Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

Israeli major military offensive in northern West Bank

Developments in Israeli military operation in northern occupied West Bank cities, considered the largest in over two decades.

Forces stormed the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, along with their refugee camps and the Fara camp near Tubas. The army withdrew from the Fara camp and Tulkarm on Thursday.

However, operations in Jenin continue, with the Israeli army deploying armored forces, supported by air power, to the city. The operation has resulted in the deaths of at least 26 Palestinians, according to Israeli military sources.

On Monday, the Israeli forces raided Tulkarm city again and laid a siege around hospitals there amid a military operation in the northern West Bank.

This comes amid continued illegal settlers' assaults against Palestinians and their properties across the West Bank. The settlers are always protected by the Israeli army during their attacks.

On Monday, local activist, Hasan Melihat, told Anadolu that a Palestinian family was assaulted by illegal Israeli settlers in the northern West Bank.

“Settlers stole around 300 sheep belonging to the family near the town of Aqraba in Nablus,” he said.

Israeli onslaught on Gaza

Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza, where Israel has killed nearly 40,700 Palestinians and injured more than 94,000 since Hamas' Oct. 7 incursion. The situation worsens as Israeli attacks continue and aid becomes increasingly scarce in the besieged enclave.

The Israeli army on Monday evening struck a gathering of people near a school sheltering displaced people in Jabalia refugee camp, killing at least five Palestinians.

On Monday, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said over 600,000 children in the Gaza Strip are deeply traumatized and living in rubble amid a devastating Israeli offensive.

Polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

Amid ongoing Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, the polio vaccination campaign for children under the age of 10 continued for the second day in the central Gaza Strip on Monday.

The campaign focuses on central Gaza from Sept. 1 to 4, followed by Khan Younis from Sept. 5 to 9, and will conclude in Gaza City and the northern regions from Sept. 9 to 12, according to official sources.

Protests against Israeli government

Mounting protests in Israel to put pressure on the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to either negotiate a hostage-prisoner swap deal with Hamas or resign.

Following the Israeli army's announcement regarding recovery of six dead captives from Gaza. Israel saw mass protests blaming the government for not bringing them alive through a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinians.

On Monday, a large crowd of Israelis took part in the funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the six Israelis recovered dead from Gaza, who holds a US citizenship. Israeli President Isaac Herzog attended his funeral.

Cease-fire talks between Israel, Hamas

The latest on the cease-fire and hostage swap talks between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, though their chances have dimmed due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the war in the strip.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden said he does not think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing enough to secure a hostage deal with Hamas.

Israeli media continues to highlight the growing disputes between Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the army’s presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, a demilitarized area along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Netanyahu sees the axis as a “lifeline for Hamas,” ruling out any withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the corridor, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN said.

Gallant called Israel’s control of the corridor “an unnecessary constraint that we’ve placed on ourselves.”

Netanyahu’s hardline position is seen by opposition leaders and families of Israeli hostages in Gaza as hindering efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas.

Last Thursday, Israel’s security cabinet voted to maintain Israeli military presence at the corridor, a position that drew fire from the defense minister.

Hezbollah-Israel escalation

Continued border clashes between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah, which carried out a major attack on Israeli military targets Sunday that Israel claimed to have thwarted. Both sides proceeded to exchange fire.

At least 432 Hezbollah members have been killed since the start of the border clashes with the Israeli army on Oct. 8.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said on Monday that two people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in the town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese group Hezbollah said that it had targeted with artillery shells a deployment of Israeli soldiers at Mount Adir in northern Israel and buildings used by soldiers in the settlements of Avivim and Manara with “appropriate weapons.”

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.

On Monday, Britain's maritime agency reported a fresh incident off the coast of Al Hudaydah in western Yemen.

In a statement, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said it received a report of an incident 58 nautical miles (about 66.7 miles) southwest of Al Hudaydah.

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.

UN agencies’ briefing

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

EU ministers to discuss demographic challenges

European affairs ministers from the member states to gather in the Hungarian capital Budapest to discuss demographic challenges, and ways to boost the EU’s competitiveness.

⁠Russian President Putin to hold talks with Mongolian leadership

Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to hold talks in the capital Ulaanbaatar.

During their talks, the two leaders are expected to discuss prospects for further developing Russian-Mongolian relations and will exchange views on current international and regional issues. A number of bilateral documents are planned to be signed.

During the visit, both presidents are also expected to attend celebrations on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian military over Japan in World War II. Putin is also scheduled to talk with other Mongolian officials, including Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene.

Fighting between Russian, Ukrainian troops continue in Kursk region

Russia and Ukraine continue fighting in the Kursk region, where Kyiv launched an "operation" on Aug. 5-6.

