UPDATE - Diary

UPDATES WITH US, UN ITEMS

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, July 1, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

Israeli onslaught on Gaza

Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza Strip amid deadlocked efforts to reach cease-fire that would end Israel's relentless attacks. Since last Oct. 7, Israel has killed nearly 37,900 Palestinians and injured 87,000 others.

Military operation in Gaza

Israeli military operations taking place in different areas across Gaza Strip, including Rafah and Shejaiya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, with airstrikes and artillery shelling in areas across enclave.

Exacerbated humanitarian situation, looming famine in Gaza

The humanitarian situation across Gaza Strip continues to decline day after day amid continued Israeli attacks and closure of Gaza's crossings.

Recent days have seen reports of Palestinians struggling with famine, eating tree leaves in northern areas of Gaza Strip to ease their hunger.

The Gaza Health Ministry cautioned Sunday that hospitals and oxygen stations across the strip will cease operations within 48 hours due to fuel depletion caused by the ongoing Israeli war.

West Bank raids

Israeli military raids on Palestinian cities and towns in occupied West Bank have killed at least 554 people and injured 5,300 others, with 9,450 taken into Israeli custody since Oct. 7, 2023.

An Israeli missile attack targeted Sunday a house in the al-Manshiya neighborhood in Tulkarm’s Nur Shams refugee camp, killing 1 Palestinian and injuring five others.

Arab League extraordinary meeting

Palestine called for an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League at the level of permanent delegates this week to discuss Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Protests against Israeli government

Mounting protests in Israel to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to either negotiate a hostage-prisoner swap deal with the Palestinians or resign.

Israel-Hezbollah escalation

Daily border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah amid warnings of escalation into potential full-blown war.

Seven countries, including Canada, Netherlands, Australia, North Macedonia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have called on their nationals to leave Lebanon amid growing fears of a full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, while five more countries, including the US, the UK, Russia, Jordan, and Ireland, have advised their citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon at this time.

Iranian presidential elections

Iran's snap presidential election heading to run-off on July 5 after no candidate managed to secure 50% of vote, according to initial results released Saturday.

Final count indicates that reformist and former Health Minister Masoud Pezeshkian was top candidate with 10.4 million votes. His closest competitor, conservative candidate Saeed Jalili, who served as the lead nuclear negotiator and head of a top security body, came second with 9.4 million votes.

The two candidates were set to launch their campaign with field events and take part in televised presidential debates and other TV programs in the coming days. Campaigning is supposed to end 24 hours before the voting lines open.

Humanitarian and security situation in Sudan

Deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in Sudan amid ongoing clashes between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum, El Fasher in North Darfur State, as well as in states of Sennar and Al-Jazira.

Clashes have resulted in continued waves of displacement from conflict zones, amid international warnings of humanitarian catastrophe facing civilians due to food shortages and lack of access to humanitarian aid.

Red Sea tension

Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel in the Red Sea, as well as US-led coalition airstrikes on the group's positions in Yemen.

Blinken's talk at Brookings

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take part in a wide-ranging discussion hosted by Brookings Institution on the Biden administration’s foreign policy and role on critical issues.

French election results of 1st round, reactions

Results are to keep coming in, with the results of the first round of general election held on Sunday, along with reactions.

Hungary assumes presidency of Council of the EU

Hungary to assume rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of December.

New report by global intellectual property organization on AI

Geneva based World Intellectual Property Organization to hold a press conference on its new report on innovation trends in the development of generative AI.

German foreign minister meets Latvian counterpart

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to meet her Latvian counterpart Baiba Braze for talks on bilateral ties, international issues.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to visit Kyrgyzstan on July 1-3

Visit of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to visit Kyrgyzstan on July 1-3 at the invitation of President Sadyr Japarov.

Guterres will hold bilateral talks with Japarov and Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev in Cholpon-Ata and visit a UN Development Program project.

The parties will discuss the condition of and prospects for cooperation within the UN framework and exchange opinions on relevant items on the international agenda.

UN General Assembly

The UN General Assembly to meet for a debate on "the responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity."

UN Security Council

Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July. Russian Envoy Vassily Nebenzia will hold a press conference on this month's program.

Newly appointed South African ministers take oath

Newly appointed ministers of South Africa’s government of national unity, comprising diversity of political parties, to take oath of office in the capital Pretoria. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed his new Cabinet a month after his election following lengthy negotiations and bargaining among the 10 political partners.

Results of presidential polls expected in Mauritania

Voting commenced in Mauritania's presidential election on Saturday, June 29, as the country witnessed in 2019 its first transfer of power between elected presidents since gaining independence from France in 1960. The electoral commission is expected to announce the final results by Monday evening.

The preliminary results indicate a significant lead for the incumbent president, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, with more than 55% of votes. If none of the candidates is able to secure a majority, the top two candidates will go to a run-off on July 13.

