Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, August 19, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

MIDDLE EAST

Israel, Hamas cease-fire talks

The latest on a possible hostage swap deal and cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the negotiations on Saturday as "very complex," saying, “We are conducting negotiations (give-and-take in Hebrew), and not give-and-give. There are areas where we can show flexibility, and there are areas where we can’t show flexibility — and we are standing firm on them.”

The Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer (8.69-mile) demilitarized buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, remains a sticking point in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

According to the Israeli news portal Walla, Israel wants to keep control of the corridor, whereas Hamas demands a complete Israeli withdrawal from the area. "Israel is prepared to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor for a maximum of six weeks to allow the release of the hostages,” the broadcaster said. Israel wants to remain in the area until, as he claimed, Hamas’ underground tunnels are destroyed.

Israeli attacks continue in Gaza

Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza, where Israel has killed nearly 40,100 Palestinians and injured more than 92,500 since Hamas’ violent action on Oct. 7. The situation worsens as Israeli attacks continue and aid becomes increasingly scarce in Gaza.

As the Israeli army expanded its incursion into Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, reaching the Hamad residential area west of the city, Israeli forces are now only a few hundred meters away from an area classified as a "safe humanitarian zone" in the Mawasi region, which shelters around 1.7 million displaced Palestinians.

Ismail Sarsour, head of the emergency committee in the municipality of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, told Anadolu that Israel has reduced the humanitarian zone in the Strip from 30 to 20 square kilometers, worsening the humanitarian situation and increasing displaced people overcrowding.

Military escalation in Middle East

Israel is on high alert for a possible military attack by Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, and Iranian-backed armed militias in Iraq and Syria, following the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.

According to international reports, Iran may postpone its response to Haniyeh's assassination if Israel and Hamas reach an agreement following the new round of negotiations in Qatar.

With no cease-fire agreement reached as a result of the Doha talks, Iran's retaliatory response is once again looming.

Israel-Hezbollah escalation

Continued border clashes between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah amid fears of full-blown war following Tel Aviv’s July 30 assassination of senior Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut.

A Hezbollah drone was suspected of infiltrating northern Israel and filming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Caesarea, the daily Israel Hayom claimed on Sunday.

Netanyahu and his family usually spend their weekends at their private residence in Caesarea, 37 kilometers south of Haifa on the Mediterranean coast.

West Bank raids

Israeli military raids on Palestinian cities and towns in the occupied West Bank since last October have killed at least 635 people and injured 5,400 others, with over 10,000 taken into custody.

Israeli military officials on Sunday expressed growing concerns over the escalating violence by illegal Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Protests against Israeli government

Protests in Israel aim to put pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu's government to either negotiate a hostage-swap deal with Hamas or step down.

Red Sea tensions

Continued Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel in the Red Sea and US-led coalition airstrikes on the group's positions in Yemen.

Humanitarian and security situation in Sudan

The humanitarian and security situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate amid clashes between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Saturday that more than 117,000 Sudanese have been displaced, and over 32,000 buildings have been partially or completely damaged due to floods and rains since last June.

EUROPE

Chancellor Scholz attends citizens' dialogue meeting

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to speak at a citizens' dialogue meeting in the northern city of Bremen.

EURASIA

⁠Russia closes entry to 6 settlements in Belgorod region

Russia closes entry to six settlements in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine amid ongoing fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Kursk region. People have already been evacuated from the area.

Putin pays official visit to Azerbaijan

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan, where he is expected to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, and other officials in the capital Baku. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders are expected to discuss the Azerbaijan-Armenian settlement, bilateral cooperation, and international and regional issues.

⁠Russian-Chinese intergovernmental meeting

The committee for regular meetings between Chinese and Russian heads of government begins its two-day 28th session in Moscow.

US

US responses to the Middle East situation, including ongoing cease-fire talks and the possibility of Iranian reprisal following an attack in Tehran that killed Hamas' former political leader late last month.

The Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, Illinois, with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, slated to be in attendance.

The four-day event will bring together Democratic delegates from all 50 states to rally behind Harris ahead of the November presidential election. At least six major pro-Palestine protests are scheduled around the convention, including one on the first day that is expected to draw tens of thousands of demonstrators.

US President Joe Biden to deliver a keynote address on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. The four-day Democratic gathering was initially intended to honor Biden’s decades-long career in public service, but his decision to withdraw from the race has refocused attention on Harris, who is running against Republican nominee Donald Trump.

UN

The UN Security Council will discuss the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as the region prepares for a potential Hezbollah retaliation after its senior commander was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut late last month. Hezbollah, an Iranian ally, has been engaging in a month-long cycle of cross-border attacks against Israel in an attempt to put pressure on Israel to end its war in the besieged Gaza Strip.

AFRICA

African countries to scale up mpox response

African countries are expected to announce financial and technical resources for the fight against the mpox virus, which the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Nigerian police search for kidnapped medical students

Nigerian police and security agencies to intensify their search for the gunmen who kidnapped 20 medical students in the country's east. The students were abducted while on their way to an annual convention in Benue State on Thursday. Kidnappings have become common in Africa's most populous country, with gangs abducting people for ransom.

ASIA – PACIFIC

Maldives foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia

Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer arrives in Saudi Arabia on an official visit. He will meet with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and other dignitaries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry press conference

Beijing: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson to hold a routine press conference.

New Delhi: Nepal foreign minister to hold a meeting with Indian counterpart in the capital New Delhi.

THE ECONOMY

Türkiye's short-term debt

Turkish Central Bank to reveal short-term debt figures for June. As of May, short-term debt stock was at $182.5 billion, up 3.6% from end-2023.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Disastrous Rio Tinto lithium project a definite no-go: Serbian lawmaker

By Talha Ozturk

Belgrade, Serbia – Report about the controversial lithium mining project in Serbia being developed by Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto.

The write-up focuses on the reasons for Serbia's raging opposition to the project, which are primarily concerned with its environmental impact on both the natural landscape and human lives.

The report is based on an interview with Danijela Nestorovic, a Serbian parliament member, environmentalist, and founding member of the Ecological Uprising movement.

Contests like Istanbul Photo Awards changing world of photography: Photojournalist Anna Surinyach

By Merve Berker

Ankara – Interview with Spanish photojournalist Anna Surinyach for World Photography Day, observed annually on Aug. 19.

Surinyach speaks about her work, the evolving world of photojournalism, and the impact of competitions like Anadolu’s Istanbul Photo Awards, where she was among the winners this year.

She explains how such initiatives “help define the world in the most honest way possible,” and brought about a shift away from the “homogenous” views of the world presented in past competitions.