Latest developments in Türkiye and around the world

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is in Riyadh to attend the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting. Here is all you need to know about what has happened so far and what will happen next

What happened in the world?

• At least 66 more Palestinians were killed and 138 others injured over the last 24 hours as Israel continued its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, the territory’s Health Ministry said on Sunday.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “will not have the right to continue to exist” if it blocks a proposed hostage swap with Hamas, said War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz.
• U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the southern Gaza city of Rafah in a phone call Sunday, the White House said.
• A pro-Israeli supporter hurled angry comments at University of California student protesters, who continued demonstrations in support of Palestine.
• White House called for pro-Palestinian protests to remain peaceful following the arrests of around 275 individuals at four campuses.
• At least 30 Israeli paratrooper reservists have refused to answer their call-up to participate in a planned ground attack in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has labeled Russian President Vladimir Putin a “political animal” who can “sense fear,” as he urged Kyiv’s partners to believe in his country’s “victory.”
• Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced her candidacy for the European Parliament’s elections in June, in a bid to boost support for her Brothers of Italy party.
• At least six people were killed in a roadside bomb explosion that targeted a vehicle carrying telecom workers in Somalia, officials said.
• Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara announced his resignation following a recent reshuffle in the Cabinet, state media reported.
• The American Film Institute (AFI) awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to actress Nicole Kidman.
• In Georgia, thousands protested against the “foreign agents” bill, which both the opposition and Western countries have condemned as authoritarian and influenced by Russian policies.
• A woman named Jade Sandberg burned the Holy Quran with a cross in her hand, accompanied by police protection in Stockholm, Sweden.

What happened in Türkiye?

• Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 28-29 to attend the meeting of the Gaza Contact Group established by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to achieve a cease-fire in the Palestinian territories.
• Fidan conducted several meetings, including with his Jordanian, Norwegian, and Malaysian counterparts. Fidan also met with European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell during the bilateral meetings.
• Fidan and his Greek counterpart, Yorgos Yerapetritis, convened in London, U.K., on Saturday and discussed bilateral relations and various regional and international matters.
• Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc emphasized the urgency of the International Criminal Court prosecutors’ swift progress in converting a file against Israel into a formal case.
• Turkish National Defense Ministry said Thursday that it is prepared to support Iraq’s border security measures.
• Two police officers who were wounded by a police officer at Altinsehir Police Station in Adiyaman were martyred.
• Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu met in Bucharest, Romania, for bilateral discussions centered on enhancing strategic cooperation and addressing Black Sea security concerns.

What is the agenda in the world?

• World Central Kitchen will resume its operations in the Gaza Strip after seven of its aid workers were killed in an Israeli strike earlier this month.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vows to stay in office despite corruption allegations against his wife, calling them a “campaign of harassment”.
• At least 42 people succumbed to a dam burst near a town in Kenya’s Rift Valley on Monday, as heavy rains and floods battered the country.
• In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, French President Emmanuel Macron proposes that Europe should develop a joint defense system, including nuclear weapons.
• U.S. Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Saudi Arabia as part of his Middle East tour to discuss post-conflict Gaza governance and urge Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.
• The West has intensified pressure on Greece to provide Ukraine with air defense systems.
• Humza Yousaf resigned on Tuesday as Scotland’s first minister, saying he was not willing to trade his principles to win a no-confidence vote.

What is the agenda in Türkiye? 

• Fidan’s Gaza diplomacy continues in Riyadh. Fidan met with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday.
• Türkiye informed other NATO members on Monday that it will support the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the position of NATO secretary-general.
• Turkish economist Mehmet Asutay on Sunday received an award from the Islamic Development Bank Group for Impactful Achievement in Islamic Economics.
• The new educational curriculum introduced by the Ministry of National Education embraces national development, space, defense, and aid projects, integrating them into various subjects to foster holistic learning.
• In operations conducted by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq over the past week, 15 terrorists, including so-called organization leaders, were neutralized.
• The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) refutes allegations from Greek Cypriot media regarding a supposed “U.N. proposal for a new solution.”