ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):
PALESTINE
Gaza City - Israeli offensive in Gaza Strip entered its 235th day, with 36,100 Palestinians killed and over 81,000 others injured as crippling blockade has left majority of population on verge of starvation.
Israeli military offensive in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah also continued, with incursions expanding to the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt.
Ramallah - Israeli raids in occupied West Bank have continued since Oct. 7, 2023, with at least 519 Palestinians so far killed, 5,000 more injured, and at least 8,910 detained, according to Palestinian sources.
ISRAEL
Tel Aviv - Protests in Israel to pressure government to resign and reach hostage swap deal with Palestinians.
EGYPT
Cairo - Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching hostage swap deal and cease-fire in Gaza.
LEBANON
Beirut - Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that erupted last October, in deadliest clashes between the two sides since their full-fledged war in 2006.
YEMEN
Sanaa - Tensions in Red Sea continue to increase amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having ties to Israel and airstrikes by US-led coalition forces on targets in Yemen.
PORTUGAL
Lisbon - Two-day Concordia Europe Summit looking at energy transition, economic growth, and peace and security in Europe. Akif Cagatay Kilic, national security adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to address the summit.
MOLDOVA / CZECH REPUBLIC
Chisinau / Prague - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit Chisinau before heading to Prague for informal NATO foreign ministers' meeting. Schedule includes talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
UK
Belfast - Northern Ireland High Court hears challenge against government's controversial Rwanda scheme. Justice Humphreys previously ruled part of UK government's Illegal Migration Act breached human rights and the post-Brexit Windsor Framework agreement. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says government will appeal the ruling, claiming Northern Ireland could become a magnet for asylum seekers to avoid Rwanda.
US
Washington - Statements from Biden administration regarding Israeli offensive in Gaza city of Rafah, including deadly strike on camp for displaced Gazans.
Washington - President Joe Biden to participate in two campaign events in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
New York - UN Security Council to hold open briefing on situation in Middle East, including Palestinian question. Israeli offensive in Rafah likely to be major focus of discussion.
New York - Jury deliberations expected to begin in former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York. Trump faces 34-count indictment in relation to his alleged involvement in paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
BELARUS
Minsk - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to pay working visit.
GEORGIA
Tbilisi - Developments after parliament's overriding of President Salome Zourabichvili's veto on "foreign agents" bill.
KAZAKHSTAN
Astana - Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin to visit for talks.
SOUTH AFRICA
Johannesburg - National and provincial elections; expected to be most contested since 1994.
KENYA
Nairobi - Twenty-nine heads of state from across Africa to attend African Development Bank Group annual meeting.
MADAGASCAR
Antananarivo - Elections for members of National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.
TOGO
Lome - President Faure Gnassingbe to become head of ministers council, position that will allow him extend his nearly two decades in power.
SOUTH KOREA
Seoul – President Yoon Suk-yeol hosts United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for summit-level talks as two sides move to expand cooperation in energy and defense sectors.
CHINA
Beijing – President Xi Jinping to host Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for bilateral talks. Sisi is in Beijing for China-Arab Forum.
Beijing - Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expected to arrive in Beijing for China-Arab Forum, which is slated for Thursday.
Beijing - Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Port Moresby – Thousands of people ordered to evacuate as search and rescue continues to look for 2,000 people buried alive due to landslides.
PAKISTAN
Islamabad - Court to hear defense as well as interior ministry officials including those from intelligence agencies in case related to missing persons. Despite media gag order on in-progress court cases, hearing will be live streamed.
Islamabad – Court in Islamabad set to announce final verdict in case challenging conviction of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in illegal Islamic marriage. The duo are serving a seven-year jail term.
NORTH KOREA
Pyongyang – North Korea likely to react to air drills held by South Korean and US forces, following failed launch of satellite by Pyongyang.
SINGAPORE
Singapore - Shangri-La Dialogue to begin; Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will deliver keynote address, while US and Chinese defense chiefs scheduled to address gathering of officials from around 50 nations.
TAIWAN
Taipei - Second group of US lawmakers begin two-day trip to Taiwan since William Lai Ching-te was sworn in last week. Earlier, a six-member group of US lawmakers met Lai.
THE ECONOMY
Berlin – Germany’s Destatis to share inflation figures for May. It was at 2.2% both in April and March but slight increase is expected for May.
SPORTS
PARIS - French Open to run for two weeks, ending with final on June 9.
ATHENS - Olympiakos to face Fiorentina in Europa Conference League final at AEK Arena.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Scale of death in Gaza not even half uncovered: British-Palestinian surgeon
By Rabia Ali
Istanbul – Interview with British-Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta about Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.
The story focuses on various aspects of the humanitarian crisis created by Israel in Gaza, with Abu Sitta giving insights into the current situation in areas such as Rafah, where the Israeli military has been carrying out intense attacks.
He also speaks about the mounting death toll and how that is still a massive underestimate, as well as the West’s hypocritical stance in support of Israel.
Paris Olympics: Ex-NBA player backs push to ban Israel
By Muhammed Enes Calli
Istanbul – Interview with Tariq Abdul-Wahad, a former NBA player, about the growing movement to ban Israel from the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Abdul-Wahad, who is a French national, supports the call to expel Israel for its deadly ongoing war on Gaza, stressing that athletes and the sporting community has a responsibility to play its part in holding Israel accountable.
He also speaks about his expectations for the Paris event, saying the shadow of Gaza will loom large over the Summer Games and make them unlike any previous edition in recent history.
Midnight lion raids terrorize Tanzania’s Maasai
By Kizito Makoye
Simanjiro, Tanzania – Report about the increasing instances of human and wildlife conflicts in Tanzania, particularly incursions by lions who are attacking and killing livestock.
The story gives details of recent incidents and explores the reasons for the worrying trend, which has sparked grave concern among local communities, while also focusing on the larger issue of wildlife conservation challenges in Tanzania.
It includes interviews with John Mwakaje, a conservation officer at the Department of Natural Resources, Alex Lobora, a wildlife researcher at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, and Michael Muganda, a professor of ecology at Sokoine University of Agriculture.
NEW MEDIA
VIDEO – Interview with former NBA player Tariq Abdul-Wahad, who supports the call to expel Israel from the upcoming Paris Olympics and emphasizes the global sporting community’s responsibility to play its part in holding Israel accountable.