Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

MIDDLE EAST

PALESTINE

GAZA CITY - The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip continues for the 67th day amid growing calls for a humanitarian cease-fire in the Palestinian territory, as the death toll from Israeli attacks reaches at least 18,205 with over 49,645 others injured since Oct. 7.

RAMALLAH - Israel continues its almost daily military raids in the West Bank, in which at least 275 Palestinians have been killed and 3,760 others detained since the outbreak of the conflict in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. A general strike on Monday paralyzed most aspects of life including transportation, schools, and official bodies.

LEBANON

BEIRUT - Tension mounts along the border between Israel and Lebanon amid exchanges of cross-border fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah group of which at least 100 members have been killed since Oct. 8.

SAUDI ARABIA

RIYADH - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to meet Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, and other senior officials.

EGYPT

CAIRO - Egyptian voters continue to vote for the third and last day of the presidential election, with incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi poised to win a third term in office. Three candidates are running against Sisi in the polls, whose results are expected to be announced on Dec. 18.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

DUBAI - COP28 climate change conference to conclude, and a final declaration is expected.

EUROPE

UK

LONDON - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ministers to respond to questions from lawmakers at the House of Commons.

LONDON - UK's new relationship with EU will be discussed by Foreign Secretary David Cameron at select committee session.

LONDON - Lawmakers to hold vote at House of Commons on Rwanda bill, the government's plan to send asylum seekers to the East African country until their claims are processed.

SWITZERLAND

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

GENEVA - UN human rights chief Volker Turk to make a media stakeout.

GENEVA - Turk to moderate discussion with heads of state on the second day of a two-day high-level event to mark 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

EURASIA

AZERBAIJAN

BAKU - Azerbaijan marks Heydar Aliyev memorial day to honor the national leader's anniversary of death.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold press briefing on current foreign policy issues.

TURKMENISTAN

ASHGABAT - Turkmenistan marks Neutrality Day, celebrating UN General Assembly’s adoption of resolution supporting Turkmenistan's neutral status.

US

WASHINGTON - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet US counterpart Joe Biden as part of two-day visit to Washington.

WASHINGTON - House Republicans expected to unveil resolution to authorize Biden impeachment investigation.

NEW YORK - UN Security Council to hold consultations on UN mission monitoring cease-fire between Syria and Israel (UNDOF).

WASHINGTON - Senate Foreign Relations Committee to receive briefing behind closed doors on threat posed by Iran and its proxies post-Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

ASIA PACIFIC

PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD - Islamabad High Court to resume hearing of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's appeal against his seven-year sentence in a corruption case. He was convicted in Al Azizia corruption case that stemmed from the Panama Papers in Dec. 2018.

ISLAMABAD - Top court to hear plea to review 44-year-old controversial death sentence to former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

VIETNAM

HANOI - China's President Xi Jinping pays two-day state visit to Vietnam. Emphasizing need to "maintain strategic communication and reinforce the political foundation," Xi is seeking to manage maritime differences with China's southern neighbor.

THE ECONOMY

BERLIN - Germany’s Destatis to reveal wholesale prices index for November.

MANNHEIM - Zew institute to release economic sentiment index for eurozone for December.

MOSCOW - Russia to release trade balance figures for October.

SPORTS

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - 2023 FIFA Club World Cup to kick off with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad facing New Zealand's Auckland City in first round.

COPENHAGEN, MANCHESTER - Copenhagen to host Galatasaray while Manchester United to take on Bayern Munich in Group A in UEFA Champions League group stage final round.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Why are laborers from Malawi moving to Israel for work

By Moses Michael Phiri

LILONGWE, Malawi - Report about laborers from Malawi heading to Israel as part of the Israeli government’s plan to replace Palestinian workers in the wake of the ongoing Gaza crisis.

The story explains the reasons why people are taking up the opportunity to move to Israel, such as socioeconomic and other incentives.

It includes interviews with workers from Malawi who have gone or are planning to head to Israel, as well as human rights activist Gift Trapence, who criticizes the government for supporting the plan to send workers to Israel.

The report also has comments from Malawi’s Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda defending the government’s stance on the issue.

India’s population a ‘precious resource’ but with critical challenges: Experts

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI - Report about the challenges posed by the population boom in India, which has become the world’s most populous nation, according to UN figures.

The story focuses on the steps that India has taken or plans to take regarding the issue, and sheds light on how the country can ensure that its growing population can be more of a resource than a burden.

It includes comments from Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the New Delhi-based Population Foundation of India, former Indian bureaucrat and author Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi, and Jennifer Sciubba, an expert in the field of political demography and vice-chair of US non-profit Population Reference Bureau’s board of trustees.

The experts also give details about India’s demographic growth, as well as their assessment and projections for the future.

Green hydrogen: A game-changer in geopolitics?

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL - Report about green hydrogen and its position as a clean energy source that could define global geopolitics.

The story explains the significance of the emerging energy source for countries around the world, the steps being taken by various nations to harness its potential, and the ways in which green hydrogen could impact relations between countries and regional blocs.

It includes interviews with Turkish expert Mehmet Serif Sarikaya and Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a global research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEOS - Videos about the ongoing Gaza crisis, including packages developed from on-ground footage and social media content related to the issue.