Alperen Aktas
04 November 2024•Update: 04 November 2024
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday with, including a Chinese crew returning to Earth after a more than six-month mission aboard the Tiangong space station, Türkiye leading a joint call to the UN Security Council to halt arms shipments to Israel, and more than 75 million Americans voting early as US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump make a final push in key swing states
TOP STORIES
The return capsule of China's crewed Shenzhou-18 spacecraft successfully touched down in northern China in the milestone completion of the astronauts’ mission aboard the country's Tiangong space station.
Citing the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), Beijing-based Xinhua News reported that Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, who had been living and working in orbit since their launch on April 25, returned to the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
After several months in space, the Shenzhou-18 crew had separated from the Tiangong space station earlier Sunday following a handover of their duties to the incoming Shenzhou-19 crew, which launched Wednesday.
Türkiye, along with 53 other signatories, has sent a joint letter to the UN Security Council urging it to take immediate action to halt the flow of weapons and ammunition to Israel, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced.
The letter, led by Türkiye's initiative, was signed by 52 countries and two international organizations and submitted to the UN on Nov. 1, calling for a cessation of arms supplies to Israel.
“We must reiterate at every opportunity that selling weapons to Israel amounts to complicity in genocide,” Fidan said at a news conference in Djibouti, where he attended the third Ministerial Review Conference of the Türkiye-Africa Partnership.
More than 75 million Americans voted early in the US presidential election, according to data.
Figures from the University of Florida's Election Lab tracker show that 75,093,872 people have voted either by mail or in-person at polling stations.
More voters chose to vote in person than by mail this presidential election cycle.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Türkiye expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, particularly highlighting violence against civilians in Al Jazirah state.
- Voting in Moldova's presidential runoff ended as more than half of the country's electorate headed to the polls.
- The death toll from Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon has reached 2,986 since October 2023, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
- The Turkish foreign minister said that Türkiye’s Africa policy is holistic and encompasses not only economic, development, social education and health sectors, but also includes security cooperation and efforts for peace and stability.
- Residents of Spain’s Valencia region hurled insults and mud at the country’s king and queen after severe floods claimed the lives of over 200 people.
- A documentary released in the UK has revealed that King Charles and Prince William earn millions of pounds by leasing royal estates to public institutions.
- The number of bodies found in a mass grave from 2011 in Libya’s capital Tripoli has risen to 73, according to local sources.
- Moldovans headed to the polls in a runoff presidential election overshadowed by allegations of Russian interference raised by the country's incumbent president.
- At least 27 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, bringing the overall death toll since last year to 43,341, the Health Ministry in the enclave said.
- Ukraine said that overnight Russian drone attacks in the country struck local infrastructure across multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv.
- Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of slowing down prisoner exchanges between the two countries.
- Thailand has sent a protest letter to Israel requesting that no more Thai workers be sent to "high-risk" areas after a rocket attack from Lebanon killed four Thai workers and injured another last week.
- The US, South Korea and Japan conducted joint air drills south of the Korean Peninsula in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch last week.
- The FBI issued a statement that addressed the circulation of two misleading videos that falsely claimed to be affiliated with the bureau concerning election security.
- Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton expressed concerns that Donald Trump may refuse to accept the results of the presidential election if he loses to Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5.
SPORTS
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen won the 2024 Formula One World Championship Brazilian Grand Prix after 10 races.
The reigning champion finished in two hours, six minutes and 54.43 seconds, while both of Alpine Renault's drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, made it to the podium in second and third place, respectively.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, the winner of the last round of the Mexican GP, had to retire from the race due to a crash on lap 40.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Frank Gill, sovereign ratings senior director at S&P Global Ratings, provided an analysis of Türkiye's economic trajectory, acknowledging recent progress while cautioning about the complexities that lie ahead in achieving sustained disinflation and economic stability.
Gill told Anadolu that a significant shift has taken place in Türkiye’s economic landscape, particularly in terms of foreign currency and protected deposits, which now comprise 45% of total foreign currency reserves -- a considerable decrease from earlier levels.
"This shift," he said, "reflects the effectiveness of Türkiye’s transition to a more orthodox monetary policy," highlighted by the recent increase in the policy rate to 50%.
