ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli attacks on Gaza
Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza Strip amid stalled efforts to reach cease-fire deal to end Israel’s relentless attacks on Palestinian enclave. Israel has killed more than 37,370 Palestinians and injured 85,400 others since Oct. 7 of last year.
West Bank raids
Almost daily Israeli military raids into Palestinian cities and towns in occupied West Bank, which killed at least 548 people and injured 5,200 others, while nearly 9,200 taken into Israeli custody since Oct. 7, 2023.
Israel-Hezbollah escalation
Border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel continue against backdrop of Tel Aviv’s military offensive on Gaza Strip.
Red Sea tensions
Yemen's Houthi group continues to attack commercial ships suspected of having links to Israel in Red Sea, while US-led coalition forces airstrike Houthi sites in Yemen.
EUROPE
UN Human Rights Council session
UN Human Rights Council continues second of three ordinary sessions this year.
WHO Summit starts
The World Health Organisation (WHO) holds its annual H20 Summit in Geneva to support health agenda of G20 and G7 presidencies. The theme of this year's summit is “The future of global health diplomacy in a changing world.” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to give conference's opening keynote speech.
WHO report on tobacco treatment guidelines
WHO to release its first clinical treatment guideline, aimed at helping 1.3 billion adult tobacco users worldwide in their efforts to quit all forms of tobacco use.
French, Argentinian presidents to meet
French President Emmanuel Macron to host his Argentinian counterpart Javier Milei for talks in Paris.
EURASIA
Putin to meet with Kim Jong-un
Russian-North Korean talks in Pyongyang, North Korea with three rounds of negotiations expected between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un. In evening Putin will depart for Hanoi, where he will meet with several Vietnamese top officials on Thursday.
Russian deputy foreign minister to present
BRICS Plus ministerial meeting outcome
Sergey Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, will hold news conference in Moscow to discuss highlights from BRICS+ foreign ministers meeting held on June 11.
Russian Foreign Ministry press conference
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold news conference on wide range of current foreign policy issues.
International maritime defense show Fleet-2024
Russia will host the international maritime defense show Fleet-2024 in Kronstadt, near St. Petersburg, until June 23. The show’s exposition traditionally includes shipbuilding and boatbuilding, weapons and armament, combat command and control systems, navigation and communications systems, ship propulsion plants, maritime aviation, support infrastructure, new technologies and advanced materials.
ASIA PACIFIC
Australia, Papua New Guinea to hold high-level talks
Australia and Papua New Guinea’s foreign, interior, and defense ministers will meet in Port Moresby for high-level dialogues.
Chinese Premier Li to meet with Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim
Chinese Premier Li Qiang to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur.
Two sides are likely to discuss cooperation in various fields, including Malaysia’s intention to join BRICS. It is the last stop of Li’s three-nation tour. He visited New Zealand and Australia before arriving in Malaysia.
Nigerian foreign minister to visit China
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar will arrive in China for a week-long visit, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The two foreign ministers will co-chair the first plenary session of China-Nigeria Inter-governmental Committee.
China’s Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference
The Foreign Ministry in Beijing will hold regular news conferences during which China may issue statements on important matters such as Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea and tensions in the disputed South China Sea.
AFRICA
South Africa’s president-elect to be sworn in
Several heads of state and government set to attend the inauguration ceremony of South Africa’s President-elect Cyril Ramaphosa in the capital Pretoria, following his re-election last Friday.
Kenyan Law Society to sue police for protest ban
The situation after Kenya's Law Society threatened legal action against the Nairobi regional police commander for prohibiting protests against a proposed bill that includes several controversial tax increases.
US
Extreme heat wave across US
Developments in the extreme heat wave that hit the central and northeastern US this week. Heat warnings have been issued in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and New York.
UN Security Council
The UN Security Council to meet for a briefing, followed by consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya and sanctions.
NATO chief in Ottawa
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit Ottawa, where he will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
SPORTS
UEFA EURO 2024 group matches continue with matchday 2 in Germany
Croatia to face Albania in Group B match in Hamburg.
Germany to play against Hungary in Group A match in Stuttgart.
Scotland to take on Switzerland in Group A match in Cologne.
SPECIAL REPORTS
WITH VIDEO - Italy’s farmers fret as record rainfall swamps fields
By Michele Novaga
Milan, Italy - Report about the impact of climate change, particularly record-breaking rainfall, on agriculture in Lombardy, Italy’s leading agribusiness region.
The write-up charts the implications of recent weeks of above-average rainfall, which severely disrupted the normal harvest routine, including sowing of vital grains such as maize, soya and rice.
It includes interviews with farmers in the wider affected region of Milan, who speak about the effects on their businesses and how their harvest has been impacted by the inclement weather.
NEW MEDIA
VIDEO - Report about how recent heavy rainfall has severely disrupted agriculture in northern Italy, including the sowing of vital grains such as maize, soya and rice, with interviews of farmers who speak about the effects on their businesses.