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ANKARA (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories)

PALESTINE

Gaza City - The humanitarian and military situation in the Gaza Strip, in its 193rd day, as Israel continues its relentless onslaught despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the besieged enclave.

The Israeli offensive resulted in killing nearly 33,800 people and injured over 76,500 others since last October amid a crippling blockade that has left most of the population on the verge of starvation.

Ramallah - Israeli raids in the West Bank since October 7 which have led to the killing of 465 Palestinians, injuring around 4,800, and the arrest of 8,240, according to Palestinian sources.

Continuous, intermittent attacks by illegal Israeli settlers since early Friday against several towns in the West Bank under the protection of the Israeli army and police.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - Reactions to Iran's retaliation against Israel for the missile attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

EGYPT

Cairo - Developments in negotiations regarding hostage swap and cease-fire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.

LEBANON

Beirut – Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that broke out last October, in the deadliest clashes between the two sides since their full-scale war in 2006.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Growing tension in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of ties to Israel and US retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen amid fears of a significant disruption to maritime traffic in one of the busiest global routes for oil and fuel transport.

BELGIUM

Brussels – EU foreign ministers to meet to discuss latest developments in the Middle East, following Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attack on Israel.

GERMANY

Berlin - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to meet Estonia’s President Alar Karis for talks on bilateral ties, regional and international issues.

SWITZERLAND

Geneva - UN Information Service will hold its bi-weekly briefing for journalists.

UK

London - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will be discussed in the House of Lords with consideration of amendments.

London - Greenpeace publishes results of The Big Plastic Count, the UK’s largest-ever investigation into household plastic waste, which takes place between March 11-17. The charity says the count will gather evidence about the scale of UK plastic waste, with the findings provided to help ministers in negotiating the UN Global Plastics Treaty.

RUSSIA

Moscow - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will chair a regular meeting of the United Russia Party General Council Commission on International Cooperation and Support for Compatriots Abroad.

Moscow - Delegations of the BRICS countries will gather in the Russian capital to discuss security in the field of information and communication technologies.

TÜRKİYE

ANKARA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to chair Cabinet meeting and later to address nation on domestic and international issues, including Gaza.

UGANDA

Kampala - South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa to hold talks on regional security with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni during a working visit to the East Africa nation.

SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg - More African countries are expected to recall a batch of Johnson & Johnson children's cough syrup suspected to have caused child deaths in Gambia.

NIGERIA

Lagos - Nigeria’s fight against corruption is yielding results as nearly $30 million recovered from an ongoing investigation into key government agency.

CHINA

Beijing - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to meet President Xi Jinping.

AUSTRALIA

Sydney - Developments after Sydney Church stabbing, the second in 48 hours.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is due to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir.

INDIA

New Delhi - Developments about release of 17 Indian crew members of Israeli vessel captured by Iran.

US

Washington - President Joe Biden to participate in two campaign events in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Monitoring Biden's key remarks regarding situation in Gaza and tension in Middle East amid possible Israel attack against Iran.

Washington - Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg at State Department.

Washington - House of Representatives expected to consider bills related to sanctions on Iran following the attack on Israel over the weekend. Members will also consider resolution condemning Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel.

Washington - House of Representatives to deliver two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to Senate. Charges are 'willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law' and 'breach of public trust'.

New York - UN Security Council to hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Libya. UN Special Representative and Head of UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Abdoulaye Bathily will brief members on latest political, security, and humanitarian developments in Libya.

ECONOMY

Beijing – China’s first quarter GDP growth rate, industrial production and retail sales for March to be announced. Country’s economy has expanded by 5.2% in the last quarter of 2023 and it is expected to grow by 4.8% in the first quarter of 2024.

Berlin – Germany’s Destatis to reveal wholesale inflation for March. It is in a downward trend for a long period and it is expected to continue similar figure in March.

Ankara – Turkish Statistical Institute to reveal retail sales figures for February. It increased by 13.7% in January and 13.8% in December.

Luxemburg – Eurostat to share eurozone trade balance for February. It was at €11.4 billion in January.

Washington – US to share industrial production and capacity utilization figures for March.

SPORTS

Barcelona - German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund to host Spanish LaLiga club Atletico Madrid, while Spanish LaLiga powerhouse Barcelona to host French Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA Champions League quarterfinal 2nd leg matches.

Istanbul - Turkish side Anadolu Efes to host Italy's Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague play-in game.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Flex of deterrence, test of alliance: Analysts assess Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul – Report about Iran’s recent retaliatory attack on Israel, presenting an analysis by experts of its outcomes and potential implications.

The experts explain how the Iranian salvo of drones and missiles was intercepted by Israeli defense systems and its allies including the US, UK and France, while also delving into the reasons for Iran’s decision and the possible Israeli response.

It includes comments from Ryan Bohl, a senior analyst at risk intelligence firm RANE; Fabian Hinz, research fellow for defense and military analysis at The International Institute for Strategic Studies; and Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies of King’s College London.

‘Insanity’: Germany under fire for pro-Palestine event crackdown, barring British-Palestinian doctor

By Burak Bir

London – Interview with Andrew Feinstein, a former South African politician and pro-Palestine activist, about Germany’s recent move to deny entry to British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sitta and stopping a pro-Palestine event in Berlin.

Feinstein condemns Germany’s actions, as well as the lack of support extended to Abu Sitta by the British Embassy.

He also derides the West’s overall stance on Israel’s war on Gaza, terming it a “disgrace” and saying it “smacks of racism and imperialism.”

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interview with Ryan Bohl, senior analyst at risk intelligence firm RANE, about Iran’s recent retaliatory attack on Israel, where he presents an analysis on the event, their outcomes and potential implications.

VIDEO – Interview with Andrew Feinstein, a former South African politician and pro-Palestine activist, about Germany’s recent move to deny entry to British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sitta and stopping a pro-Palestine event in Berlin.