Diary

Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza Strip - Israel keeps pounding Gaza Strip from air and land, with Palestinian death toll surging to 21,110 and 55,243 others injured in deadly offensive that brought much of the enclave to devastation. Visit to Israel next week by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken comes amid growing dispute between Tel Aviv and Washington over plans for post-war era in Gaza.

Palestinian factions are holding talks in Egypt for new swap hostage deal with Israel in return for halting deadly Israeli offensive on the enclave.

Ramallah - Israeli army continues military raids into Palestinian towns in occupied West Bank, with at least 305 Palestinians killed, 3,300 others injured, and nearly 4,800 others detained by Israeli forces in occupied territory since Oct. 7 amid ongoing onslaught on Gaza Strip.

LEBANON

Beirut - Cross-border fire continues between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah in deadliest clashes between 2 sides since their last war in 2006. More than 150 people, including nearly 30 Lebanese civilians, have been killed since the clashes first erupted on Oct. 8, according to Lebanese figures.

ITALY

Rome - Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni to give traditional end-of-year press conference.

RUSSIA

Moscow - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to give live year-in-review interview to Rossiya-24 TV.

Moscow - Yury Gorlach, head of Situational Crisis Center Department, to hold news conference on evacuation of Russian citizens from Gaza Strip, as well as other department activities in 2023.

TÜRKİYE

Ankara - National Defense Ministry to hold background meeting on Türkiye’s defense issues, including fight against terrorism.

US

Washington - Monitoring potential statements from Biden administration on Gaza conflict as well as protests in solidarity with Palestine.

NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang - Ruling Workers' Party continues key year-end meeting to set targets for 2024.

CHINA

Beijing - Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.

SPORTS

Istanbul - Anadolu Efes to host Fenerbahce Beko in round 17 of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

THE ECONOMY

Ankara - Turkish Statistical Institute to release economic confidence index for December. After three-month upward trend, in November index posted a decline.

Washington - US to release jobless claims figures and goods trade balance for November. US goods trade deficit in October was at minus $89.4 billion, exceeding expectations, and is expected to be at minus $88.4 billion in November.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Israel has brought Jews only ‘bloodshed after bloodshed’

By Burak Bir

London - Report on longstanding opposition to actions and existence of state of Israel by large segments of Jewish population and religious leaders, particularly anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews.

Story centers on interview with Elhanan Beck, well-known rabbi in Britain, who challenges Israel’s claim to have provided peace to Jewish people across the globe, asserting that instead, it has brought them “bloodshed after bloodshed” as the “most dangerous place for the Jewish people.”

Beck also highlights safety and security that Jewish people have enjoyed in Muslim lands through history and in current times, while calling into question Jewish credentials of Israel and its leaders, as well as its narrative of Oct. 7 attacks.

SPECIAL REPORT

UN Security Council failure to call for a cease-fire ‘utterly callous’: Oxfam

By Leila Nezirevic

London - Report on British-founded charity confederation Oxfam criticizing recent UN Security Council resolution seeking to facilitate entry of aid into Gaza Strip under siege by Israel for not calling for cease-fire.

Includes interview with Bushra Khalidi, spokesperson and policy lead at Oxfam, who underlines urgent need for cease-fire in Gaza and brutal measures Israel has taken against enclave’s inhabitants, particularly its targeting of vital infrastructure. She also highlights surging risk of famine in Gaza and need to abide by international law, accusing nations that refuse to call for a cease-fire of being complicit in suffering.

Also contains remarks by Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, who calls Security Council failure to call for cease-fire “utterly callous” as it hinders delivery of humanitarian aid, ending massive loss of life, and securing return of hostages held in Gaza.

SPECIAL REPORT

Persistent challenges loom over EU economy despite positive indicators in 2023

By Aysu Bicer

London - Report on challenges, including high cost of living, weak external demand, and inflation, facing EU economy amid ongoing uncertainties despite exceeding expectations over course of past year.

Includes remarks from Cevat Giray Aksoy of King's College London and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), who highlights temporary drop in inflation to 2.4% due to lower energy prices, but warns that real cost of living remains nearly 20% higher than pre-inflation levels. He anticipates potential reduction in interest rates by European Central Bank in first half of 2023.

Also contains remarks by Philip Lane, chief economist of European Central Bank (ECB), and ECB President Christine Lagarde, who caution against premature claims to triumph over inflation and emphasize need for cautious approach amid ongoing challenges in balancing economic recovery with prudent monetary measures in face of persistent uncertainties.

SPECIAL REPORT

Kazakh football on rise as Central Asian nation aims for European qualification in 2024

By Burc Eruygur and Emre Asikci

Istanbul - Report on rise of Kazakhstan in continental football, with nation recently reaching new heights as it enters UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying playoffs, with success of national football team getting more attention with its performance in qualifying group.

Includes interview with Kazakh sports journalist Ermukhammed Maulen, who comments on reasons behind this success, highlighting change in national team coaching staff and leadership in country's football federation.

Maulen says improvement in Kazakh Premier League’s reputation has played significant role in this success and assesses national team’s prospects in UEFA EURO 2024 qualification playoffs and domestic atmosphere, particularly in government, and rising popularity of football in Central Asian country.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Interview with Elhanan Beck, well-known rabbi in Britain, explaining why he and other Jewish people and leaders oppose state of Israel, pointing to its failure to secure peace for Jews and the “bloodshed after bloodshed” it has caused.

VIDEO - Interview with Oxfam spokesperson and policy lead Bushra Khalidi excoriating UN Security Council’s failure to demand cease-fire in Gaza and underscoring inadequacy of merely providing more aid to enclave as it continues to be devastated by weeks of bombardment.​​​​​​​