Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

ITALY

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis to deliver Christmas message.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin to summarize results of government work in 2019.

INDIA

NEW DELHI - Monitoring protests against controversial citizenship law in India.

SUDAN

KHARTOUM - Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to deliver speech on first anniversary of Sudanese protests.

PALESTINE

GAZA CITY - Hamas to hold a press conference on general elections.

TUNISIA

TUNIS - Following latest developments on government formation.

LIBYA

TRIPOLI - Monitoring clashes between Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord and forces of commander Khalifa Haftar.

IRAQ

BAGHDAD - Following Iraqi anti-government protests.

LEBANON

BEIRUT - Following months-long anti-government protests.

SYRIA

ALEPPO / IDLIB / HASAKAH / RAQQA - Monitoring developments in Syrian civil war.

ECONOMY

ANKARA - Turkish Statistical Institute to release Sectoral Confidence Indices for December.

SPECIAL REPORT

Mountains: Crucial ecosystems for wildlife, humanity

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Montane ecosystems, which host unique habitats, endemic wildlife species and also play a crucial role in human life, are under a number of threats.

SPECIAL REPORT

Turkish-African relations thrived in 2019: Diplomats

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Turkish diplomats and organizations in Africa say 2019 was a positive year for Turkish-African relations as they held bilateral talks leading to more visits of delegations between their countries.

SPECIAL REPORT

India: ‘New citizenship law to make Muslims stateless’

By Ahmad Adil

New Delhi, India (AA) - Off late Asaduddin Owaisi, 50, is India’s most recognized Muslim politician. President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and a four-time Member of Parliament, representing the historic southern city of Hyderabad, he has emerged as an effective voice against the newly adopted controversial citizenship law, believed to be discriminatory to the 180 million Muslim population, living in India.

SPECIAL REPORT

Spanish football dominates 2010s

By Can Erozden and Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) - Spanish football reigned Europe and the world in 2010s, clubs and national team bagged at least 25 major trophies such as UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup titles and FIFA World Cup.

SPECIAL REPORT

Soviet invasion: Afghanistan’s 40-year-old open wound

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Four decades since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the country continues to teeter precariously between war and peace, with lives being lost in an ongoing conflict day and night.

SPECIAL REPORT

Mixed blessings for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2019

By Felix Tih

ANKARA (AA) - From the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize, to fast pacing of the peace process in South Sudan, coupled with the discovery of rare black leopard and saving of white rhinoceros form the total extinction, the year 2019 has left many positive marks behind, in the African continent.

SPECIAL REPORT

Iran's naval drill 'show of strength' to US: Analysts

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) - Iran is preparing to hold a joint naval exercise with China and Russia in the Indian Ocean, the first of its kind since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.