Diary
ISTANBUL
Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):
Humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Kordofan amid RSF attacks on civilians
Escalating developments in Sudan amid continued RSF attacks on civilians, with the latest incident involving the killing of two children and the injury of at least 13 others in an attack on a mosque in the city of Al-Rahad, located in Sudan’s North Kordofan state.
Developments following Netanyahu’s US visit and talks on Gaza, Iran
Developments and outcomes following the conclusion of Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US and his return to Israel, after a trip that began Tuesday and included meetings with President Donald Trump and his advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, focusing on regional developments, the situation in Gaza, and Iran.
Trump to revoke official finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health
US President Donald Trump is expected to formally repeal a 2009 finding by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare in a move that his administration has called the “largest deregulatory action in American history.” EPA chief Lee Zeldin will also attend the White House event. Trump is also scheduled to take part in closed-door intelligence briefings and policy meetings.
UN to vote on renewing 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee monitoring team
The UN Security Council will vote on a draft resolution renewing for 12 months the mandate of the monitoring team supporting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee.
US immigration enforcement chiefs to appear before lawmakers
US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting Director Todd Lyons, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow will appear for an oversight hearing at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
British Columbia to mourn victims of deadly mass shooting
A day of mourning is held in British Columbia following Tuesday's mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. Police have identified the shooter as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar. Lt. Gov. Wendy Cocchia is expected to deliver a speech to residents of the town.
Humanitarian, energy crunch in Cuba
Monitoring developments in Cuba as the country is experiencing a severe humanitarian and energy crisis, described by international observers and the UN as being on the brink of “collapse.” Conditions in the country have deteriorated amid escalating US pressure following a military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last month.
Turkish president to attend his party's provincial meeting
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), will attend an Expanded Provincial Chairpersons Meeting at the AK Party Congress Center.
Erdogan to host Serbian President Vucic
The Turkish president will officially welcome Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic at the Presidential Complex, hold a bilateral meeting followed by interdelegation talks, attend a signing ceremony for agreements, address a joint press conference, and host an official dinner.
EU leaders gather for informal meeting in Belgium
EU leaders will hold an informal meeting to discuss ways to strengthen the single market, reduce economic dependencies, and enhance the EU’s competitiveness amid a shifting geoeconomic landscape. Former Italian prime ministers Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta will take part in the talks at Alden Biesen Castle, sharing their views on Europe’s competitiveness.
NATO defense ministers meet in Brussels
NATO defense ministers will meet in Brussels under the chairmanship of Secretary General Mark Rutte. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov will also attend the meeting. On the sidelines, a signing ceremony led by the Defense Investment Division for letters of intent and memorandums of understanding on multinational cooperation will take place, along with an informal NATO-Ukraine Council meeting.
Ukraine Defence Contact Group meets in Brussels
The United Kingdom and Germany will convene the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO Headquarters. The group brings together about 56 nations, including all NATO members, 24 partner countries, and the European Union, with the aim of coordinating military support for Ukraine.
German court to rule on Gaza arms challenge
Federal Constitutional Court is expected to decide on Feb. 13 whether a Palestinian from Gaza can legally challenge German arms exports to Israel. The case involves a man who lost his wife and child in Israeli strikes and seeks to block spare parts for Israeli tanks. Rights groups say the ruling could set a precedent for civilians endangered by German weapons to access German courts.
Russian Foreign Ministry to hold weekly press briefing
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to hold a weekly press briefing in Moscow on current foreign policy issues. The Turkish wire will take part in the briefing via videolink and plans to ask her the following questions: 1. US forces have seized another tanker allegedly carrying Russian oil, this time in the Indian Ocean. How does Russia assess these actions? Will there be a response to such actions?
Cyclone Gezani ravages Madagascar
Development in Madagascar to be monitored as Cyclone Gezani struck the Indian Ocean island’s east coast. The storm has so far claimed at least 20 lives, injured 33 others, damaged over 3,200 homes, and displaced 2,742 people.
African foreign ministers continue deliberations in Ethiopia
Discussions in Ethiopia to be followed as African foreign ministers continue deliberations in Addis Ababa ahead of the 39th African Union summit over the weekend. Delegates are expected to address unconstitutional changes in the continent, institutional reforms, and peace and development efforts across Africa.
Counterterrorism efforts in Somalia
Military operations against the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group to be monitored as the Somali forces intensify their pressure on the terrorist organization. The Somali army, supported by international partners, has intensified operations against the group, with recent strikes killing tens of militants and senior leaders.
Bangladesh votes in crucial elections
Millions of people cast ballots in Bangladesh to elect new government, following the overthrow of the 15-year-long rule by Awami League party in 2024. 350 lawmakers will be elected, including 50 on a reservation basis, from nearly 2,000 contesting candidates. People are also casting ballots in a referendum aimed at amending the South Asian nation's Constitution.
THE ECONOMY
UK GDP growth
UK to release economic growth figures for the last quarter of 2025. In the previous quarter, the British economy grew 0.1% on a quarterly basis. The markets expect stagnation for the fourth quarter of last year. The country will also release industrial production and foreign trade data for December.
US initial jobless claims
US to release weekly initial jobless claims data for last week. In the previous week, the claims rose 22,000 to 231,000. The markets expect them to fall to 222,000 in the last week.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Berlin’s mineral dilemma: China’s rare earth leverage rattles German industry
Report examining how China’s recent rare earth export restrictions have exposed Germany’s heavy dependence on Beijing for critical minerals, leaving manufacturers facing shortages, soaring prices and risks of production shutdowns.
The story explores how German traders and industry are scrambling to secure supplies, including buyback schemes from private stockpiles, and why alternatives such as diversification, domestic extraction and recycling remain costly and slow to scale despite the EU’s 2030 Critical Raw Materials Act targets.
It features comments from Matthias Rueth, managing director of metals trading firm Tradium; Benjamin Wehrmann of Clean Energy Wire, a media platform specializing in Europe’s energy transition; and Tobias Gehrke of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
FACTBOX – Epstein files trigger political fallout and probes worldwide
Report detailing the political and institutional fallout following the release of millions of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents, which have triggered resignations, investigations and public pressure on officials across Europe and the US.
The factbox provides a country-by-country breakdown of developments in the UK, Norway, Slovakia, France, Sweden and the US, highlighting high-profile resignations, probes into past ties with Epstein, and ongoing political debates over accountability and transparency.
It outlines the broader implications for governments and institutions grappling with reputational damage, internal crises and calls for inquiries, as well as the differing political responses on both sides of the Atlantic.
EXPLAINER – US voting rights battle: What is the SAVE America Act?
Report on the escalating political battle over the Republican-backed SAVE America Act, a sweeping proposal to tighten voter registration and voting rules ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
The story explains what the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act is and how it would change US voting laws, including requiring documentary proof of US citizenship and federal photo identification to register and cast ballots in federal elections. It also presents Republican arguments in support of the bill, alongside Democratic and civil rights groups’ warnings that it could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
The report also provides political context, including US President Donald Trump’s backing, the bill’s legislative path in Congress, and the broader partisan debate over election security.
