Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, March 18, 2021 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend State Medal of Commendation Ceremony at presidential complex.

CANAKKALE - Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop to attend ceremonies marking Canakkale Victory and Martyrs' Day.

ANKARA - Monitoring developments on coronavirus pandemic in Turkey, worldwide.

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS - EU’s drug regulator EMA to announce results of investigation on AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

GERMANY

BERLIN - Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to meet UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis.

ITALY

ROME - Italy to hold National Day of Observance in memory of COVID-19 victims.

US

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden to deliver remarks on state of vaccinations.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to meet with their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage, Alaska.

MYANMAR

YANGON - Monitoring developments in Myanmar after Feb. 1 military coup triggered violent protests.

CAMEROON

YAOUNDE - World Health Organization Africa director to brief media on COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Africa.

TANZANIA

DAR ES SALAAM - Following developments after the death of President John Magufuli.

ETHIOPIA

ADDIS ABABA - Following 53rd session of Economic Commission for Africa, Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

SPORTS

ANKARA - UEFA Europa League last 16 stage to end after second leg matches.

ISTANBUL - Turkish basketball club Fenerbahce Beko to host Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round 30.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - TurkStat to reveal Elderly Statistics for 2020.

ANKARA - Central Bank to release International Investment Position figures for January.

ANKARA - Eurostat to share international trade figures for January.

ANKARA - Central Bank's Monetary Policy Committee to hold third meeting in 2021 to determine interest rates.

SPECIAL REPORT

Palestinians decry choking funds to Yasser Arafat Foundation

By Salam Abu Sharar

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Nasser al-Qudwa, 67, recently expelled from the Fatah party -- the main group within the ruling Palestinian Liberation Organization -- has accused the President Mahmoud Abbas government of stopping funds to the Yasser Arafat Foundation.

SPECIAL REPORT

Turkey expects renewal of 2016 migration deal with EU

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey and the EU reached an agreement on March 18, 2016 to revitalize their ties in a variety of fields, especially the issue of irregular migration, and the deal bore some concrete results boosting their cooperation, but after five years, the Turkish government seems more bitter than content as it argues that the bloc has yet to keep its promises and the deal must be revisited.

SPECIAL REPORT

More adolescents in Turkey seeking therapy amid pandemic

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) - As the whole world goes through daily life under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, Anadolu Agency spoke with an adolescent therapist in Turkey about how the pandemic has affected young people.

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Alaska meet opportunity for US, China to renew bilateral relations’

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Alaska meeting between top diplomats of China and the US is the first opportunity for the two sides to present each other's bottom lines, expectations, and proposals for renewing bilateral exchanges, a Chinese security policy expert said.