Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, May 27, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza City - The Israeli offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip entered its 233rd day, with nearly 36,000 Palestinians killed and over 80,600 others injured as the crippling blockade has left the majority of the population on the verge of starvation.

Israeli military offensives in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah also continued, with incursions expanding to the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, amid the Israeli army intensifying strikes in central parts of Rafah.

Clashes and confrontations between Palestinian resistance factions and Israeli soldiers continued in several areas, including Jabalia in the north and Rafah in the south of Gaza.

Reactions to the announcement by al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, about the capture of Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip for the first time since the war broke out on Oct. 7. The capture reportedly occurred during a complex operation in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern part of the strip on Saturday afternoon. However, the Israeli army claimed that “there was no incident of soldier capturing.”

Ramallah - Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank have continued since Oct. 7, 2023, with at least 518 Palestinians so far killed, 5,000 injured, and at least 8,875 detained, according to Palestinian sources.

ISRAEL

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

EGYPT

Cairo - Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching a hostage swap deal and cease-fire in Gaza. Palestinian resistance group Hamas said Sunday it has not yet been informed by mediators about the resumption of indirect negotiations with Israel to reach a cease-fire and hostage swap deal in the Gaza Strip. On Saturday, Israel said indirect talks with Hamas will be resumed next week.

LEBANON

Beirut - Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that erupted last October continues.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Tensions in the Red Sea continue to increase amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having ties to Israel and airstrikes by US-led coalition forces on targets in Yemen.

GERMANY

Berlin - French President Emmanuel Macron to continue his three-day state visit to Germany.

BELGIUM

Brussels - Foreign ministers from the European Union to meet. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar, as well as Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit, are also to join part of the meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East. EU High Representative Josep Borrell to hold a press conference.

FRANCE

Paris - Lawmakers are due to begin debating new legislation regarding end-of-life care in France that would legalise euthanasia under certain circumstances.

BULGARIA

Sofia - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to address spring session for parliamentarians from NATO countries.

GEORGIA

Tbilisi - Georgia’s parliament to begin a procedure to override President Salome Zourabichvili veto on the bill “On the Transparency of Foreign Influence.”

SOUTH KOREA

Seoul - Seoul hosts 9th trilateral summit of leaders from South Korea, China and Japan.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Port Moresby - Over 670 people have been killed by a massive landslide that struck the country on Friday. Death toll is expected to rise amid fading hopes of finding more survivors.

NEW CALEDONIA

Noumea - Repatriation of foreign citizens continues as hundreds still stranded following civil unrest that hit the French colony.

CHINA

Beijing - China’s Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.

Beijing - Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

TAIWAN

Taipei - Amid cross-Strait tensions, a group of US lawmakers led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul is on a trip to Taiwan where they are expected to meet newly inaugurated President Willliam Lai Cheng-te.

US

Washington - President Joe Biden to deliver Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

THE ECONOMY

Ankara – Turkish Central Bank to reveal capacity utilization rate for manufacturing industry for May.

SPORTS

Paris – Tennis major French Open (Roland Garros) to go on with 1st round matches in women's and men's singles.

SPECIAL REPORTS

‘Double standards, selective morality’: Olympics under scrutiny for contrasting stance on Russia and Israel

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul – Report about the movement for Israel to be banned from the upcoming Olympics, focusing particularly on the Russia case and how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was quick to expel it for the Ukraine war.

The story gives details of the reasons cited by the IOC to ban Russia and explains how Israel meets the same criteria with its ongoing war on Gaza.

It includes interviews with academic and Olympics researcher Jules Boykoff and Peter Alegi, professor of history at the Michigan State University, who present reasons for why they believe the IOC is guilty of “double standards” in its dealings regarding Israel.

Red Sea tensions: Maritime traffic down to a crawl in Suez, more than doubles in Cape of Good Hope

By Nuran Erkul

London – Report about how persisting tensions in the Red Sea have impacted global shipping and maritime trade over the past six months.

The story gives latest data illustrating the sharp drop in transits through the Suez Canal and the massive spike around the Cape of Good Hope, the alternate route that companies have been forced to take due to security concerns.

It includes an interview with Tom Stainer, a UK-based logistics and shipping expert, about various aspects of the issue, including changing shipping plans and patterns, spiking freight rates and their implications, and assessments for the future.

NEW MEDIA

INFOGRAPHIC – Data illustration of how persisting tensions in the Red Sea have impacted global shipping and maritime trade over the past six months, including the sharp drop in transits through the Suez Canal and massive spike around the Cape of Good Hope.