Diary

TURKEY

ANKARA – President Erdogan to attend the Energy Markets Summit, organized by the Association of Energy Experts under the auspices of The Energy Market Regulatory Authority of Turkey, or EMRA.  

The Anadolu Agency is the Global Communication Partner of the Summit.

Erdogan is also to meet Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

ISTANBUL – Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek to attend 10th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States, or PUIC.

Special report:

'No going back' for Turkey-Africa trade

By Furkan Naci Top

ISTANBUL - Turkey's moves to gain more influence in African trade is “at the point of no return” and “should go on” despite the presence of giant competitors on the continent.

This was the view of economic analysts speaking ahead of President Erdogan's 12 country African visit starting this week. 

UNITED STATES

WASHINGTON D.C. – President Barack Obama expected to address need for immigration reform, cyber security regulations and updates to U.S. tax code during State of the Union address. 

WASHINGTON D.C. – IMF-World Bank to release world economic outlook for 2015 following a shaky year for the global economy. 

NEW YORK – UN Security Council to hold closed door meeting on political and security deterioration in Yemen. A press statement is expected after the meeting.

Special report:

Anchor's resignation rekindles pro-Israel media controversy

By Mustafa Caglayan

NEW YORK - The resignation of veteran CNN anchor Jim Clancy following a Twitter fight with what he called pro-Israeli public relations agents has once again brought the media front of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into focus.

EUROPE

UNITED KINGDOM – Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to meet his UK counterpart David Cameron.

Davutoglu is also going to attend the 3rd “Istanbul: Regional Hub, Global Actor” forum, co-organized by Borsa Istanbul (Turkey Stock Exchange) and the Istanbul International Finance Center project. The forum is sponsored by The Anadolu Agency.

He is also expected to attend a signature ceremony to celebrate a deal struck recently between Borsa Istanbul and London Stock Exchange.

GERMANY – PEGIDA has cancelled a planned demonstration in Dresden on Monday due to a concrete "terrorism threat," but called on its supporters to join an anti-Islam rally in Leipzig on Wednesday.

BELGIUM – The Foreign Affairs Committee will meet Nabil El Araby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, to discuss recent developments in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, including the situation in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Egypt.

BALKANS

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Flooding and landslides caused by recent heavy rainfall across the country.

KOSOVO – Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz to meet Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci.
 

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

QATAR – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to meet with his Qatari counterpart Khaled bin Mohamed al-Attiyah; Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.

PALESTINE

GAZA – Egypt to re-open Rafah border crossing for three days.

RAMALLAH – Japanese PM Shinzo Abe visits Ramallah.

ZAMBIA – Zambians elect new president.

Special Reports:

Nigeria's palm wine

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS - Sweet, seemingly harmless but crudely intoxicating, palm wine has become a choice drink in Nigeria's social and traditional gatherings.

Zimbabwe's Mugabe, 91, faces full plate in 2015

By John Cassim

HARARE – As he edges closer to 91, many Zimbabweans question the ability of President Robert Mugabe to meet the obligations of his office – let alone the regional and African leadership roles awaiting him in 2015.

SOUTH ASIA

NEPAL – General strike called by opposition parties in Nepal over disputes about drafting of constitution, which has a Jan. 22 deadline for delivery. Most observers expect the deadline will not be met as there is no consensus on key issues. 

SOUTHEAST ASIA & PACIFIC

SOUTH KOREA – South Korean activist group defies request from Seoul by again launching balloons with messages critical of the North's leader across the border - but no copies of fictional movie plot to assassinate Kim Jong Un attached. 

AUSTRALIA – Australia PM repeats appeal to Indonesia to show mercy to countrymen on death row.

AUSTRALIA – Stand-off between authorities and asylum seekers at Manus Island detention center ends after 7 days, as security guards break through barricades.

LAOS – Non-government organizations call on UNHCR to investigate disappearance of Laotian civil society leader Sombath Somphone, after being arrested by Laotian police officers in capital, Vientiane.