ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):
Israeli aggression against Lebanon
Israel continues to pound Lebanon with relentless airstrikes amid border clashes between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah group.
At least 23 people were killed and 31 injured late Tuesday in a series of Israeli airstrikes on several towns and regions in southern and eastern Lebanon, Lebanon’s official news agency.
For its part, Hezbollah said that it targeted with rockets Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Al-Marj military site in northern Israel.
The group also shelled Israeli soldiers in the occupied Lebanese Sheba Farms and the settlement of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border. They also reported clashes with Israeli forces trying to infiltrate into the outskirts of Rab El-Thalathine town in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah further said that it attacked three Israeli Merkava tanks advancing towards the outskirts of the town Ayta al-Shaab in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army deployed another division for its ground incursion into southern Lebanon, according to the Army Radio.
In the Israel airstrikes that have been going on since Sept. 23 against what Tel Aviv claims are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, more than 1,500 people have been killed, over 4,400 others injured, and more than 1.34 million displaced.
Hezbollah’s statements of imposing ‘new equation’ on Israel
The Israeli and American reactions to Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s statements that his group has imposed a “new equation” on Israel amid Tel Aviv’s ongoing assaults on Lebanon and the border clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
Qassem said in a televised speech on Tuesday that the new equation entails “harming the (Israeli) enemy” and based on attacking any point in Israel in response to the latter’s aggression against Lebanon as rockets reached Haifa and Tel Aviv.
He also presented a vision to resolve the situation in Lebanon, saying that “the solution is a cease-fire based on an indirect agreement, after which the settlers can return to the north (in Israel).”
Israeli violations against UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon
Israel’s repeated attacks against the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which sparked outrage among the international community, including the UN, top EU figures, and numerous countries.
UNIFIL announced Sunday that the Israeli army stormed the UN peacekeeping position in Ramyeh, southern Lebanon, with peacekeepers observing three units of the Israeli army crossing the Blue Line early in the morning.
On Tuesday, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg accused Israel of violating international law, citing several attacks on UNIFIL.
More reactions are possible regarding the situation with UNIFIL as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the UN on Sunday to withdraw its peacekeeping mission from southern Lebanon amid the incursion.
Israeli forces’ continued genocide in Gaza
More than a year after the ongoing genocide in Gaza began, Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave continue, killing more people and destroying more infrastructure and buildings.
On Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that over the past 24 hours, at least 55 Palestinians were killed and 329 others injured across the enclave, bringing the overall death toll since last year to 42,344 with 99,013 others wounded since Oct.7, 2023.
The Israeli army has been continuing its deadly ground incursion against northern Gaza for over 12 days, killing more than 342 Palestinians.
The Gaza Media office said that the Israeli army is using “explosive robots and explosive barrels as part of ethnic cleansing” in the northern Gaza Strip.
A series of Israeli airstrikes targeting populated homes across Gaza claimed the lives of at least 29 people. The targeted areas include Khan Younis, the Nuseirat refugee camp and the Jabalia refugee camp.
2nd round of polio vaccination in Gaza Strip
Amid Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on the enclave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Monday that the second phase of a polio vaccination campaign had begun, scheduled to last three days with the possibility an extension for an additional day.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday called for respecting humanitarian pauses in the Gaza Strip to allow the vaccination of Palestinian children against polio amid ongoing Israeli genocide.
“All parties to the conflict must respect the agreed-upon humanitarian pauses to allow the roll-out of this campaign,” it said in a statement.
The campaign according to the World Health Organization, aims to vaccinate over 500,000 children under 10 years of age with a second dose of the novel oral polio type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine.
Anticipated Israeli attack on Iran
Potential Israeli military response to Iran’s missile attack on Oct. 1.
Tehran remains on high alert and has vowed that its retaliation to any Israeli attacks would be “crushing.”
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured the US that his forces will attack Iranian military sites, not the nuclear and oil facilities that President Joe Biden has warned against striking, according to The Washington Post.
Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman called for a “maximum strike” against energy fields and nuclear facilities in Iran.
With current regional tensions high and the US deployment of a THAAD air defense system in Israel, Iran said Monday that it halted its indirect negotiations with Washington.
West Bank raids
Israeli military raids on Palestinian cities and towns in the occupied West Bank have killed at least 756 people since October last year, including 160 children, and injured over 6,250 others, with over 11,200 taken into custody.
On Tuesday, clashes erupted between the Israeli forces and the residents in the city of Al-Bireh and the village of Abwein, northwest of Ramallah, according to Palestine’s official news agency.
A young man and a child were injured by Israeli forces’ fire during clashes that broke out in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus, the agency reported.
Red Sea tensions
Ongoing Red Sea tensions and the possible exchange of attacks between Israel and Yemen’s Houthi group.
Repeated Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel in the Red Sea and US-led coalition airstrikes on the group’s positions in Yemen.
The Houthi group announced on Tuesday that the US-British coalition launched 4 raids on the western province of Al Hudaydah.
