ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing / breaking stories):
Israeli aggression against Lebanon
The ongoing massive Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon amid border clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.
Further escalation is expected as the Israeli army announced "limited, localized" ground raids in southern Lebanon.
On Thursday, the Israeli army ordered the residents of 25 towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes and head north of the Litani River.
The army also claimed to have killed 15 Hezbollah members in an airstrike late Wednesday on Bint Jbeil Municipality in southern Lebanon.
In a related development, seven paramedics with the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority were killed in an Israeli strike on a civil defense center in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
An overnight Israeli strike on an apartment in the Bachoura area of central Beirut killed at least six people and injured seven others.
Another three people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the town of Arnoun in southern Lebanon. Two more were killed in Nabatieh as Israeli warplanes targeted the southern town.
An Israeli drone attack on Kunin town, southern Lebanon, claimed the lives of two more people.
The Hezbollah group, for its part, said it fired a barrage of rockets at a military industrial base in Sakhnin in Akka Bay in northern Israel.
Hezbollah also reported detonating four explosive devices against Israeli forces attempting to infiltrate Maroun al-Ras Yaroun in southern Lebanon, claiming the explosions caused "heavy losses" among Israeli troops.
In another incident, Hezbollah said it launched rockets targeting Israeli forces stationed at Sa'sa, a settlement in northern Israel.
The group further claimed responsibility for striking a deployment of Israeli soldiers in Shumera and Yiron, also in northern Israel, using Falaq rockets.
The Lebanese army said that two soldiers were killed and another was injured in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon.
As of Thursday evening, the number of casualties from the Israeli offensive on Lebanon since Sept. 23 has reached over 1,100 dead and 3,040 injured, according to Lebanese authorities’ data.
The total number of deaths since the start of military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah on Oct. 8 stands at 1,974, along with 9,384 injured.
Following the Iranian 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 continue 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.
Nearly 100 more Palestinians were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, taking the death toll since last Oct. 7 to 41,788, the Health Ministry in the war-torn enclave said on Thursday.
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.
Palestine’s official news agency said that a young man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the southern area of Hebron on Thursday evening.
Israeli forces raided the village of Burin, south of Nablus, set up checkpoints inside the village and on roads connecting it to nearby villages, and conducted vehicle inspections.
Scores of illegal Israeli settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday to mark the beginning of the Jewish new year.
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 Israel and shipping routes.
The group claimed a drone attack Thursday on a “vital target” in Jaffa in central Israel.
The Israeli army confirmed that it had intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” off the coast of central 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.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said Thursday that his forces have targeted 188 ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean since November 2023, as part of their support for Gaza.
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.
UAE president's visit to Egypt
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed began an unannounced visit to Egypt on Thursday evening, his second in two months.
Egyptian presidential spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Al Nahyan at Cairo International Airport “for a working visit to Egypt.”
Fahmy did not specify the length of Sheikh Mohammed's visit or provide further details.
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.
UN agencies’ briefing
The UN Information Service will hold its bi-weekly briefing for journalists in Geneva.
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.
UN briefing on Nord Stream incident
UN Security Council to convene for an open briefing under the “Threats to international peace and security” agenda item. Russia requested the meeting to mark the two-year anniversary of the Sept. 26, 2022 explosions that caused physical damage to the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Russian, Taliban foreign ministers to meet in Moscow
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to meet with acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi on the sidelines of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan meeting in Moscow.
The two officials will address key issues and bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Kabul.
Meeting of Moscow format on Afghanistan
Moscow to host the sixth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan at the level of special representatives and senior officials.
Alongside the regular participants (Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan), Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi has been invited as the guest of honor, leading a distinguished national delegation to the Russian capital.
The meeting’s main proceedings, to be held behind closed doors, will be opened with a welcome address by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The discussions at the Moscow Format Consultations will focus primarily on advancing the Afghan national reconciliation process and enhancing practical cooperation between regional states and Kabul in political, economic, counter-terrorism, and anti-drug efforts. A joint statement is expected to be issued following the meeting.
Moscow fashion week
The third Moscow Fashion Week will be held from Oct. 4 to 9 in Moscow.
The event includes more than 80 shows by Russian and foreign designers, a market, a lecture hall, a fashion short film festival World Fashion Shorts and an international showroom.
Indian top diplomat visits Sri Lanka
Indian Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pays official visit to Sri Lanka to meet the island nation's leadership. It will be first high-level visit by any Indian official since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was inaugurated in September.
Typhoon Krathon wreaks havoc in Taiwan
Powerful Typhoon Krathon hit Taiwan hard, with reports of deaths and injuries and destruction to properties.
Pakistani opposition party to hold protests in capital Islamabad
Tehreek-e-Insaf party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold a protest rally in capital Islamabad despite the government's refusal to allow it.
Malaysian Premier Anwar to address Pakistani students
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to address students at a university in Islamabad as he concludes his 3-day visit to Pakistan.
Japan, South Korea evacuate citizens from Middle East
Japan and South Korea have dispatched military planes to evacuate their citizens from conflict-hit Middle East, including from Israel.
