Morning Briefing: Dec. 28, 2024

ISTANBUL

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including updates on the impeachment trial of the South Korean president, US national’s espionage allegations and a plane crash in Kazakhstan.

TOP STORIES

• Impeachment trial of South Korean President Yoon begins

The impeachment trial in South Korea by the Constitutional Court on whether to remove or reinstate President Yoon Suk Yeol began.

Yoon’s representatives appeared at the top court, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

• US citizen sentenced to 15 years for collecting genetic data of Russian citizens: Russian Security Service

US national Eugene Spector has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for gathering genetic data of Russian citizens for the Pentagon, said the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

According to the FSB, Spector collected and transferred classified biotechnological and biomedical information, including state secrets, to foreign entities linked to the Pentagon.

• Plane crash in Kazakhstan was due to 'physical and technical external interference': Azerbaijan Airlines preliminary findings

Azerbaijan Airlines announced that according to preliminary results of an investigation, "physical and technical external interference" caused the crash of its Embraer 190 aircraft in Kazakhstan earlier this week.

In a statement on Telegram, it said due to the reason, starting Saturday it has suspended flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Vladikavkaz.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Azerbaijan Airlines flight to Russian city of Mineralnye Vody forced to return to Baku
• German president dissolves parliament, sets new elections for Feb. 23
• Gaza death toll tops 45,400 as Israel kills 37 more Palestinians
• Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Kuril islands
• UAE's FlyDubai cancels flights to 2 Russian cities following Kazakhstan plane crash
• Türkiye to ensure security beyond its southern borders, starting from 2025: President Erdogan
• Türkiye 'strongly' condemns raid of Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli minister under protection of security
• Injured UN worker evacuated after attack on Yemeni Airport: WHO
• Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban deadline
• White House identifies 9th US telecom breach linked to Chinese hackers
• Zelenskyy urges China to influence North Korea amid Ukraine conflict
• UN Security Council voices 'deep concern' about situation in Afghanistan
• Hamas denies Israeli claims about military presence at northern Gaza hospital
• PKK/YPG terrorists conduct bomb attack on Syrian’s Manbij
• Israel contacted Assad via WhatsApp for years: Report
• Zambia confirms second mpox case in 3 months as WHO reports 14,000 cases in Africa
• NASA spacecraft survives closest pass to sun
• US, Britain launch fresh airstrike on Yemeni capital of Sanaa, Houthis say
• US President-elect Trump says Bill Gates requested meeting in Florida
• Iran detains Italian journalist, Italy’s foreign ministry says
• 69 migrants dead after migrant boat sinks off Morocco

SPORTS

• Fatih Terim appointed head coach of Saudi's Al Shabab

Saudi Club Al Shabab appointed Fatih Terim as their head coach on Friday.

In the AI-generated video accompanying the post, Fatih Terim motivational words to players in the locker room following head coach Vitor Pereira's departure were featured. "Finish the video, and let's get back to work now," he said.

• Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo insists Saudi football league more competitive than France’s top division

World-famous Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also played for Al-Nassr since 2023, insisted that the Saudi football league is better and more competitive than the French top-tier Ligue 1 division.

"The French league? Easy... I don't care what people are thinking. But they should go there (Saudi Arabia) to play and see and run in a 38 and 39 or 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and sprint a few times to see," Ronaldo said during the 2024 Globe Soccer Dubai Awards.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Baykar acquires Italian aviation giant Piaggio Aerospace

Italy has approved the sale of Piaggio Aerospace, the country’s aviation giant, to the Turkish unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) producer Baykar.

"The world’s largest UCAV company, Baykar outbid rivals from multiple countries in a competitive tender for the sale of Piaggio Aerospace, which was established in 1884," Baykar said in a statement about the approval, which came from Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

• UK retailers face 'critical' financial as distress intensifies: Report

The number of UK retailers facing "critical" financial distress has surged by over 25% in the final quarter of 2024, according to a new report by the UK’s largest insolvency practitioner, Begbies Traynor.

The findings underscore the mounting pressures on the sector as businesses grapple with subdued consumer confidence, rising costs and challenging trading conditions.