Diary

ANKARA (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Friday. Sept. 1, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TÜRKİYE

ANKARA – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attend Türkiye’s largest technology and aerospace event TEKNOFEST. Marking 100th anniversary of founding of Republic of Türkiye, event is planned in three different provinces this year. 2023's first edition of event was held at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport in May, welcoming 2.5 million visitors – a world record. Third edition for this year will be held in Aegean city of Izmir on Sept. 27-Oct. 1.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW – On 2nd day of his working visit to Moscow, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to continue talks with Russian officials to revive Black Sea grain deal.

MOSCOW – Russia expected to impose an export duty on fertilizers.

UKRAINE

KYIV – Following developments in Russia-Ukraine war.

AZERBAIJAN

KARABAKH – Following developments in ongoing tensions, conflict in Karabakh region.

UZBEKISTAN

TASHKENT – Uzbekistan celebrates its Independence Day.

KAZAKHSTAN

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to address public at joint session of parliament.

BELARUS

MINSK – Member states of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to hold military exercises on Sept. 1-6. Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus expected to participate in exercises.

GERMANY

BERLIN – Digital advocacy group Bitkom to release its annual report on cyberattacks targeting German businesses.

UK

LONDON – Train drivers, who are members of ASLEF union, to go on strike in ongoing dispute over pay.

FRANCE

PARIS – Paris ban on rental electric scooters to enter into force. Following referendum at start of April, ban on rental electric scooters comes into force as existing contracts end and not renewed.

PARIS – Pension reform law to enter into force, retirement age to be gradually elevated to 64.

GABON

LIBREVILLE – Monitoring developments after military officers claimed to take power in Gabon and detained President Ali Bongo immediately after he was officially declared winner of Saturday’s general election. Gabon’s coup leaders named Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema country's transitional president and the African Union (AU) suspended Gabon's membership.

SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE – People in Singapore voting to elect 9th president as more than 2.7 million voters are eligible to cast ballot. The election will see 3-way presidential contest among investor Ng Kok Song, former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Tan Kin Lian.

US

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Labor Statistics to deliver jobs report for August, followed by President Joe Biden's remarks. US economy added 187,000 jobs in July.

NEW YORK – Albania to lay out program of work for September as Tirana assumes UN Security Council presidency amid increased disputes between permanent members.

MONGOLIA

ULAANBAATAR – Pope Francis to begin visit to Mongolia, home to one of world's tiniest Catholic communities, lasting through next Monday.

LEBANON

BEIRUT – Following rising tensions between Lebanon, Israel amid Israel’s accusing Hezbollah of escalating situation along border. Israel is "the nearest to launching military action in Lebanon since the 2006 (war)," warned Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan.

SPORTS

MOSCOW – International Grand Skate Tour skateboarding tournament in Gorky Park continues till Sept. 2.

SOCHI – Russian Artistic Gymnastics Cup continues in Sochi till Sept. 3.

SPECIAL REPORT

Children ‘most affected group’ by deepfake technology: Experts

By Erdogan Cagatay Zontur and Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Children are the majority among all that are negatively affected by the deepfake technology as “malicious people” might use their innocent content against them and their families, according to Turkish academics.

SPECIAL REPORT

Wagner chief’s death: What next for Africa?

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The Russian mercenary group that declared a mutiny and briefly rebelled against President Vladimir Putin’s authority in June has for years played a key role in extending Russia’s influence in Africa.

SPECIAL REPORT

Hawaii group rallies to help wildfire victims piece together shattered lives

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, United States (AA) – A local group is teaming up with Maui businesses in Hawaii to help victims of the destructive wildfires get back on their feet after the deadly tragedy.

SPECIAL REPORT

Pakistan cable car rescue hero hails courage of survivors

By Aamir Latif

BATGRAM, Pakistan (AA) – Gul Faraz recalls the nightmare he faced last week when a locally assembled cable car suspended and dangled over a ravine in the mountainous Allai town in northwestern Pakistan for hours before army commandos and locals rescued him along with seven students, one of them his nephew.

SPECIAL REPORT

Salwan Momika: Burning the Quran for freedom or money?

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Stockholm, has recently made headlines over his repeated acts of desecration of the Quran, which caused diplomatic row between many Muslim countries and Sweden.

SPECIAL REPORT

Türkiye to see new records in defense exports, sector official says

By Gokhan Ergocun

ANKARA (AA) – Reviewing the Turkish defense industry exports, the president of Türkiye's Defense Industry Agency said the country has completed the second quarter with a record level in defense exports and it will end the third quarter with another record.

NEW MEDIA

Video report from TEKNOFEST in Ankara

This will be a video report from the ongoing TEKNOFEST in Ankara, our second from the event that started on Wednesday. The report will give an overview of the event and also details of particular projects on display, such as the Turkish combat drone Anka-3.

Multimedia video on France’s abaya ban

This will be a video report on France’s recent decision to ban abayas for Muslim students in state-run schools. This is a follow-up to our initial video presented on Tuesday. The video report includes interviews with two women activists who speak about discrimination against Muslims in France, the reasons and impact of such decisions, and the larger issue of Islamophobia in the country.