Monday that would see Canada and its international partners work toward a “just and lasting peace” that would eventually include a Palestinian state.

The motion, introduced in the House of Commons by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), originally called for Canada to recognize the “State of Palestine.”

When it was clear that the motion would not fly, the NDP agreed to an amendment that would eventually see a two-state solution, Canada’s official position.

The motion did contain other provisions including a weapons embargo on sales to Israel, an immediate cease-fire and sanctions on West Bank settlers.

• Catastrophic famine 'imminent' in northern Gaza Global food security body

Catastrophic famine is imminent in Northern Gaza and Gaza City, a leading international body on food security warned on Monday.

"According to the most likely scenario, both North Gaza and Gaza Governorates are classified in IPC Phase 5 (Famine) with reasonable evidence, with 70% (around 210,000 people) of the population in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe)," said a special brief by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC).

The report warned that famine "is imminent in the northern governorates and projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024."

• Vladimir Putin wins Russian presidential election

Vladimir Putin received 87.32% of the vote in Russia's three-day presidential election, with 99.75% of ballots counted, the head of the country’s election authority said on Monday.

Ella Pamfilova, head of the Russian Central Election Commission, said during a press conference in Moscow that Putin got 75.9 million votes in the election.

She added that 87.1 million people had voted in the polls, amounting to a record turnout of 77.44%, surpassing the previous high of 74.66% in the 1991 presidential election.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Fourteen Palestinians were killed early Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, including women and children.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday reiterated his intention to ensure full security along Türkiye's border with Iraq and finish ongoing operations in Syria.

• The Israeli army late on Monday released Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail al-Ghoul and other journalists after arresting them earlier in the day at al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City.

• The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said Monday that Israel barred him from entering the Gaza Strip.

• The EU foreign ministers agreed at a meeting in Brussels on Monday to adopt sanctions on violent Israeli settlers.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday labeled the latest report on food insecurity in Gaza as an "appalling indictment" of the conditions faced by civilians in the region

• The Belgian foreign minister Hadja Lahbib in a post on Monday reiterated her call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

• The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday warned that Gaza is already "in a state of famine," saying the situation is "entirely man-made" by Israel.

• At least 10 people were killed in a suburb of Haiti's capital Monday as tensions continued to rise in the Caribbean nation.

• Türkiye’s foreign minister reiterated the country's commitment to fighting terrorism in Iraq and addressing the national security threat posed by a political party’s ties to the PKK terror group.

SPORTS

• Türkiye arrests 12 suspects after Trabzonspor vs. Fenerbahce match violence

Twelve suspects were arrested for violence after Sunday's Trabzonspor vs. Fenerbahce football match in Türkiye, the Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

They were held for an on-pitch brawl after Trabzonspor beat Fenerbahce 3-2 at Trabzon's Papara Park.

The suspects arrested included one who invaded the pitch to attack Fenerbahce players, while another one removed the corner flag pole to rush towards the players.

• Great Britain's most decorated female Olympian Laura Kenny retires from cycling

Laura Kenny, Great Britain's most decorated female Olympian, has retired from cycling ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"Thank you cycling for everything you've given me - including a husband and our growing family!,” she wrote on Instagram.

Kenny won five Olympic golds on track cycling across London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and also secured seven world titles.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• World Bank to provide over $6B to Egypt in next 3 years

The World Bank Group announced Monday that it will provide more than $6 billion of support to Egypt over the next three years.

The amount includes $3 billion in financial support to the government’s programs and $3 billion for the private sector that includes mobilization.

Programs will focus on increasing opportunities for private sector participation in the economy,

• US regulator charges 2 firms amid false statements about AI

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Monday that it settled charges against two investment advisor firms for making false and misleading statements about their use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Delphia (USA) Inc. and Global Predictions Inc. agreed to settle the SEC's charges and pay $400,000 in total civil penalties, the regulator said in a statement.​​​​​​​