Istanbul Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has performed one of his trademark policy U-turns on Swedens accession to NATO that culminates a gradual pro-Western tilt of course since his May re-election.

Erdogan ended more than a year of wrangling and struck a deal Monday that will allow the Nordic nation to become the 32nd member of the US-led defence bloc.

It followed a dramatic day during which Erdogan upped the stakes by suddenly demanding a clear path for Turkeys long-stalled accession to the European Union in return.

The new ask secured him a private meeting with EU chief Charles Michel and a pledge from Sweden and NATO to support efforts to reinvigorate Turkeys EU accession process.

The agreement allows NATO to stand more united at a two-day summit that started Tuesday in Vilnius with the aim of showing Western resolve in the face of Russias war on Ukraine.

But it also highlights a strategic shift in thinking that appears to have occurred in Ankara since Erdogan nearly lost his two-decade grip on power in May elections.

The vote coincided with a dire economic crisis that Erdogan tried to buffer through deals with rich Gulf countries and to the Wests growing alarm Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Erdogans refusal to budge on Sweden added to the growing perception that NATO member Turkey was turning into a Kremlin tool for sowing divisions in the West.

That image began to change after Erdogan turned to Wall Street-trained economists who want to improve relations with Western investors post-election.

He then hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for more than two hours of talks Friday that created huge unease in Moscow.

The deal on Sweden followed a call with US President Joe Biden during which Erdogan raised both EU accession and Turkeys desire to acquire a large batch of F-16 fighter jets.

Ankara wants to improve its relations with Europe and the West, European Council of Foreign Relations analyst Asli Aydintasbas remarked.

The recent policy balance had shifted too much towards Russia.

Transactional style

Erdogan has long tried to leverage Turkeys strategic location between Europe and Asia to play off Russian and Western interests for maximum gain.

Few expect his westward turn to represent a fundamental or long-term shift.

We tend to think of Erdogan as unpredictable. But thats not entirely true, said veteran Turkish analyst Salim Cevik.

Once you understand his transactional style, he is quite predictable.

Many note that Erdogans change in tactics followed a June mutiny by Wagner mercenaries group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that created mayhem in Moscow and suddenly left Putin looking weak.

Erdogan ended hi...

Paris US tech titan Mark Zuckerberg has plunged into a high-stakes game of brinkmanship with the European Union by withholding his new Threads app from users in Europe, but analysts say he will struggle to win the fight.

Threads, billed as the killer of Twitter, a platform that has tumbled into chaos under the leadership of mercurial tycoon Elon Musk, has added more than 100 million users in its first week in app stores.

But Zuckerbergs firm Meta said it could not be released in Europe because of regulatory uncertainty around the Digital Markets Act, an antitrust regulation that will not come into force until next year.

The reason they gave made me laugh, said Diego Naranjo, head of policy at campaign group European Digital Rights.

The regulation is not uncertain, its very certain, its just that Meta doesnt like it.

His theory is that Meta will give Threads to the rest of the world and Europeans will become so vexed at missing out that they will pressure the EU to water down the DMA.

Naranjo, for one, thinks the ploy will fail.

But either way, the rest of the big tech platforms will be glued to their screens as this fight could shape the future regulatory landscape in Europe for all of them.

Fatal blow

Meta and the rest are already regularly in trouble with EU regulators over their data gathering and retention policies.

They struggle to keep to the terms of Europes mammoth five-year-old data privacy regulation (GDPR).

When the DMA was announced, their reaction was muted as it seemed to be about business and competition, a simpler topic for them though not without pitfalls.

The DMA bans the biggest tech firms from favouring their own platforms, particularly problematic for the latest launch as Threads and Instagram accounts are linked.

But the DMAs Article 5.2 contained a bombshell: the firms will be banned from transferring user data across platforms unless they get consent.

Berin Szoka, president of the pro-business US think tank TechFreedom, said the DMAs rules would require Meta to ask for the consent of someones Instagram contacts before their data could be transferred to Threads.

In practice, this could prove fatal to Threads rollout, he said, as the network effect would be dead on arrival.

I dont really see a good way out here for Meta.

Naranjo has little sympathy for Meta, saying the European embargo was just a political push by the firm against the EU.

We will see who loses more, he said. My guess is that Meta will lose more from not having 450 million potential customers on their network.

Question of time

The European Consumer Group (BEUC) said the Thr...

Jakarta Indonesian maritime authorities seized an Iranian-flagged tanker carrying more than 200,000 metric tons of light crude oil after a suspected illegal transfer at sea, they said Tuesday.

Iran has been accused by the United States and its allies of using crowded shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere to circumnavigate Western sanctions on its nuclear programme.

The MT Arman 114 under the Iranian flag was suspected of carrying out illegal transshipment activities in Indonesias exclusive economic zone, the maritime security agency said in a statement.

The tanker was seized on Friday after authorities found it conducting a suspected transfer of crude oil to Cameroon-flagged ship MT S Tinos, the statement said.

The two ships were caught red-handed carrying out crude oil transshipment activities, it added.

The vessel was carrying a crew of 28 Syrian nationals and three other passengers, as well as 272,568 metric tons of light crude oil worth tens of millions of dollars.

The agency did not directly link the transfer to the Iranian government or accuse Tehran of involvement.

In May, the two countries signed a trade agreement in Indonesias capital Jakarta, where President Joko Widodo hosted his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, as Tehran looked to boost its international trade ties.

Indonesias maritime authorities said the tanker refused to respond to communication from Indonesian authorities, had turned off its shipping information system, and did not fly its flag.

The listed owner of the vessel did not respond to a request for comment.

When approached, the MT Arman 114 tried to escape before being chased into Malaysias exclusive economic zone.

Indonesian authorities carried out the seizure with the help of Malaysian authorities, who deployed special maritime troops using helicopters, it said.

