Morning Briefing: May 21, 2024

ISTANBUL

Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including Iran’s plan to hold presidential elections in June after the death of its president in a helicopter crash, the ICC prosecutor applying for arrest warrants against Israeli and Hamas leaders, WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange winning a bid to appeal against his US extradition, and a ban on former South African President Jacob Zuma from running in an election this month.

TOP STORIES

• Iranian presidential election to be held in June after deadly helicopter crash

Iran on Monday declared that it would be holding an early presidential election on June 28 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.

According to the state-run news agency IRNA, the announcement of the date for the country's 14th presidential elections came after a meeting between the heads of the judicial, executive and legislative authorities.

Raisi was returning from the inauguration ceremony of a dam on the Iran-Azerbaijan border on Sunday when the crash took place, also resulting in the death of Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

• ICC prosecutor applies for arrest warrants for Israeli premier, defense minister, Hamas leaders

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh.

In a statement, Karim Khan said he has reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed on the territory of Palestine in the Gaza Strip from at least Oct. 8 last year.

The crimes included "starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime and extermination and/or murder" along with other crimes.

• WikiLeaks co-founder Assange wins bid to appeal against his US extradition

WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange on Monday won a legal bid to appeal against his extradition to the US.

Assange, who was to be extradited to the US on espionage charges, will now take his case to a new appeal hearing.

He has been facing 17 espionage charges on which he may receive up to 175 years in prison.

Assange, who has been detained in a UK prison since 2019, faces extradition over allegations of leaking classified military documents in 2010-2011.

• Former South African President Zuma barred from running in election next week

South Africa's highest court on Monday ruled that former President Jacob Zuma would not be eligible to run for Parliament in an election later this month over a past conviction.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) filed an appeal at the Constitutional Court challenging Zuma's candidacy after the country's Electoral Court ruled that he could still run in the May 29 election, despite being sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Zuma had been sentenced in July 2021 for contempt of court after he refused to testify before a judicial commission investigating corruption during his nearly decade-long presidency.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• US President Joe Biden defended Israel’s ongoing onslaught in the Gaza Strip, saying Monday that what is happening in the besieged enclave is "not genocide."

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a call for arrest warrants by the ICC against him and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will not tie Israel's hands in its war on Gaza.

• Türkiye will observe a day of national mourning over the death of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said after his counterpart perished in a helicopter crash.

• US President Joe Biden strongly rejected on Monday a decision by the ICC to seek arrest warrants, saying the decision was outrageous.

• The US on Monday offered its "official condolences" for the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other members of his delegation in a helicopter crash.

• The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Monday that more than 569 metric tons of humanitarian assistance has been delivered across a temporary pier to Gaza since last week.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday spoke over the phone with Iran’s interim President Mohammad Mokhber and extended his condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials.

• The death toll in the Gaza Strip from Israel’s deadly onslaught has surged to 35,562 since last Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said on Monday.

• Taiwan’s newly-inaugurated President William Lai Ching-te urged China on Monday to engage in dialogue, saying the island nation was not subordinate to Beijing.

• Belgium’s foreign minister on Monday welcomed the ICC prosecutor's request for arrest warrants, saying crimes committed in Gaza "must be prosecuted at the highest level."

• Record-low levels of sea ice were seen in the Antarctic last year as a result of climate change, scientists confirmed in a report published on Monday

SPORTS

• All champions crowned in Europe's top 5 football leagues

All champions have been crowned for this season in the top five European football leagues – the English Premier League, Spanish LaLiga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga and French Ligue 1.

This includes Manchester City in the Premier League, Real Madrid in LaLiga, Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Inter in Serie A and PSG in Ligue 1 who have become champions.

• Mavericks, Timberwolves to play in NBA Western finals

The Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves will play in the NBA Western Conference finals, while the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers will play in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics-Pacers final match-up will begin on Tuesday, while the final series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves will begin on Wednesday.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Microsoft unveils new tablet, laptop with artificial intelligence

US-based global tech major Microsoft unveiled Monday a new tablet and a new laptop with advanced microchips that can run artificial intelligence (AI) tasks with the Windows operating system.

The new 2-in-1 Surface Pro tablet, which has a detachable keyboard, is the 11th edition of the series, can shift from tablet to sketchbook to multiple monitors and has a kickstand design, the company said in a statement.

• US Fed vice chair Barr finds Q1 inflation figures 'disappointing'

US Federal Reserve Vice Chair of Supervision Michael Barr said Monday he thinks inflation readings in the first quarter of this year were "disappointing."

"We have made tremendous progress over the past two years on the inflation component," he said at the 28th Annual Financial Markets Conference held in Fernandina Beach, Florida. "Inflation has fallen from its peak of 7.1% to 2.7% today. But we are not yet all the way to our target of 2%."