Diary
ISTANBUL
Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025
Israel's ceasefire violations in Lebanon
Continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon despite a ceasefire in place since November 2024, as two people were killed and another injured in Israeli drone strikes on Thursday.
Efforts to de-escalate tensions in Yemen
Local and regional actors continue to call on Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council to withdraw forces from Hadramout and Mahra and de-escalate internal tension with a return to dialogue.
Holiday season
Europe continues the Christmas to New Year’s holiday season, through Jan. 2. During this period, the latest developments and breaking news will continue to be monitored, although almost all EU institutions and European governments have suspended routine operations until the end of the holiday season.
Development as Thai, Cambodian militaries continue talks
Monitoring developments as rival Thai and Cambodian militaries continue talks amid ongoing cross-border clashes which have killed 96. Sides to decide whether defense chiefs will hold talks to finalize a ceasefire.
UAE president visits Pakistan
United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan set to pay official visit to Pakistan in a first for bilateral and regional discussions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to host Al Nahyan, who will also meet with President Asif Ali Zardari.
Taiwan’s opposition to begin impeachment proceedings against Lai
Opposition parties expected to begin impeachment proceedings against Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te over his failure to implement laws adopted by the legislature. Lai took the top office in 2024.
SPECIAL REPORTS
EXPLAINER – What Myanmar’s first post-coup elections mean under junta rule
Report on Myanmar’s first elections since 2021 military coup, to be held in two phases on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11, after four years of emergency rule imposed by the junta following its seizure of power.
Story outlines political backdrop, including continued military control, ethnic conflicts, and legacy of the overturned 2020 vote.
It features interviews with Burmese experts Maung Zarni (UK) and Ro Nay San Lwin (Germany) on election procedures, conditions on the ground, the stakes for the junta, and wider geopolitical implications.
YEAR-ENDER - Europe in 2025: Security fears and shifting public opinion tighten migration rules
Report on how security concerns, shifting public opinion, and political pressure pushed the EU and individual European states to tighten migration and asylum policies in 2025.
Story examines falling irregular crossings and asylum applications, the EU’s first list of safe countries of origin, and growing disputes over returns and quotas.
It also highlights warnings from rights groups and tracks key developments in Italy, Germany, Ireland, Greece, the Baltics, and the UK amid rising far-right influence and shifting transatlantic politics.
YEAR-ENDER – 2025: How far-right AfD rose to the top of German polls
Story on the surge of Germany’s far-right AfD to record levels in national and regional opinion polls, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition grapples with internal disputes, policy deadlock, and eroding voter confidence ahead of key state elections in March 2026.
Report explores how coalition tensions, economic pressures, and regional dynamics — alongside the AfD’s increasingly radical youth mobilization — boosted support, particularly in eastern and northern Germany.
It includes comments from Professor Matthias Quent, an expert on far-right movements, as well as from Romy Arnold of Thuringia-based anti-extremism group MOBIT on the party’s appeal to young voters, the role of social media, and the challenges facing Germany’s democratic center.