Tehran has increased actions against tankers in the Persian Gulf since the United States tightened sanctions on Irans oil exports and other areas of its economy.

The US military said last week it had blocked two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman, including one case in which the Iranians fired on the tanker.

The tightened US sanctions, which aim to cut into Irans export earnings, have led to the United States seizing Iranian-controlled tankers and shipments of crude to other countries.

President Joe Biden took office hoping to return to a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran that had been scrapped by his predecessor Donald Trump. 

But EU-mediated talks collapsed and mass protests in Iran made Washington increasingly hesitant to strike a deal with the clerical state.

The post...

Kabul Twitter owner Elon Musks freewheeling approach to the platforms handling of censorship has won support from an unlikely quarter Afghanistans Taliban.

Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban leader without an official portfolio, said late Monday that Twitter had two important advantages over other social media platforms following the launch of Meta-owned rival Threads. 

The first privilege is the freedom of speech. The second privilege is the public nature & credibility of Twitter, he tweeted.

Twitter doesnt have an intolerant policy like Meta. Other platforms cannot replace it.

The remarks drew an angry reaction from some users, who noted the Taliban government did not allow its own citizens the same rights.

The Taliban had a low-key presence on social media until they stormed back to power in August 2021. Before that, many of their accounts and those of sympathisers were frequently blocked as fast as they were created.

Now the government uses Twitter as a major vehicle for announcements, and most ministries and provincial departments have official accounts, although none appear to have paid for a blue tick since Twitter scrapped its verification system earlier this year.

Meta owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and now Threads is still actively shutting down accounts associated with the Taliban.

Social media observers say accounts with the name Taliban, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan or featuring the movements distinctive flag rarely last long.

Last year Facebook shuttered the pages of state-owned Radio Television Afghanistan and Bakhtar News Agency, saying at the time it was complying with laws in the United States listing the Taliban as a terrorist organisation.

Under Musk, who bought Twitter last year, bans on tens of thousands of accounts including former US president Donald Trump were swiftly reversed.

Many had been suspended for reasons such as denying US election results, spreading misinformation about Covid, peddling conspiracy theories or promoting extremist ideologies.

Sweet veneer

Haqqani son of famed anti-Russian mujahideen fighter turned Taliban Jalaluddin Haqqani, and brother of interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani is one of the movements youngest political leaders.

With more than half a million followers on Twitter he frequently opines often in English on subjects ranging from cricket and poetry to local and global politics.

Several people were swift to criticise his free speech comments Tuesday, pointing to what they characterised as the hypocrisy of the remarks.

The social media activity of ordinary Afghans is closely monitored by the Taliban authori...

Gedaref Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the International Criminal Court to investigate possible war crimes in Sudans Darfur region where fighting has intensified despite calls for an end to the conflict.

The New York-based group charged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias summarily executed at least 28 members of the Massalit ethnic minority when they ransacked and torched much of the town of Misterei in May.

Efforts to broker an end to the violence have continued, and the east African regional bloc IGAD on Monday led a renewed push, calling on the warring parties to sign an unconditional ceasefire.

The Sudanese army nonetheless boycotted the gathering in Addis Ababa, dampening hopes for an end to the nearly three-month-old conflict with the RSF.

Air strikes again shook the capital Khartoum, residents said Tuesday as they sheltered from gunfire.

Experts believe army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, have opted for a war of attrition and are hoping to extract more concessions at the negotiating table.

US ambassador John Godfrey, who along with other diplomats was evacuated near the start of the conflict, warned that a military victory by either of the belligerents in the Sudan conflict would entail unacceptable human cost and damage to the country.

Horrific deaths

Godfrey called instead for a negotiated exit from the crisis, which he said does not and cannot mean returning to the status quo that existed before April 15.

Before the conflict erupted that day, the two generals had jointly ruled the country following an October putsch that derailed Sudans fragile transition to civilian rule.

Around 3,000 people have been killed in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

Godfrey further slammed irresponsible calls for continued fighting, pointing to the horrific deaths by air strike of at least six people in Khartoum North on Monday and of at least 22 people on Friday in Omdurman.

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee was due to meet regional and Sudanese officials Tuesday in Addis Ababa.

IGAD on Monday said it would request the African Union to look into possibly deploying the East Africa Standby Force usually tasked with election observer missions in Sudan for the protection of civilians and humanitarian access.

But such a move would likely face hurdles as the conflict has seen multiple successive ceasefires violated.

Kenyan President William Ruto, who leads the IGAD quartet tasked with finding a solution to the Sudan conflict, on Monday reiterated calls...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi school student, Khattab Omar, won first place in the Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition, World Association of Mental Arithmetic Schools (WAMAS-2023), held in the city of Antalya, Turkey, from July 5 to 6, 2023.

Omar pulled ahead of more than 600 participants from 20 countries.

The 12-year old Iraqi kid from Salah Al-Din governorate also won first place in the previous edition of the competition held in Dubai, UAE, in 2021, Almayadeen News reported.

The Iraqi Minister of Education, Ibrahim Namis Al-Jubouri, congratulated the winners for their scientific and mental capabilities that are unmatched by anyone.

The Ministry of Education mentioned in a statement that the Iraqi team won the title once again in the championship, where 30 Iraqi school students won.

Al-Jubouri also emphasized his full support for the winners to develop their abilities and talents.

The annual WAMAS competitions are held to motivate students, so each mental arithmetic school can show the achievements of its students on the world stage.

The post Iraqi school student wins Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition appeared first on Iraqi News.

Reykjavik Despite warnings to stay away from Icelands latest volcanic eruption near Reykjavik, a group of curious visitors told AFP they couldnt resist the lure of lava that is orange like the sun.

