Morning Briefing: Nov. 24, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy being optimistic about ending the Ukraine war by 2025; Putin claiming the Oreshnik missile's mass use is as devastating as nuclear weapons and Donald Trump planning to reshape the Justice Department, investigate "2020 election fraud," according to The Washington Post.

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Zelesnkyy optimistic about ending Ukraine war by 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed confidence that his country has a good chance of ending the war with Russia by 2025.

Addressing the Third Food Security Conference themed, "Grain from Ukraine," in Kyiv, Zelenskyy discussed efforts to bring the conflict that started in 2022 to an end.

Zelenskyy also expressed openness to proposals from leaders of African, Asian and Arab countries.

-Putin claims Oreshnik missile's mass use as devastating as nuclear weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the mass deployment of the Oreshnik intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) could rival the destructive power of nuclear weapons, highlighting its precision and strategic potential.

During a meeting with military officials, defense industry representatives and missile system developers in Moscow, Putin said the Oreshnik is not only an ICBM and a means of mass destruction but also a high-precision weapon.

"I would like to emphasize one more aspect here. The Oreshnik missile system is not just an effective hypersonic weapon. Due to its striking power, especially when used en masse and in combination with other long-range precision systems that Russia also has, using it against enemy targets will be comparable in effect and power to using strategic weapons," he said.

-Trump plans to reshape Justice Department, investigate ‘2020 election fraud’: Washington Post

US President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to reshape the Justice Department, including by firing attorneys involved in a pair of federal cases against him and he will pursue investigations into alleged fraud during the 2020 election, The Washington Post reported.

Trump's plans, according to a report by the newspaper, include targeting career professionals at the agency, typically insulated from political retaliation, who were involved in probes by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The investigations are related to the president-elect’s decision to keep classified records in his possession after leaving office in 2021, and later lying to investigators about them, as well as Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

His focus on firing the individuals stems from his view that the investigations into his alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn election results were politically motivated.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The PKK/YPG terror group killed a child in an attack launched from the Ayn al-Arab district in Syria's Aleppo province against the district of Tel Abyad.

Nine more Palestinians were killed and several injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, medical sources told Anadolu.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla discussed the situation in Lebanon with Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military said.

Israel killed 23 people and injured 45 in airstrikes on towns in the Baalbek region of eastern Lebanon, state media and the Health Ministry said.

Spanish police arrested three suspects for racist abuse during October's El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, said an Israeli female hostage was killed in an attack by Israel's army on northern Gaza.

Ethiopia launched a program to rehabilitate and train former militants in the northern Tigray region, according to media reports.

The UK government launched a search for a new EU negotiator as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer moves to reset Britain’s relationship with Europe.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed relations over the phone, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

The Sudanese army announced it regained control of Sinja, the capital of the southeastern Sennar State, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The death toll in new tribal clashes in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province climbed to 35.

A senior US official said North Korea is prepared to conduct a seventh nuclear test and is awaiting a political decision to proceed.

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales accused US President-elect Donald Trump of financing a coup that forced him from power following elections in 2019.