Diary

ISTANBUL / ANKARA (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu’s English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

EUROPE

SWEDEN

STOCKHOLM – Winner of Nobel Prize in Chemistry to be announced.

UK

MANCHESTER – Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to address Conservative Party conference.

LONDON – Deadline for Home Office to respond to legal challenge on use of Bibby Stockholm in Portland, Dorset, to house migrants. Portland Mayor Carralyn Parkes, who is acting in personal capacity, claims Home Office is in breach of planning control due to the boat being on the water. All asylum seekers who boarded the boat were evacuated on the same day on Aug. 7 after deadly strain of legionella was found on board.

LONDON – Train drivers from ASLEF Union, London Underground workers from RMT Union to go for industrial action.

GERMANY

BERLIN – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to host Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov for talks.

SWITZERLAND

GENEVA – UN Human Rights Council to hold debate on Palestine.

RUSSIA

SOCHI – Russian President Vladimir Putin to chair via videoconference meeting of Talent and Success Foundation Board of Trustees, meet with winners and finalists of Teacher of Year competition. He will also meet with representative of breakaway region of Abkhazia.

MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold weekly news conference on current issues of foreign affairs.

MOSCOW – Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, to hold news conference on results of Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan on Sept. 29.

TÜRKİYE

ANKARA – Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to meet his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Tahsin Ertugruloglu to discuss bilateral ties, current situation on Cyprus. Ministers are expected to hold news conference.

MENA

ISRAEL

JERUSALEM – Following tensions in East Jerusalem amid Israeli settler incursions into flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex to celebrate Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which lasts until Oct. 6.

ASIA

NEW ZEALAND

WELLINGTON – New Zealand is heading to general elections next week amid risk of falling into deep recession. Main political parties are racing to get public support with major pledges to improve economy, creating more jobs and provide best education facilities to public.

CHINA

TIBET – China set to host Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation from Wednesday. The two-day meeting will be held in the Nyingchi city of China’s autonomous Tibet region, where participation of top officials from China’s neighboring nations is expected.

INDIA / BANGLADESH

NEW DELHI / DHAKA – Two strong earthquakes shake India and neighboring nations including Bangladesh and Nepal for two consecutive days. Reporters in India and Bangladesh to talk to geological experts to examine latest tectonic shifts which have caused concern among people.

THE ECONOMY

LUXEMBOURG – Eurostat to release producer price index and retail sales statistics for August. Retail sales have been decreasing since May 2022 continuously; minus 1% in July, minus 1.4% in June and minus 2.9% in May. Producer prices dropped for three consecutive months from May to July and expected to drop by 11.6% in August.

SPORTS

DORTMUND / LEIPZIG, Germany – Following UEFA Champions League group stage week two games. Borussia Dortmund to face AC Milan at home, while defending champions Manchester City to visit RB Leipzig.

SPECIAL REPORT

Is Iran’s cosmetic surgery trend an ‘alarm bell for society’?

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran – Report about how Iran has become a hub of cosmetic procedures in the world amid the proliferation of beauty and cosmetic surgery clinics in the country, especially the capital Tehran.

The report discusses the craze among young Iranians, both men and women, for cosmetic surgeries and officials’ fears that the “authentic Iranian face” is becoming extinct due to a rise in these procedures.

It includes interviews with four prominent Iranian plastic surgeons, who talk about the trend and its positive and negative aspects. The feature also explains why foreign medical tourists are choosing Iran primarily for these cosmetic surgeries, especially rhinoplasties.

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Geopolitical games’: The US and its military pacts in Asia-Pacific

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA – Amid persistent tensions with China in the Asia-Pacific, this report maps US presence in a region that is home to more than half of the world’s population.

The report details Washington’s military and intelligence pacts and alliances with Asia-Pacific nations, including Australia, Japan, India, the Philippines, and others.

The report lays out the history of at least 10 pacts and alliances, as well as giving a background of the agreements and their objectives.

SPECIAL REPORT

Exodus of nurses, doctors deepens Tanzania’s maternal mortality crisis

By Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Report on the brain drain of doctors and nurses from East Africa, who are leaving for better opportunities abroad.

The story focuses on Tanzania, a country grappling with a maternal mortality rate that is among the highest in the world, and how the scarcity of medical personnel is exacerbating the issue.

It includes the personal narrative of a couple who lost a child due to a shortage of doctors, as well as comments from senior medical sector figures, including Lilian Msele, head of the Tanzania Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Lukombodzo Lulandala, a chief medical officer in one of the country’s worst impacted regions.

SPECIAL REPORT

Sea creatures changing their habitats due to climate change: Expert

By Firat Cakir

TEKIRDAG, Türkiye – Interview with biology professor Deniz Sirin about the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and marine life.

She gives details about how temperatures have increased by approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius in the Mediterranean and 0.5 degrees Celsius in the Black Sea over the last 100 years.

She explains how the distribution and life cycles of fish species have changed and they have become more susceptible to diseases.

SPECIAL REPORT

Retired NASA astronaut inspires youth with advice about final frontier

By Busranur Koca and Gokhan Celiker

ANKARA – Interview with retired NASA astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger about her experiences in space exploration.

She speaks about her career and achievements, while also sharing advice for younger generations aiming to enter the field.

Metcalf-Lindenburger also commends Türkiye’s efforts in the field of space, as well as the country’s upcoming mission to send the first Turkish astronauts into space.

SPECIAL REPORT

Breast milk acts as ‘shield’ against plenty of diseases: Expert

By Yesim Sert Karaarslan

ANKARA – Interview with Melek Kilic, head of the Association of TEMAS Breastfeeding and Breast Milk Volunteers, for National Breastfeeding Week, which is observed between Oct. 1-7.

She talks about how breastfeeding protects babies throughout their lives, acting as a shield against many diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, otitis media, and allergic diseases, along with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, cancer, allergies, asthma, and obesity.

The expert gives details from scientific studies about the benefits of breast milk, while the report also includes data from other organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

NEW MEDIA

INFOGRAPHIC – US and its military pacts in Asia-Pacific

Infographic with the details and history of the US’ military and intelligence pacts and alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, including countries such as Australia, Japan, India, and the Philippines.