Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency's English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ISTANBUL - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend special session of Satellite Technologies Week via videoconference at Vahdettin Mansion. He is later to receive Simone Kaslowski, head of Turkish Industry and Business Association.

ANKARA - Following latest developments on COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey, worldwide, including new virus strain.

SPAIN

MADRID - Visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to hold joint news conference with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya.

US

WASHINGTON - Following repercussions of storming of US Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump as Congress met to certify Electoral College votes.

QATAR

DOHA - Monitoring developments on Gulf reconciliation with opening of borders between Saudi Arabia, Qatar.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - Treasury and Finance Ministry to release cash realizations for December.

ANKARA - Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan to attend launching meeting of Turkey's Chicago Trade Center.

SPECIAL REPORT

French troops' presence in Sahel raises many eyebrows

By Aurore Bonny

LOME, Togo (AA) - Rather than protecting the population, the French military is involved in the killing of civilians in Mali in particular and in the Sahel region in general to the dismay of people and observers who are voicing concerns.

SPECIAL REPORT

Southeast Asian nations race to acquire COVID-19 vaccine

By Pizaro Gozali Idrus

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - Southeast Asian countries are scrambling to roll out vaccination programs amid escalation in coronavirus cases over the past weeks. Singapore became the first country in the region to start the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in December. Indonesia is beginning it by next week.