While volcanologists say the eruption remains low intensity for now, initial estimates indicate that its flow is significantly more powerful than the two previous eruptions in 2021 and 2022 on the Reykjanes peninsula.

When the wind is coming in this direction, its not so hot its warm like a campfire, said Niall Lynch, a 23-year-old Irish guide AFP met in front of the fresh lava flows next to the small peak of Litli Hrutur.

But on the other side of the fissure, the gas released by the eruption makes the area unbearably hot.

Its much too hot to stay there for any extended amount of time. I mean its like 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit), he added.

The uninhabited area 30 kilometres southwest of the capital had been dormant for eight centuries but has experienced a resurgence of volcanic activity in the last two years.

The eruptive faults reached a total size of around 900 metres overnight, compared with 200 to 300 metres initially, according to the latest update from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) Tuesday.

When you look in the centre of the lava flow, its a lot brighter than I was expecting it to be, Lynch said.

I was thinking a lot more like the darker colours of blacks and browns, like the rock when it starts to solidify. But right in the centre its pure orange like the sun. Its amazing.

Dangerously high levels of volcanic gases, particularly sulphur dioxide, will accumulate close to the eruption, warned the IMO, which advised tourists not to visit the area.

Access to the site was closed on Monday evening. 

During the six months of the March 2021 eruption, and the three weeks of the August 2022 eruption, hundreds of thousands of visitors came to admire the hypnotic spectacle of lava on the outskirts of Mount Fagradallsfjall and the Meradalir and Geldingadalir valleys.

Unlike explosive eruptions that spew out thousands of tonnes of dust, such as the famous Eyjafjallajokull eruption that paralysed air traffic in Europe in 2010, so-called effusive eruptions have little impact, apart from lava flows and locally toxic gas spikes.

Big barbecue

The handful of visitors who managed to reach the site before it was closed describe it as the experience of a lifetime. 

From the nearest road, you have to traverse a challenging path, the last three winding kilometres of which are through moss and rocks embedded in the soil. 

When the lava finally comes into view, with the tiny Litli Hrutur (Little Ram&#822...

Taipei Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn withdrew from a $19.4 billion deal with Indias Vedanta to make semiconductors in the South Asian nation owing to challenging gaps, it announced Tuesday.

The worlds top iPhone assembler signed an agreement in September with Vedanta to set up a chip factory which would also produce display screens for phones and tablets in Indias Gujarat state. 

The plan was to boost New Delhis self-reliance in the technology supply chain, given that semiconductors are an essential component of nearly all modern electronics powering everything from coffee machines to electric cars. 

But Foxconn on Thursday said both parties mutually agreed to part ways.

There was recognition on both sides that the project was not moving fast enough, there were challenging gaps we were not able to smoothly overcome, as well as external issues unrelated to the project, Hon Hai Technology Group Foxconns official name said in a statement.

The deal would have seen Vedanta one of Indias biggest mining companies take a 60 percent share in the joint venture, while Foxconn would have the minority stake. 

Both companies had also projected that the facilities would be operational by 2024. 

Foxconn will not make a loss because of the withdrawal as it has not injected capital or fixed assets into the joint venture, the statement said. 

While Vedanta did not confirm the pull-out, it reiterated that it is fully committed to its semiconductor fab project, adding that there are other partners in line to set up Indias first foundry. 

Vedanta has redoubled its efforts to fulfill (Prime Minister Narendra Modis) vision for semiconductors and India remains pivotal in repositioning global semiconductor supply chains, its spokesperson said, adding that Vedanta now has a licence for production-grade technology to create 40-nanometer chips. 

We will shortly acquire a licence for production-grade 28 nm as well.

The vast majority of the worlds top chips are made in Taiwan primarily by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and in South Korea by Samsung. 

To join the race for semiconductors, India in late 2021 approved a $10 billion incentive scheme to kickstart its own domestic industry by agreeing to cover up to half of all project costs.

The post Foxconn pulls from $19.4 bn deal in India to make semiconductors appeared first on Iraqi News.

Hong Kong Stock markets rose Tuesday, with Hong Kong and Shanghai lifted by China moves to support its struggling property sector and authorities pledged further help for the economy.

The gains extended gains in New York and Europe as traders look ahead to the release of key US inflation data this week, which could provide a fresh indication of the Federal Reserves interest rate plans.

However, concerns remain about the upcoming earnings season owing to the high valuations, ever-tightening monetary policies and signs of a slowdown in the economy.

Hong Kong was again one of the best performers Tuesday, a day after a tech-fuelled advance that came after Beijing hit fintech firms Ant Group and Tenpay with big fines and signalled a sector crackdown was almost over.

On Monday, authorities urged banks and other financial institutions to provide easier terms for ailing developers by renegotiating the terms of their loans, with the aim of ensuring homes under construction are delivered.

And on Tuesday, state-run financial newspapers said more announcements were in the pipeline as well as measures to boost business confidence.

The moves come as the vast property industry in China strains under the weight of enormous debts, with some firms such as Evergrande on the verge of collapse.

The crisis has sent shivers through the worlds number two economy, which has in turn weighed on global growth. The chairman of Australian mining titan Rio Tinto warned this week of a knock-on effect on the commodities sector.

Beijing has come under immense pressure in recent months to unveil new growth-fuelling policies following a series of below-par indicators showing the post-Covid rebound has run off the tracks.

Chinas latest policy support toward the property sector was a bit surprising given the low expectations on the property market, said Zhou Hao, of Guotai Junan International Holdings.

The policies are intended to hedge against the strong headwinds in the market.

However, observers warn there is limited scope in the amount of stimulus officials can provide owing to huge local government debt and leaders desire to recalibrate the growth model from a vast state investment model.

Hong Kong and Shanghai enjoyed healthy gains, with Sydney, Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta also up. Tokyo eked out marginal gains.

