Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

MIDDLE EAST

PALESTINE

Gaza City – Monitoring the humanitarian and military developments in the Gaza Strip after 144 days of the Israeli onslaught, which resulted in at least 26,422 deaths, mostly women and children, and injured 65,087 since Oct. 7. The enclave is grappling with a catastrophic famine as the UN food agency calls for urgent access to avert it, saying that most areas where needs are the largest remain regularly inaccessible.

The Israeli army continues, for the 6th day, to target the Al-Amal Hospital affiliated with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Younis by shelling its surroundings, preventing the wounded and patients from reaching it. The Health Ministry in Gaza announced the depletion of various anesthetic and intensive care medications at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis.

Following the repercussions of the decision by the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Germany to temporarily suspend funding to UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which came in the wake of Israeli allegations of involvement by some of its staffers in an attack by the Hamas on Oct. 7.

Ramallah – The Israeli army's ongoing incursions in the West Bank, since Oct. 7, have resulted in the death of 373 Palestinians and injured about 4,300 others, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The number of arrests has risen to 6,305, setting a record within less than four months, surpassing the annual figures recorded in previous years. As of the end of December 2023, the total number of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons was around 8,800, including more than 80 women prisoners.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv – Protests are being held by Israelis and the families of hostages to demand a hostage swap deal with Hamas.

Hamas has suspended talks for a prisoner swap deal with Israel, said Qatar, one of the main mediators for indirect talks.

The Wall Street Journal, citing Egyptian officials, reported that a new proposal has been presented to Israel and Hamas, suggesting a 4-month cease-fire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of all Israeli hostages. However, there has been no official confirmation from Tel Aviv.

LEBANON

Beirut – Intermittent military confrontations on the border between Israel and Hezbollah since Oct. 8 have resulted in casualties on both sides. The latest development includes the Israeli army's announcement of airstrikes on two military sites belonging to the Hezbollah group in the areas of the towns of Zibqin and Hula. The clashes resulted in the deaths of 171 Hezbollah members, 30 Lebanese civilians, six Israeli civilians, and 10 Israeli soldiers.

YEMEN

Sanaa – Monitoring developments in the escalating tension in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships linked with Israel. Lately, the UK said that it had shot down a Houthi drone in the Red Sea that was poised to attack. The Houthis rejected the US envoy to Yemen’s accusations of threatening the world economy, blaming the international community for the deteriorating situation. They blamed Washington's extensive support, both political and military, along with other pro-Israel capitals in the Gaza war.

BAHRAIN

Manama - Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus to meet separately with Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallem, the speaker of the Bahraini Council of Representatives, Ali bin Saleh Al-Saleh, the speaker of the Shura Council, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as part of his official visit.

EUROPE

ITALY

Rome – Africa Summit to discuss energy cooperation plan. Italian Prime Minister Georgio Meloni to chair the summit, which is also expected to be attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel. Meloni is planning to invest 4 billion euros ($4.34 billion) in Algeria, Libya, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Ethiopia. But the summit is almost certain to include some discussions on mass migration from African countries.

EURASIA

KYRGYZSTAN

Bishkek — Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu continues his three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, where he will meet with his Kyrgyz counterpart Jeenbek Kulubayev and other officials.

RUSSIA

St. Petersburg — President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will take part in a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

UKRAINE

Uzhhorod — Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak will meet with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

US

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to visit Washington, DC to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Meeting follows weekend attack on US forces in the Middle East that killed three US troops. Stoltenberg and Blinken will hold a joint press conference in the afternoon.

WASHINGTON -Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Department of State amid soaring regional tensions following a suspected Iranian proxy attack on US forces that killed three troops.

WASHINGTON - Desk to conduct additional street interviews with young Americans aged 18-29 to further gauge views on whether Israel is conducting genocide in Gaza. Interviews will be third in a series being conducted by Anadolu.

WASHINGTON - US pledges firm response following a drone attack attributed to Iranian proxy groups, which resulted in the killing of three American service members and left dozens more injured in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border.

ASIA – PACIFIC

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is visiting Islamabad at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart. The visit comes after two countries sent back their ambassadors to respective capitals, following downgrading of diplomatic ties over cross-border airstrikes in each other's territory, initiated by Tehran and drawing similar response from Islamabad.

PHILIPPINES

Manila - Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to pay state visit to Vietnam. The two countries are expected to sign a coastguard cooperation agreement -- a move that risks angering China.

AFGHANISTAN

Kabul - Afghan Taliban interim administration to host regional contact group summit in Kabul. The summit will be attended by representatives from China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran.

SPORTS

Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast - Defending champions Senegal to play against Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast in last 16, and Cape Verde to meet Mauritania in knockout stage.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Election season enters final stretch in divided Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

Islamabad, Kenya - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is visiting Islamabad at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart. The visit comes after the two countries withdrew their ambassadors, following downgrading of diplomatic ties over cross-border airstrikes in each other's territory, initiated by Tehran and drawing similar response from Islamabad.

Kenya’s Mau Mau demand ‘justice, recognition and reparations’ for Britain’s colonial atrocities

By Andrew Wasike

Nairobi, Kenya – Report about the Mau Mau freedom fighters of Kenya, who suffered brutal repression at the hands of British colonial forces.

The story focuses on the push for reparations being led by members of the Mau Mau movement, and gives details of the barbaric methods used by the British, such as killing thousands in detention camps where they were kept in barbed-wire cages and subjected to severe torture, malnutrition, beatings and sexual assault.

The report includes interviews with Mau Mau members and survivors Grace Wanjiru and Maina Mwangi, along with Joseph Ngacha Karani, chairman of the Mau Mau lobby group.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEOS/MULTIMEDIA – Daily production from footage and photos being received from camerapersons on the ground in the Gaza Strip, along with sourced social media content and videos.