Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, April 19, 2018 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to meet ruling AK Party deputies over breakfast at the party headquarters; Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also to join.

ANKARA - Erdogan to meet Macedonian Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov and military chief Gen. Hulusi Akar, separately at presidential complex.

ANKARA - Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman to meet Macedonian counterpart Talat Xhaferi at the parliament.

ANKARA - Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to hold joint press meeting after meeting Abdrakhmanov.

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency’s Editors' Desk to host Deputy Premier Bekir Bozdag.

SYRIA

IDLIB/AZAZ/AFRIN - Desk to monitor Operation Olive Branch against YPG/PKK-Daesh terror groups.

FRANCE

STRASBOURG - European Parliament to debate human rights motions on Belarus, the Philippines and the Gaza Strip, and vote on a motion demanding better protections for journalists.

U.K.

LONDON - Queen Elizabeth II to host formal opening of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting where leaders from 53 member states will gather in biennial event.

LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May to address Commonwealth Conference.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova to hold news conference.

PALESTINE

SPECIAL REPORT:

Gaza protests face bone-breaking bullets, mystery gas

By Hidayah al-Saidi

GAZA CITY, Palestine - Israel is using deadly new weapons against ongoing rallies on the Gaza Strip’s border, local medical sources tell Anadolu Agency.​

SPORTS

ISTANBUL - Fenerbahce to host Besiktas in Turkish Ziraat Cup semi-final second leg match at Ulker Stadium at 8.30 p.m. local time (GMT1730).