ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday, including a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia triggering tsunami warnings in multiple countries, the Gaza death toll from Israel’s genocidal war reaching 60,000, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying his country will recognize Palestine in September unless Israel takes “substantive steps.”

TOP STORIES​​​​​​​

• Magnitude 8.8 earthquake strikes off Russia, triggering tsunami warnings

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, generating tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean region, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicenter was located at a depth of 20.7 kilometers (12.8 miles) and was centered 119 km (73.9 mi) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, it said.

The earthquake was shallow and powerful enough to trigger waves or a tsunami.

Several people in Kamchatka were injured after the quake, regional Health Minister Oleg Melnikov told state news agency Tass.

The US Tsunami Warning System issued a warning of tsunami waves along some coasts of Russia, Japan, Alaska, and Hawaii.

• Gaza death toll from Israel’s genocidal war tops 60,000

At least 60,034 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry statement said 113 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 637 people were injured, bringing the number of injuries in the Israeli onslaught to 145,870.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads, with rescuers unable to reach them,” it added.

The ministry also said 22 Palestinians were killed and over 199 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since May 27 while seeking aid to 1,179, with over 7,957 others wounded.

The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January, and has since killed 8,867 people and injured 33,829 others.

• UK to recognize Palestine in September unless Israel takes 'substantive steps'

The UK announced Tuesday that it would recognize Palestine in September unless Israel takes "substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza."

"I can confirm the UK will recognize the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged last week that Paris will recognize Palestine at the UN annual gathering in September.

Starmer’s remarks came during a news conference after an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, as more than 250 lawmakers signed a letter that demanded the government recognize Palestinian statehood.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday decried the starvation in blockaded Gaza, which has been under Israel's relentless attacks for 22 months now, saying that scenes "worse than Nazi camps" are seen there now, with people being starved and denied water before the world's eyes.
• US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said recent trade talks between US representatives and China were positive, adding that he expects to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping sometime this year.

Trump said Tuesday that Russia has "10 days from today" to end its war on Ukraine or face US penalties.

• The UK announced Tuesday that it would recognize Palestine in September unless Israel takes "substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza."
• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global hunger monitoring system, warned on Tuesday that "the worst-case scenario of famine" is currently unfolding in Gaza amid intensified conflict, displacement, and lack of access to food.
• France announced Tuesday that it will airdrop a total of 40 tons of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip starting Friday.
• Türkiye declared its participation in the Bogota joint statement of the Hague Group, noting that it was not bound by the references made in the joint statement to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday called on Israel to urgently improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, warning that initial steps are welcome but insufficient.
• Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday said that his country places special importance on the joint development of information technologies (IT) with Türkiye.
• The UK sharply rebuffed Israel on Tuesday for its restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza's starving population, calling the policies an "affront" to the UN charter.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• China, US agree to extend tariff truce

China and the US on Tuesday agreed to extend a pause on tariffs and other trade measures, Chinese trade czar Li Chenggang said in Stockholm.

The consensus was reached after two days of talks in Sweden led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“Both sides had a comprehensive and in-depth exchange over each other’s macroeconomy,” Li told a news conference in the Swedish capital.

“According to the consensus between China and the US, the two sides will continue to push for the continued extension of the pause on the 24% reciprocal tariffs on the US side, as well as countermeasures on the Chinese side,” he said.

• IMF raises global economic growth forecasts

The IMF has raised its global economic growth forecasts to 3% for this year and 3.1% for next year.

In its July World Economic Outlook report, released Tuesday, the IMF growth forecast for the world economy this year is 0.2 percentage points higher than forecasts published in April, and the 2026 forecast is also 0.1 percentage points higher.

In the IMF's April forecasts, the world economy was expected to grow by 2.8% this year and 3% next year.​​​​​​​