Putin in Azerbaijan for state visit amid Ukraine offensive on Russian soil
Aliyev and Putin will sign joint documents and make statements to the press, said Russian agency Ria Novosti. On Monday,...Geostrategy
Qatar to host high-stakes Gaza ceasefire talks
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told several Middle Eastern counterparts in recent days that "this ceasefire deal is of...Geostrategy
Members of US Congress make rare visit to Syria’s rebel area
The Republican delegation comprising French Hill, Ben Cline and Scott Fitzgerald entered Syria from Turkey through the Bab al-Salama border...The Congress members met with Raed Saleh, the director of the White Helmets rescue group
The meeting stressed "the importance of continuing cross-border aid in light of the growing humanitarian needs"
Libyan FM ‘suspended’ over talks with Israeli counterpart
Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said that Najla al-Mangoush, the foreign minister, has been temporarily suspended and will be subject to...Although the Libyan foreign ministry called the meeting a chance encounter, news of it led to street protests in many Libyan cities
Israel has managed to normalize relations with several Arab countries in recent years as part of US-backed deal
Egypt, Ethiopia restart talks over dam construction
Cairo, Egypt - Egypt announced on Sunday that negotiations had resumed over Ethiopia's controversial mega-dam, after agreeing last month to reach...The massive $4.2-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been at the center of a regional dispute ever since Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011
For years at loggerheads over the issue, Egyptian President al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had agreed in July to finalize a deal within four months
Iran says European countries willing to buy our drones
TEHRAN, IRAN - A number of European countries have asked to purchase Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles, the spokesperson for the...A spokesperson for the Iranian Defense Ministry said Tehran is prepared to export military drones after fulfilling its domestic needs,
Political and security considerations will be taken into consideration before finalizing such deals, the spokesperson added.
Tehran exports goods worth $7.2bn to West Asia in 4 months from March 2023
TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran exported $7.2 billion worth of products to West Asian countries in the first four months of...Comprehensive strategic five-year plans have been defined for the West Asian countries with a focus on trade infrastructure.
The plans include organizing and development of transportation platforms, banking exchanges, customs and standards.
The fight over a ‘dangerous’ ideology shaping AI debate
Paris, France - Silicon Valley's favorite philosophy, longtermism, has helped to frame the debate on artificial intelligence around the idea of...Silicon Valley's favorite philosophy, longtermism, has helped to frame the debate on artificial intelligence around the idea of human extinction.
But increasingly vocal critics are warning that the philosophy is dangerous, and the obsession with extinction distracts from real problems associated with AI like data theft.
Years of coal plant expansion torment Turkey’s villagers
Villagers and environmental activists have been locked in clashes with the police in the southwestern Mugla province since their plant...An AFP tour of five Turkish coal-fired power plant villages witnessed the high human cost of relying on the outdated, highly polluting energy source.
Turkey was the last among the G20 economies to ratify the Paris Climate Accords, doing so only after the environment became a top issue in the wake of deadly wildfires.
BRICS to coordinate approaches with new members within UN, G20: Lavrov
The BRICS summit, which held in Johannesburg from Aug 22-24 agreed to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and...Lavrov said BRICS leaders deal with real issues while Western politicians and reporters "tend to mostly wag their tongues".
The expanded BRICS’ positions in the Group of Twenty will strengthen because both Saudi Arabia and Argentina are its members, he said.
Iran readies to finalize document on wider cooperation with Oman
Tehran, Iran -- Iran has expressed its readiness to finalize the provisions of a strategic document on comprehensive cooperation with...Iran's foreign minister Amir Abdollahian also appreciated the efforts by the Sultan of Oman and talked about Iran’s stances on the trend of talks aimed at lifting the sanctions.
Abdollahian appreciated Qatar for its role in the release of Iranian assets blocked in foreign countries.
Sheikha Fatima launches national plan for empowerment of Emirati women
ABU DHABI, UAE – Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU) Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak launched the National Strategy for...This strategy comes in line with Sheikha Fatima’s vision to achieve fair and comprehensive women's participation in all fields.
The plan provides a general framework and guidance for decision makers in federal, local government institutions, private sector and civil society.
