By Rabia Ali
ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday, including the increase in the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, the US response to the killing of its troops in Jordan, and South Africa’s ruling party suspending former President Jacob Zuma's membership.
TOP STORIES
- Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks surpasses 26,600
The Palestinian death toll from a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip has mounted to 26,637 since Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the enclave said Monday.
At least 65,387 other people have been injured in the onslaught, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a press conference in the southern city of Rafah.
“Israeli attacks have killed 215 people and injured 300 others in the last 24 hours,” the spokesman said.
“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers can’t reach them,” he added.
- US opens door to 'sustained' response to attack that killed 3 troops in Jordan
Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the possibility that the US response to an attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan could be prolonged and multi-staged.
"We will respond, and that response could be multileveled, come in stages and be sustained over time," the top American diplomat told reporters Monday at the State Department during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
A drone attack on Sunday killed three American troops and injured at least 34 others at Tower 22, a remote military installation in Jordan near the Syrian and Iraqi borders.
- South Africa’s ruling ANC party suspends ex-President Zuma’s membership
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party (ANC) Monday suspended former President Jacob Zuma's membership after he withdrew his support for the party, local media reported.
Zuma now has 48 hours to respond to the party's national executive committee's (NEC) suspension decision, state broadcaster SABC quoted sources within the committee as saying.
The ANC has yet to issue an official statement on the issue.
Zuma announced in December he was withdrawing his support for the ANC, where he has been a member for over 60 years.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Tensions escalated along Lebanon’s border with Israel on Monday amid an exchange of heavy fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
- Iran is responsible for a recent drone attack killing three US soldiers in Jordan near the Syrian border, a Pentagon spokesperson said Monday.
- Several Iranian military advisers were killed in an Israeli attack south of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, according to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Türkiye is planned for February, a presidential aide said on Monday.
- German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer on Monday condemned a meeting of Israeli ministers and far-right groups to promote Palestinian emigration and rebuild Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.
- Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned of a major disaster in Gaza as humanitarian aid is being denied, urging international action to prevent starvation and disease outbreaks.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday launched a much-awaited Italy-Africa summit aimed at unveiling concrete projects to reset the relationships between Europe and the African continent.
- The UN chief will meet with major donors to the UN's Palestine refugee agency this week amid a funding crisis sparked by allegations that some of its employees in Gaza participated in the Oct. 7 cross-border attack on Israel.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday denied media reports about reaching a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.
- US tech billionaire Elon Musk announced Monday that his startup company Neuralink had implanted a brain chip in a human for the first time.
SPORTS
- Cape Verde, Ivory Coast reach quarterfinals at Africa Cup of Nations
Cape Verde and Ivory Coast both reached the quarterfinals on Monday at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Cape Verde beat Mauritania 1-0 while competition hosts Ivory Coast eliminated Senegal 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 16 matches.
Ryan Mendes' late goal from a penalty kick in the 88th minute brought victory to Cape Verde against Mauritania at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
- Atletico Madrid's Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu joins Fenerbahce on loan
Atletico Madrid's Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu has joined Fenerbahce on a loan deal, the Turkish club announced Monday.
The Turkish international will be with the Yellow Canaries until the end of the 2023-24 season, according to a statement from the Istanbul side.
Soyuncu, 27, bagged the 2021 English FA Cup with Leicester City before joining Atletico Madrid in 2023.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- US Treasury sanctions Iraqi bank’s owner over money laundering
The US Treasury Department announced Monday that it imposed sanctions on an Iraqi bank’s owner over money laundering.
The department identified Al-Huda Bank as a primary money laundering concern for serving as a conduit for terrorist financing by Iran, and said that Iraq has made significant progress in rooting out illicit activity from its financial system, but unscrupulous actors continue to seek to take advantage.
- Amazon, iRobot agree to terminate pending acquisition
US-based e-commerce firm Amazon announced Monday that it has entered into a mutual agreement with consumer robot manufacturer iRobot to terminate their previously announced acquisition.
The agreement, which was signed in August 2022, aimed to allow Amazon to acquire iRobot for cash consideration, to invest in its innovation and to support it in lowering the prices of its products.