Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics that Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Friday, March 7, 2025 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

Organization of Islamic Cooperation to hold urgent Islamic meeting on Gaza reconstruction

The Saudi city of Jeddah is set to host an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, who are being displaced from their lands.

The meeting follows the emergency Arab summit hosted by Egypt on Tuesday, where Arab leaders discussed developments in the Palestinian cause and ways to support the Palestinian people and approved Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan.

Gaza ceasefire, hostage swap deal

The latest developments after the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which began on Jan. 19, ended on March 2 and was not extended, nor did it move into the second phase.

Gaza ceasefire mediators continue their efforts to push Israel to enter talks for a second phase of the deal, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump threatened Hamas with “severe consequences” if the group failed to release Israeli captives and the bodies of dead hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, refused to enter negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Instead, he wants to extend the first six-week phase of the deal.

Humanitarian and security situation in Gaza

Humanitarian and security situation in the Gaza Strip as Israel escalated its attacks across Gaza since Sunday, shortly after the expiry of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

One Palestinian was killed and another seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Thursday, the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement, a medical source said.

Palestinian medics and rescue teams recovered six more bodies from the rubble in the Gaza Strip, pushing the overall death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 48,446, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

Israeli raids in West Bank

Nearly daily, the Israeli military raids Palestinian cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, with the army deploying tanks in the northern parts of the territory for the first time in over two decades.

The Israeli army began to demolish 17 Palestinian homes in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern West Bank on Thursday amid a military offensive in the occupied territory, witnesses said.

The escalation came amid a deadly Israeli military onslaught in the northern West Bank since Jan. 21, killing more than 65 Palestinians and displacing thousands.

Israel has killed at least 930 people in the occupied territory since October 2023 and injured nearly 7,000 others, with more than 14,300 taken into custody.

Israel's violations in southern Lebanon following incomplete pullout

Aftermath of the incomplete Israeli army withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

On Thursday, the Lebanese Army warned that Israel’s continued aggression endangers the country's stability and negatively impacts regional security.

In a statement, the army’s leadership said: “The Israeli enemy continues its assaults on Lebanon’s sovereignty by land, sea, and air, the latest of which includes a series of targeted attacks on civilians in the south and the Bekaa region (east), along with its ongoing occupation of Lebanese territory and repeated violations of land borders."

Military and humanitarian situation in war-torn Sudan

The security and humanitarian situation in Sudan, where the Sudanese army has gained ground in recent days against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in key areas and states.

Egypt announced Thursday that its security agencies, in coordination with Sudanese authorities, had successfully freed a group of Egyptian nationals abducted by the RSF in neighboring Sudan.

On Wednesday, Sudan’s armed forces successfully carried out a "coordinated and simultaneous operation" to eliminate RSF units in several areas across White Nile, Sennar, and Blue Nile states, army spokesperson Nabil Abdullah said in a statement.

Developments in Syria under new administration

Latest developments and updates in Syria under the new post-Bashar al-Assad administration.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Thursday that he met with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan in The Hague to discuss transitional justice for the Syrian people.

Four Syrian security personnel, two civilians, and nine armed militants were killed in clashes that have been ongoing since Tuesday evening in Sanamayn city, southern Syria, the Daraa Governorate announced on Thursday.

1st Friday prayer of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque amid Israeli restrictions

Muslims will perform their first weekly Friday prayer in congregation during Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, a day after Israeli police announced plans to deploy 3,000 officers to east Jerusalem on Friday in preparation for the prayer.

Since the beginning of Ramadan, Israel has been preventing Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque, in line with its policy enforced since the start of the genocide in October 2023.

Following all topics through translation from Arabic wire, official accounts, and relevant websites in addition to giving breaking news about related possible important developments.

Trump to host inaugural crypto summit

US President Donald Trump is expected to host the first-ever White House crypto summit, bringing together the heads of several major cryptocurrency companies.

The gathering comes after Trump announced last weekend that he would seek to build out a strategic crypto reserve, sending the prices of cryptocurrencies skyrocketing. He issued an executive order Thursday to build the stockpile.

Meeting between US secretary of state, Botswana's president

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host Botswana President Duma Boko at the State Department for bilateral talks.

