Diary

ANKARA

Here are the main stories that the Anadolu Agency's English News Desk will cover Tuesday, March 31, 2015:

TURKEY

ANKARA -- The ruling and opposition parties will hold their group meetings at the parliament. 

UNITED STATES

SPECIAL REPORT:

Anti-Muslim ads on US buses raise Islamophobia concerns

By Mustafa Caglayan

NEW YORK -- An anti-Islamic ad campaign that will begin appearing this week on public buses in the city of Philadelphia have raised concerns among Muslims about rising Islamophobic sentiments in the country. The campaign, sponsored by the pro-Israeli group American Freedom Defense Initiative, features a number of ads that links Nazism with Islam.

EUROPE

GERMANY

BERLIN -- French President Hollande visits Berlin for the 17th joint cabinet meeting between Germany and France.

SLOVAKIA

BRATISLAVA -- Turkish President Erdogan to hold talks with Slovak counterpart Kiska, Slovak Prime Minister Fico and Pellegrini, president of the Slovak National Council.

SOUTH ASIA

PAKISTAN

BANNU -- Internally displaced refugees begin returning to their homes in North Waziristan, nine months after the Pakistani army’s anti-Taliban operations.

KARACHI -- Sri Lankan president visits Pakistan to sign bilateral agreements.

BANGLADESH

DHAKA -- Rights groups criticize murder of a secular blogger in Bangladesh.

SE ASIA-PACIFIC 

MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR -- Court finds local man guilty of murdering two British medical students in Borneo.

THAILAND

BANGKOK -- Thai junta chief assures he will use ‘absolute power’ measure to rule with moderation.

JAPAN

TOKYO -- Japan extends sanctions against North Korea amid stalled inquiry into abducted nationals.

CHINA

BEIJING -- Solar-powered plane on round the world trip lands in China after flight from Myanmar.

MIDDLE EAST& AFRICA

NIGERIA

ABUJA -- Follow up on results of the presidential elections in which Buhari is leading the race by more than 2.2 million votes ahead of Jonathan.

YEMEN/SAUDI ARABIA -- Follow up on the Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen.

ISRAEL

TEL AVIV -- First meeting of the newly-elected Knesset government.

ETHIOPIA

ADDIS ABABA -- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa leaders conclude a two-day summit to discuss peace and stability in the region.

SPECIAL REPORTS:

Colonial-era statues stir controversy in S. Africa

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG -- Many South Africans are calling for the removal of many colonial and apartheid-era statues scattered across the country.

Woman fights solo to showcase Ethiopia's beauty 

By Seleshi Tessema & Abebech Tamene

ADDIS ABABA -- Having lived 27 years abroad, Sabela Belaynesh Abay has had enough of negative portrayals of Ethiopia in the western media.