Accessing impact of Kenya’s deadly anti-tax protests

Kenyans are still reeling from the impact of last week’s violent anti-tax protests that left around 30 people dead, several injured besides arrests and destruction of both public and private property.

Mozambique’s president visits Tanzania

Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi to begin 4-day state visit to Tanzania to boost diplomatic and trade relations.

Vietnamese premier holds talks in South Korea

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo in Seoul. Pham is on a 4-day official visit to South Korea since Sunday. He is expected to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol as well.

Chinese Communist party holds 103rd anniversary

Chinese Communist Party (CPC) is commemorating 103rd anniversary of its founding. Several events are planned to celebrate this important milestone. According to Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC boasts of around 98.04 million party members.

China speaks on foreign policy issues

China’s Foreign Ministry to hold regular news conference. Beijing is expected to discuss the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan, military activities on Korean Peninsula besides issues of conflict with the US as well as the Philippines.

India replaces colonial-era criminal justice system

Indian government implemented three criminal laws, replacing British colonial-era laws. The new laws were passed in the parliament in December last year and came into effect across the South Asian country from Monday.

New Zealand top diplomat begins Pacific tour

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to lead a high-level political delegation to Pacific Island nations of Solomon Islands, Nauru and Niue, beginning Honiara.

Malaysia's top diplomat visits the Philippines amid tensions in South China Sea

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad bin Hasan pays first official visit to Philippines where he holds bilateral talks with his counterpart Enrique Manalo. The visit comes amid intense tensions between Manila and Beijing in the disputed South China Sea. While Kuala Lumpur also has maritime counter claims with China, it has, however, advocated regional solutions against involving extra-territorial players, in apparent reference to the US, which has backed the Philippines against Beijing.

North Korea ruling party to deliver policy statement

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea is expected to deliver policy statements on economic goals, security situation on Korean Peninsula as well new partnership treaty with Russia, which includes aiding each other's military in case of any foreign aggression. The party is holding plenary meeting, which reviews six-monthly progress, in what appears to be mountainous Myohyangsan region in the northwest of the country.

North Korea launches new ballistic missiles

North Korea launched at least two ballistic missiles in a northeastern direction early Monday. South Korea's military claimed one of two missile launches possibly failed and the debris landed inside the country. Pyongyang is likely to issue a statement on the latest missile launch, which was second in past four days. North Korea also codemned as "Asian version of NATO," the all-domain trilateral drills held by the US, Japan as well as South Korea last week.

Inmates break jail in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

At least 19 inmates break through a jail in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, also referred to as Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Those who escaped the bars include six who are on death row. The incident happened in Rawalakot prison. One of the inmates died after getting injured during escape. Search of the escaped inmates is going on while a probe on how the inmates fled the prison has been initiated.

UN meeting on Afghanistan continues in Doha

Two-day UN-hosted meeting on Afghanistan continues in Qatari capital Doha. Taliban-led interim administration's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid is leading Kabul's delegation. In opening remarks to the meeting, Mujahid called on the international to 'delineate' Afghanistan's internal matters from foreign relations to achieve 'significant advancements' in bilateral and multilateral engagements.

THE ECONOMY

Turkish Treasury and Finance Ministry to share central government’s budget balance table for first quarter.

US-based data provider S&P Global to reveal PMI figures for China, India, Russia, Türkiye, Germany, Eurozone.

Germany to share annual inflation figures for June.

SPORTS

UEFA EURO 2024 matches to continue with Round of 16 in Germany

France to face Belgium at Dusseldorf Arena while Portugal to meet Slovenia at Frankfurt Arena.

The Wimbledon tennis championships, 3rd grand slam of the season, to begin with 1st round of main table matches.

The 2024 edition of Wimbledon is scheduled to be held on July 1-14 in London.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Voters’ view: Cost of living, economy trumps all in UK elections

By Burak Bir

London - Report about the major issues for UK voters heading into the July 4 general elections.

The story includes recent polling data on major topics, which shows the economy and a persistent cost of living crisis remain the top concerns for a majority of voters across age brackets, outpacing other issues such as immigration and health care.

It includes an interview with Mark Shanahan, a British academic and expert on political engagement, who explains the strategies being employed by the Conservative and Labour parties, and shares his assessment on possible voting trends.

Climate and capacity: Why power cuts are surging around the world

By Muhammed Enes Calli

Istanbul - Report on the increasing frequency of power blackouts in countries across the globe.

The story gives details of affected countries in various regions, including Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and explains the range of factors exacerbating the issue, including climate change and power generation capacity shortfalls.

It includes an interview with Ian Dobson, an American professor whose core research areas include electric power and energy systems, who sheds light on the underlying factors and details how the global climate crisis is worsening the problem, leading to higher fatality rates and graver economic impacts.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Interview with Mark Shanahan, a British academic and expert on political engagement, about why the cost of living crisis and the economy remain top concerns for UK voters in the July 4 general elections, as well as strategies of the main parties and expected outcomes.