ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):
PALESTINE
Gaza City – The latest humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as Israel's onslaught on the besieged enclave, is anticipated to go on for the 114th consecutive day, with the latest Palestinian death toll at 26,257 and 64,797 injured.
Heavy rains in Gaza have exacerbated the plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in tents and shelter centers, with water from Friday's downpours flooding thousands of camps, submerging residents' belongings, and leaving them without blankets and warm clothing.
The UK, US, Finland, Italy, Australia, and Canada have decided to suspend funding for the UN agency following allegations that some of its members were involved in Hamas' attack on Israel. In light of these allegations, UNRWA terminated contracts with several Gaza staff members.
Ramallah – The Israeli army's ongoing incursions into cities and towns in the West Bank, particularly since Oct. 7, and its continued disregard for settler attacks, despite the EU's move to impose sanctions on settlers who commit violence against Palestinians in the occupied territory — a decision obstructed by Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Israeli operations in the West Bank have been ongoing since Israel's onslaught on Gaza, which killed 373 Palestinians and injured around 4,300 others. The number of arrests has risen to 6,305, setting a new record in less than four months and surpassing previous annual totals.
Palestine requested an extraordinary session of the Arab League at the level of permanent representatives on Sunday to issue a unified Arab stance on the interim measures ordered by the ICJ in the genocide case.
LEBANON
Beirut – Tensions at the Israeli-Lebanese border remained high as the Hezbollah group announced late Saturday that it carried out attacks on two Israeli military points near the southern border of Lebanon.
YEMEN
Sanaa – Developments in the escalating Red Sea tensions follow the US Central Command's announcement of the destruction of an anti-ship missile linked to the Houthis and intended for launch from Yemen towards the Red Sea. Earlier on Saturday, the Houthi group said the US and UK targeted the Hodeidah Governorate in the country's west with two airstrikes in response to the group's attack on a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden with several naval missiles on Friday.
FINLAND
Helsinki – Finnish voters to go to the polls to elect a new president after incumbent President Sauli Niinisto's 12-year term ends, with a possible second round on Feb. 11.
RUSSIA
St. Petersburg – President Vladimir Putin to meet with his Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of integration of the two countries within the concept of the Union State ahead of the Union State Supreme State Council meeting in St. Petersburg on Jan. 29.
The Union State is made up of Russia and Belarus and was established in 1996 to strengthen the two countries' economic and military integration.
SPORTS
AUSTRALIA
Melbourne - Jannik Sinner to face Daniil Medvedev in 2024 Australian Open men's singles final.
IVORY COAST
Ebimpe/San Pedro, Ivory Coast – Equatorial Guinea to play against Guinea; record holders Egypt to meet DR Congo in Africa Cup of Nations last 16.