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
US shoots down four Houthi drones in Red Sea
In November, the Houthis launched a campaign of drone and missile strikes against vessels in the Red Sea, an area...Geostrategy
Qatar renews call for nuclear-free Middle East
The establishment of nuclear-free zones is a key step to boost non-proliferation system and achieve a full nuclear disarmament, says...The establishment of nuclear-free zones is a key step to boost non-proliferation system and achieve a full nuclear disarmament, says a top Qatari official
Over the past decades, five nuclear weapon-free zones have been established that include the commitment of the signatories not to possess nuke arms
Iraq to provide Lebanon with fuel for another year: PM Mikati
Iraq has agreed to renew a one-year deal to provide Lebanon with fuel for its power plants in exchange for...For the past year, Lebanon's power plants have depended on the deal with Iraq to produce one to two hours of electricity per day.
Residents in the poverty-stricken country largely rely on expensive private generators for power the rest of the time.
UN rights chief calls killing of Palestinian children ‘unconscionable’
Of the 360 Palestinians reported injured, nearly two-thirds were civilians, including 151 children, 58 women and 19 older people, OHCHR..."Inflicting hurt on any child during the course of conflict is deeply disturbing," said Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights.
Her office said that 19 Palestinian children had been killed in the Palestinian territories in the recent unrest, taking the total number this year to 37.
Oil demand up as surging gas prices force countries to switch fuels: IEA
Global oil demand will rise more than previously forecast this year as heatwaves and soaring gas prices are prompting countries...Oil prices have dropped by $30 per barrel from a peak in June due to growing supplies and "escalating concerns over the deteriorating economic outlook, IEA said.
Prices of natural gas and electricity have jumped to new records, prompting some countries to switch to oil use.
Global youth unemployment set to slip to 73 million in 2022: UN
The figure is still six million higher than the pre-pandemic level of 2019, with the recovery in youth unemployment lagging...Many dropped out of the labor force, or failed to enter it altogether, due to the difficulty of finding a job during Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Arab states have the highest and fastest-growing unemployment rate of young people worldwide at 24.8 percent, 42.5 percent for young women.
Economists appeal to US to return Afghanistan’s frozen assets
The economists said that the plunge in economic activity and the sharp cuts to foreign aid by previous supporters of...71 economists and development experts including Nobel economics prize winner Joseph Stiglitz and Yanis Varoufakis urged US to release Afghanistan's frozen assets
They said a recent US offer to give the Taliban access to half the money by setting up a trust with international oversight was not enough
Jordan, Canada talk cooperation, regional developments
Safadi lauded Canada's efforts to support the Kingdom's development process and help Jordan face economic challengesSafadi lauded Canada's efforts to support the Kingdom's development process and help Jordan face economic challenges.
The two ministers reviewed a number of regional and international issues of common interest and efforts to resolve the region's crises
Afghan refugee flight arrives in Spain from Pakistan
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares was at Madrid's Torrejon de Ardoz airbase to meet them when the flight from Islamabad...Like other Western nations, Spain in August 2021 rushed to evacuate Afghans who helped Spanish troops and diplomats, as Taliban took over Kabul
Madrid sent some 27,000 troops to Afghanistan over almost 20 years of involvement in the conflict of which a total of 102 of its soldiers died
Moqtada Sadr calls on judiciary to dissolve parliament
Sadr justified his calls for judicial action by noting that constitutional deadlines for appointing a new president and prime minister...Sadr has invited MPs and his supporters to take legal action to demand that parliament be dissolved
Iraq's former PM earlier had called for parliamentary sessions to resume in order to study a possible dissolution of the body
Iran dismisses claims Russia-launched satellite for ‘spying’
Iran's Space Agency said the Khayyam satellite is entirely designed and built to meet the needs of the country in...Hassan Salarieh, the head of Iran’s Space Agency, told reporters that the spying allegation was 'basically childish'
Iran maintains that he purpose of Khayyam is to monitor the country’s borders, boost agricultural productivity and monitor water resources and natural disasters
