Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

Trump's envoy to join Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will take part in Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.

Security alert situation amid potential US attack on Iran

Heightened security alert in Israel for nearly two weeks, amid preparations for a potential US strike on Iran, following media reports on an Israeli military drill simulating an Iranian attack involving 2,000 missiles targeting major urban centers.

Developments in Sudan’s South Kordofan

Field and humanitarian developments following the Sudanese army’s announcement of lifting the siege on Kadugli, South Kordofan state.

Turkish president visits Cairo

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be officially welcomed with a formal ceremony at Al-Ittihadiya Palace (Heliopolis Palace) in Egypt's capital Cairo and following one-on-one and inter-delegation talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will attend the signing ceremony of agreements and a joint press conference.

He will also take part in the official dinner to be held in his honor and the closing session of the Türkiye-Egypt Business Forum.

Trump to take part in TV interview, policy talks

US President Trump will be interviewed at the Oval Office by an unspecified TV broadcaster. He will later attend a policy meeting, also at the White House. Both events are currently listed as closed to press.

US secretary of state to host ministerial meeting on critical minerals

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the Department of State in Washington. Over 50 nations' delegations will be attending, including G7 members, as well as India, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Guinea. It will focus on “collective efforts to strengthen and diversify critical minerals supply chains.” US Vice President JD Vance will also attend.

UN Security Council to discuss threat posed by ISIS (Daesh) terror group

The UN Security Council will convene for a briefing on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ 22nd biannual strategic-level report on the threat posed by ISIS (Daesh) terror group to international peace and security. Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and Head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism Alexandre Zouev and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate Natalia Gherman expected to brief.

Venezuela’s acting president to mark 1st month since Maduro’s capture by US

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will address the nation to mark one month since the US military operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in the capital Caracas.

German chancellor begins Gulf region trip

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz departs for diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia, beginning a three-day Gulf region trip. He will visit Qatar on Thursday and the UAE on Friday to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues. A German business delegation will accompany Merz during the tour.

Epstein revelations-related developments across Europe

Statements and political developments in European nations after latests documents released in relation late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The US Justice Department recently released more than 3 million pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images related to Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by US President Trump last November.

Russia and Ukraine to continue US-mediated talks on peace settlement

On Feb. 4-5, Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to resume US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, aimed at ending the war that began in 2022. This follows two earlier rounds of consultations on Jan. 23-24, and brief interaction on Feb. 1 where the date was settled.

Kyrgyzstan to host B5+1 Forum involving business communities of Central Asian states and US

The B5+1 Forum, involving the business communities of Central Asian countries and the US to take place in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek on Feb. 4-6. The B5+1 refers to the Central Asia + US business partnership, consisting of five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the US.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman to hold weekly press briefing

Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, to hold a weekly press briefing in Moscow.

Top lawmakers likely to decide fate of Chinese generals

Top lawmakers of China’s National People's Congress Standing Committee meet in Beijing. They are expected to decide the fate of two top Chinese generals who are being investigated for violation of discipline.

Pakistani premier hosts Kazakh president for high-level talks

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosts Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for high-level talks. President Asif Ali Zardari to also separately host Tokayev.

THE ECONOMY

Eurozone inflation

Eurostat to release monthly consumer inflation data for January. In December, the annual inflation was down to 1.9% from 2.1% in the previous month. Markets expect it to fall further to 1.7% in January.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Talk of autonomy vs reality of alignment: Can the EU go against US line on China?

Report examining the gap between the EU’s repeated calls for “strategic autonomy” and its continued alignment with US policy on China, as renewed uncertainty over Washington’s commitments under President Donald Trump revives debate in Brussels.

The story analyzes the EU’s recent outreach to Indo-Pacific partners such as India and Vietnam, assessing whether these moves fall short of a genuine strategic pivot toward Beijing as the bloc remains restricted by its deep economic, political and security dependence on the US.

The report includes analysis from George Tzogopoulos of the European Institute of Nice, John Irgengioro of Ghent University, and Casper Wits of Universiteit Leiden, who argue that structural dependence on Washington and fear of US economic retaliation leave the EU squeezed between great powers with limited room for maneuver.

‘A very important step’: How years of citizen pressure led to Spain’s migrant regularization

Report examining Spain’s decision to grant legal status to around half a million undocumented migrants through a decree-backed regularization, following years of migrant-led campaigning and sustained citizen pressure.

The story analyzes how the move reflects a broader social demand that intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of undocumented workers, while also exploring sharp opposition criticism warning of a “pull factor” and pressure on public services. It assesses the political implications of bypassing parliament, the limits of an extraordinary regularization, and the debate over whether the measure can address Spain’s long-standing migration challenges.

The report includes comments from Elena Munoz, national legal coordinator of the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid, who describes the regularization as a long-overdue step, rejects claims of a pull factor based on past evidence, and argues that legal status will improve labor protections, social inclusion, and legal certainty for migrants already living and working in Spain.

‘City at risk’: Karachi mall fire exposes dangers of unchecked urban growth

Report on the deadly fire at Gul Plaza, a downtown shopping mall in Karachi, that killed at least 80 people, highlighting deep-rooted problems of overcrowding, weak regulation, and inadequate fire safety in one of the world’s most congested megacities.

The story examines how poor urban planning, illegal constructions, non-enforcement of fire regulations, and limited rescue capacity have made Karachi vulnerable to repeated fire disasters, with experts warning that similar incidents are likely without urgent reforms.

It features analysis from urban planners and fire safety experts on the systemic failures behind the blaze, the political fallout for provincial authorities, and calls for strict enforcement of safety standards to prevent future tragedies.