ANKARA (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):
BELGIUM
BRUSSELS - Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan to hold press conference on Brussels visit.
TURKEY
ANKARA - Turkish parliament to vote on 2020 government budget.
US
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley to hold media briefing at Pentagon.
UK
LONDON - House of Commons to vote on EU withdrawal bill.
SWITZERLAND
GENEVA - Following UN weekly press briefing.
RUSSIA
ST. PETERSBURG - Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Putin also to attend Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting.
GERMANY
BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to meet Ukrainian counterpart Vadym Prystaiko for talks on bilateral relations, regional issues.
INDIA
NEW DELHI - Monitoring protests against citizenship law in India.
LIBYA
TRIPOLI - Monitoring clashes between Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) and Khalifa Haftar's forces.
SYRIA
ALEPPO / IDLIB / HASAKAH / RAQQA - Monitoring developments in Syrian civil war.
ETHIOPIA
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia to launch first remote sensing satellite designed to provide multi-purpose data on agriculture.
ECONOMY
ANKARA - Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) to release established and liquidated companies for November.
ANKARA - Treasury and Finance Ministry to release Central Government debt statistics for November.
ANKARA - Turkish Statistical Institute to release Consumer Confidence Index for December.
SPORTS
ISTANBUL - Turkish basketball team Anadolu Efes to face Russia’s CSKA Moscow in 15th round match of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague at Istanbul.
SPECIAL REPORT
US sanctions cause environmental crisis in Iran
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
TEHRAN (AA) - Decades of U.S. sanctions have badly hampered Iran's efforts to address environmental challenges that could alter the country's economic, social and political landscape.
SPECIAL REPORT
Obstacles in Tripoli cripple Haftar's militias in Libya
By Mustapha Dalaa
TRIPOLI (AA) - More than eight months have passed since eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar launched an extensive military campaign to capture the capital from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).
SPECIAL REPORT
Ugandan orphans dance into hearts of Istanbulites
By Nilay Kar Onum
ISTANBUL (AA) - An African dance group composed of orphaned children from Uganda are warming hearts and souls in Istanbul with their thrilling dance numbers and kindness for their fellow children.