Diary

ISTANBUL

Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):

Ongoing Israel’s ceasefire violations in Gaza

The Israeli army's daily violations of the Gaza ceasefire deal, attacks targeting civilians, demolishing homes, and damaging essential infrastructure.

Pakistani president pays official visit to Iraq

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will pay an official visit to Iraq on Dec. 20-24, during which he will hold high-level meetings with the Iraqi leadership to review bilateral ties and explore ways to strengthen cooperation in key areas of mutual interest.

Egyptian president-Russian foreign minister meeting

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will receive Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday on the sidelines of the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.

Turkish president to attend ceremony in Istanbul

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the Naval Platforms Commissioning, Flag-Raising and First Steel Cutting Ceremony at the Istanbul Shipyard Command, with expected statements.

Japan-Central Asia summit

Second-day developments in Japan’s first-ever summit with the leaders of five Central Asian nations. The two-day meeting aims to expand trade and investment, while promoting autonomous and sustainable development in Central Asia.

Thailand-Cambodia clashes

Developments along the Thailand-Cambodia border, as recent clashes have left 55 people dead, despite a call from the US and China to implement the ceasefire that the two sides had reached earlier.

Developments in Bangladesh

Bangladesh observes national mourning for Osman Hadi, a prominent political activist who has passed away. The South Asian nation saw violent protests after Hadi succumbed to gunshot injuries last week, while the assailants are on the run.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Silk roads to modern times: Istanbul exhibit spotlights India’s textile heritage

Report on an exhibition in Istanbul exploring India’s rich textile traditions and the centuries-old cultural dialogue between India and Türkiye through craft, trade, and shared artistic heritage.

The story examines how the exhibition, Woven Legacies – Celebrating India’s Textile Heritage, brings together historic and contemporary works from Kashmir shawls and Varanasi silks to modern Indian fashion, highlighting textiles as living expressions of memory, identity, and cross-cultural exchange shaped by the ancient Silk Roads.

The piece includes comments from the exhibition’s curator Serra Oruc and India’s consul general in Istanbul, Mijito Vinito, on cultural preservation, craftsmanship, and India-Türkiye ties.