Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ISTANBUL - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to separately host Nigerian, Somalian, Libyan, Central African Republic, Mauritanian, Ethiopian, Rwandan and Djiboutian leaders at Dolmabahce Palace. Erdogan to also attend dinner in honor of heads of states gathered for 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.

ISTANBUL- Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to make opening speech at 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.

ANKARA - Following worldwide pandemic situation, efforts to study and stem new omicron coronavirus variant.

HUNGARY

BUDAPEST - Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu to hold joint news conference with Hungarian counterpart Sandor Pinter.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - Turkish Central Bank to release Short Term External Debt Statistics for October.

ANKARA - Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges to share established and liquidated companies data for November.

LUXEMBOURG - European statistical department Eurostat to share inflation figures for November.

SPECIAL REPORT

Bangladesh loses 40% of fuel on streets due to poor traffic management

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – The poor traffic and road management has not only decreased vehicular speed in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh from 21 kilometers per hour (kmph) to about 6.5 kmph in the last 12 years but also causes 40% of fuel wastage, according to the Accident Research Institute (ARI) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

SPECIAL REPORT

Ethiopian migrants risk all on perilous journeys abroad

By Seleshi Tessema

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) – As tens of thousands of undocumented young Ethiopians continued to migrate, facing death and disappearance on perilous journeys, well-established documented immigrants have become an economically and politically established powerful class.

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Bangladesh’s impressive economic growth faces challenges’

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - As Bangladesh marks its 50th independence anniversary this year, its tremendous economic growth has made it an emerging hub for regional connectivity, attracting more trade and investment opportunities.

SPECIAL REPORT

Rumi's mystic Persian poetry echoes loudly in Iran

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – At a busy subway station in central Tehran, an excerpt from an iconic Persian poem from 13th century poet and mystic Jalaluddin al-Rumi greets travelers as they hop on and off, bringing smiles to weary faces.

SPECIAL REPORT

Bank of England opt for inflation over omicron surge in rate hike: Analyst

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - The Bank of England (BoE) opted to take action against record inflation, despite a surge in omicron variant cases, in its decision to increase interest rates Thursday, according to an analyst.

SPECIAL REPORT

Rumi, man of spirituality and wisdom

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) – “Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come.”- Mevlana Jalaluddin al-Rumi