Diary

ISTANBUL

Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

Syrian marks 1st anniversary of Assad’s fall

Syrians will hold nationwide celebrations marking the first anniversary of the country’s liberation from the Bashar al-Assad regime. Events are anticipated in major cities, with crowds gathering in central squares carrying national flags and setting off fireworks.

Continued ceasefire violations by Israel worsen humanitarian crisis

The ongoing Israel violations of the ceasefire deal with Hamas as the humanitarian situation remains dire, while aid and essential supplies remain severely restricted.

Doha World Negotiation Day 2025

The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) holds the 5th edition of World Negotiation Day in partnership with the Doha Forum. The event brings together leading figures in conflict resolution and climate diplomacy, offering a high-level platform to examine the role of negotiation in current global crises. Qatar has been actively involved in multiple major conflict-resolution efforts.

Situation in Sudan

Developments in Sudan as fighting at multiple fronts between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces continues to drive displacement, civilian deaths and a deepening humanitarian crisis across the country.

Trump to participate in roundtable meeting

US President Donald Trump to attend a roundtable meeting at the White House. No details were provided on what will be discussed at the meeting.

US to host ministerial consultations with Australia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will hold talks with their respective Australian counterparts Penny Wong and Richard Marles. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine will also attend.

Rubio will later meet with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper at the Department of State.

OSCE chairperson-in-office to brief UN Security Council

Elina Valtonen, the chairperson-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will brief the UN Security Council.

French, German, British, Ukrainian leaders meet in London

E3 leaders – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macro – to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London for peace talks. This comes after Macron’s Saturday announcement to visit London for talks with Starmer, Merz, and Zelenskyy as part of efforts to assess the situation in Ukraine and advance ongoing negotiations under US mediation.

EU Council chief visits Paris

European Council President Antonio Costa travels to Paris to take part in the Jacques Delors Institute’s annual conference, which focuses on Europe’s future, with discussions on climate action, defense, the economy, citizen engagement, and enlargement.

German chancellor faces public questions

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz answers questions from citizens in a live broadcast on ARD, Germany's public broadcaster. The program, titled Arena, addresses healthcare, migration, the economy, defense, and foreign policy.

Ukraine, Denmark to host informal meeting of ministers for European affairs in Lviv

Ukraine to host an informal meeting of ministers for European affairs in its western city of Lviv. The meeting, to be held together with Denmark, is expected to assess Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership and to “reaffirm political support for Ukraine’s reform and integration efforts," according to Politico.

Turkish president to receive Hungary’s premier

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to welcome Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a formal ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. They will attend signing ceremony of agreements following bilateral and delegation as well as hold press conference.

Türkiye-Hungary Joint Consultation Mechanism in Istanbul

The first meeting of the Türkiye-Hungary Joint Consultation Mechanism to be held in Istanbul with the participation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Head of Turkish Defense Industries Haluk Gorgun.

Developments in Benin after coup attempt

Developments in Benin following a coup attempt by a group of soldiers. On Sunday, troops said on the state broadcaster that they had removed President Patrice Talon and installed Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri to lead a so-called Military Committee for Refoundation, but the country’s interior minister later said on national television that the coup attempt was foiled.

Indonesian President Prabowo pays 2-day official visit to Pakistan

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto pays 2-day official visit to Pakistan. Prabowo and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties, with defense sector likely in focus.

German top diplomat Wadepul visits China

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul pays visit to China. During his 2-day visit, Wadephul and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to hold bilateral talks as well as likely discuss China-EU ties.

China, Japan tensions

Monitoring developments after Japan and China on Sunday made conflicting claims regarding recent fighter jet engagements between the two militaries. This comes as Beijing and Tokyo saw their ties deteriorate over Taiwan since last month.

THE ECONOMY

German industrial production

Destatis to release monthly industrial production data for October. In September, industrial production increased 1.3% on a monthly basis.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Syria one year on: Rebuilding diplomacy after Assad’s fall

Report on Syria’s renewed international ties under President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the political gains of the post-Assad transition.

The story examines how Syria has reshaped its global standing in the year since the Assad government was toppled, highlighting Sharaa’s diplomatic outreach and efforts to reintegrate the country into international systems.

It details Sharaa’s high-profile visits and the resulting political breakthroughs such as lifted sanctions, reopened channels of cooperation, and early commitments from foreign governments to support reconstruction.

The report explores the scope and impact of these achievements, and features analysis from Omer Ozkizilcik, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Syria Project, and Heiko Wimmen, project director for Iraq, Syria and Lebanon at the International Crisis Group.

INTERVIEW – Caesar, man who exposed Assad’s torture machine: ‘Truth reached the world, but justice is unfinished’

Interview with Syrian whistleblower Fared al-Madhan, globally known as “Caesar,” the man who leaked over 50,000 photographs of detainees tortured to death in Syrian prisons.

Marking one year since the regime’s collapse, he reflects on the impact of the leaked images, which documented systematic killings inside detention centers like Sednaya and became a legal cornerstone for global accountability efforts.

He says global outrage never translated into meaningful protection for detainees, but still the files changed history. Al-Madhan credits US sanctions under the Caesar Act with crippling the regime’s power structure, but calls for lifting them now that the regime has fallen.

Explosive threats shadow Syrians returning home after Assad’s fall

Report on the scale of landmine contamination across Syria after 14 years of conflict, and the rising toll as families return home.

The story examines the widespread presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO), landmines, and other hidden munitions that continue to cause lethal accidents. It draws on the latest available data to detail the number of deaths, injuries, and long-term disabilities linked to UXO incidents.

The story has insights from Joseph McCartan, UNMAS chief of Mine Action Programme in Syria on clearance operations, assessing the scale of the challenge and current demining capacity, funding gaps, and the urgent need for expanded risk-education programs.

INTERVIEW – Syria deepening partnership with Türkiye on disaster response, mine clearance: Syrian minister

Interview with Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s minister for emergency and disaster response, covering the country’s push to rebuild after the revolution, the challenges facing his newly formed ministry, and the long path ahead as Syria emerges from years of war.

Al-Saleh speaks about the broad strategic cooperation with Türkiye in areas ranging from training to mine clearance, wildfire management, education, and people-to-people relations.

He also details how the ministry was established, drawing on the legacy of the White Helmets – the volunteer civil defense force he once led – and explains how its experience in search-and-rescue, emergency coordination and crisis logistics now informs a national framework for disaster preparedness.

The minister also describes the acute hurdles Syria faces: rebuilding ruined towns, clearing debris and unexploded ordnance, repairing critical infrastructure, and restoring basic services with limited resources.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO – Interview with Syrian whistleblower Fared al-Madhan, globally known as “Caesar,” reflecting on the impact of the images he leaked, which exposed the Assad regime’s torture machine.

VIDEO – Interview with Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s minister for emergency and disaster response, covering the country’s push to rebuild after the revolution, the challenges facing his newly formed ministry, and the long path ahead as Syria emerges from years of war.