Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend round-table meeting on development and challenges as part of Kuala Lumpur Summit and later to attend meeting of leaders.

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON - Desk to follow repercussions after House lawmakers impeached President Donald Trump on two articles.

WASHINGTON - State Secretary Mike Pompeo to deliver speech on human rights in Iran.

AZERBAIJAN

BAKU - Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop to hold bilateral talks with Tanzila Narbaeva, chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, and Dastan Dzhumabekov, speaker of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan.

UK

LONDON - Queen Elizabeth II to formally open new parliamentary session and preview her government's forthcoming legislation.

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS - Turkey's Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan to meet EU's Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan.

SWITZERLAND

GENEVA - UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Jamie McGoldrick to hold press briefing on latest situation in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories.

ITALY

ROME - Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to host Central European Initiative Summit.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold his annual televised press conference.

INDIA

NEW DELHI - Monitoring protests against citizenship law in India.

IRAQ

BAGHDAD - Following Iraqi anti-government protests.

LEBANON

BEIRUT - Following months-long anti-government protests.

LIBYA

TRIPOLI - Following fierce battles in capital Tripoli.

SYRIA

ALEPPO/IDLIB - Monitoring developments in Syrian civil war.

ECONOMY

ANKARA - Transport and Infrastructure Minister Cahit Turhan to attend the Cyber Shield 2019 exercise.

SPORTS

ISTANBUL - Turkish basketball club Fenerbahce Beko to face Russian opponents Zenit in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague's Round 15.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Russian envoy killed to sabotage Turkish ties: expert

By Ali Murat Alhas and Sibel Morrow

ANKARA (AA) – The assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey in 2016 sought to sabotage the normalization of ties between the two countries as well as a cooperation deal struck in 2001, an expert told Anadolu Agency.

From Syria to UK: A young refugee’s unique story

By Havvanur Aydin and Fahri Aksut

ANKARA (AA) – After a long journey from the chaos of the Syrian civil war to pursuing a higher education in London, a 19-year-old Syrian refugee shared his insights with Anadolu Agency on the eight-year war, the problems faced by refugees, and Turkey's efforts to help the region.

Netanyahu at political impasse ahead of elections

By Ossama al-Ghassani

JERUSALEM (AA) - As Israelis prepare to return to the polls for a third time in less than a year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trapped in a political impasse as he faces graft cases and an internal challenge to his leadership of the Likud Party.

Pakistan's pullout from Malaysia summit draws criticism

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's last minute decision to pull out of the Kuala Lumpur Summit has drawn widespread criticism.

Mexican president rejects proposal to relax separation of church, state

By Sierra Juarez

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AA) – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday that he is against a recent proposal that could ease the separation between church and state in the country.