Experts recommend Bangladesh change policy on toys made of recycled plastic
Health experts have recommended that better government regulation policies would help after a study found toxic chemicals in toys and other goods for children in Bangladesh.
Experts told Anadolu that the study raises grave concerns because the substances can severely harm children's soft organs and damage their mental health.
Drought, post-war economic situation forcing 60% of students out of schools in Tigray region of Ethiopia
The post-war economic situation and severe drought have forced 60% of students in Ethiopia's Tigray region to drop out of school, an official told Anadolu.
Regional Education Bureau head Ismail Abdurahm said the region is struggling to recover from the aftermath of the conflict which began in November 2020 and has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
Congo boat accident
Rescue workers to continue search for missing people after a two-deck boat capsized in Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, near Rwanda on Thursday. The boat was transporting more than 100 passengers when it capsized. Twenty bodies have been recovered.
Embattled Kenyan deputy president approaches court to stop impeachment
Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has approached court in a bid to halt his impeachment process this week in country’s national assembly.
SPORTS
Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
In the 1st week of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Türkiye's Fenerbahce Beko to host Olympiacos of Greece, while Turkish club Anadolu Efes to host Virtus Segafredo Bologna of Italy and French Paris Basketball to host Crvena Zvezda of Serbia.
SPECIAL REPORTS
1 year of Gaza genocide: Assessing Israel’s strategic and military failures
By Rabia Ali
Istanbul – Report analyzing Israel’s strategic and miliary losses in its war on Gaza.
The story explores how and why Israel has been unable to achieve its key military goals, such as eliminating Hamas or rescuing hostages, and the implications of these failures.
It includes interviews with Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, and geopolitical and security analyst Zoran Kusovac, who discuss the challenges that Israeli forces face in defeating Hamas and how support for the group is growing among Palestinians.
1 year of Gaza genocide: Key events defining Biden’s handling of Israel’s war
By Michael Hernandez
Washington – Report compiling major developments in US policies in support of Israel’s war on Gaza over the past year.
The story presents an overview of the key statements by top officials since Oct. 7, along with decisions taken for the supply of US weapons and military assistance to Tel Aviv.
It also recaps the important statements and meetings held for a cease-fire in Gaza, as well as the US stance at the UN, where it vetoed several resolutions as part of its diplomatic cover to Israel’s deadly assault.
1 year of Gaza genocide: Western media has largely projected a ‘pro-Israel perspective,’ says expert
By Burak Bir
London – Report on Western media’s controversial coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza over the past one year.
The story presents an overview of the issues raised by various experts in relation to Western media coverage, which has been criticized as tilted in favor of Israel and conveying a bias against Palestinians.
The report includes an interview with Rizwana Hamid, the director of the Centre for Media Monitoring, an arm of the Muslim Council of Britain.
1 year of Gaza genocide: Why is Australia bent on backing Israel?
By Riyaz ul Khaliq
Istanbul – Report about Australia’s stance in support of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The story explores how and why the Australian government has aided and backed Israel since last October, including through diplomatic and material support, despite a growing pro-Palestine movement within the country.
It includes interviews with Rita Jabri Markwell, a lawyer part of a team that filed an application for the International Criminal Court to investigate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other Australian politicians for “alleged complicity” in Israel’s genocide in Gaza; sociologist and academic Jake Lynch; and other Muslim community representatives.
1 year of Gaza genocide: Israel’s war puts India’s Palestine policy to the test
By Anadolu staff
New Delhi – Report on India’s diplomatic stance since Israel launched its deadly war on Gaza last October.
The story explains India’s historical position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, how that has undergone changes over past years, and where New Delhi stands today.
It recaps the important statements made by Indian officials since last October, and includes interviews with Ali Khan, a professor of political science at Ashoka University, and international relations academic Achin Vanaik.
1 year of Gaza genocide: How South Africa put Israel in the ICJ dock
By Anadolu staff
Johannesburg – Report compiling all key events in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The story presents a chronological recap of how South Africa initiated the case, the major statements from its officials and lawyers, the actual proceedings of the case, and the support it has garnered from various countries.
The report also includes an overview of the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, and interviews with South African political analysts Ahmed Jazbhay and Iqbal Jassat.
How will Israel fare against Hezbollah on the ground?
By Rabia Ali
Istanbul – Report on the spiraling escalation between Israel and Hezbollah over the past few weeks.
The story focuses on Israel’s ground invasion and clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, specifically the question of military strategies expected to be used by both sides.
It includes interviews with security analyst Ali Rizk and Samer Jaber, a researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London, who explain the tactics used by either side in past confrontations and share their assessment on the latest escalation.
NEW MEDIA
VIDEO – Interviews with security and military analysts Andreas Krieg and Zoran Kusovac about Israel’s strategic and military losses in its ongoing war on Gaza, where they share their assessment on the key objectives achieved or missed by the Israeli military.
VIDEO – Interview with Rizwana Hamid, director of the Centre for Media Monitoring in the UK, about Western media’s coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza, where she explains the reasons for a pro-Israel tilt and speaks about its impact on global audiences.