Diary

ANKARA

Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ANKARA - Turkish President Erdogan to meet Bosnian and Croatian members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic and Dragan Covic respectively. Leaders to hold a press conference after meeting in Presidential Complex in Ankara.

ANKARA - Central bank to report current account balance at 10 a.m. local time (0800GMT).

ANKARA - TurkStat to report third-quarter GDP at 10 a.m. local time (0800GMT).

SPECIAL REPORT:

Startup investment in Turkey shifts to high-tech

By Andrew Jay Rosenbaum

ANKARA (AA) - Investment in startups in Turkey is, this year, aimed more at high-tech companies with high-end products for business.

ISTANBUL - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus president, Mustafa Akinci, to speak at a conference in Istanbul. His visit comes ahead of an anticipated referendum on Cypriot reunification, likely to be held in the first half of 2016.

EUROPE

ALBANIA

TIRANA, Albania - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to hold talks with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Stoltenberg also has separate meetings with Albanian President Bujar Nishani and Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli.

SPAIN

SPECIAL REPORT:

Spain moving towards end of bipartisan politics

By Alyssa McMurtry

- With election on horizon, two new parties are challenging old guard

MADRID (AA) - For the first time in Spanish national elections the traditional bipartisan system appears to be coming to an end.

AMERICAS

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Ashton Carter meets with Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar.

WASHINGTON - US Senate committee holds hearing on terrorism and global oil markets.

WASHINGTON - The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice holds an awards ceremony to present the 2015 Lantos Human Rights Prize to three female leaders of Muslim heritage.

NEW YORK - Dec. 10 is United Nations-initiated Human Rights Day. UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic to hold press conference.

MIDDLE EAST

IRAQ

BAGHDAD - Head of Turkish National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu to travel to Baghdad to hold meetings with Iraqi officials about Turkey's presence in Iraq.

EGYPT

SPECIAL REPORT:

After Morsi, Egypt boosts ties with Greece, Greek Cypriots admin

By Hagar al-Dosoki

CAIRO (AA) - Egypt's relations with both Greece and the Greek Cypriots administration have warmed up since the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi in the 2013 military coup.

AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

CAPETOWN - Several rights groups to observe International Human Rights Day with events planned in different parts of the country. Amnesty International will unveil a giant tapestry in honor of Nelson Mandela at the Cape Town International Airport to mark the day.

JOHANNESBURG - President removes finance minister, rand falls.

ZIMBABWE

HARARE - Group of women activists to gather in Zimbabwean capital, marking the last day of 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence in the country.

HARARE - United Nations to launch year-long global campaign for the 50th anniversary of International Covenants on Human Rights adopted on December 16, 1966.

ZAMBIA

SPECIAL REPORT:

Bribery on the rise as corruption wreaks havoc

By Francis Maingalia

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Increasing corruption is wreaking havoc on the Zambian economy, as the payment of bribes has reached the level of 78 percent in 2014, according to research by Transparency International.

SE ASIA-PACIFIC

THAILAND

BANGKOK - Rights group say senior Thai investigator on human trafficking forced to seek asylum abroad.

MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR - Embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak expected to address recent political and economic scandals during long-ruling party’s annual assembly.

MYANMAR

YANGON - Parliament approves national ceasefire agreement with eight ethnic armed groups, but excluding others recently engaged in clashes with the army.

SPORTS

ANKARA - UEFA Europa League group stage is set to end with Thursday's matches.

Turkey's Fenerbahce will meet Scottish club Celtic in Group A game while another Turkish side, Besiktas, will play away to Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon in Group H.