Turkish president to meet with Iraqi Kurdish leader and Arab League chief in Ankara
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will separately receive Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the presidential complex in Ankara.
US President Biden's schedule
President Joe Biden to deliver a eulogy at a memorial service for Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC. In evening, Biden will deliver remarks at an Italian American Heritage Month Reception.
Kamala Harris attends political event in new jersey
Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to deliver remarks at a campaign event in Trenton, New Jersey.
Donald Trump speaks at Univision town hall
Town hall with Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump will air on American Spanish-language television network, Univision.
UN Security Council meeting
UN Security Council to hold meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit
Summit between the European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council to be held.
European Defense and Security Conference
EU High Representative Josep Borrell to deliver keynote address at the 4th European Defence and Security Conference.
Chancellor Scholz to address German parliament
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to address lawmakers on the government’s foreign policy ahead of this week’s EU and leaders’ summit.
PMQs in London
Prime Minister Keir Starmer to respond to lawmakers’ questions.
Mark Rutte holds press conference ahead of NATO defense ministers' meeting
New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte holds a press conference ahead of this week's meeting of NATO defense ministers.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman to hold weekly press briefing
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold a weekly press briefing. She will present Russia’s assessments of pressing issues on the international agenda and answer reporters’ questions.
Russian Islamic Economic Forum
Russian Islamic Economic Forum, organized by Sber company together with the International Assembly of Islamic Business. The speakers of the forum will discuss the results of the first year of the experiment of introducing Islamic banking practices in Russia, Sber’s experience with partner financing products, alternative investments, development of halal food market.
Fighting between Russian, Ukrainian troops continues in Kursk, Donetsk
Russia and Ukraine continue fighting in the border region of Kursk, where Kyiv began an incursion last month, and in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow continues claiming advances on multiple fronts.
Senate to debate impeachment of Kenyan deputy president
Kenya’s senate to debate an impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua whom parliament voted to remove from office last week.
Former assistant to South African premier extradited from US to appear in court
Moroadi Cholota, a former personal assistant to Ace Magashule, the then premier of South Africa’s Free State province, to appear in the Free State high court. Cholota who was extradited from the US in August faces several charges, including corruption.
Anti-colonial African activist Kemi Seba detained in France
Controversial Pan-African activist Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, popularly known as Kemi Seba, has been arrested in France, for unknown charges.
Government leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organization meet in Pakistan
Government leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states meet in Islamabad where they are hosted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for two-day summit. A joint declaration is expected to be released at the end of the meeting.
Seoul likely to react as North cuts land routes to South Korea
Seoul is likely to react after North Korea blew up land routes to South Korea amid tensions over drone flights in skies over Pyongyang.
Chief minister to take oath in Kashmir
First elected chief minister since 2019 to take oath of office in disputed Jammu and Kashmir region. Pro-India politician Omar Abdullah of National Conference party to be sworn-in as chief executive after his party in alliance with Congress won majority in 90-seated legislature in recently held elections.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson holds news briefing
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson to hold regular news conference in Beijing which may have statements on regional as well as international issues.
US, Philippines hold 10-day war games
Thousands of marines from the US and the Philippines are conducting 10-day war games in the northern and western parts of the Southeast Asian nation. The drills assume significance since they are being held close to Taiwan, where China recently held large-scale military blockade drills
THE ECONOMY
Turkish private sector's foreign debt
Turkish Central Bank to reveal private sector’s foreign debt and data for August. Turkish private sector loans from abroad reached $173 billion as of July, marking a $9.5 billion increase compared to the end of 2023.
UK's inflation
UK to reveal annual inflation data for September. Country's inflation at 2.2% in August but market expects rate below 2% for September.
SPORTS
EuroLeague round 3 matches to continue
Spanish powerhouse Barcelona to face French side Monaco in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague round 3. Barcelona are 5th with 1 loss, 1 win while AS Monaco are 2nd with 2 wins. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens are top of the standings with two wins.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Israeli attacks: UNIFIL says ‘regularly adjusting posture, contingency plans ready’
By Rabia Ali
Istanbul – Interview with Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), about the ongoing Israeli attacks on their positions in southern Lebanon.
Tenenti shares details of the recent aggression by Israeli forces, including casualties in “direct hits” on positions “deliberately attacked” by the Israeli military.
He speaks about the measures being taken by the UN force, including adjusting posture and drawing up contingency plans, the letters of protest sent to the Israeli military, and efforts to ascertain the reasons for Israel’s attacks.
Mammoth move: Kenya shifts dozens of elephants to quell human-wildlife conflict
By Andrew Wasike
Nairobi, Kenya – Report about an ongoing drive in Kenya to relocate some 50 elephants as part of efforts to reduce growing human-wildlife conflict.
The story gives details of the expansive operation, explaining how the massive mammals are moved from one area to another, and the expected outcome of the project.
It includes comments from the Kenya Wildlife Service and elders of communities that will benefit from the relocation project.