Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Dec.1, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

MIDDLE EAST

PALESTINE

GAZA CITY - The humanitarian pause between Hamas and Israel in Gaza Strip came to an end on Friday morning after fighting resumed. According to an Anadolu correspondent, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian factions were underway in northern and central parts of the Gaza Strip.

International and Arab efforts continue to secure a long-term cease-fire. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conducting a regional tour during which he met top Israeli and Palestinian officials. So far, 80 Israeli hostages have been released, while 210 Palestinians were set free.

GAZA CITY - Concerns about the humanitarian situation persist among the people of the Gaza Strip, particularly the displaced, as their suffering intensifies with rainfall and cold weather. This exacerbation is aggravated by their limited financial means, preventing them from acquiring clothes, blankets, and essential food supplies. Some displaced individuals have reported a lack of relief aid reaching them.

RAMALLAH - Tensions remain high due to frequent Israeli army incursions into cities and towns in the West Bank, leading to clashes and targeting of Palestinians. The death toll among Palestinians has risen to 248 since Oct. 7.

RAMALLAH - Demonstrations, and various activities are anticipated following Friday prayer in the West Bank and several Arab countries to show support for Gaza in light of the ongoing Israeli war.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

DUBAI - The UN Conference on Climate will continue on day second when world leaders from Türkiye, France, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Brazil, Germany, and Indonesia among others will deliver speeches on addressing the impact of climate change. At least 70,000 delegates from around the world are attending the two-week-long conference.

DUBAI – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to address COP28, and is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some participating heads of state and government on sidelines of conference.

DUBAI - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's official visit to the city of Dubai which will end on Dec. 2 continues. During his visit, Mirziyoyev will participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28).

LEBANON

BEIRUT - Lebanon’s southern border witnesses intense Israeli military aircraft activity over the Nabatieh and Iqlim al-Tuffah regions in southern Lebanon, close to the border with northern Israel.

ISRAEL

TEL AVIV - The repercussions of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s call to “return immediately and with enormous force” to the war on the Gaza Strip, in order to “completely destroy” the Hamas movement, after the shooting attack in occupied Jerusalem that resulted in the death of 4 Israelis and the wounding of 13 others.

US

WASHINGTON - House of Representatives expected to vote on whether to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress following a scathing report about the New York Republican congressman. Santos is accused of breaking law by allegedly using campaign money for personal gain.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to host Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps for trilateral talks in California as part of AUKUS defense ministers meeting.

WASHINGTON - US-based Muslim groups to perform Friday prayer and hold a pro-Palestine rally outside Israeli Embassy in Washington DC.

EUROPE

THE NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM – The Netherlands Election Council announces official results from the Nov. 22 elections that saw Geert Wilders' VDD win most of seats.

SWITZERLAND

GENEVA - UN in Geneva to hold biweekly press briefing. Gaza situation to be discussed.

EURASIA

KAZAKHSTAN

BAIKONUR — Launch of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket with cargo spacecraft Progress MS-25 to the International Space Station.

NORTH MACEDONIA

SKOPJE — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold a news conference on results of his participation in a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe foreign ministers.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin will have a meeting with the head of the Russian energy company Rosneft, Igor Sechin.

ASIA-PACIFIC

JAPAN

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog Friday in the United Arab Emirates where world leaders are attending a UN conference on climate change. The meeting comes amid Israel’s war on Palestinian besieged enclave of Gaza.

CHINA

BEIJING – China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to pay an official two-day visit to Vietnam on Friday. Wang and Vietnamese deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang will hold 15th China-Vietnam steering committee meeting for bilateral cooperation.

PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Supreme Court will hear multiple petitions against government's ongoing campaign to expel undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghan refugees. Pakistan had given a one-month deadline to undocumented immigrants to leave the country by Nov. 1.

ISLAMABAD - A special court will resume hearing of official secrets act case, known as cipher case, against former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Adiala jail in northeastern garrison city of Rawalpindi. Court allowed media and family to witness the proceedings.

KOREAN PENINSULA

PYONGYANG - North Korea is set to start a reconnaissance mission on Friday following its successful launch of a spy satellite last week which sent home pictures of US military bases in Guam and Japan besides the White House and Pentagon.

SPECIAL REPORT

Israel-Hamas hostages for prisoners deals becoming more complex, difficult: Experts

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL – Report about the humanitarian pauses in the Gaza Strip and the possible future course of action for Israel and Hamas.

It includes interviews with Yossi Mekelberg, associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Ryan Bohl, senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at think tank RANE.

The experts speak about how deals for exchange of hostages and prisoners between Hamas and Israel are likely to become more complicated as time passes.

They also share their views on whether the extensions in the humanitarian pauses will lead to an end of the war and about the impact of international pressure for a permanent cease-fire.

Israel-Hamas conflict is ‘not a law-free zone’: Ex-UN special rapporteur

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON – Report about the ongoing Gaza crisis, which includes a statement from former UN Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ni Aolain.

She expresses concern over ‘breaches of the law of war’ and calls for an end to hostilities, as well as serious efforts to achieve a lasting cease-fire.

The report also has an interview with M Muhannad Ayyash, a Palestinian writer and professor of sociology at Mount Royal University in Canada, who speaks about the need for more concerted efforts from Arab nations and others from the Global South.

Soaring prices make Greek cuisine staple olive oil a luxury

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS – Report about the untethered surge in olive oil prices in Greece and the impact on life in a country where it is an essential ingredient in everyday cuisine.

The report includes figures charting the surge in prices, along with interviews with industry figures and local officials.

Spyros Katsaros, owner of an olive oil mill, speaks about the challenges that producers are facing and explains the reasons for the current situation, including the production crunch in Greece and other key countries like Spain and Italy.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interview with Ryan Bohl, senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at think tank RANE, about the humanitarian pauses in the Gaza Strip and the possible future course of action for Israel and Hamas.

VIDEO – Interview with M Muhannad Ayyash, a Palestinian writer and professor of sociology at Mount Royal University, about the need for more concerted efforts from Arab and Global South nations to resolve the ongoing Gaza crisis.

VIDEO – Interview with Spyros Katsaros, owner of an olive oil mill, about the challenges producers are facing in Greece and the reasons for skyrocketing olive oil prices in the country.