Diary

ANKARA (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza - Eighty-eight days of Israel's war on Gaza have left 21,978 Palestinians killed and 57,697 others injured, most of them children and women.

The Israeli army's death toll since Oct. 7, meanwhile, has risen to 507 including 172 killed since the start of the ground operation on Oct. 27.

West Bank - Israeli army's raids against Palestinian territories continue across the occupied West Bank.

According to official figures, as many as 319 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the territory since Oct. 7, in addition to 4,910 others detained.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - Political and economic repercussions as Bank of Israel chief Amir Yaron says loss of income due to Gaza conflict is expected to reach more than $58 billion.

Criticism against the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu, with continued demands for its resignation and holding new elections.

LEBANON

Beirut - Military confrontation between Israeli forces and Hezbollah continues across border areas since Oct. 8.

EGYPT

Cairo - Talks over another prisoner-hostage swap deal and a cease-fire in Gaza continue after days of a visit by Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and the Islamic Jihad group head Ziad al-Nakhala.

RUSSIA/UKRAINE

Moscow/Kyiv- Developments and reactions amid aerial attacks by both sides in long-running conflict.

US

Washington - Statements from Biden administration on Gaza conflict and potential pro-Palestine demonstration.

New York - France's UN envoy Nicolas de Riviere to hold press conference as president of Security Council for January.

JAPAN

Tokyo - Aftermath of earthquakes in Japan, which was hit by several successive strong tremors on Monday, leading to a major tsunami warning in some coastal areas. The quakes damaged infrastructure and displaced thousands of people.

CHINA

Beijing - Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.

SOUTH KOREA

Seoul - Monitoring developments after stabbing attack on opposition leader Lee Jae-myung during his visit to southeastern city of Busan.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Pakistan's top court to hear disqualification case of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In 2018, he was disqualified for life and barred from holding any public office over corruption allegations.

INDIA

New Delhi – India and United Arab Emirates to hold inaugural edition of 14-day joint military exercise DesertCyclone in western state of Rajasthan.

SPORTS

Istanbul - Fenerbahce Beko to host Crvena Zvezda in Round 18 of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Is Israel losing against Hamas in Gaza?

By Leila Nezirevic

London – Report highlighting concerns in Israel that Tel Aviv’s current military and political strategies may prove ineffective against Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Gaza and may cause it to ultimately lose the conflict.

Includes an interview with Paul Rogers, a peace studies scholar at the University of Bradford in the UK, who argues that Israel is engaged in a battle against time in Gaza as pressure mounts from the international community over the rising death toll.

Also discusses challenges Israel faces in dealing with guerrilla warfare and underground operations, citing previous warnings by Israeli military officers, including Maj Gen. Yitzhak Brick, who questioned the country’s ability to win a war alone.

Nearly 43,000 people died from US gun violence in 2023

By Darren Lyn

Houston, US – Report about the alarming rise in gun violence in the US through 2023, with nearly 43,000 deaths, including mass shootings, prompting President Joe Biden's plea for stricter gun laws.

Includes information on the deadliest shootings last year, as well as figures from the online Gun Violence Archive on gun-related deaths in the US, revealing an average of 117 deaths per day, including a significant number of child and teen victims.

Also contains quotes by Biden calling to tighten gun controls, including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, safe storage requirements, and an end to immunity for gun manufacturers, to address the pervasive and devastating gun violence epidemic in the US.

Commodity markets faced strong headwinds in 2023

By Tuba Ongun

Ankara – Report on challenges faced by global commodity markets through 2023, including geopolitical tensions, monetary tightening, a stronger US dollar, OPEC+ oil cuts, and China's economic struggles, affecting the prices of various commodities.

Includes an interview with Sant Manukyan, head of the Investment International Markets Department with Turkish private lender, Isbank, who emphasizes that the upward momentum of commodities, particularly precious metals, was dampened by the US Federal Reserve's rate hikes and the strengthening of the US dollar, with additional factors including China's weaker-than-expected economic recovery and limited government intervention in the face of an economic slowdown.

Delves into 2023's global commodity market challenges, featuring the World Bank's projected decline, rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, a stronger dollar impacting gold, China's limited performance, and various factors affecting metals, energy, and grains.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interview with Paul Rogers, a peace studies scholar at the University of Bradford in the UK, who discusses the limitations that Israel faces in its war in Gaza, including rising international pressure over the rising Palestinian death toll, now over 21,000.

INFOGRAPHIC – Infographic with figures on mass shootings in the US, including the total death toll, the children-teen death toll, states where gun violence most occurred, and President Joe Biden’s call to Congress for stricter gun laws.