Morning Briefing: May 14, 2023

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including recent developments in Pakistan, the latest on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Italy.

TOP STORIES

• Voting begins in Türkiye's presidential, parliamentary elections

Millions of voters started heading to the polls in Türkiye as the country's presidential and parliamentary elections began Sunday at 8 a.m. local time (0500GMT).

More than 64.1 million people are registered to vote, including over 1.76 million who already cast their ballots abroad and 4.9 million first-time voters. A total of 191,885 ballot boxes have been set up for voters in the country.

Every voter will be casting two ballots, one for the president and the other for parliamentarians, both of whom will serve five-year terms.

Voters will choose between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking reelection, main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and Sinan Ogan.

Muharrem Ince, another presidential contender, withdrew from the race on Thursday.

• 6 army troops killed in southwest Pakistan

At least 13 people, including six Pakistani army troops and as many suspected attackers, were killed during a night-long battle after a group of militants stormed a military compound and held families hostage.

The heavily armed militants stormed a Frontier Corps compound, a paramilitary force, in the Muslim Bagh district of southwestern Balochistan province late Friday, and held three families hostage in a residential block, said a statement from the army.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the latest in a string of similar incidents across the South Asian country by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a conglomerate of various militant groups operating in the country.

• Israel, Palestinians agree to Egyptian-mediated cease-fire

Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza agreed to an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire set to take effect at 10 p.m. (1900GMT).

Egyptian media, including Al-Qahera News TV, quoted Egyptian sources as confirming both sides’ commitment to the cease-fire proposal.

Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip continued for a fifth day as Palestinian armed groups strike back with rockets fired into Israel.

Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire during a military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Palestine appealed for international pressure to be put on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza amid airstrikes on the territory.

At least 15 residential buildings have been destroyed in Israel’s air offensive on the Gaza Strip, according to a Palestinian official.

• Zelenskyy meets pope, Italian leaders in push for peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought support for his peace proposal as he held talks with Pope Francis in Rome and met Italian leaders on his first visit to Italy since the start of his country’s war with Russia.

In an interview with Italian state TV RAI wrapping up his visit, Zelenskyy said he had been honored to meet the pope, who has repeatedly offered to play a role in possible negotiations to stop the war launched by Russia’s offensive in Ukraine one year ago.

But the Ukrainian leader also stressed that as “the war is in Ukraine, it has to be Ukraine's plan" for peace, asking the pontiff to support the 10-point platform he has been pushing at an international level.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Germany will provide Ukraine with a new €2.7 billion ($2.97 billion) military aid package, local media reported.

• The Ukrainian armed forces attacked the city of Luhansk with UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles Friday, injuring a Russian lawmaker, according to Russian media.

• At least 44 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a security operation in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, according to the country’s Information Ministry.

• A Russian Su-34 fighter jet crashed in the southern Bryansk region near the border with Ukraine, according to media reports.

• With a cyclone bearing down, Bangladesh has issued its top danger alert for the southern maritime port of Cox’s Bazar, also the main tourist hub and home to more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees.

• A vehicle accident left 24 church members dead in southern Zambia, with 12 wounded.

SPORTS

• Lakers, Heat advance to NBA Conference Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat advanced Friday to the Western and Eastern Conference Finals, respectively, after beating the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks.

LeBron James led the Lakers to a 4-2 series win with 30 points, nine boards, and nine assists. Anthony Davis racked up a double-double with 17 points and 20 rebounds at Crypto.com Arena.

• Southampton relegated from Premier League after 11 years in English top division

After more than a decade in the English Premier League, Southampton were relegated.

Fulham won the 36th-week match with goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic at St Mary's Stadium to climb to the ninth spot with 51 points.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Islamic bank's meeting sees signing of agreements worth $5.4 billion

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group saw the signing of 77 financing agreements worth $5.4 billion for 24 member countries during its annual meeting in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah, said its chairman.

The four-day event that began Wednesday hosted dozens of agreements, panels, summits, and business-to-business meetings with high-level participation from member countries.

The agreements aim to develop or cover operations and projects in various sectors such as health, agriculture, food security, transport, energy, small- and medium-sized enterprises, education, and humanitarian relief, Muhammed Al-Jasser said at the closing news conference.