London, Paris and Frankfurt opened higher.

The release of US consumer and producer inflation data this week is now in focus as investors gird themselves for the Fed to resume its rate hiking drive after last months pause.

While data has pointed to a slowdown in US jobs growth and a tempering of economic activity, most bets are for borrowing costs to go up this month and possibly at least once more before the end of the year.

Several centra...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) According to a press statement from the company, Wood plans to bring on more than 200 new employees in Iraq to assist with new contracts as part of its commitment in the growth and development of the nations labor force. The company will accept 25 fresh Iraqi graduates as part of this, reaffirming its continuous dedication to cultivating local engineering talent.

More than 500 Iraqis will work for the consulting and engineering firm, which will provide engineering solutions for challenging energy-related projects, including vital decarbonization initiatives.

Furthermore, Wood is expanding its personnel in Basra by 60% across engineering, operations, maintenance, procurement, logistics, and IT in response to newly granted contracts to provide engineering for significant energy projects.

The Middle East is a strategically important market for Wood and investing in Iraq and its people is core to this, said Shaun Dewar, Senior Vice President for Operations in the region at Wood.

Our recent contract awards and increased scopes on existing projects are creating opportunities to grow our teams in Basra and Dubai as we work with clients to ensure energy security and support opportunities for a more sustainable energy future too, added Dewar.

According to the press release, Wood invests in the growth and advancement of its employees by offering training, competence, and skills programs to all Iraqi nationals. The Basra Graduate Scheme, one of Woods premier development initiatives, has been running since 2016. Since then, more than 60 University of Basrah graduates have enrolled in the four-year multidisciplinary engineering program.

The Basra division at Wood executes projects in Iraq with assistance from the companys engineering headquarters in Dubai.

The post Wood plans to hire over 200 Iraqis appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, received on Monday the CEO of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanne, where they discussed cooperation between Iraq and the French company after concluding a $27 billion energy deal, according to a statement issued by the Prime Ministers office.

Al-Sudani stressed that the Iraqi government progressed immensely with commitments to reach this stage, pointing out that the contract concluded with TotalEnergies is a representation of the strategic vision to benefit from the associated gas, which Iraq delayed taking advantage of.

The Iraqi Prime Minister renewed the governments intention to conclude serious partnerships with large companies in terms of taking advantage of Iraqs natural resources, especially the associated gas.

Pouyanne noted that TotalEnergies is expanding its cooperation with Iraq. He also talked about the companys confidence in the partnership in the energy sector in Iraq and investing in this promising sector.

The CEO of TotalEnergies also emphasized that the companys teams will begin their work in Iraq within days.

Earlier on Monday, Pouyanne and the Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, signed the long-awaited $27 billion energy deal expected to increase oil production and Iraqs capacity to produce energy through four oil, gas and renewable energy projects.

The first of these projects involves the use of seawater to support oil extraction operations.

The second project is the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), which aims to improve Iraqs electricity supply by recovering flared gas at three oilfields and using the gas to supply power plants, helping to reduce the countrys import bill, according to Reuters.

The third project is to develop the Artawi oilfield, which produces one of the best fuels in the region, to increase its production capacity to more than 210,000 barrels per day.

The fourth project is to develop a 1-gigawatt solar power plant to supply southern Iraq with electricity.

The post Iraqi PM confirms Iraqs seriousness to benefit from associated gas appeared first on Iraqi News.

Kyiv US President Joe Biden dropped in for tea and climate change talks with King Charles III on Monday, after a garden meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before a NATO leaders summit on Ukraine.

Biden, 80, flew in his Marine One helicopter from Downing Street in central London to Windsor Castle, touching down for a ceremonial welcome from a band of red-jacketed Welsh Guards.

The Star Spangled Banner and God Save the King rang out across the manicured lawns of the stately royal residence west of London, before the pair disappeared inside.

It was Bidens first meeting with Charles since he was officially crowned king in May. The US president did not attend the coronation but was represented by his wife, First Lady Jill Biden.

The couple had been at the state funeral of Charless mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September last year, while Biden visited the late queen at Windsor after the G7 summit in 2021.

Charles, 74, is a lifelong environmentalist and Biden considers him a clarion voice on climate change, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Sunday.

Top financiers and philanthropists are also meeting in Windsor to discuss climate finance to boost support for developing nations to cut carbon emissions.

Attending the meeting are UK energy security and net zero minister Grant Shapps and Bidens special climate envoy John Kerry.

The UK government said more than $1 trillion is needed by 2030 to help developing economies get on track to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Additional investment, including from the private sector, is required to cut non-CO2 emissions, halt deforestation as well as to adapt and build resilience to climate change.

Biden, who arrived in the UK on Air Force One late Sunday, is heading to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, for the two-day NATO meeting.

Ukraine talks  

Bidens flying visit to the UK came with Ukraine topping the agenda at the upcoming alliance meeting, as Kyiv pushes to join once its war with Russia is over.

Western allies agree that Ukraine cannot join while war is still raging, as it would pull NATO into direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.

But the United States is seen as most hesitant about its membership. Biden has described Kyivs bid as premature. 

I dont think its ready for membership in NATO, he told broadcaster CNN.

Nevertheless, a Western official told AFP the allies were set to drop the Membership Action Plane requirement for Ukraines application.

Biden and Sunak held talks for just under 40 minutes, seated in wicker chairs and sipping from specially branded Downing Street mugs.

Downing Street said the pair agreed on the need to strengthen our alliance and...

Vilnius Western leaders gather in Lithuanias capital on Monday to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine amid rare glimmers of disunity over Washingtons controversial decision to supply cluster bombs to Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced hope that Tuesdays NATO summit in Vilnius would provide a clear signal that Kyiv could join the alliance once its war with Russia is over.

