ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, October 3, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing / breaking stories):
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli aggression in Lebanon
Cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon continues to intensify with more developments on the ground as the Israeli army and the Lebanese Hezbollah group exchanged attacks. Further escalation is expected as the Israeli army announced "limited, localized" ground raids in southern Lebanon.
Following developments on the 3rd day of the ground operation announced by the Israeli army early Tuesday, the army confirmed the deployment of the 36th Brigade to the operation after Hezbollah reported engaging an Israeli force in the first ground clash in the south.
The Israeli army announced its intention to attack 24 towns in southern Lebanon, warning residents to evacuate towards the northern part of the Litani River, the last point in the south.
In a notable development, Hezbollah claimed on Wednesday to have inflicted a "large number" of casualties among Israeli soldiers during direct clashes in two towns in southern Lebanon, accusing the Israeli army of “concealing its casualties.” Tel Aviv acknowledged the deaths of 8 military personnel, including 3 officers.
The party later reported that its fighters were engaged in clashes with Israeli soldiers who infiltrated the town of Marun al-Ras, inflicting injuries on them, and then detonated an explosive device against an Israeli force attempting to infiltrate the town of Yaroun, resulting in casualties.
On the Lebanese side, the army announced on Wednesday that an Israeli force breached the Blue Line separating the two sides in two areas by 400 meters before quickly withdrawing.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s News Agency reported that the Israeli army committed a “massacre” in the town of Aitaroun, resulting in the deaths of 6 locals and volunteers from the Islamic Health Authority, in addition to one missing person.
On the other hand, the Israeli army published what it claimed to be the first documentation of its forces in southern Lebanon, including a short video clip and photos showing soldiers at an unspecified location.
As of Wednesday evening, the number of casualties from the Israeli offensive on Lebanon since Sept. 23 has reached 1,073 dead and 2,955 injured, according to Anadolu’s monitoring of Lebanese authorities’ data. The total number of deaths since the start of military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah on Oct. 8 stands at 1,873, along with 9,134 injured.
In conjunction with a potential Israeli response after Iran launched dozens of rockets at Israel on Tuesday, resulting in human casualties, material damage, and the closure of airspace, millions of Israelis rushed to shelters as sirens sounded throughout the country.
Following the attack, Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ministers of defense and finance, vowed that Iran would pay a "heavy price" for the unprecedented missile attack, as described by Israeli media.
Israeli forces continued genocide in Gaza
Despite a relative decrease in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, as the army is directing its military efforts towards northern Israel against the Hezbollah group, airstrikes and shelling by the Israeli army were still reported across the enclave, killing more Palestinians.
The humanitarian situation for Palestinians is worsening daily under the ongoing attacks and suffocating siege affecting the flow of aid into Gaza.
At least 51 more Palestinians were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, taking the death toll since last Oct. 7 to 41,689, the Health Ministry in the war-torn enclave said on Wednesday.
The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, warned that hunger is once again spreading in Gaza, with the number of people not receiving food assistance rising to 1.4 million in September, compared to about 1 million in August.
Israel continues to target displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the death toll from the Israeli army's bombing of the Alamal Institute for Orphans and the Muscat school, both sheltering displaced individuals in Gaza City, increased to 18, including 3 children, early Wednesday.
Additionally, 8 Palestinians were killed in an airstrike that targeted a house in the Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of the city.
West Bank raids
Israeli military raids on Palestinian cities and towns in the occupied West Bank have killed at least 721 people since last October, including 160 children, and injured over 5,750 others, with nearly 11,000 taken into custody.
Red Sea tensions
Red Sea tensions and the possible exchange of attacks between Israel and the Yemeni Houthi group
Following the Israeli airstrike on Hudaydah port on Sunday, the Houthis said they had taken precautionary measures and that Tel Aviv's strikes would not stop the group from attacking shipping routes and on Israel.
Continued Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel in Red Sea and US-led coalition airstrikes on group's positions in Yemen.
Protests against Israeli government
Mounting protests in Israel to pressure the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to either negotiate a hostage-prisoner swap deal with Hamas or resign.
Demonstrations in Israel have slowed in recent days amid escalating tensions between Tel Aviv and Hezbollah along the northern border.
Deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in Sudan
Humanitarian and security conditions continue to deteriorate in Sudan amid clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
EUROPE
German Chancellor Scholz to give speech on German Day of Unity
National holiday commemorating the anniversary of the unification of west (Federal Republic of Germany, FRG) and east (German Democratic Republic, GDR) Germany after 40 years of separation (1949-1989), on October 3, 1990. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz marks the occasion with a speech at a ceremony at the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin.
UK foreign secretary visits Ireland
Foreign Secretary David Lammy visits Dublin alongside Minister for European Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds for talks on improving UK-Irish relations as part of Government plans to reset the UK's relationship with EU states.
Homelessness statistics in England
Statistics on statutory homelessness in England for the 2023/24 financial year to be released.
US
Biden administration's statement on Lebanon, Gaza and Iran
Monitoring statements from Biden administration regarding the Israeli strikes in Lebanon and the situation in Gaza that is under Israeli onslaught, and Tuesday's missile attacks on Israel by Iran.
Joe Biden - Florida and Georgia visits
President Joe Biden to visit Florida and Georgia to tour areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and meet with affected communities. The death toll from Helene rose to at least 191 across six states.
UN Security Council - Syria-Israel ceasefire discussed
UN Security Council to meet for consultations on the UN mission monitoring the ceasefire between Syria and Israel, UNDOF. Also, desk will monitor press briefing on the Middle East by the E10, the non-permanent members of the Security Council.
