Diary

ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - Following latest developments on coronavirus outbreak in Turkey, worldwide.

ANKARA - Following latest cease-fire agreement for Idlib, northwestern Syria, along Turkey's southern border, reached by Turkey, Russia.

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS - Defense ministers of 30 NATO countries to hold a teleconference and discuss combatting novel coronavirus pandemic.

BRUSSELS - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel to hold joint news conference.

GERMANY

BERLIN - Chancellor Angela Merkel to hold video conference with premiers of federal states to discuss relaxation of coronavirus lockdown measures.

US

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump to speak at White House’s Coronavirus Task Force briefing.

LIBYA / RUSSIA / TURKEY

TRIPOLI / MOSCOW / ANKARA - Monitoring diplomatic initiatives to resolve Libyan crisis.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - Turkish Statistical Institute to release housing sales statistics for March 2020.

ANKARA - Treasury and Finance Ministry to reveal Central Government Budget Balance Table for March.

SPORTS

ANKARA - Following novel coronavirus’ impacts on sports

SPECIAL REPORT

Pakistan: Pharmacies at risk to contract COVID-19 infection

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – At the seaside Clifton area of Karachi, Ghulam Mustafa working at a busy pharmacy is dealing with a crowd of customers, with meager protection, wearing ordinary masks and gloves provided by the owner.

SPECIAL REPORT

COVID-19 hits globalization, multilateralism hard, experts say

By Iftikhar Gilani

ANKARA (AA) - A vacuum in the global leadership and the failure of multilateral organizations have compounded the strategic shock that the word is experiencing after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, according to top global experts.

SPECIAL REPORT

CCTV catches Israeli soldiers spiting near Arab homes

By Salam Abu Sharar

RAMALLAH (AA) – Due to the behavior of Jewish settlers and off late now by the Israeli soldiers caught on camera spitting on the doors of Arab homes have raised fears of the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic spreading in Palestinian areas.

SPECIAL REPORT

Spanish doctor unwelcome at own neighborhood amid pandemic

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - In Spain, every evening at 8 p.m. (1800GMT), neighbors come together at their windows and balconies to applaud medical professionals, the country’s frontline workers in the battle against coronavirus, but despite the show of solidarity, some healthcare workers exposed to the virus have faced blatant discrimination in their communities.

SPECIAL REPORT

Nature of COVID-19 alters views on wearing of masks

By Davut Demircan

ANKARA (AA) – Doctors and the authorities have changed their view on who should be wearing face masks as protection against the novel coronavirus due to its highly contagious nature as well as cases of asymptomatic carriers, say experts.

SPECIAL REPORT

Postponing Games creates great opportunity for athletes

By Emre Asikci

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish hammer thrower Ozkan Baltaci believes the postponing of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will create a great opportunity for athletes who want to improve themselves.

SPECIAL REPORT

Fortune smiles on elderly as they beat COVID-19

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - The recovery of elderly people across the world from coronavirus has provided a thin glimmer of hope in these otherwise dark times.