Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, April 25, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza City - Israel continues its relentless onslaught on the 202nd day despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate cease-fire in the besieged enclave.

Since last October, the Israeli offensive has killed over 34,200 people and injured 77,200 others amid a crippling blockade that has left most of the population on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli airstrikes continue on several areas in the Gaza Strip, including the city of Rafah, which Israel insists on invading under the pretext of confronting the last strongholds of the Hamas movement. Activists and political leaders have warned of catastrophic consequences of such an attack as Rafah is home to approximately 1.4 million displaced persons.

Palestinians uncovered 51 more bodies on Wednesday from a mass grave at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza media offices stated that some 30 victims have been identified, while efforts are still underway to identify the others, noting that at least 334 bodies have so far been found in the mass grave since Saturday. The bodies were discovered after the Israeli army withdrew from Khan Younis on April 7 following a 4-month ground offensive in the city.

Ramallah - Ongoing Israeli raids in West Bank since Oct. 7 have led to the killing of nearly 490 Palestinians, injuring around 4,900 others, and the arrest of nearly 8,445, according to Palestinian sources.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - Protests continue in Israel to pressure Israeli government to resign and reach a hostage swap deal with Palestinians.

LEBANON

Beirut - Cross-border attacks continue unabated between Hezbollah and Israel after flaring up last October. These are the deadliest clashes between the two sides since their full-scale war in 2006.

Hezbollah said on Wednesday that it fired a barrage of rockets and anti-tank shells at the Shomera settlement in northern Israel and the Rahab border site in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese group said Wednesday’s attacks were in response to Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army, for its part, said it attacked 40 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Growing tension in Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of ties to Israel and US retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi targets inside Yemen. This has caused significant disruption to maritime traffic in one of the world’s busiest global routes for oil and fuel transport.

Following ups of all topics are carried out through translation from the Arabic wire, official accounts and websites related.

UK

London - The screening of The Evidence, a documentary prepared by Anadolu, covering the Israeli administration's attacks on Gaza since October 2023 will take place in the Palace of Westminster.

GERMANY

Berlin - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to deliver a speech at the 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue meeting. The meeting will bring together high-level representatives from around 40 countries to discuss concrete steps towards overcoming the climate crisis.

PORTUGAL

Lisbon – Portugal's Carnation Revolution will be remembered on its 50th anniversary. A military coup led by the Movimento das Forças Armadas overthrew Marcelo Caetano's Estado Novo government on April 25, 1974, ushering in democratic rule in Portugal and the end of the Portuguese Colonial War in Africa.

FRANCE

Paris - French President Emmanuel Macron to deliver a major speech on Europe.

US

New York - President Joe Biden to deliver remarks about his economic agenda during visit in Syracuse. Biden will later attend campaign reception.

New York - UN Security Council to hold session on political and humanitarian situations in Syria.

Washington - More student-led pro-Palestinian protests planned following establishment of encampment at Columbia University last week.

TÜRKİYE

Ankara/ Bucharest - Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz to attend Türkiye-Kazakhstan Business Forum and signing ceremony of Türkiye-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Joint Economic Commission in Ankara. Yilmaz also to meet with Turkish business people in Bucharest.

Ankara - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to receive Kazakh Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov.

RUSSIA

Moscow - President Vladimir Putin to take part in the plenary session of the congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Moscow - Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov to hold a news conference on Russia's chairmanship in BRICS economic bloc in 2024.

Moscow - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman to hold a weekly news conference.

Moscow - A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia on the key rate and a final press conference by Central Bank Chairwoman Elvira Nabiullina to take place.

MONGOLIA

Ulan-Bator - UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron to visit the Asian country as part of his regional tour.

SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg – Civil society organizations to launch the Week for Palestine aimed at promoting solidarity and advocacy for justice, equality and liberation for Palestinian people.

KENYA

Nairobi - Emergency services are on high alert in East African countries after a relentless wave of torrential rains has left a trail of devastation across the region.

Nairobi - Doctors continue to strike for a second month after failed wage negotiations with government.

CHINA

Beijing - US top diplomat Antony Blinken has arrived in China on a 3-day crucial visit.

Beijing - Malaysian Foreign Minister is visiting China from April 23 to 25.

Beijing - Shenzhou-18 spaceship, carrying 3 astronauts, is scheduled to be launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

BANGLADESH

Dhaka - Myanmar to take back 285 Myanmar soldiers on Thursday who have taken refuge in Bangladesh amid conflict in Myanmar. A Myanmar delegation reached Cox’s Bazar Wednesday.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - An accountability court is trying jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan in a corruption case involving 190 million pounds.

INDIA

New Delhi - Weeks-long general elections are underway amid an intense election campaign across India.

THE ECONOMY

Ankara – Turkish Central Bank to reveal interest rate decision for April and international investment position figures for February. Bank raised rate to 50% at last meeting and expected to hold it unchanged this meeting.

Washington – US to reveal weekly jobless claims figures and GDP data for first quarter.

SPORTS

Mugla, Türkiye - The 59th edition of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye to continue with Stage 5 in country's west as nearly 178-kilometer (110-mile) stage to be run between Bodrum and Kusadasi. Danish cyclist Tobias Andresen (Dsm-Firmenich PostNL team) win fourth stage on Wednesday. Tour to end on Sunday in Istanbul.

Athens - Greek basketball club Panathinaikos AKTOR to face Israeli opponents Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs. Maccabi Tel Aviv previously won at Panathinaikos to be on 1-0 lead in best-of-five series. Team of tie having 3 wins to qualify for Final Four in Berlin.

Madrid - Real Madrid to play against fellow Spanish opponents Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs. Defending champions Real Madrid leading best-of-five series 1-0.

SPECIAL REPORTS

WITH VIDEO – ‘Tipping point’: US attacks on pro-Palestine campus protests show success of academic boycott, says renowned scholar

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul – Report on the boycott of Israel in global academia over its ongoing war on Gaza.

The story is based on an interview with renowned University of California, Berkeley scholar Hatem Bazian, who explains the reasons and objectives of academic boycott, such as divestment, and their historical context.

He also speaks about the ongoing university protests in the US, their impact and potential implications. The story also includes comments from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.

Fears, concerns persist in Rwanda over UK asylum seeker deal

By James Tasamba

Kigali, Rwanda – Report about the controversial UK-Rwanda deal to relocate asylum seekers from Britain to the African country.

The story focuses on the concerns and fears that people have been expressing in Rwanda, questioning the government’s motives and warning that the “ill-conceived” deal will have adverse implications for the East African nation.

It has interviews with Rwandan opposition leader Frank Habineza and political analyst Louis Gitinywa, along with Yolande Makolo, a government spokesperson, who presents the official stance, including a rebuttal to accusations of silencing dissent against the deal.

India election 2024: All you need to know about phase 2

By Ahmad Adil

New Delhi – Explainer about the second phase of India’s national election, which is due to be held on April 26.

The story gives a breakdown of details such as the number of states and people who will be voting, as well as the main contenders in what is the second of seven phases.

It also gives details of key constituencies in this phase, as well as the main issues that could influence voter choices in this round.

NEW MEDIA​​​​​​​

VIDEO – Interview with University of California, Berkeley scholar Hatem Bazian about the global academic boycott of Israel over its war on Gaza, as well as the ongoing university protests in the US, their impact and potential implications.​​​​​​​