Keen to expose any hint of friction among the allies, the Kremlin fired an eve-of-summit warning that Ukraines membership of the military alliance would have very, very negative consequences for the entire security architecture in Europe.

On the battlefront, Ukraines counteroffensive ground on, its forces recapturing 14 square kilometres in the past week amid heavy fighting near the Russian-controlled city of Bakhmut, the military said. 

And Russian shelling Sunday of a humanitarian aid hub in the frontline Zaporizhzhia region killed four people, the local governor announced Monday.

Cluster concerns

Ahead of the summit, US President Joe Biden met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a stopover in London on Monday, with British concern over the cluster munitions deal a key subject for discussion.

Britain is one of more than 120 countries that have signed an agreement banning the production, storage, sale and use of cluster bombs, which rights groups say pose a danger to civilian populations long after they are deployed.

Biden said the decision to send the weapons was very difficult but Ukrainian forces were running out of ammunition.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday played down any rift between the two leaders and in NATO, saying the Biden and Sunak were on the same page strategically on Ukraine.

China on Monday denounced the move as irresponsible and said it could lead to humanitarian problems. 

We should fairly manage humanitarian concerns and legitimate military and security needs, and maintain a prudent and restrained attitude towards the transfer of cluster munitions, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

In a summit expected to present unity on Ukraines future membership, a key goal is to pressure Turkey to drop its opposition to Swedens all-but-cleared membership bid.

Swedens prime minister will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday afternoon in a last-gasp effort to bridge the diplomatic impasse.

Erdogan has voiced repeated frustrations with what he calls Swedens failure to keep its promises to deal with suspected Kurdish militants allegedly roaming the streets of Stockholm.

He told Biden on a call Sunday that though Sweden had taken some steps in the right direc...

Nairobi Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday urged a halt to a major East African oil project led by French giant TotalEnergies, warning of dire consequences for the environment and local communities.

TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation signed a $10-billion agreement last year to develop Ugandan oilfields and ship the crude through a 1,445-kilometre (900-mile) pipeline to Tanzanias Indian Ocean port of Tanga.

The East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has run into strong opposition from rights activists and environmental groups, and faced legal action in France and criticism in the European Parliament.

TotalEnergies says those displaced by the project have been fairly compensated and measures have been taken to protect the environment.

But HRW says the mega-project will irreparably harm fragile ecosystems, and alleges that some of the 100,000 people expected to be displaced by its development have been poorly treated.

Researchers conducted over 90 interviews in March and April this year, including with 75 displaced families, many of whom said they had received delayed or inadequate compensation.

Others told HRW they were pressured into selling their land.

EACOP has been a disaster for the tens of thousands who have lost the land that provided food for their families and an income to send their children to school, and who received too little compensation from TotalEnergies, said Felix Horne, senior environment researcher at HRW.

EACOP is also a disaster for the planet and the project should not be completed.

Rights violations

Farmers told HRW they went into debt waiting years for compensation, with campaigners documenting 37 cases where children were allegedly forced to drop out of school because their families could not pay fees.

Some signed compensation agreements in English, a language they couldnt read, while others told researchers the presence of government and security officials at public meetings contributed to an aura of intimidation, HRW said.

One 79-year-old man said: In my heart I said no, but because I thought government would be hard on me, I gave in and signed.

Those who refused to sign said they faced pressure from company representatives as well as harassment from local government and security officials.

TotalEnergies told AFP that more than 94 percent of the people who had signed the agreements had already received their compensation.

These agreements are supplemented by measures to promote employment, education and respect for womens rights, TotalEnergies said.

The company said it was committed to putting environmental and biodiversity issues as well as the rights of the communities concerned at the centre of the project.

Ugandan P...

London British telecoms group BT on Monday announced the departure of chief executive Philip Jansen, two months after the group axed up to 55,000 jobs to slash costs.

Philip Jansen has informed the board that at an appropriate moment over the next 12 months he intends to step down from his role, the group said in a statement.

Sky News said the British national was studying job opportunities in the United States.

Jansen has held the top job for more than four years, during which time he oversaw a big push into high-speed broadband internet services.

BT in May said it would axe up to 55,000 jobs, or 42 percent of its workforce, in response to rampant inflation.

Philip has done an excellent job in his time at BT and the board is fully supportive of our long-term strategy which he and his team are pursuing, BT chairman Adam Crozier said in the statement.

Whilst we are still in the early years of that transformation, we are on track to deliver.

The post UK telecoms firm BT announces exit of chief executive appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) TotalEnergies signed on Monday the long-awaited $27 billion energy deal expected to increase oil production and Iraqs capacity to produce energy through oil, gas and renewable energy projects, according to Reuters.

The deal was signed in 2021 to build four oil, gas, and renewable energy projects with an initial investment of $10 billion in southern Iraq over 25 years, but several setbacks amid disputes between Iraqi politicians over the terms hindered the deal.

The Iraqi Oil Minister explained that the deal with TotalEnergies includes four major projects.

The first of these projects is the use of seawater to support oil extraction operations, Abdul-Ghani stated.

The deal was finally closed in April when Iraq agreed to take a smaller than initially demanded stake of 30 percent in the project, Reuters reported.

TotalEnergies took a 45 percent stake, and QatarEnergy holds the remaining 25 percent, Reuters revealed.

TotalEnergies CEO, Patrick Pouyanne, signed the agreement with Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdel-Ghani, at a ceremony held in Baghdad, where Pouyanne described the event as a historic day.

The second project is the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), which aims to improve Iraqs electricity supply by recovering flared gas at three oilfields and using the gas to supply power plants, helping to reduce the countrys import bill, according to Reuters.

The third project is to develop the Artawi oilfield to increase its production capacity to more than 210,000 barrels per day.

Abdul-Ghani indicated that the Artawi oilfield already produces one of the best fuels in the region.

