US warship downs incoming missile fired from Yemen: Military

• Several shipping firms have diverted from the Red Sea, instead taking the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
• Maritime monitoring agencies meanwhile said two missiles exploded in waters south of Yemen on Friday, though it was unclear if those reports were related to the incident.

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel explained

• South Africa has asked the ICJ to impose nine orders on Israel, including to immediately suspend military activity and to enable more humanitarian access to Gaza.
• The court could order all nine of the orders, none of them, or even make up its own completely different orders.

UN court says Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza

• South Africa brought the case before the ICJ, saying Israel violated the UN Genocide Convention.
• The court rulings are binding on all parties, but it has no mechanism to enforce them.

CIA chief heading to Europe for Gaza negotiations: US media

French court censures parts of controversial immigration law

• The bill is a flagship reform of President Macron's second term but its text, hardened under pressure from the right, caused a revolt among ruling party's lawmakers.
• Around a quarter of the 251 lawmakers in Macron's camp voted against the bill or abstained, and several left-wing ministers have registered their opposition to the bill.

Libya requires $1.8bn to rebuild flood-devastated areas, says report

• Nearly 44,800 people were displaced by the disaster, including 16,000 children, and their access to care and education has severely deteriorated since.
• UN humanitarian agency OCHA confirmed 4,352 deaths and over 8,000 missing persons, "making Storm Daniel the deadliest storm in Africa since 1900".

UN says Israel army orders Gazans to leave shelter hit by tank fire

• Twelve people were killed Wednesday when two tank shells struck the shelter, where thousands had taken refuge, UNRWA said.
• The health ministry said Israeli forces on Thursday killed 20 people waiting for humanitarian aid to be distributed on the outskirts of Gaza City.

UAE plans to issue bonds, Sukuk valued at $1.3bn in Q1 2024, says official

• The Islamic Treasury Sukuk launched in 2023 and valued at US$299 million experienced robust demand, with bids received worth US$2.2 billion.
• The UAE is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Middle East, with non-oil trade reaching $6 billion (AED22.2 billion) in the first half of 2022.

Israel far-right minister slams Qatar over Hamas attack

• Qatar is the "patron of Hamas and is largely responsible for the massacre committed by Hamas of Israeli citizens", Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on X
• Smotrich's remarks come as Biden's Middle East envoy was in the region for talks aimed at brokering a new deal to free the remaining captives in exchange for a pause in fighting

ECB to urge patience on rate cuts in battle against inflation

• Frankfurt institute launched an unprecedented rate hiking cycle in mid-2022
• ECB watchers will be more interested in president Christine Lagarde's press conference