Ukraine claims it has captured 100 settlements since then, particularly the town of Sudzha.

Russian authorities have said that 31 people were killed and 143 were injured, and over 133,000 evacuated since the start of Kyiv’s incursion.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the objective of the operation as the “establishment of a buffer zone.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the incursion as a "terrorist attack."

Biden's schedule

US President Joe Biden to deliver remarks at a kickoff event of the Investing in America content series at White House. Biden's potential remarks regarding the Gaza war.

UN event

Slovenian Ambassador to UN Samuel Zbogar to hold press briefing to discuss plans for Slovenia's presidency of Security Council this month.

Trump's book to be released

Winning Team Publishing to release Donald Trump's most recent book, Save America, which recounts his time as president and outlines his plans if he wins this year's election.

Prison break attempt leaves 129 dead in DR Congo

At least 129 people were killed and 59 others injured during an attempted prison break in DR Congo's biggest prison in capital Kinshasa while officials are making efforts to restore order at Makala prison.

African leaders arrive in China ahead of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit

African heads of state and government have arrived in Beijing ahead of the two-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit that starts Wednesday. The meeting presents an opportunity for Africa to renew and strengthen its partnership with China.

South African president leads economic diplomacy with China during state visit

President Cyril Ramaphosa to visit Shenzhen, China’s economic technology hub in the Guangdong Province to interact with industry leaders and tour the headquarters of two tech companies.

China is South Africa’s largest trading partner globally, while South Africa is China’s number one trading partner in Africa.

Arrested anti-corruption activists to appear in court

Female protesters arrested while marching to Uganda’s parliament on Monday expected to appear in court.

Seoul hosts forum on unification of divided Koreas

South Korea hosts inaugural Global Korea Forum in a bid to explore ways to muster international support for the unification of divided South and North Koreas. The forum ‘Unified Korean Peninsula for Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity’ is being held in Seoul.

Pope Francis begins longest trip of his pontificate

Pope Francis, 87, embarks on a 12-day trip to Southeast Asia on his longest trip during his pontificate. Thousands of cops have been deployed in Indonesia from where he begins his trip from where he will fly to Papua New Guinea, then to East Timor and later to Singapore.

Tropical storm wreaks havoc in Philippines

Tropical Storm Enteng, or Yagi, has wreaked havoc in the Philippines with at least 2 deaths. The severe weather disrupted air traffic in the Southeast Asian archipelago.

Indonesia-Africa summit closes

The second Indonesia-Africa summit closes in Bali where the two sides signed business deals worth $3.5 billion. A joint statement is expected to be issued.

Indian top court to lay procedure about demolition of properties

Indian Supreme Court is set to lay down guidelines about demolition of properties by public authorities. The Indian authorities have demolished many properties of those accused of involvement in criminal cases.

China’s Foreign Ministry holds news conference

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

ECONOMY

Turkish Statistical Institute to reveal annual inflation figures for August

Rate slowed for 2nd consecutive month, Türkiye's annual consumer inflation significantly hit a nine-month low of 61.78% this July. The figure is expected to be at around 50%.

SPORTS

US Open men's & women's quarterfinals to begin. Tennis major in New York City to end Sunday.

SPECIAL REPORTS

‘Killed by who?’: Gaza coverage in UK media under fire

By Burak Bir

London – Report about the persisting problems in British mainstream media’s coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza, including censorship and skewed narratives.

The story explores the reasons and impact of the prevalent issues in British media perspectives, with specific examples of Israel’s violence being downplayed or deliberately misrepresented, and others where Palestinian actions have been reported with fabrications.

It is based on an interview with Faisal Hanif, a media analyst at the Centre for Media Monitoring, a UK-based media watchdog, who explains how the misleading and factually incorrect reporting has had real-life consequences for Palestinians and helped set a narrative to justify Israel’s onslaught in the eyes of British audiences.

Namibia’s wildlife cull for drought relief stirs debate

By Kizito Makoye

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – Report about Namibia’s controversial decision to cull several wild animals for meat to feed people in drought-affected areas.

The story gives details of the plan, such as the number and species of animals to be culled, which include elephants, hippos, zebras and impalas.

It explains the reasons for the decision, details the current drought situation in the country’s worst-hit areas, and lays out the negative reactions the move has sparked within the country and internationally.

The report includes comments from Namibian Environment and Tourism Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda; Arafat Mtui, a wildlife conservationist with the Southern Tanzania Elephant Program; Samuel Wangwe of the Economic and Social Research Foundation think tank; and Matana Ng’weli, a wildlife scientist specializing in elephant conservation.