Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza City - The Israeli army's imminent attack against Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, after the Israeli military had issued immediate evacuation orders on Monday for Palestinians in the eastern areas of Rafah and called on them to move to al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza.

The Israeli army on Tuesday said its forces have seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Rafah's eastern areas are populated with at least 100,000 Palestinians, mostly displaced people.

Humanitarian and military developments in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues its relentless onslaught for the 215th day despite UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate cease-fire in the besieged enclave.

Since last October, Israeli offensive has killed 34,789 people and injured over 78,200 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 arresting more than 8,610, according to Palestinian sources.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - Israeli officials' reactions and statements on the planned attack against Rafah, after issuing immediate evacuation orders for people in eastern Rafah.

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

EGYPT

Cairo - Indirect talks between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas in the Egyptian capital Cairo aimed at reaching hostage swap deal and cease-fire in Gaza.

Hamas said on Monday evening that it has accepted a Gaza cease-fire proposal drawn by Qatar and Egypt.

An Israeli negotiation team arrived on Tuesday in Cairo for further discussions regarding a potential cease-fire deal with Hamas.

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

LEBANON

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

On Tuesday, Hezbollah said it had targeted with drones to attack Israeli military sites in northern Israel.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Growing tension in the 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 receive Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov at the presidential complex to hold closed-door meeting.

Ankara - Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz to hold bilateral talks with Asadov and chair Türkiye-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission.

GERMANY

Berlin - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to meet Finland’s President Alexander Stubb for talks on bilateral ties, regional developments, and international security issues.

ITALY

Rome - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to visit Italy. Stoltenberg will meet the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni.

NORTH MACEDONIA

Skopje - Voters to go to polls to elect 123 members of the Assembly of the Republic for four-year terms.

HUNGARY

Budapest - Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Hungary and hold talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Tamas Sulyok.

UK

London - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to respond to questions from lawmakers in the House of Commons in first Prime Minister’s Questions session following the heavy defeat of his Conservative Party in last week’s local elections.

London - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto delivers speech on the future of Europe as Hungary prepares to take over the presidency of the European Council on July 1.

London - Vigil to be held to commemorate Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, a famed Palestinian surgeon in Gaza, who died in Israeli prison on May 2.

London - A demonstration to be held outside the Prime Minister’s Office to protest the government’s controversial Rwanda migrant deportation policy.

London - 1922 Committee meeting, regular meeting of backbench Conservative MPs, comes after the party suffered extensive losses at last week's local elections. Some Conservative MPs are reportedly in favor of replacing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before the general election is called.

SWITZERLAND

Geneva - The World Health Organization to hold a press briefing on global health issues which will be chaired by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

RUSSIA

Moscow - The annual meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union to be held in the Russian capital.

Moscow - A plenary meeting of the State Duma to be held, during which the issue of appointing the chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation will be considered.

Moscow - President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with visiting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Moscow - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold a weekly news conference on current issues of foreign affairs.

UKRAINE

Country - Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II.

US

Washington - President Joe Biden to visit Wisconsin to deliver remarks on his Investing in America agenda. Biden will also attend campaign event before heading to Chicago for another campaign reception.

Washington - Desk to monitor repercussions of Israel's planned ground invasion in Gaza and ongoing talks between Hamas and Israel.

Washington - US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to speak at Washington Conference on the Americas.

Washington - Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. to speak at hearing by Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Defense on the agency's budget request.

Washington - State Department expected to issue report on whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law since war in Gaza began.

CUBA

Havana - Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus to visit Jose Marti Memorial and the Center of Molecular Immunology.

Kurtulmus will meet with Esteban Lazo Hernandez, the president of the National Assembly of People's Power, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, and Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa.

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SOUTH AFRICA

George - Rescue workers continue to search for dozens of people trapped after a building collapsed in the city of George in the western cape.

KENYA

Nairobi - Nurses threaten to strike should government not increase their wages and address other demands.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Pakistan’s first lunar mission to be deployed to Moon orbit.

Islamabad - Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov to undertake two-day official visit to Pakistan.

INDIA

New Delhi - Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra is expected to visit neighboring Bangladesh, likely to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, besides other officials.

New Delhi - Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer to undertake a three-day official visit to India. The visit assumes significance as Maldives under President Muizzu Mohammad has returned Indian soldiers from the island nation. The soldiers were operating choppers.

CHINA

Beijing - The Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.

SPORTS

Monaco - French team AS Monaco to host Turkish side Fenerbahce Beko in the 5th game of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs. The winner to reach Final Four.

Madrid - In UEFA Champions League semifinal 2nd leg, Real Madrid, already crowned Spanish LaLiga champions, to host German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. 1st leg had ended with 2-2 draw.

Brugge - Belgian team Club Brugge to host Italian side Fiorentina in UEFA Europa Conference League semifinal 2nd leg. Fiorentina won 1st leg 3-2.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Philadelphi Corridor: Why Israel wants control of Gaza-Egypt border zone

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul – Report on Israel’s push to take control of the border area between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor.

The story explains the importance of the corridor, established under a 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and how its control gives Israel full control of the Gaza Strip. It also looks into the legal implications of what experts say is Israel’s “blatant violation” of the peace treaty.

The report includes interviews with Sherif Mohyeldeen, non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center, Djaouida Siaci, an international lawyer specializing in cross-border issues, and Ahmed Maher, a journalist focusing on the Middle East.

Students call out Cambridge University for reluctance to divest from firms linked to ‘genocide of Palestinians’

By Aysu Bicer

Cambridge, England - Report about the pro-Palestine encampment set up by students at Cambridge University in the UK.

The story includes interviews with student organizers and protesters, who speak about their main demands such as the university’s complete divestment from companies linked to Israel and that are “actively participating in the genocide of Palestinians.”

The speakers, including Jewish student activists, point out that the university was quick to cut ties with Russia over the Ukraine war, but has been reluctant to do the same when it comes to Israel’s deadly war on Gaza.

Shifting sands of time: Nepali antique dealer reflects on a changing Kathmandu

By Faisal Mahmud

Kathmandu, Nepal - Report about the history and changing landscape of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, viewed through the eyes of an antique dealer who has been in the business and the city for decades.

The story explains the various transformative points in Kathmandu’s history, such as the hippie wave of the early 1970s and the more recent commercialization of mountaineering.

It includes an interview with various citizens, including Sheetal Adhikari, a second-generation antique dealer based in the tourist quarter of the Nepali capital.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Interview with Djaouida Siaci, an international lawyer specializing in cross-border issues, about Israel’s push to take control of the Philadelphi Corridor, focusing on the legal implications of Tel Aviv’s violation of a 1979 peace treaty with Cairo.

VIDEO - Interviews with student organizers and protesters at the pro-Palestine encampment set up at Cambridge University, where they speak about their main demands and criticize the administration for its reluctance to cut ties with companies linked to Israel.