Diary

ANKARA

Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Tuesday Feb. 9, 2016 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marks World Quit Smoking Day by hosting event including 20 ex-smokers he helped quit at presidential palace.

ANKARA - Erdogan to receive Ishak Ibrahimzadeh, head of Turkey’s Jewish community, at presidential palace.

EUROPE

GERMANY

BERLIN - Greece’s former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis expected to unveil new pan-European group Democracy in Europe Movement 2025.

SPAIN

MADRID - Evidence begins in tax fraud, embezzlement trial of Princess Cristina and 17 others in Spain’s first criminal case against member of royal family.

UNITED KINGDOM

LONDON - Immigration Minister James Brokenshire, Foreign Office minister for Middle East Tobias Ellwood to give evidence at separate parliamentary committees.

FRANCE

PARIS - President Francois Hollande to meet Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne at Elysee Palace.

PARIS - Hollande to meet EU Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, Hollande’s former finance minister, at Elysee.

HUNGARY

BUDAPEST - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to meet Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto. Regional issues including refugee crisis expected to top agenda.

AMERICAS

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON - Voters in New Hampshire take part in second primary election for Republican, Democratic presidential candidates.

WASHINGTON - Senior intelligence officials to testify before Senate Intelligence Committee in rare public hearing.

WASHINGTON - Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to address global threats at Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State John Kerry to meet Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry at State Department.

MIDDLE EAST-NORTH AFRICA

PALESTINE

SPECIAL REPORT: Historic Palestinian salt factory struggles to survive

By Qays Abu Samra

DEAD SEA, Palestine (AA) - Israeli-imposed obstacles have not extinguished Hossam al-Hallak’s drive to continue operating Palestine’s only table-salt factory, which has been in operation for 52 years.

AFRICA

NIGERIA

ABUJA - Government, NGOs to unveil plan to eradicate FGM nationwide within a generation at State House.

SOUTH AFRICA

JOHANNESBURG - Constitutional Court to decide on allegations that President Jacob Zuma unduly benefited from public funds during security upgrades to country home.

SOUTHEAST ASIA-PACIFIC

MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR - Human Rights Watch calls for U.S. to pressure government on release of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

INDONESIA

JAKARTA - Verdict due in corruption case against former minister Jero Wacik.

CHINA

BEIJING - Death toll rises to 41 as rescuers continue searching for 109 still missing three days after earthquake hit Tainan, southwest Taiwan.