Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza City - Latest developments of humanitarian and military situation in the Gaza Strip after 124 days of Israel’s military offensive, which has so far killed 27,585 people and injured nearly 67,000 others since Oct. 7 as the Israeli army plans to advance southward on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip amid concerns of worsening the already bad humanitarian conditions in the territory.

Ramallah - Israel’s daily military incursions into Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank which have so far left at least 383 Palestinians dead and 4,400 others injured, while nearly 6,870 have been detained since Oct. 7.

ISRAEL

Reactions to Argentinian President Javier Milei's promise to relocate his country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as he visits Israel for an official trip since he assumed power in December. Jerusalem remains at the heart of the decades-long Middle East conflict, with Palestinians insisting that East Jerusalem – illegally occupied by Israel since 1967 – should serve as the capital of a Palestinian state. Only a few countries have moved their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, including the US, Kosovo, Guatemala, Honduras, and Papua New Guinea.

LEBANON

Beirut - Border situation remains volatile with cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces along Lebanon’s border with Israel which has so far killed nearly 210 people, including 30 civilians, and displaced nearly 100,000 from southern Lebanon due to Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese authorities.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Tensions grow in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on commercial ships transiting to or from Israel and US retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen.

LIBYA

Tripoli - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to hold meetings with officials to discuss bilateral relations as well as current developments in Libya and the region. Türkiye is expected to soon reopen its consulate general in Benghazi, eastern Libya, which was temporarily closed in 2014 due to the deteriorating security situation in the country.

MIDDLE EAST

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s regional tour to push for a cease-fire in Gaza and hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel. The chief diplomat had already visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt and is set to visit Qatar, Israel, and the West Bank as part of a tour that continues until Feb. 8.

BELGIUM

Brussels - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to chair a meeting of North Atlantic Council with invitee Sweden, in national security advisers format. Top security officials to discuss the latest international developments.

UK

London – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to respond to lawmakers’ questions. He is likely to be asked about the latest situation in Gaza and the UK’s diplomatic efforts.

GERMANY

Berlin - Lufthansa ground staff to go on strike at major airports, including Frankfurt and Munich hubs, over an ongoing dispute over pay. Verdi trade union is demanding a 12.5%, and no less than €500 ($540), monthly wage hike to offset the cost of living crisis.

FRANCE

Paris - French President Emmanuel Macron to host a national ceremony to pay tribute to the French citizens killed in the Oct. 7 attack.

SWITZERLAND

Geneva - UN agencies to launch this year's humanitarian and refugee response plans for Sudan. UN aid chief Martin Griffiths and UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi to deliver remarks at the meeting.

AZERBAIJAN

Baku - An early presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan. The Eurasia desk to follow official statements and reports from Azerbaijani media.

KAZAKHSTAN

Astana - President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to chair an extended government meeting.

MONGOLIA

Ulaanbaatar - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will conduct a two-day official visit to Mongolia.

RUSSIA

Moscow - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold a meeting with parliamentarians of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Moscow - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova will hold a weekly news conference.

Moscow - President Vladimir Putin will hold a videoconference meeting with government members.

UKRAINE

Kyiv - Ukraine's capital will host an international cyber security forum under the theme "Resilience in Cyber Warfare."

US

New York - US President Joe Biden to hold three fundraising events in New York City. Biden’s visit to the US’s financial capital comes as he struggles to gain momentum against ex-President Donald Trump in national polling.

New York - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to brief the General Assembly on his priorities for 2024. Address comes as international community continues to grapple with multiple crises, including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza caused by Israel’s war on the coastal enclave.

New York - Tor Wennesland, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, will hold news briefing.

Florida - Axiom-3 Mission crew, including 1st Turkish space traveler, is expected to turn back to Earth.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Political campaigning has come to a halt a day ahead of Feb. 8 high-stake elections when around 128 eligible voters will cast vote to elect a new government for a five-year term.

INDIA

New Delhi - Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to hold a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasan Mahmud who is visiting India on Feb. 7-9.

CHINA

Beijing - Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.

THE ECONOMY

Ankara – Turkish Treasury and Finance Ministry to reveal cash realizations for January.

Berlin – Germany’s Destatis to reveal industrial production figures for 2023. Production registered monthly and yearly declines in November 2023, frustrating markets’ expectations of positive results.

Paris – OECD to share inflation figures for December. Annual consumer inflation in the OECD area eased for a third straight month in November 2023.

SPORTS

Doha - Iran to take on Qatar in semifinal round of AFC Asian Cup.

Ivory Coast - Nigeria to face South Africa; Ivory Coast to take on Democratic Republic of Congo in semifinal round of Africa Cup of Nations.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Israel faces military and political obstacles in Rafah operation against Hamas, warns expert

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul – Report about Israel’s expected expansion of military operations to Rafah in southern Gaza.

The story includes an interview with Ryan Bohl, a senior analyst at risk intelligence firm RANE, who says Israel is justifying its push into Rafah by saying it suspects the presence of Hamas leaders.

He shares his assessment of the challenges and obstacles that the Israeli military will face in Rafah, including the risk of massive civilian casualties and diplomatic pushback from countries such as the US and Egypt.

Who are the frontrunners in Pakistan’s crucial elections?

By Aamir Latif

Karachi, Pakistan – Report presenting a comprehensive look at the main contenders and political forces in Pakistan’s general elections scheduled for Feb. 8.

It outlines key information about top contenders and gives an overall picture of the current standing of major political parties, as well as projections for the results and possible scenarios after the national vote.

The story also explains the process of elections and government formation in Pakistan, along with the key electoral contests that are likely to determine the outcome.

Is Senegal on the brink of political turmoil?

By Hassan Isilow

Johannesburg – Report about the political turmoil gripping Senegal following the controversial extension of President Macky Sall’s tenure and delay in planned elections.

The story explains the reasons for the controversy and the impact that it has had in the country, where massive riots and clashes have erupted, sparking fears of more prolonged violence.

The report includes comments from Edwin Yingi, a South Africa-based political scientist, and Buchanan Ismael, a political science professor at the University of Rwanda, about the potential implications of the unrest for Senegal and the wider region.​​​​​​​

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interview with Ryan Bohl, a senior analyst at risk intelligence firm RANE, about Israel’s expected expansion of military operations to Rafah in southern Gaza. He explains Israel’s reasoning for the decision and shares his assessment of the challenges and obstacles that the Israeli military will face in the operation.