Turkish Airlines restarts Libya flights after almost a decade
Istanbul, Turkey - Turkey's flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines, has resumed flights to Libya's capital, almost 10 years after they were suspended...Business Geostrategy
Turkey’s Erdogan seeks to wrest back Istanbul in mayoral election
Istanbul, Turkey--Recapturing Istanbul, the "jewel" of Turkey, in Sunday's local elections has become President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's obsession ever since losing...Geostrategy
Xi Jinping gets third term as China’s president
The 69-year-old has weathered widespread protests over his zero-Covid policy and the deaths of countless people after its abandonment. But...The appointment by China's rubber-stamp parliament comes after Xi locked in another five years as head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October
In an oath beamed live on state television, he vowed to "build a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and great modern socialist country."
20 years after US invasion, Iraq is closer to Washington, far from ‘liberal democracy’
President George W. Bush's war, launched in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, is seared in memory for its "shock...The decision after the March 20, 2003 ground invasion to dismantle Iraq's state, party and military fuelled years of bloodletting
The US forces, backed mainly by British troops, never found the weapons of mass destruction that had been the justification for the war
Iran ready to join efforts to reconcile Syria, Turkey
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been politically isolated in the region since the start of Syria's war in 2011, triggered...Amir-Abdollahian landed in quake-wracked Latakia province before flying to Damascus, where he met Syrian Foreign Minister and the president
He discussed with Assad "Tehran joining meetings to build a dialogue between Damascus and Ankara," the Syrian presidency said
In Israel, Pentagon chief raises Iran, Ukraine concerns amid judicial reform stir
Austin's talks with his hosts were centred on the changing geopolitics of the region, which is currently roiled by rising...Netanyahu and his defence minister raised concerns Iran is developing nuclear weapons, something the Islamic republic has always denied
Austin said "diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon", while adding the US would not allow that to happen
Poor states’ summit promised just US$1.4bn, says UN
DOHA, QATAR - Just US$1.4 billion in new loans and grants were promised at a UN summit devoted to the world's...The Doha meetings saw Saudi Arabia offer $800 million in loans to Least Developed Countries.
Qatar said it would give $60 million for UN projects and Canada $59 million for vitamin supplements in LDCs.
Grain deal not being implemented properly, says Russia
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that extending a deal that allowed grain exports from Ukraine to...Russia's military intervention saw Ukraine's Black Sea ports blocked by warships until a deal was reached for the export of grains.
The UN and Turkey-brokered deal will automatically renew on March 18 unless Russia or Ukraine object.
Tunisia President moves to dissolve elected municipal councils
The councils were seen as a key democratic gain after the 2011 revolt that sparked the Arab Spring. Saied sacked...The councils were the product of a 2018 election won by independent lists and the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha
Over 20 political figures have been arrested in the North African country in recent weeks, mainly outspoken opponents of Saied
Violence, Israel reform protests overshadow Pentagon chief’s visit
A planned mass rally in Tel Aviv by Israeli protesters opposed to the government's controversial legal reform plans forced an...Three suspected Palestinian militants were killed by Israel's forces in the occupied West Bank, hours before the arrival of Pentagon chief.
In Tel Aviv, protesters on foot blocked a major thoroughfare near the defense ministry.
Jordan Senate, Arab Parliament speakers discuss regional issues
AMMAN, Â JORDAN -Â Â The Speaker of Jordan's Senate Faisal Fayez met with Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman Al-Asoomi and discussed...The Speaker of Jordan's Senate is heading a delegation to Cairo at the invitation of the Egyptian Senate Speaker.
The Jordan Senate Speaker stressed the need for Arab parliaments to play a more effective role in addressing the region's challenges.
UN election plan triggers backlash in split Libya
The pushback was "predictable", said Khaled al-Montasser, a professor of international relations at the University of Tripoli, as elections would...Senegalese diplomat Abdoulaye Bathily told the UN Security Council last month he planned to create a panel tasked with delivering presidential and legislative elections
But his blunt criticism of the North African country's two houses of parliament for failing to agree on elections has sparked a backlash that threatens to derail Bathily's plans