ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Thursday Feb. 16, 2017 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):
TURKEY
ISTANBUL - Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to attend opening of World Tourism Forum before departing on official visit to Malta.
SPECIAL REPORT: Turkish monitor urges faster Philippines peace talks
By Mehmet Ozturk
ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish member of the body overseeing the Philippines’ peace process warned that Daesh will grow more active in the region if the process stalls, telling Anadolu Agency that President Rodrigo Duterte is eager to bring the negotiations to fruition.
UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON - Senate committee hearing on nomination of David Friedman as ambassador to Israel.
GERMANY
BONN - G20 foreign ministers to meet. Conflict prevention, peace building and sustainable development high on agenda.
SWITZERLAND
GENEVA - Jan Egeland, advisor to UN special envoy for Syria, to brief media on meeting of International Syria Support Group’ s humanitarian task force.
FRANCE
STRASBOURG - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address EU lawmakers following vote on EU-Canada trade deal.
STRASBOURG - European Parliament to vote on amendments to Schengen border rules to tighten screening.
BELGIUM
BRUSSELS - NATO defense ministers in second day of talks on terrorism, spending, relations with Russia. NATO-Georgia Commission, anti-Daesh coalition meetings to be held.
GREECE
SPECIAL REPORT: Struggling Greece to spend billions on military upgrade
By Idyli Tsakiri
ATHENS (AA) - A potential spend of $10 billion by Greece’s cash-strapped government on military equipment has been branded “incoherent” and a “scandal”.
RUSSIA
MOSCOW - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to meet UN special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, before scheduled Syria talks in Geneva.
KAZAKHSTAN
ASTANA - Second round of talks between armed opposition groups, regime delegation to finalize agreement on Syria cease-fire.
NORTHERN CYPRUS
LEFKOSA - President Mustafa Akinci, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiadis to discuss ongoing negotiations to reunify island.
QATAR
SPECIAL REPORT: President Erdogan talks Turkey-Gulf ties
By Ahmed al-Masri
DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Following his three-nation Gulf tour, the Turkish president spoke to the Arab media about his country’s deep relations with the Gulf states.