Esra Tekin
11 August 2025•Update: 13 August 2025
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday, including the WHO chief expressing concern about Israel's "deeply worrying" plans to occupy Gaza; the UN Security Council reaffirming Syria's territorial integrity and condemning interference; and an Israeli airstrike killing 2 Al Jazeera correspondents in Gaza City.
TOP STORIES
- WHO chief voices concern over Israel's 'deeply worrying' plans to occupy Gaza
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief expressed concern about Israel's "deeply worrying" plans to occupy Gaza City, warning that the situation in the besieged enclave is "already dire."
"Israel’s plan to expand military operations in Gaza is deeply worrying, given the already dire humanitarian and health situation across the Strip," General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X.
He warned that a military escalation could put more children at risk due to malnutrition and a lack of access to health care.
"We repeat our call for immediate, unimpeded and scaled-up access to food and health aid, for release of hostages, and for a permanent ceasefire," he added.
- UN Security Council reaffirms Syria's territorial integrity, condemns interference
The UN Security Council reiterated its "strong commitment" to Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity while condemning interference in the country's transition.
"The Security Council ... reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and calls on all states to respect these principles," the Council said in a statement.
It condemned "all forms of negative or destructive interference in Syria's political, security and economic transition," warning that interventions undermine stability efforts.
- Israeli airstrike kills 2 Al Jazeera correspondents in Gaza City
Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qraiqea were killed in an Israeli strike targeting a journalists’ tent near the Al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City.
The Qatar-based channel quoted the director of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, who said, “Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qraiqea were martyred in an Israeli strike on their tent,” without providing details.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- SpaceX postponed the Falcon 9 launch of Amazon's KF-02 satellite mission due to unfavorable weather.
- US Vice President JD Vance said any deal between Russia and Ukraine would not "make anybody super happy," as the Trump administration works to arrange a trilateral meeting between the leaders.
- South Sudan and Uganda agreed to form a committee to investigate recent border clashes that left six dead, according to a South Sudanese army spokesperson.
- Greece saw tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in a nationwide mobilization against the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
- Lebanese authorities are struggling to restore electricity after a nationwide power outage, officials said.
- A group of eight Nordic and Baltic countries stressed their support of Ukraine's territorial integrity, stressing that a path to peace "cannot be charted without Ukraine’s voice."
- The deputy director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit Tehran, the Iranian foreign minister said.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his army will occupy Gaza City “fairly quickly,” alleging that he wants a “civil administration” in the Palestinian enclave.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended his decision to halt certain arms exports to Israel amid strong criticism from within his own Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.
- Pope Leo welcomed progress toward peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia after they signed a trilateral peace roadmap with the US.
- The Southeastern Legal Foundation is considering pursuing sanctions against the US Justice Department, alleging it concealed key documents related to the Russiagate investigation.
- The White House may invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will meet to discuss ending the Russia-Ukraine war, according to NBC News.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- APEC food security meeting ends with call to boost regional supplies
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministers have pledged stronger cooperation to safeguard food supplies across the region amid growing threats from climate change, supply chain disruptions and poverty, according to media reports.
The commitment came in a joint statement at the close of the two-day APEC Food Security Ministerial Meeting in Incheon, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Seoul. Ministers responsible for food security from all 21 member economies – including the US, China, Japan and Thailand -- discussed the theme of “Driving Innovation in Agri-food Systems for Shared Prosperity,” Yonhap News reported.
“We remain committed to promoting cooperation among APEC member economies and fostering solidarity to strengthen food security through productive, sustainable, resilient and innovative agri-food systems for the prosperity of all our people and future generations,” it said.