TÜRKİYE
Turkish Parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus will meet with the Speaker of the North Macedonia Assembly, Afrim Gashi, and hold a press conference with his Macedonian counterpart.
EURASIA
Day of Teacher
Russian President Vladimir Putin to take part in celebrations of the Day of Teacher.
The president will meet with finalists and winners of the national competitions The Teacher of the Year, the meeting will focus on the current situation in the educational system.
Lavrov to take part in opening ceremony of exhibition
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to take part in opening ceremony of exhibition devoted to 75th anniversary of the Russian-Chinese diplomatic relations in Moscow. Lavrov will give assessments of the current situation in the Moscow-Beijing ties and outline prospects for further cooperation.
Russian deputy foreign minister to hold press briefing on BRICS summit
Russian deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov will hold a news conference devoted to the upcoming BRICS summit, which will take place on Oct.22-24 in the city of Kazan.
Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops continue in Kursk, Donetsk
Russia and Ukraine continue fighting in border region of Kursk, where Kyiv began incursion last month, and in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow continues claiming advances on multiple fronts. Eurasia desk will follow ongoing developments in both conflict areas based on official and media reports.
AFRICA
Search for over 100 migrants continues off the coast of Djibouti
Emergency workers continue searching for more than 100 migrants who were forced by smugglers to jump into the sea off the coast of Djibouti. At least 45 bodies have so far been found according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Somalia convenes consultative conference amid political tensions
The Federal Government of Somalia has convened a two-day national consultation meeting to discuss internal issues amid the current political tensions between the federal government and regional states.
Marburg virus death toll in Rwanda rises
Rwandan health authorities continue to battle the deadly Ebola-like Marburg virus whose death toll has now risen to 11 with 29 infected cases.
Families wait for missing relatives weeks after devastating floods in Nigeria
Families are still searching for missing relatives weeks after the devastating floods hit Borno state in north eastern Nigeria. Floods displaced at least 300,000 people and damaged hundreds of buildings, affecting one million people in the city of Maiduguri.
ASIA – PACIFIC
Communication lines disrupted in Nepal amid devastating floods
Communication lines including roads are still closed in different parts of Nepal due to devastating floods and landslides. Search and rescue operations continue to recover 24 missing people. 224 people have died and dozens injured in the South Asian nation.
Nepal, India, Bangladesh to sign power export deal
Nepal, Bangladesh and India are scheduled to sign a tri-lateral electricity deal to export 40 megawatts of electricity from Kathmandu to Dhaka. Nepal and Bangladesh will use India transmission line to transmit the energy through the territory of their South Asian neighbor.
Taiwan shuts down amid powerful typhoon
Typhoon Krathon is expected to make landfall in Taiwan after normal life was disrupted on the island nation. Authorities closed schools and offices in different areas as heavy winds and rains lashed Taiwan.
Malaysian Premier Anwar meets Pakistani leadership
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif and other government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues.
THE ECONOMY
TEKNOFEST
Türkiye's premiere technology event TEKNOFEST will continue with its second day. Event welcomes thousands of visitors and hosts seminars, airshows, competitions and workshops in southern city Adana.
Türkiye's inflation
Turkish Statistical Institute to release annual inflation figures for September. Türkiye's annual inflation is expected to drop to around 48% in September, from 51.97% in August.
Eurozone producer inflation
Eurostat to release producer inflation data for August. Producer prices went up by 0.8% in eurozone as well as EU in July.
US jobless claims
US to release weekly initial jobless claims data.
SPORTS
UEFA Europa League matchday 2 to kick off
Lazio to host Nice in second-tier Europa League match in Rome as the matchday two will start. Porto to face Manchester United in Portugal as Man Utd drew with Twente 1-1 at Manchester's Old Trafford. Galatasaray to visit Latvian underdogs RFS (Rigas Futbola Skola) in Riga. Fenerbahce to meet Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands. Besiktas to face Eintracht Frankfurt in Istanbul.
UEFA Conference League to continue with Thursday fixture
Third-tier UEFA Conference League continues Thursday with title favorites Chelsea facing Gent in matchday one at London's Stamford Bridge.
FIFA set to shape Israel's future in int'l football over war on Gaza
FIFA, world football's governing body, is set to meet to decide whether to suspend Israel from international football activities for the country's war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. FIFA has delayed the review of Palestinian call to suspend Israel in previous months.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Can ‘fish diplomacy’ resuscitate Bangladesh-India ties?
By Faisal Mahmud
Dhaka, Bangladesh – Report on the ‘fish diplomacy’ between Bangladesh and India, and how that equation has changed with the fall of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
The story explains the importance of ‘Hilsa diplomacy’ in Bangladesh-India ties, which is named after a type of fish that is found in Bangladesh and coveted in India. It illustrates how policies on this issue have changed in the aftermath of recent political changes in Dhaka, and explores the potential implications of these developments.
The report includes interviews with Kazi Belayet Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association, and political analysts Saiyed Abdulla and Shahab Enam Khan.
Waste to compost: Innovative device boosts home recycling
By Sal Ahmed
Berlin – Report on a home device that is being touted as the world’s first biowaste composter.
The GEME Electric Composter has been developed by a Belgium-based company and is on the market in countries including Germany.
The story gives details of the machine, its uses and the technology it employs, and includes interviews with officials of the company, who speak about its potential impact on the global recycling movement.
NEW MEDIA
VIDEO – Report about a home device touted as the world’s first biowaste composter, showcasing its uses and technology, with comments from officials of its Belgium-based manufacturer.