The fourth project is to develop a 1-gigawatt solar power plant to supply southern Iraq with electricity.

Saudi company, ACWA Power, has been invited by TotalEnergies to participate in the solar power plant project.

The post TotalEnergies signs $27 billion energy deal with Iraq appeared first on Iraqi News.

Paris Frances government must further rein in sometimes inappropriate hiring of consultancies, the countrys Court of Auditors said Monday, responding to public outcry over an issue that hobbled President Emmanuel Macrons reelection campaign last year.

In a first-ever report compiled after requests from ordinary citizens, the court said calling in consultants had become the easy option for civil servants facing tight budgets and time constraints.

Their involvement had touched on the heart of the administrations tasks as well as intervening in decision-making processes, the auditors wrote.

Between 2017 the year Macron was first elected and 2021, state spending on consultancies tripled to almost 234 million euros ($257 million), the report found.

That number rose to 890 million euros when IT consulting work was included.

A Senate report with similar findings published in March 2022 buttressed suspicions that the president and his ministers were too close to heavyweight outfits like US-based McKinsey, whose name became a common heckle against Macron ahead of the April vote.

The question was one of six taken up at the time by the Court of Auditors based on a public consultation.

But the court highlighted that spending on consultancies amounted to just 0.04 percent of state outlays last year.

Externalising a part of the civil services tasks raises no objection in principle, the auditors said

Nevertheless, consultancies place should be more appropriate and better controlled among the administrations different tools to carry out its missions.

The court called on the government to put the finishing touches to a January 2022 circular that aimed at limiting use of consultancies, which had been issued under the pressure of events.

That decision has already brought down spending on consultants, with the state aiming to lower the figure by 35 percent this year compared with 2021. 

The auditors also said the state should bring some capabilities back into the civil service and call on its own employees whenever possible.

French senators have already passed a bill with stronger controls on hiring outside firms, although MPs have yet to debate it.

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Johannesburg A rare snowfall dusted Johannesburg and other high-lying parts of South Africa on Monday, with weather services warning of potential road closures and dangerously cold temperatures.

Residents in the business hub woke up to snowfalls lightly covering rooftops and gardens as a cold front that hit the country late last week morphed into a weather system called a cutoff low.

At a Johannesburg kindergarten, excited children made snowballs and attempted to catch flakes with their tongues some having never witnessed snow before.  

We last saw this type of weather in 2012, Puseletso Mofokeng, a senior forecaster at the South African Weather Service (SAWS), told AFP.

Mofokeng said snow was reported across southern parts of Johannesburgs Gauteng province and was expected to continue falling throughout the day, also hitting high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. 

Roads may be closed, he said. 

Johannesburg lies at an altitude of more than 1,700 metres (5,600 feet) and is in the peak of the southern hemisphere winter. 

But snow in the city remains a rare event prior to 2012, heavy snowfall occurred in 1996, Mofokeng said. 

Its been such a long time, I feel so happy, said Lerato Matepese, a Johannesburg resident.

SAWS warned that icy temperatures posed a risk to street dwellers in a country where poverty remains widespread.

Rough seas and strong winds were also expected to create hazardous conditions for small vessels off South Africas eastern coast. 

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Kurume One person was killed and hundreds of thousands were urged to evacuate their homes in southwestern Japan on Monday, as forecasters warned of the heaviest rain ever in the region.

Torrential downpours after a week of steady rain have caused rivers to burst their banks and sodden earth to collapse in deadly landslides, including one that killed a 77-year-old woman.

The womans home was engulfed overnight in Saga region, the local fire department told AFP. Her husband was recovered conscious and taken to hospital. 

A second woman was feared dead after last being seen clinging to a car in rising floodwaters in neighbouring Oita region, officials there said.

At least nine other people were missing in landslides in Fukuoka and Oita regions, where over 420,000 people were under a top-level evacuation warning stating: Your life is in danger, you need to take action immediately.

Nearly two million more in Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Saga, Yamaguchi and Oita were under a lower-level warning, urging them to evacuate if they are in hazardous areas.

Japan has five levels of evacuation order, but people cannot be compelled to leave their homes.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the heavy downpours risked flooding and landslides across Fukuoka and Oita.

This is the heaviest rain ever experienced by the region, Satoshi Sugimoto of JMAs forecast division told reporters.

The situation is such that lives are in danger and safety must be secured, he added.

Peoples lives first

Footage on national broadcaster NHK showed a gash in the hillside above a home in Karatsu City that had partly collapsed into a river, with many of its traditional roof tiles smashed or sliding off.

Images from elsewhere showed surging rivers washing over bridges that normally sit well above the waterline, and floodwater turning local streets into streams.

The prime ministers office said a task force had been established to coordinate a response to the rains.

We have received reports that several rivers have flooded and that landslides have occurred in various parts of the country, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

The government is doing its best to get a complete picture of the damage and taking measures under a policy of peoples lives first,' he added.

He warned torrential rain was forecast across much of the country on Tuesday.

If you feel your life is in danger, even just a little, dont hesitate to act, he said.

In Fukuokas Asakura City, officials said the rain was believed to have peaked but there were still fears about flooding.

Water levels in rivers are rising so were vigilant against the possibility of overflowing,...

Paris The Threads app launched by Instagram as a rival to Twitter has signed up more than 100 million users in less than five days, data tracking websites said on Monday, smashing the record of AI tool ChatGPT for fastest-growing consumer app.

While ChatGPT took two months to hit the 100 million user mark and video-sharing app TikTok took nine months, Instagram itself took two and a half years to reach that mark after its 2010 launch.

Threads went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries late on Wednesday, though it is not available in Europe because parent company Meta is unsure how to navigate the European Unions data privacy legislation.

