Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to chair Cabinet meeting.

ANKARA - Following COVID-19 cases in Turkey, virus variants, worldwide pandemic situation.

AFGHANISTAN

KABUL - Monitoring developments as Taliban take control of Afghanistan after 20 years.

MYANMAR

YANGON - Monitoring developments after February military coup triggered violent protests, crackdown.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - Turkish Central Bank to release Short Term External Debt Statistics, international investment position figures for June.

WASHINGTON - US Department of Labor to announce weekly initial jobless claims.

SPORTS

ISTANBUL - Following UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League playoff games.

SPECIAL REPORT

Ugandan Olympic gold medalist recalls journey to stardom

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei, 25, who won two medals at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics said his success has come through sheer hard work and determination.

SPECIAL REPORT

OPINION - Turkey’s growing smart power in Somalia

By Ibrahim Mukhtar

ANKARA (AA) - A decade ago, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then-the prime minister, set foot in Mogadishu, the most high-profile visit by a non-African leader to Somalia attracted the world’s attention to the dire humanitarian crisis in the country. Turkey’s priority in Somalia was to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the drought, the worst in East Africa in 60 years.

SPECIAL REPORT

OPINION - 10th anniversary of Erdogan’s visit to Somalia: Hope for a nation

By Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The devastating 20-year civil war and the aftermath of terror had left the buildings of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, perforated with bullets. Resulting from bullets that had missed their intended targets, whether from guns aimed from one brother to another or from Somalis targeting an invading power. The presidential palace, which I was in charge of protecting, had also met with the wrath of those bullets. On a hot Mogadishu day in early 2009, I stood beneath a sky so perfect and pure with my gaze fixed on the presidential palace, which was on the brink of collapse. The stark contrast of that day transports me not only to the worst days of the civil war, but also to the foundation of my dreams of saving my country from hunger and misery, and of eradicating the shadows cast by weapons.