Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories).

TÜRKİYE

ANKARA - National Security Council to meet under chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at presidential complex. It will address strategic, regional and national security issues, especially anti-terror operations. Regional issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, Azerbaijan’s recent victory in Karabakh, and developments in Eastern Mediterranean will also be discussed.

EUROPE

GERMANY

BERLIN - Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to meet her Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani amid tensions between Rome and Berlin over migration. The two are also expected to discuss EU and International issues.

BERLIN - Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to sign joint declaration of intent on Germany’s purchase of Arrow-3 missile defense system.

BERLIN - Chancellor Olaf Scholz to meet Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international issues. The leaders are expected to focus on cooperation on energy and climate goals.

BERLIN - Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Council President Charles Michel to attend Berlin Global Dialogue forum. The two-day gathering brings together leaders and senior officials from industrialized nations and developing countries to discuss global challenges and cross-border initiatives.

LUXEMBOURG

LUXEMBOURG - European Court of Justice hands down judgement in case brought by the European Commission against the United Kingdom over the use of marked fuel for the purpose of propelling private pleasure craft. The commission argued that the UK had failed to comply with a previous judgment and has sought a financial penalty.

FRANCE

PARIS - IEA Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit to be held in Paris. International Energy Agency hosts first-ever international summit on critical minerals and their role in clean energy transitions. Participants include US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, and African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Amani Abou-Zaid, along with the CEOs of energy firms including BHP Billiton, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Trafigura.

IRELAND

DUBLIN - European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments to be held in Dublin. Biennial gathering of speakers and presidents of parliaments of 47 member states of Council of Europe and some affiliated parliaments. Speakers today include House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine) Ruslan Stefanchuk, along with President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Tiny Kox.

UK

LONDON - Storm Agnes expected to hit the UK as a yellow warning is in place for most of the country with winds as fast as 120 kph (75 mph).

US

WASHINGTON - House Oversight Committee to hold first hearing in impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. On Sept. 12, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced impeachment inquiry, which focuses on business dealings of president’s son Hunter Biden and whether president benefited from them.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Antony Blinken expected to host talks with India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden to deliver remarks about late Senator John McCain and democracy in US during visit in Arizona.

WASHINGTON - National Security Agency head and US Cyber Command Director Gen. Paul Nakasone to speak at National Press Club.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin to hold talks with his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir.

MOSCOW - Working visit of Cuban Parliament Speaker Esteban Laso Hernandez.

APAC

PAKISTAN

KARACHI (AA) - Geopolitical tensions have caused years-long delay in multi-billion dollar Pakistan-Iran Gas pipeline with US unresponsive to Islamabad over the issue. In conversation with Anadolu, Pakistani officials see “remote chances of a favorable response" from Washington as Islamabad mulls to avoid penalty over non-fulfilment of commitment on the project to Iran, which is facing US sanctions.

INDIA

NEW DELHI - As India declares entire province of Manipur “disturbed area,” thousands of people have been forced to migrate from their native places since ethnic violence erupted in May. Anadolu speaks to displaced people from Manipur besides response by the officials to stem suffering of the people.

AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

PRETORIA - President Cyril Ramaphosa to host Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Matekane for bilateral talks.

MENA

ISRAEL

TEL AVIV - Following situation in Israel as far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for holding mass public prayer in Tel Aviv. The news comes amid tension in the wake of Monday’s clashes between Israelis marking the Yom Kippur holiday, holiest day in the Jewish calendar, after Jewish Orthodox group tried to set up barriers to separate male worshippers from females.

THE ECONOMY

ANKARA - Turkish Statistical Institute to release economic confidence index for September. The country’s economic confidence, which saw over the 100 level in April, May and June, dropped to 99.3 in July and 94.1 in August.

BERLIN - Germany’s Destatis to release provisional inflation figures for September. The rate has been hovering between 6.1% and 6.4% for the last four months and is expected to drop to 4.5% in September.