Twitter is thought to have around 200 million regular users but it has suffered repeated technical failures since Elon Musk bought the platform last year and sacked thousands of staff.

Musk, who also serves as the boss of Tesla and SpaceX, has also alienated many users by introducing charges for previously free services and allowing banned right-wing accounts back on the platform.

Several rivals have emerged but most are niche platforms without the capacity to grow at the necessary scale to dethrone Twitter.

Threads is finding it easier because it is linked to Instagram, which has more than one billion regular users.

Online data service Quiver Quantitative reported that the app passed 100 million users at 0700 GMT on Monday.

Other websites using a count of the badges received by Instagram users who have downloaded Threads reckoned the mark had passed earlier.

Musk has threatened to sue Meta for stealing trade secrets and intellectual property, claims denied by the company, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp.

Musk is locked in a rivalry with Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, with the two men calling each other out for a cage fight recently.

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Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) In a breakthrough in the issue of the displaced in Iraq, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement announced the return of 189 displaced Yazidis to their areas of residence in the town of Sinjar in Nineveh governorate, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Many Yazidis left their areas after the terrorist group of ISIS started occupying large areas in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

According to a statement by the Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement, Evan Jabro, 189 displaced Yazidis have returned from the displacement camps in Duhok governorate to their areas of origin in Sinjar in northern Iraq.

Jabro emphasized that the ministry is continuing to register displaced families who wish to return.

ISIS terrorists unpredictably invaded Sinjar in 2014 and displaced many of its residents, the majority of whom are Yazidis, after killing and capturing thousands.

The Iraqi minister indicated last March that the ministry is committed to the governments program to end the displacement issue within six months.

Jabro also clarified that there are more than 40,000 displaced families inside and outside refugee camps.

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Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Health, Salih Al-Hasnawi, signed on Saturday a memorandum of understanding for health cooperation with the Iranian Health Minister, Bahram Einollahi, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The memorandum of understanding tackles different issues related to the development of local pharmaceutical industries and the exchange of health experiences.

Earlier, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, met on Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, where they discussed strategic coordination on regional and international issues.

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned in a statement issued on Friday that Hussein met with Abdullahian on the sidelines of their participation in the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was held in Azerbaijan from July 56.

The Iraqi ministry stressed that the two parties discussed ways to improve bilateral cooperation and strategic coordination between both countries in relation to regional and international issues.

The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that relations between Iraq and Iran are strong, expressing appreciation for Iraqs role in normalizing relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The Iranian Minister of Economy, Ehsan Khandouzi, revealed last Wednesday that Iraq has pledged to facilitate Irans access to its frozen assets in Iraq.

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Irbid Jordans key tourism industry may have been hammered by Covid, but the pandemic gave a boost to another sector, keeping its beekeepers busy as demand for honey has soared.

The countrys 4,000 apiarists have ramped up output of the sweet and sticky golden substance long praised for its anti-inflammatory and other health benefits.

Even if there is no scientific consensus that honey helps fight Covid, many of those infected have used it to soothe symptoms such as sore throats. 

The Covid period in particular had a great, positive impact on us, said beekeeper Mutasim Hammad, 48, who retired 12 years ago from the public security directorate and turned his hobby into his main job.

There was good demand for honey, and people got to know it, added Hammad, dressed in a white protective suit while checking on his 80 bee hive boxes on a property in Irbid 90 kilometres (60 miles) north of Amman.

People have become more aware of the value of honey and are turning to the guaranteed locally produced honey, said Hammad, who sells about 400 kilograms (880 pounds) a year.

The kingdom of Jordan prides itself on its 19 different types of honey, including citrus, eucalyptus and maple varieties, depending on which plants the bees pollinate.

We have about 2,500 flowering plants, said Mohammad Rababaa, head of the Jordan Beekeeping Association.

This diversity distinguishes Jordanian honey and means that the therapeutic and nutritional value of this honey is expected to be better than other types.

Rababaa said the slightly bitter maple honey variety, for example, boasts very high phenolic compounds and antioxidants compared to other types, which indicates that it has a higher value.

Ecosystem service

Rababaa also said that, since the Covid pandemic, demand for locally produced honey has clearly increased.

He said the sector has a much bigger workforce than Jordans official count of about 1,400 beekeepers. 

The reality is that the number of beekeepers is more than 4,000, said the professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the Jordan University of Science and Technology.

They produce about 700 to 800 tonnes annually, or about 70 percent of Jordans annual domestic needs, he said.

We are very close to self-sufficiency, said Rababaa, adding that imports must be stopped. 

A fellow enthusiast, Mohammad Khatib, 49, also pointed to the pandemic and lockdown periods, saying it helped me and gave me enough time to learn about bees and take good care of them. 

A French language professor at Al-Bayt University, he now works about 15 bee boxes in his garden, which he said earns him a nice side income.

People are lookin...

Beijing US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have put ties on surer footing, as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilising fraught relations between the worlds two biggest economies.

During her four-day trip which came on the heels of US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens visit Yellen stressed the need for greater exchanges and collaboration, even as deep divides persist between the countries.

We believe that the world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive, she told journalists at the US embassy in Beijing on Sunday.

Both nations have an obligation to responsibly manage this relationship: to find a way to live together and share in global prosperity, she added.

Her trip furthers a push by President Joe Bidens administration to steady ties with China while still asserting US policies.

While the trip did not produce specific breakthroughs, Chinas official Xinhua news agency said late Saturday that Yellens meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng yielded an agreement to strengthen communication and cooperation on addressing global challenges.

Both sides also agreed to continue exchanges, the readout added.

And Yellen said Sunday that while there are significant disagreements between the two countries, she and Chinese officials had held talks that were direct, substantive, and productive.

My bilateral meetings - which totaled about 10 hours over two days - served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing, she said.

