Morning Briefing: May 24, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Friday with, including China's warning that anyone seeking Taiwan’s independence will find themselves "crushed," a WHO report that 37 million children aged 13-15 use tobacco because the tobacco industry actively targets teens, more than 120 rights organizations urging US President Joe Biden to respect the ICC’s independence and EU-Türkiye discussions about cooperation on irregular migration.

TOP STORIES

- China says anyone seeking Taiwan’s independence will find themselves ‘crushed’

China said those supporting independence for Taiwan would find themselves “crushed” as it launched large-scale military drills around the island it claims as its own.

“Anyone seeking ‘Taiwan’s independence’ will find themselves crushed by the historic trend of China’s complete reunification,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press briefing in Beijing.

Asked about the two-day joint military drills by the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eastern Theater Command around Taiwan, Wang said the exercises “are a necessary and legitimate move to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, crack down on ‘Taiwan independence' separatist forces and their separatist moves and send a warning over external interference and provocation."

The UN urged all parties to refrain from increasing tensions following China’s launching of large-scale military exercises surrounding the self-governing island of Taiwan and its vicinity.

- 37 million children aged 13-15 use tobacco because tobacco industry ‘actively targets’ teens: WHO report

The tobacco industry "actively targets" teens with new tactics, and an estimated 37 million children aged 13-15 use tobacco as a result of that, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Thursday.

The report warned that "in many countries, the rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents exceeds that of adults."

In the WHO European Region, 20% of 15-year-olds surveyed reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, it said.

- Over 120 rights organizations urge US president to respect ICC’s independence

A total of 121 human rights and civil society groups called on US President Joe Biden to respect and support the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to reject sanctions threatened against the court’s officials.

The groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, highlighted the ICC's role in ensuring justice for grave international crimes in a letter to Biden on Thursday.

They urged the Biden administration to denounce recent threats by some US lawmakers to sanction ICC officials if arrest warrants were pursued against top Israeli officials accused of war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

- EU, Türkiye discuss cooperation on irregular migration: Turkish foreign minister

Türkiye’s foreign minister said that Türkiye and the EU are discussing ways to better handle irregular migration.

"There is a mechanism between the EU and Türkiye on irregular migration, and we have discussed how to better cooperate on this issue," Hakan Fidan said at a joint news conference with EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.

On EU visas for Turkish citizens, Fidan underlined that the process should be more streamlined.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the use of American property in Russia as compensation for damages caused by the seizure of Russian property in the US.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said work is underway to open embassies in another three African countries -- Sierra Leone, Niger and South Sudan.

The leader of Greece’s main opposition SYRIZA party might visit the West Bank in a show of support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the situation in the Middle East with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad, who was in Moscow on a private trip.

The Gaza Health Ministry warned again about the imminent shutdown of services at Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in the central part of the territory due to a shortage of fuel.

At least 12 Palestinians were killed, including women and children, and others injured as Israeli warplanes struck a government facility housing displaced residents in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

Ukraine and Greece will sign a security agreement in the near future, Ukraine’s presidential office said.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned about the dire situation facing children in the Gaza Strip due to blocked aid routes and intensified military operations by Israel.

At least 11 people were killed in an explosion at a factory in Tanzania’s eastern district of Mvomero, an official said.

Russia claimed that it took control of a village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

The Israeli army said that 30 soldiers had been injured in fighting in the last two days.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

- Nvidia shares soar 12% to all-time high after reporting record quarterly revenues

Nvidia saw its shares soar almost 12% on Thursday after the US-based chipmaker posted record quarterly revenues due to rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI).

The California-based company's stock price was trading at an all-time high of $1,061.57 at 1.34 p.m. EDT -- a daily gain of 11.8%, after closing the previous day at $949.50.

The rally came after Nvidia posted record revenue of $26 billion in the first quarter that ended April 28 -- up 262% from almost $7.2 billion in the same period last year, according to a financial results statement released late Wednesday.

Malaysian premier calls for forging regional economic ties amid global conflict

Pitching Malaysia as a “safe haven” for investment amid de-risking moves by Western nations, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed Thursday the need to forge regional economic ties.

“Notwithstanding all these conflicts (in Gaza and Ukraine)...Malaysia, ASEAN and the region should forge ties using economic policies, economic fundamentals, economic strengths, investments and trade,” he said.

Addressing the Nikkei Forum in Tokyo, Anwar said such policies would allow regional governments “to champion the cause of our citizens and elevate the living conditions of our people.”

SPORTS

- Italy announce provisional squad for EURO 2024

Italy revealed its initial 30-man squad for EURO 2024 on Thursday, ahead of the forthcoming European Championship.

Ciro Immobile, Manuel Locatelli and Marco Verratti were not called up to the national team by manager Luciano Spalletti.

Under the helm of Spalletti, Italy will open their European Championship campaign against Albania on June 15 before facing Spain and Croatia in Group B.