UN Security Council session on potential Syria chemical weapons

The UN Security Council will meet in an open session to discuss potential chemical weapons in Syria. The interim Syrian government that took power after the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to destroy any remaining stockpiles produced under Assad family rule.

UN briefing

The UN Information Service will hold its biweekly briefing for journalists in Geneva.

German coalition talks

Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance and center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) are expected to continue their preliminary talks to determine if they can find common ground to form a coalition government. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the country’s likely next chancellor, said earlier that he hopes to build the coalition government before Easter on April 20-21.

In Germany's Feb. 23 elections, Merz's CDU/CSU alliance secured 28.5% of votes while the Social Democrats recorded their lowest-ever result at 16.4%, yet their combined 328 seats would exceed the 316-seat majority needed in the Bundestag.

Japan-UK foreign and economic ministers meet

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Trade and Economic Minister Yoji Muto are expected to host their UK counterparts, David Lammy and Jonathan Reynolds, respectively, in Tokyo for the first such talks between the two countries in this format.

Turkish president to attend online meeting of like-minded county leaders

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend an online meeting of like-minded country leaders organized by the EU at Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul.

Belarusian president to hold talks with Myanmar's junta leader

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko holds talks in Minsk with Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. According to the Belarusian state news agency Belta, the two will discuss the development of cooperation in trade, economic, and humanitarian areas and outline plans for the future. The report further said that several bilateral documents are expected to be signed following the talks.

Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing

China’s Foreign Ministry will hold a briefing in Beijing. The ministry is expected to deliver statements on recent developments on bilateral relations between the US and China.

Japanese Foreign Ministry briefing

Japan’s Foreign Ministry will hold a briefing in Tokyo. The ministry is expected to make statements on recent affairs in the US and Ukraine.

Tropical cyclone Alfred expected to make landfall

A category 2 Tropical cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday amid evacuation orders. The cyclone is on its way to Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

Chinese foreign minister holds annual news conference

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold an annual news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress. Wang will deliver statements on China’s foreign policy priorities amid ongoing tariff tensions with the US. Beijing’s position on Gaza as well as Ukraine is expected to be part of Wang’s news briefing.

THE ECONOMY

Turkish treasury cash realizations

The Turkish Treasury and Finance Ministry will reveal cash realizations for February. Last month, the Treasury's cash revenues amounted to $26 billion, and cash expenditures amounted to $36.4 billion.

UK house prices

Halifax will reveal the house price index for the UK for February. Prices rose by 0.7% in January, and another price hike of 0.5% is expected for February.

Eurozone GDP

Eurostat will share GDP figures for the last quarter of 2024. The euro area’s GDP growth rate was at 0.9% in the third quarter, and a similar figure is expected for the last quarter.

US unemployment

The US will release unemployment figures for February. It was at 4% in January, and no change is expected in February.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Gaza ceasefire violations: Legal experts warn of Israeli war crimes, international law breaches

Report on Israel’s violations of the ongoing ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, including the halting of aid supplies and continuing systematic attacks on Palestinians.

The story examines Israel’s breaches of international law, with legal experts warning of potential war crimes, including the use of starvation as a weapon, restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the denial of the right of return for displaced Palestinians. Analysts also talk about the forcible transfer and displacement of Palestinians and the deportation of released Palestinian prisoners.

The story features insights from Saeed Bagheri, international law assistant professor at the University of Reading; Marco Longobardo, reader in international law at the University of Westminster; and Luigi Daniele, a senior lecturer in international humanitarian and criminal law at Nottingham Trent University.

Trudeau’s exit: Who will lead Canada’s Liberals next?

Report on the upcoming March 9 leadership vote of Canada’s Liberals as the party seeks to replace outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid a steep decline in public support.

The story profiles the four candidates vying to replace Trudeau – Frank Baylis, Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, and Karina Gould – and examines the significant challenges ahead for the new Liberal leader, particularly in navigating relations with US President Donald Trump.

The report includes insights from Ken Manderville of the Bay of Quinte Federal Liberal Association on issues including the risk of trade tensions and how Canada’s response to Trump has been a defining issue in the election.