US envoy meets Israeli hostage families in Tel Aviv
US envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday met the anguished families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, as fears for...Geostrategy
US promises Gaza food plan after envoy visit
The visit by Steve Witkoff came as a report from global advocacy group Human Rights Watch accused Israeli forces of...Geostrategy
Saudi crown prince says ready for economic partnership with BRICS
DUBAI, UAE – Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin has...The Russian president and the Saudi crown prince discussed the outlook for BRICS expansion.
The two leaders reviewed cooperation between the two countries within the OPEC+ agreement framework.
Lebanese army blocks entry of 1200 Syrian migrants
Millions of Syrians have fled abroad since their country's civil war broke out in 2011 following the government's repression of...It had announced on August 23 that it turned back 700 Syrians attempting to enter the eastern Mediterranean country irregularly.
Lebanon, which has been mired in a crippling economic crisis for more than three years, says it hosts nearly two million Syrians.
Turkey to showcase market-friendly turn at investment roadshow
inance Minister Mehmet Simsek told reporters he would then travel to New York and European economic powerhouses Germany and Britain...The Merrill Lynch veteran's attempt to talk up his reforms were boosted by a World Bank announcement that it was looking to boost its commitment to Turkey from $17bn to $35bn.
Turkey suffered a lira crash in 2021 that set prices spiraling by 85% over a year when Erdogan forced the central bank to slash the interest rate far below that of inflation.
UN calls for age limits for AI tools in schools
The UN's education body UNESCO warned that public authorities were not ready to deal with the ethical issues of rolling...A UNESCO official said AI can be a tremendous opportunity for human development, but it can also cause harm and prejudice"
UNESCO guidance said AI tools have the potential to help children with special needs, act as an opponent in "Socratic dialogues"
EU asks Turkey to address democracy before membership
EU chief Charles Michel said last month that the bloc should get ready to admit new members from eastern Europe...Ankara secured a pledge from Brussels to resurrect stalled membership negotiations in exchange for lifting its blockade of Sweden's drive to join NATO.
But Ankara accuses Brussels of never seriously considering membership for what would be the largest majority-Muslim nation of the 27-nation bloc.
2023 likely to be hottest year in human history, says EU climate monitor
"2023 is the year that climate records were not just broken but smashed," said Mark Maslin, a professor of climatology...The average global temperature in June, July and August was 16.77 degrees Celsius (62.19 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous 2019 record of 16.48C.
"The three months that we've just had are the warmest in approximately 120,000 years, so effectively human history," C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told AFP
G20 shirking ‘critical’ climate issues: UN climate chief
The G20, which accounts for about 85 percent of the world's economy and greenhouse gas emissions, will meet in New...Simon Stiell, the head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said technological solutions are within reach to curb the warming that is already showing effects.
The G20 summit is the next major set of negotiations in a packed calendar of meetings crucial for action on global warming, culminating at the UN COP28 talks in the UAE.
Big power disputes cast shadow on Southeast Asia summits
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) was holding separate summits with China, Japan, South Korea, the United States...Host Indonesia told an ASEAN leaders' summit on Tuesday that the bloc would not become a proxy for big power competition as US-China tensions continue to flare over Taiwan
Wednesday's meetings will be more regional in scope before an 18-member East Asia Summit on Thursday to be attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Arab-Japan ties to see expansion to cultural, environmental, energy fields
Cairo, Egypt-- Vowing to expand their relations to cultural, educational, environmental, and energy fields, Arab states and Japan have expressed...Bahrain's foreign minister said dialogue reflects the strong ties and joint commitment between the Arab and Asian regions to further enhance cooperation
The minister emphasized the importance of both sides' commitment to supporting pluralism, international law, peace, stability, and prosperity for all
Israel suspension of Gaza exports risks ‘catastrophe’: businesses
Osama Nofal, of the Gaza economic ministry, put the value of Gaza exports to Israel and the occupied West Bank...Israel's army chief on Monday ordered a halt to commercial deliveries from Gaza to Israel after an alleged attempt to smuggle explosives
The Gaza Strip has been under a crippling Israeli blockade since the Islamist group Hamas seized power in the Palestinian territory in 2007
