Diary

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

PALESTINE

Gaza City - Humanitarian and military developments in Gaza Strip, as Israel continues its relentless onslaught for 208th day despite UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate cease-fire in besieged enclave.

Since last October, Israeli offensive has killed more than 34,500 people and injured over 77,700 others amid crippling blockade that has left most of population on verge of starvation.

The Israeli airstrikes continue on several areas in the Gaza Strip, including the city of Rafah, which Israel insists on invading under the pretext of confronting the last strongholds of the Hamas movement, despite increasing international warnings of catastrophic consequences, amidst the presence of approximately 1.4 million displaced persons.

Ramallah - Ongoing Israeli raids in West Bank since Oct. 7 which have led to killing of 491 Palestinians, injuring around 4,900, and arrest of more than 8,500, according to Palestinian sources.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's scheduled visit to Israel as part of efforts to bring a cease-fire and prisoner swap deal into effect, and his meeting with Israeli top officials.

Protests in Israel to pressure Israeli government to resign and reach a hostage swap deal with Palestinians.

EGYPT

Cairo - The indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire in Gaza.

Hamas is expected to provide its response regarding a proposed new cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage swap deal with Israel, according to Egyptian media.

Israel on Tuesday decided not to send its delegation to Cairo to discuss a new Egyptian proposal on a cease-fire in Gaza.​​​​​​​

LEBANON

Beirut - Continuing cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that flared up last October, in deadliest clashes between two sides since their full-scale war in 2006.

The Israeli army on Tuesday said it carried out overnight raids on Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Growing tension in Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of ties to Israel and US retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi targets inside Yemen, causing fears of significant disruption to maritime traffic in one of world's busiest global routes for oil and fuel transport.

TÜRKİYE

Ankara - Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to meet his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, particularly the situation in Gaza.

The ministers are expected to hold news conference.

UK

London - Workers' rights are celebrated worldwide. Marches take place in major cities across Europe.

London - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to respond to lawmakers' questions. Comments on latest situation in Gaza possible.

London - Demonstration to be held outside Prime Minister's Office to protest government's Rwanda migrant deportation plan.

AZERBAIJAN

Baku - International Forum Dialogue for Peace and Global Security: Cooperation and Interaction to take place till May 3.

RUSSIA

Moscow - Coverage of events on national holiday of spring and May Day.

UZBEKISTAN

Tashkent - Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz to separately meet with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, Chairperson of Senate of Oliy Majlis Tanzila Narbaeva, and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov.

Yilmaz to attend the Turkish Business World Meeting program.

US

Washington - President Joe Biden to attend campaign event. Biden's key remarks on situation in Gaza to be followed.

Washington - Ongoing campus protests in solidarity with Palestine across US universities, one day after New York Police Department cleared Columbia University's Hamilton Hall of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Washington - Former President Donald Trump to hold rallies in states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

New York - UN General Assembly to hold meeting over use of veto by US on Palestine's request for full UN membership.

SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg - The Congress of South African Trade Unions to hold International Workers Day rallies across the country, with calls for decent pay and working conditions.

UGANDA

Kampala - Government to respond to Britain's decision to impose sanctions on the National Assembly speaker and two members of parliament for alleged corruption.

KENYA

Nairobi - Officials announce new death toll and disaster response measures after devastating floods killed 169 people in the East African nation.

AUSTRALIA

Melbourne – Defense and Foreign Affairs chiefs of Australia and South Korea to meet for 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers' meeting.

SOUTH KOREA

Seoul - South Korea likely to impose travel ban on Haiti due to increasing safety concerns as gang violence is escalating in the Caribbean nation.

SOUTH CHINA SEA

Manila - Tensions between China and the Philippines persist in the disputed waters of South China Sea where Beijing used water cannons to thwart Filipino supply vessel to its fishermen. The maritime neighbors have overlapping claims in the mineral-rich sea.

INDIA

New Delhi - Indian Supreme Court likely to hear review petition concerning revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to disputed Jammu and Kashmir region. Last year, India's top court had upheld legality of legislation passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in 2019 that stripped the region of its standing as a state, as well as its special status.

THE ECONOMY

Washington - Fed to announce its interest rate decision. After a series of interest rate hikes from March 2022 to July 2023 from 0.25% to 5.5%, bank has been keeping rate constant since September 2023. Markets expect no change at this meeting.

SPORTS

GERMANY

Dortmund - Borussia Dortmund to play against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in UEFA Champions League semifinals' 1st leg at their home ground Signal Iduna Park. Both clubs met earlier this season. PSG previously beat German opponents 2-0 in Group F game in September in Paris, but then Luis Enrique's men drew at Dortmund 1-1 in final matchday of group stage in December to proceed.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Gaza protest crackdowns show split between US university faculties, administrations: Arrested professor

By Beril Canakci

Istanbul - Interview with Noelle McAfee, a professor who was recently arrested at one of the several pro-Palestine campus protests going on in the US.

McAfee, chair of Emory University's Department of Philosophy, speaks about her experience and narrates the events leading up to her arrest last week.

She also shares her views on the burgeoning pro-Palestine demonstrations at college campuses across the US, and the intensifying crackdowns launched by authorities that have led to hundreds of arrests.

Israel using Holocaust as a cover to do the same in Gaza: Holocaust survivor

By Burak Bir

London - Interview with Stephen Kapos, a Holocaust survivor, who is highly critical of Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.

The 87-year-old particularly condemns Israel's manipulation of the Holocaust to "cover and justify" its deadly actions, saying it is "perpetrating the same" atrocities that were committed by the Nazis.

He also dismisses attempts by the Israeli government and its supporters to conflate "being Jewish with support for Israel and Zionism," terming it "a lie and complete untruth."

Catholic demonstrators join pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University campus in US capital

By Iclal Turan

Washington - Report about a group of Catholic demonstrators who joined a pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University (GW) on Tuesday as a student protest entered its sixth day.

Seven people holding signs with messages like "Catholics say ceasefire now" stood outside the entrance of GW's University Yard, where students maintained the encampment despite widespread crackdowns on university protests across the country.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Interview with Noelle McAfee, a professor who was recently arrested at one of the many pro-Palestine protests going on in the US, where she narrates her experience and comments on the overall situation in the country.

VIDEO - Interview with Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos who condemns Israel's actions in Gaza and manipulation of the Holocaust to justify its deadly war. -