ANKARA (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Sunday, March 10, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):
PALESTINE
Gaza City – The developments in the humanitarian situation and the Israeli army's relentless attacks in the Gaza Strip, which are now in their 156th day and have killed at least 30,960 people and injured nearly 72,524 others since Oct. 7, as well as mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities in the besieged enclave, as accusations mount against Israel of intentionally starving Gaza's population.
Several Palestinians were killed and many others injured on Saturday when the Israeli army again targeted hundreds of people waiting for aid trucks east and west of Gaza City.
Ramallah – Continuous security tensions in the West Bank due to escalating Israeli army actions since the beginning of the Gaza war. Israeli forces stormed the city of Tulkarm and the Nur Shams refugee camp in the northern West Bank, destroying infrastructure.
The Israeli army's actions in the West Bank killed 425 Palestinians and injured about 4,700 others. The number of arrests has also risen to about 7,505 Palestinians, setting new records for nearly five months when compared to previous years.
EGYPT
Cairo – Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to reach a hostage swap agreement and a cease-fire in Gaza.
ISRAEL
Tel Aviv – Protests in Israel continue to put pressure on the Israeli government to reach a hostage swap deal with the Palestinian group Hamas. The identities of four Israeli hostages killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip were announced on Saturday by Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades. On March 1, Al-Qassam Brigades announced the killing of seven Israeli hostages in its custody in an Israeli army attack after weeks of losing contact with the group that had captured them, bringing the total number of hostages killed in Gaza to 70.
The battlefield situation of the Israeli army's expected plan to expand its offensive to Rafah City in southern Gaza.
LEBANON
Beirut – Cross-border tensions between the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah and Israel have risen as both sides intensify their attacks.
YEMEN
Sanaa – Continuous, escalating tensions in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links to Israel, as well as US airstrikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen, raise concerns about the deadly impact on shipping traffic in one of the world's most heavily used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.
The Yemeni Houthi group said on Saturday that it used naval missiles and drones to target a US military ship and several destroyers in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and "successfully achieved" their objectives in separate "operations."
PORTUGAL
Lisbon – The Portuguese will go to the polls to elect 230 members of the Assembly of the Republic to 4-year terms. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called for early elections after Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Nov. 9 resigned amid a corruption investigation.
PAKISTAN
Islamabad – Pakistani President-elect Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the center-left Pakistan People's Party (PPP), will take oath as the country's 14th president. He will succeed outgoing President Arif Alvi.
SPORTS
UK
Liverpool - Liverpool to face Manchester City in the English Premier League. Match of weekend in England to shape football division's top. Leaders Arsenal have 64 points over a 2-1 win against Brentford in London. Second-place Liverpool have 63, while Man City are on 62 points to be third in the standings before their visit to Liverpool.
SPECIAL REPORT
Why did Sweden sterilize more than 60,000 people against their will?
By Leila Nezirevic
LONDON (AA) - Sweden set up a eugenics plan, based on the science of racial biology, between 1934 and 1976 under which it sterilized up to 63,000 mostly women, believing it was creating a society that would be the envy of the world.
The Nazi-style program approved by the state aimed to rid Swedish society of "inferior" racial types believing that in this way it was helping to build a progressive, enlightened welfare state.
Most victims were people with learning difficulties, poor, or those considered not to have pure Nordic blood.
“They wanted to get rid of a certain type of people: The weaker ones,” said 71-year-old filmmaker Kjell Sundstedt.