Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, April 24, 2025 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

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Central Israel wildfires trigger mass evacuations

Israeli authorities evacuated residents of several towns in central Israel on Wednesday amid widespread wildfires sparked by soaring temperatures and strong winds.

Fires may expand further under worsening weather conditions in Israel.

Far-right Israeli minister advocates bombing Gaza aid stores as humanitarian crisis deepens

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed on Wednesday that Republicans in the US back his call for bombing food and aid stores in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

The humanitarian situation in the blockaded enclave is rapidly deteriorating as Israel continues to block the entry of humanitarian aid since March 2, leaving nearly 2.4 million Palestinians without access to essential food, water, and medical supplies.

Turkish foreign minister to host Norwegian counterpart

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in Ankara.

Trump hosts Norwegian prime minister

US President Donald Trump to host Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store at the White House. Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO secretary general, is also expected to attend the meeting.

Trump to sign executive orders

Trump to sign unspecified executive orders in the Oval Office. The event is currently listed as closed to the press.

US officials to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz will meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the State Department. Meeting comes as the Trump administration continues its push to have NATO allies increase their defense spending.

UK premier to met EU Commission chief

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London.

The two will discuss EU-UK cooperation on global issues, bilateral relations and the upcoming first-ever EU-UK Summit, currently scheduled for May this year, according to an EU statement.

It is being suggested that a defense agreement could be signed at the May 19 summit in London.

The meeting comes amid post-Brexit efforts to bring the UK and the EU closer continue. The UK, despite its divorce from the bloc, is sharing defense, security and foreign interests with the member countries and it is in close cooperation with them.

Summit on the Future of Energy Security

The International Energy Agency and the UK government are hosting the international Summit on the Future of Energy Security to assess the existing and future risks facing the global energy system.

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband and IEA executive director Fatih Birol are among the speakers. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also attend.

A closing press conference is scheduled for the end of the two-day session on Friday.

SPD co-leader to speak at party event

German Social Democratic Party's (SPD) co-leader Lars Klingbeil will address a party event in the southwestern German city of Trier, while members vote on a coalition deal with the center-right Christian Democrats. As the incoming vice chancellor and finance minister, Klingbeil is scheduled to attend several party events to advocate for the coalition deal's approval.

Russian Foreign Ministry to hold weekly press briefing

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold a press briefing in Moscow on current issues of foreign policy. She will also hold a Q&A session.

Anadolu will ask for comment on the statement made by Yemen's Houthi movement regarding civilian deaths resulting from intensified US attacks.

She will also be questioned on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks on Moscow's readiness to facilitate the restoration of the nuclear deal between the US and Iran.

South African President Ramaphosa to welcome Ukraine’s Zelenskyy

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a working visit to the capital Pretoria. The heads of state are expected to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war as well as bilateral relations.

China to launch crewed space mission

China is set to launch Shenzhou-20 crewed space mission.

With new strides in space exploration, China has readied yet another crewed space mission, identified as Shenzhou-20. The mission will launch off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China. The three-member crew will join Chinese astronauts at their indigenously-built Tiangong space station.

Tensions between India, Pakistan escalate after Kashmir attack

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated over attack by gunmen in Kashmir that killed 26 people in the Pahalgam touristic area.

New Delhi suspended a water-sharing pact with Islamabad as well as withdrew its military advisers from two sides, while Pakistan is set to decide its course of action. Kashmir is a bone contention between the two nuclear-armed neighbors where an armed rebellion is raging since 1990s.

THE ECONOMY

Türkiye's capacity utilization

Turkish Central Bank to release the capacity utilization rate for the Turkish manufacturing industry. It saw an increase of 0.3 percentage points to 75.2% in March on a monthly basis.

European car registration statistics

European Automobile Manufacturers' Association to share car registration figures for March.

Germany business climate

Economic research institute Ifo will release business climate and business expectations figures for April.

US durable goods orders

US to release durable goods orders and existing home sales figures for March. Initial jobless claims figures will also be released.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Israel’s aid block pushing Gaza to ‘total collapse’: Humanitarian groups

Report on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as Israel’s blockade on aid continues after more than 50 days, with international relief organizations warning of systemic collapse and mounting deaths.

The story details the devastating impact of the ongoing Israeli restrictions on food, medical supplies, and fuel, describing the harrowing living conditions and the growing risk of disease outbreaks across the besieged territory.

The report has interviews with Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council and Riham Jafari of ActionAid, who convey the desperation of Palestinian civilians and urgent appeals by aid groups for unimpeded humanitarian access.

‘Open prison’: UK lawmakers recount confrontation with Israeli settlers, life under occupation in West Bank

Interviews with British lawmakers Shockat Adam and Andrew George, who were confronted by armed Israeli settlers and briefly detained by Israeli forces during a recent fact-finding visit to the occupied West Bank.

The story captures their reflections on the conditions faced by Palestinians, with Adam describing the experience as a “heartbreaking” window into daily life under occupation, and George likening the West Bank to an “open prison” marked by Israeli settlement expansion, land evictions, and restricted movement for thousands of Palestinians.

The British parliamentarians also criticize international inaction on the protection of Palestinian rights, calling for concerted efforts to ensure accountability of the perpetrators.

US-Ukraine minerals deal: What to know for new round of talks

Report on the latest round of negotiations between Ukraine and the US over a strategic minerals deal, positioned by Washington as partial compensation for military aid delivered since the war began.

The story outlines key developments ahead of an April 26 deadline for finalizing the agreement, including a newly signed memorandum of intent that paves the way for a US-backed investment fund to support Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction and deepen bilateral economic ties.

It also revisits the Oval Office fallout in February, where a tense confrontation between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy delayed the deal’s original signing, and analyzes what the eventual agreement might include – such as rare earth access, reconstruction funds, and Ukraine’s need to maintain EU-aligned obligations.

Netflix’s Adolescence tackles hard teenage issues, but is it right for classrooms?

Report on the debate in the UK to show Netflix drama Adolescence in schools as a way to raise awareness on issues such as teenage violence, misogyny, and online radicalization.

The story focuses on concerns being raised by psychologists such as Elly Hanson, who has warned that the show may normalize toxic behaviors and spread harmful gender narratives.

The report includes an interview with Hanson, who has outlined five key reasons why the show may do more harm than good for students, arguing that while it raises important issues, it risks presenting unrealistic scenarios and distracting from deeper systemic concerns like algorithmic manipulation.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interviews with Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council and Riham Jafari of ActionAid on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to Israel’s ongoing complete blockade on aid.

VIDEO – Interviews with British lawmakers Shockat Adam and Andrew George about their recent visit to the occupied West Bank, where they were confronted by armed Israeli settlers and briefly detained by Israeli forces.

VIDEO – Report on the debate in the UK to show Netflix drama Adolescence in schools to raise awareness on teenage violence and other issues, with comments from psychologist Elly Hanson.