LUXEMBOURG - European Department for Economic and Financial Affairs to release business climate index for September. The index dropped in July and August it is expected to continue to downward trend in this month.

SPECIAL REPORT

Lampedusa locals feel abandoned but keep helping migrants

By Giada Zampano

LAMPEDUSA, Italy - Report about the migration crisis on the Italian island of Lampedusa, focusing on the response of locals.

Story includes interviews with residents, who speak about t steps they have taken to help thousands of migrants who have arrived on the island in recent weeks.

They also share their concerns over the situation and demands for action from the government, as well as the international community, to address the issue.

SPECIAL REPORT

Wael Hana: Who is the halal meat exporter accused of bribing US Senator Menendez?

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL - Report about Wael Hana, the Egyptian-American businessman who is now a central figure in the corruption investigation against US Senator Bob Menendez.

Report includes the charges laid out against Hana in the indictment, including alleged bribes given to Menendez and his wife Nadine, and details of their text exchanges.

It also includes information about Hana’s personal businesses and how he became a prominent personality in New Jersey.

SPECIAL REPORT

Colombia tops list of deadliest countries for environmental defenders

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia - Report about the risks and threats faced by environmental defenders in Colombia, which has been identified as the world’s deadliest country for environmental activists.

It includes alarming figures for Colombia presented in a recent report by Global Witness, an NGO, as well as numbers for other countries in the region.

Report has interviews with environmentalist Felipe Henao, who shares his personal experiences of threats and intimidation, and environmental expert Maria Paula Quiceno, who explains the challenges faced by activists and gives details of the industries with extractive models that are behind the phenomenon.

SPECIAL REPORT

Bridging cultures and people: A taste of Nepal in Istanbul

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL - A report about a Nepali restaurant in Istanbul focusing on food’s unique power as a universal language that connects people and different cultures.

Story is based on an interview with the owner, Rajan Yonjon, a Nepali man who moved to Istanbul in 2010. He shares his experiences as an immigrant in Türkiye, while also explaining Nepal’s culinary culture and how he has made a place for it in Istanbul.

Report also includes details about the history and tastes of the cuisine itself, as well as the international dimensions of Istanbul’s diverse food scene.

SPECIAL REPORT

Ukraine war tourism plan sparks ethics debate

By Zafer Mentes

ISTANBUL - Interview with Igor Vinnichenko, who studies tourism at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Mariana Oleskiv, head of Ukraine’s State Tourism Development Agency, about a divisive proposal to use tourism to depict the suffering of war in Ukraine.

Some organizations have proposed starting tours of war-torn regions in Ukraine, with all income to be used for Ukrainian refugees, but the plans have been criticized as disrespectful to victims.

They speak about the possible consequences, and go into reasons for and against the plans.

SPECIAL REPORT

Global warming turns millions into climate migrants

By Yeter Ada Seko

ISTANBUL - Report about climate migration around the world, focusing on data to give an idea of the extent of the issue.

Report also includes an interview with Melike Dedeoglu of Erciyes University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, who speaks about reasons for worldwide migration, the problem of global warming, and other pressing issues related to climate change.

SPECIAL REPORT

Will Qatari mediation end Lebanon’s political deadlock?

By Wassim Saif Al-Din

BEIRUT - Report about the political impasse in Lebanon amid the failure of Lebanese groups to elect a new president since President Michel Aoun left office in October 2022.

Report gives details about a new Qatari initiative to strike an understanding between Lebanon’s political groups to agree on a consensual candidate for president.

It includes the views of political analysts Riad Kahwaji, George al-Aqouri and Arif al-Abd, who speak about the chances of success of the Qatari mediation efforts.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Bridging cultures, people: A taste of Nepal in Istanbul

Report about a Nepali restaurant in Istanbul including an interview with the owner, Rajan Yonjon, a Nepali man who moved to Istanbul in 2010.

Report focuses on the history of Nepal’s culinary culture and cuisine, Yonjon’s experiences in Türkiye, and the international dimensions of Istanbul’s diverse food scene.