Morning Briefing: Nov. 12, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start Tuesday with, including an Arab-Islamic summit demanding UN resolution for Gaza cease-fire, UN calling for urgent climate finance agreement at COP29, and an Israeli airstrike resulting in several causalities in northern Lebanon.

TOP STORIES

• Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh calls on UN Security Council to pass binding resolution for Gaza cease-fire

An Arab-Islamic summit in Saudi Arabia on Monday called on the UN Security Council to issue a binding resolution enforcing an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and facilitating urgent access to humanitarian aid.

The call was part of the final statement of the Arab League-Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit held in the Saudi capital Riyadh to address escalating crises in Gaza and Lebanon, both facing a barrage of Israeli attacks.

The summit called for the UN Security Council to enact a “binding resolution for a cease-fire and immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” The statement also commended “the efforts of Egypt and Qatar, in cooperation with the US, toward reaching a swift and lasting cease-fire in Gaza,” and held Israel accountable for “backtracking on agreements.”

• UN calls for urgent climate finance agreement at COP29

The UN Monday called on global leaders to prioritize urgent climate action and financial reform, emphasizing the economic and human cost of inaction.

"An ambitious climate finance goal is not charity—it’s self-interest for every nation," Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said in his opening remarks at COP29 in Baku.

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UNFCCC commenced in Baku on Monday, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and activists with a renewed commitment to address intensifying climate crises. Running until Nov. 22, the event will see discussions around global warming, climate adaptation, and sustainability.

• At least 28 casualties after Israeli airstrike on northern Lebanon

At least 28 people were killed or injured Monday after an Israeli airstrike in northern Lebanon targeting a building in the village of Ain Yaaqoub in the Akkar region.

Eyewitnesses and medical sources reported that the attack struck a building housing several displaced people.

Several individuals were trapped under the rubble, with ambulances arriving at the site, the same sources added. Lebanon's official news agency, NNA, confirmed the initial toll, saying that the 28 people included Syrian nationals, displaced Lebanese, and residents of the village.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The actions and decisions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are crucial in stopping Israel's ongoing aggression against Palestine and Lebanon, Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
• Israel’s new defense minister hinted at a possible military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, also stressing that a cease-fire agreement in Lebanon is not feasible.
• Belarus announced that it has officially been granted BRICS partner country status.
• The Kremlin on Monday denied media reports suggesting that a phone conversation took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump.
• Trump is expected to name Florida Senator Marco Rubio as his secretary of state, according to a report Monday.
• Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council appointed businessman and former senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aime as the country’s new prime minister Monday after firing Garry Conille.
• The US conducted strikes on Iranian-linked targets in Syria in response to attacks on US personnel, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that negotiations for a global pandemic treaty will continue into 2025, with the goal of concluding by May.
• An Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 Palestinians and injured several others in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, targeting a rest area near tents housing displaced civilians.
• Sudanese activists said that civilian deaths in the town of Al-Hilaliya in Sudan’s Al Jazirah state have reached 350 amid attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since Oct. 20.

SPORTS

• France bans Palestinian flags during Israel vs. France football match

Following last week’s unrest at a Netherlands match, French authorities have banned spectators from bringing the Palestinian flag to a France-Israel football match this Thursday in a Parisian suburb.

"Only French and Israeli flags and messages supporting the teams will be allowed. Stadiums are no place for political messages – it’s the law," Paris prefect Laurent Nunez told French media.

Security personnel at Stade de France will subject fans to security searches and ID checks twice around the stadium in Saint-Denis, a northern Parisian suburb. Anyone who refuses the checks will not be admitted.

• Bafetimbi Gomis retires from football at age of 39

Bafetimbi Gomis, former France striker, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.

"It wasn’t an easy decision. My heart is still there and football will continue to flow through my veins," Gomis told DAZN, which is a British over-the-top sports streaming and entertainment platform.

"I will open up a new chapter in my life but I’ll stay for other projects in football,” he said on Sunday.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• UK gambling ad policies ‘too lenient’ compared to Europe, report warns

A new report highlighted the UK’s lenient approach to regulating gambling advertisements, especially amid concerns about the rising number of young people affected by problem of gambling.

Commissioned by GambleAware, a charity focused on reducing gambling-related harm, the report said Britain’s stance on betting ads lags behind Europe’s, where stricter controls have become the norm in response to public health concerns.

The report said countries like Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium have enacted more restrictive policies, while the UK remains the most lenient in comparison.

• Shortfall in orders hits German economy hard

A shortfall in orders is hitting the German economy hard, the Munich-based Ifo Institute said on Monday.

Last month, some 41.5% of companies reported a lack of orders, up from 39.4% in July, the institute said.

The rate is the highest since the 2009 financial crisis, it said, adding: "In manufacturing, nearly half of all companies (47.7%) reported a lack of orders."