Sources of tension

Topping the laundry list of disagreements are Washingtons trade curbs, which it says are intended to reduce the second-largest economys access to advanced technology deemed crucial to national security.

On Sunday, Yellen said she had stressed that Washingtons measures are not used by us to gain economic advantage.

These actions are motivated by straightforward national security considerations, she said.

She also said she had raised her serious concerns over what she called unfair trade practices by Beijing.

She cited barriers to foreign firms entering the Chinese market as well as issues around the protection of intellectual property.

I also expressed my worries about a recent uptick in coercive actions against American firms, she said, referring to a recent national security crackdown against US consulting firms in China.

Messaging a key goal

Looking ahead, any concrete key breakthroughs and major deliverables presumably will be reserved for the two top leaders to announce, said Yun Sun, director of the China p...

Burbank Aw, gee! The technology driving artificial intelligence sure is swell, but it could never capture the essence of Mickey Mouse, according to the man who voices Disneys mascot.

As part of Disneys upcoming 100th anniversary celebration, AFP spoke with animators, archivists and Mickey voice actor Bret Iwan about the companys past and future, including the potential for AI a topic currently roiling Hollywood.

Gosh, I would say, of course theres amazing technology being developed with AI, and its so impressive, said Iwan.

But I dont think anything can replace the heart of a character and more importantly, the heart of storytelling.

Artificial intelligence, and the threat it poses to professions across the entertainment industry, has been a constant source of hand-wringing in Hollywood this summer.

AFPs visit to Disneys sprawling studio near Los Angeles came during the ongoing strike by writers, in part over fears that AI could replace them.

The issue is also among demands being negotiated by Hollywood actors who are worried about AI cloning their voices and likenesses, and who could strike as soon as Thursday.

But for Iwan, character and storytelling are unique to a performer, a writer, an animator, an artist, a creator.

I have to believe that that part is whats going to hold out, and keep real people doing the job for a while!

Iwan is one of just four people to have ever been Mickeys official voice. 

Mickeys falsetto was first voiced by company founder Walt Disney himself, with 1928s Steamboat Willie. Two other men each voiced the character for more than three decades.

I hope I get to do it as long as this holds out, said Iwan, pointing to his vocal cords.

Replicating realism

In animation perhaps the art form most associated with Disney the role of sophisticated computers is well-established.

Computer-generated animation has long overtaken traditional hand-drawn artistry as the genres dominant form.

While humans are still designing and creating those films, the use of AI to generate the credits for the Disney+ show Secret Invasion recently triggered anger.

Eric Goldberg the Disney animator who designed the Genie in Aladdin, and a stalwart champion of hand-drawn animation believes AI is unlikely to impact his work.

I think AI has less of a chance of affecting hand-drawn animation than it does computer animation, because AI is about replicating realism, he said.

The characters that I do, the Genies head can turn into a toaster! Which you cant do with an AI character!

So hand-drawn gives u...

Las Vegas The NBA launched its first-ever in-season tournament on Saturday, revealing the groups for the 30-team event culminating with the NBA Cup Final on December 9 in Las Vegas.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the idea had been discussed for 15 years by league officials before settling upon a format styled after European football league Cup events.

What a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA, Silver said. Its a perfect fit for our game.

Silver did sound a cautionary note in hopes NBA fans would be patient at the start of the new competition.

It takes a little bit of time to establish a new tradition, Silver said. All throughout sports were seeing new innovations and now is the time for this in-season tournament. So here we go.

Six groups of five teams each, three from the Eastern Conference and three from the Western Conference, were randomly drawn based on last seasons records.

Each team will play two home and two road games in group play, facing each group rival once.

Those games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays in November starting November 3, regular-season contests counting as tournament play, except for US Election Day on November 7.

Three group winners and the next-best team overall from each conference will advance to the eight-team knockout quarter-finals round and games on December 4-5.

Those winners will advance to the semi-finals in Vegas on December 7 with the championship match two nights later.

Each player on the NBA In-Season Tournament championship squad will receive $500,000.

Im excited, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. I think its going to add an element of excitement for the players and the coaches and the fans. I think its a great idea.

The 67 games across both stages of the In-Season Tournament will count toward the regular-season standings except the final. All clubs will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2023-24 season.

In the Western Conference, Group A will consist of the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, Phoenix, Utah and Portland.

Group B will feature reigning NBA champion Denver, New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas and Houston while Group C includes Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Sacramento.

I think were going to be really surprising, said San Antonio Spurs teen star and 2023 top draft pick Victor Wembanyama of France.

In the Eastern Conference, Group A includes Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Indiana and Detroit with Group B consisting of Milwaukee, New York, Miami, Washington and Charlotte.

Group C will feature Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Brooklyn and Toronto.

The post...

London Carlos Alcaraz was forced to dig deep on Saturday to see off the challenge of Nicolas Jarry and reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.

The Spanish top seed, seen as the man most likely to end Novak Djokovics long reign at the All England Club, was off-colour but still won 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5.

A single break in the first set was enough for Alcaraz to edge ahead but he faltered in the second, slipping 4-1 behind.

The US Open champion clawed his way back, forcing a tie-break, but that went the way of his Chilean opponent, seeded 25th.

Alcaraz regrouped and took the third set 6-3 but the errors crept in again and he found himself in trouble at 3-0 down in the fourth.

The 20-year-old survived two break points in the following game and broke back when Jarry went long with a forehand.

He conjured a searing backhand return to break again in the 11th game and served out for the win.

Im really happy with the level that I played to get through this really tough match, said Alcaraz.

He added: It was really, really close. He has great shots I would say the key is to believe all the time and stay focused.

Alcaraz was playing his second match in two days after heavy rain earlier in the week caused a scheduling headache for tournament chiefs.

He is attempting to become the third-youngest player in the Open Era to win the Wimbledon title after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.

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