Diary

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

PALESTINE

Gaza City - Situation in Rafah after Israel’s War Cabinet decided to push ahead with operation in southern Gaza city and its forces took control of the Palestinian side of Rafah border crossing despite Hamas announcement that it accepted a Qatari-Egyptian proposal for cease-fire in Gaza.

On Monday, Israeli military issued immediate evacuation orders for Palestinians in eastern areas of Rafah and called on them to move to town of al-Mawasi. At least 100,000 Palestinians, mostly displaced people, are living in Rafah’s eastern areas.

Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza Strip as Israel continues its relentless onslaught for 214th day despite UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate cease-fire in besieged enclave.

Since last October, Israeli offensive has killed 34,735 people and injured over 78,000 others amid crippling blockade that has left most of population on verge of starvation.

Ramallah - Ongoing Israeli raids in West Bank since Oct. 7 which have led to killing of 497 Palestinians, injuring around 4,950, and arrested more than 8,550, according to Palestinian sources.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - Israeli officials’ statements regarding planned ground offensive in Rafah, after issuing immediate evacuation orders for people in eastern Rafah.

Protests in Israel to pressure government to resign and reach hostage swap deal with Palestinians.

EGYPT

Cairo - Egypt is conducting diplomatic contacts to avoid further escalation, especially in Rafah, and to save ongoing cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas delegation is set to return to Cairo on Tuesday to complete cease-fire talks, according to Egyptian media.

LEBANON

Beirut - Continuing cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that flared up last October, in deadliest clashes between two sides since their full-scale war in 2006.

On Monday, Hezbollah claimed carrying out drone attack on Israeli military site in northern Israel.

YEMEN

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

TÜRKİYE

Ankara - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to welcome Kuwait's new emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah with official ceremony at presidential complex.

Following bilateral and inter-delegation meetings, state order award and agreements signing ceremony will be held.

GERMANY

Berlin - Chancellor Olaf Scholz to meet Chairman of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Becirovic to discuss country’s EU membership perspective, recent developments in region.

FRANCE

Paris - Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron to visit Tourmalet Pass in the Pyrenees mountains, southern France. Xi will later depart for Serbia, for second leg of his Europe trip.

UK

London - Emergency demonstration, called “Hands off Rafah” to take place outside Prime Minister’s Office.

London - Train drivers working for seven train operating companies and who are members of ASLEF union to go on strike for 24 hours in ongoing dispute over pay.

SWITZERLAND

Geneva - UN Information Service will hold its bi-weekly briefing for journalists.

RUSSIA

Moscow - Vladimir Putin to be sworn in as Russia’s president for 5th term at inauguration ceremony.

Moscow - Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith to arrive in Russia for official visit until May 11.

US

Washington - Repercussions of Israeli attacks on Gaza city of Rafah and protests in solidarity with Palestine in college campuses.

Washington - President Joe Biden to deliver keynote address at US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance ceremony. In afternoon, Biden to host Romania's President Klaus Iohannis for meeting.

Washington - Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Blinken will also attend Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection Ministerial meeting in Guatemala city.

New York - UN Security Council to hold meeting on reports of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sudan and South Sudan.

New York - Guterres to have media stakeout on situation in Gaza.

MEXICO

Mexico City - Turkish Parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus to hold bilateral talks on sidelines of 10th parliament speakers meeting of MIKTA. Kurtulmus is also due to visit Ataturk Monument, Yunus Emre Institute.

INDIA

New Delhi - India to hold third phase of general polls as part of seven-phased schedule. Voting will be held in over 90 electoral constituencies in 12 states and union territories.

New Delhi - Supreme Court to hear bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is under arrest since March in alleged graft case.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Pakistani and Saudi investors to continue talks to boost bilateral economic and trade cooperation at Pak-Saudi Investment Conference in capital Islamabad.

BANGLADESH

Chattogram - Turkish navy ship TCG Kinaliada to carry out 3-day port visit to Bangladesh to mark 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Türkiye and Bangladesh.

MALAYSIA

Kuala Lumpur - Four-day 18th Defense Services Asia Exhibition and Conference and 3rd International Exhibition on National Security for Asia continues in Kuala Lumpur with participation from many nations where Malaysia is expected to sign defense and security deals.

CHINA

Beijing - Alena Douhan, UN special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on enjoyment of human rights, begins her 11-day long visit to China during which she will meet representatives from government departments, companies, industry associations, social organizations.

NIGERIA

Abuja - Measles continues to spread in West African nation claiming dozens of lives. Schools in Adamawa state have already been ordered to shut down.

CHAD

N'Djamena- Partial election results start trickling in a day after Chad held Presidential elections to end years of military rule.

KENYA

Nairobi - Overwhelming floods continue to wreak havoc in East Africa nation claiming more than 220 lives as dozens are still missing. The death toll is expected to rise.

SPORTS

Paris - French club Paris Saint-Germain to host German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg match. Black and Yellows to play with already-crowned Ligue 1 champions to defend their 1-goal advantage, as 1st leg ended 1-0 in German side's favor.

THE ECONOMY

Berlin - Germany’s Destatis to share factory orders for March and foreign trade figures.

Luxembourg - Eurostat to reveal retail sales figures for March.

SPECIAL REPORTS

US professor believes his arrest at pro-Palestine campus protest was racially motivated

By Iclal Turan

Washington - Interview with Samer Alatout, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was violently arrested at a pro-Palestine protest on campus last week.

Alatout points out the possibility that the arrest was racially motivated as all three faculty members detained that day were people of color.

He criticizes the stance being taken by university administrations across the US, saying they are alienating both students and faculty by relying on violence and militarizing campuses.

ANALYSIS – After Gaza war, UK’s Labour Party can no longer take Muslim votes for granted

By Mehmet Solmaz

London - Analysis on the recent local elections in the UK, focusing on the role of Muslim voters and the Labour Party’s declining support among the community.

It lays out the voting patterns seen among Muslim voters and delves into how Labour’s stance on Israel’s war on Gaza has led to increasing disillusionment among the community.

The report gives details of the position party leader Keir Starmer has taken on Gaza, explaining with examples how that has led to internal strife within the party and the impact it has had on voters.

Key day for EU path: North Macedonia to hold parliamentary polls, presidential runoff

By Talha Ozturk

Belgrade, Serbia - Explainer about the parliamentary elections and presidential runoff set to be held in North Macedonia on Wednesday.

The story gives a breakdown of electoral data and the main contenders — the ruling Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia and the opposition VMRO-DPMNE coalition, and their respective presidential candidates, incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova.The report also gives details of the key issues in the elections, including the country’s EU membership prospects and Euro-Atlantic integration.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Interview with Samer Alatout, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about his violent arrest at a pro-Palestine protest and other issues related to the student movement, including the growing rift between university administrations and faculty.