Diary

ANKARA

Here are the main topics Anadolu Agency’s English Desk plans to cover Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

TURKEY

ISTANBUL - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden meets with civil society groups in Istanbul ahead of his scheduled meetings with President Erdogan and PM Davutoglu on Saturday.

EUROPE

GERMANY

BERLIN -- Turkish PM Davutoglu visits Berlin for first ever joint cabinet meeting between Turkey and Germany. Talks are expected to focus on refugee crisis, fight against terror and Syria conflict.

RUSSIA

MOSCOW -- Russian ruble continues slide against dollar.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

SPECIAL REPORT

-Palestinian journalist suffers in IsraelI detention

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Fayha Shalash has been living in a state of anxiety since her husband, journalist Mohammed Al-Qeeq, went on an open-ended hunger strike in an Israeli jail 58 days ago.

AFRICA

SPECIAL REPORTS

- Zimbabwe: Consumer fury over 49 percent electricity cost hike

by Wallace Mawire

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AA) - Consumers have risen in fury over a proposed 49 percent hike in the cost of electricity.

- Uganda: Government takes over scandal-ridden road project

by Halima Athumani

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - The Ugandan government is taking over a road project that the World Bank had refused to finance due to scandal.

- Ethiopia: Miners flock to exploit new mineral discovery

by Francis Maingalia

ADDIS ABABA (AA) - New discoveries of mineral wealth made in 2014 are attracting a flock of international mining companies and investors.

- More than 30 pct of Russians could sink into poverty: Experts

by Zaki Shaikh and Andrew Jay Rosenbaum

LONDON (AA) - More than 30 percent of Russians could sink into poverty as recession takes hold in the country, experts said.

SOUTH ASIA

SPECIAL REPORT

-Just days into 2016, Pakistan sees multiple terror attacks

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - New mass shooting serves as a grim reminder for Pakistanis that the country's anti-terror fight is far from over.

SOUTHEAST ASIA & PACIFIC

THAILAND

BANGKOK – Authorities verifying intelligence report claiming three people suspected of links to Daesh made donations to religious leaders in insurgency-plagued Thai Muslim south.

MYANMAR

YANGON – Presidential pardon issued for release of around 100 people, including political prisoners, ahead of transfer of power to new government.

SOUTH KOREA

SEOUL – South Korea calls for resumption of six-party talks, minus North Korea.