Diary

ANKARA

Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ISTANBUL – Rights group to release report on what it describes as a ‘history of Russian violations’.

SPECIAL REPORT

Minority fleeing Ukraine hope Turkey is their last stop

By Nilay Kar Onum

ISTANBUL (AA) – “There was always a fear of death due to bombardment there, which we cannot forget,” says Elmira Elisova, a Meskhetian Turk, who recently settled in the eastern Turkish province of Erzincan.



EUROPE

SWITZERLAND

GENEVA – Syria peace talks in Geneva to continue as UN envoy meets delegations from Syrian opposition and regime.

FRANCE

STRASBOURG – MEPs to discuss refugee crisis, border checks and also quiz Commission on state of play on EU funding for refugees in Turkey.

SPECIAL REPORT

UNITED KINGDOM

UK weighs cost of tax on sugar

By Michael Sercan Daventry

LONDON (AA) – This month, Britain will publish plans on tackling rising obesity rates among children.

AMERICAS

PERU

LIMA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to meet with his Peruvian counterpart Ollanta Humala. News conference to follow meeting.

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to deliver public remarks amid ongoing anti-Daesh campaign in Iraq and Syria.

WASHINGTON – Gen. John Campbell, head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the security situation in the South Asian country.

MIDDLE EAST-NORTH AFRICA

PALESTINE

SPECIAL REPORT

By Ola Attalah

Gaza tunnels dig deep into Israel’s security plan

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Hamas has built dozens of underground tunnels along border between Gaza Strip and Israel.

SOUTH ASIA

SPECIAL REPORT

PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN

Closer Pakistan-Afghan cooperation could end insurgency: Experts

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI (AA) – With the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban now waging fresh offensives, security experts call for stepped-up cooperation between Islamabad and Kabul with view to ending ongoing insurgencies.

SOUTHEAST ASIA-PACIFIC

THAILAND

BANGKOK – Draft constitution comes in for heavy criticism by local civil society organizations concerned that it will trample on rights.

MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR – Former ruling party member files report to anti-graft agency against Attorney General's decision to clear embattled PM Najib Razak in case of alleged $681 million political donation from Saudi Arabia.

SOUTH KOREA

SEOUL – South Korea seeks closer ties with Middle East, emphasizing 'similar' threats to security.