Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said he will inaugurate the 36-story Turkevi Center in New York on Monday.
Erdogan will be in the US on Sunday as part of his visit to attend the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
- We will open the 36-story Turkevi Center in New York on Monday, right across the UN [Headquarters] - he said at his Justice and Development Party (AK) Party’s provincial advisory meeting.
The building, which uses traditional Turkish architectural motifs, especially from the Seljuk Empire, rises to the sky in the shape of a tulip and can be seen from downtown Manhattan, the East River, and Long Island.
The building was designed as a symbolic skyscraper that will add to the skyline of New York, one of the world’s most iconic cities, and reflect Turkish culture, history, and diversity.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be in US as part of his visit to attend 76th session of UN General Assembly

Turkish president Erdogan to inaugurate 36-story Turkevi Center in New York

The UN Security Council unanimously extended on Friday the mandate for its assistance mission in Afghanistan by six months.

The 15-0 vote to preserve the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) through March 17, 2022 comes in the wake of the Taliban's takeover of the war-torn country, and the exit of all foreign military forces.
The resolution calls upon "all Afghan and international parties to coordinate with UNAMA in the implementation of its mandate and to ensure the safety, security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel throughout the country."
It calls on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report to the council by the end of January 2022 "on strategic and operational recommendations for the mandate of UNAMA, in light of recent political, security and social developments," and requests Guterres brief the council every other month on the situation in Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch lauded the extension, but said UNAMA "needs to be in Afghanistan indefinitely, monitoring and investigating alleged abuses."
- There's little evidence to suggest the Taliban will comply with international human rights law, especially the rights of women and girls - Louis Charbonneau, the rights group's UN director, said in a statement.- UNAMA will need to regularly and publicly report on abuses, while helping meet the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. -

Resolution clears Security Council unanimously following Taliban takeover of war-torn country

The 15-0 vote to preserve the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) through March 17, 2022 comes in the wake of the Taliban's takeover of the war-torn country, and the exit of all foreign military forces

UN Security Council extends Afghan mission mandate for 6 months

A camp housing nearly 10,000 refugees in northern Rwanda will be closed due to disaster risk and aging infrastructure, the country’s Emergency Ministry and UNHCR said in a joint statement.

Set up in 1997, the Gihembe camp is home to 9,922 Congolese.
- The motive for this ongoing exercise [relocation] is to settle refugees in a better place given that Gihembe camp is located in a high-risk area and is affected by environmental hazards caused by erosion and ravaging ravines, with aging infrastructures - the statement said.
Some 2,392 refugees have so far been transferred to Mahama camp in eastern Rwanda, and the remaining will be relocated by December, it added.
The Mahama camp was set up for Burundian refugees in 2015.
But, in June, Rwanda said over 27,000 Burundian refugees had been facilitated to voluntarily repatriate back to their country over the past year.
The refugees in the Gihembe camp have expressed worries over their relocation. However, the statement said that the relocated refugees will remain entitled to the same rights and package of assistance allocated to any other camp or urban refugees in Rwanda according to their vulnerability classification.
Last year, a group of more than 600 Congolese refugees were also relocated to Mahama camp from Kigeme refugee camp in southern Rwanda over environmental concerns.
The Central African country hosts about 127,000 refugees, including more than 48,000 from Burundi and over 77,000 from the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to official data.

Up to 2,392 refugees transferred with others to be relocated by December, UNHCR says

Set up in 1997, the Gihembe camp is home to 9,922 Congolese

Camp housing nearly 10,000 refugees in Rwanda to be closed due to disaster risks

Russian armed forces started taking delivery of the latest S-500 surface-to-air anti-ballistic missile system, an official said on Thursday.

The test stage has been successfully completed, and deliveries have begun, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told media in eastern Tyumen province.
The S-500 system, called Prometheus, is intended to replace A-135 and S-300 missile systems and supplement the S-400 systems.
The S-500 is a new-generation surface-to-air missile system, designed to intercept and destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft.
Air defense against electronic warfare and airborne early warning and control systems also feature in the new system.

New-generation surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept, destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles, aircraft

The S-500 system, called Prometheus, is intended to replace A-135 and S-300 missile systems and supplement the S-400 systems

Russian armed forces take delivery of latest S-500 air defense system

Afghanistan’s acting interior minister Wednesday met with the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN secretary-general’s special representative for security to discuss a number of issues, including the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, a Taliban official said.

This is the first meeting between the UN special envoy Deborah Lyons and acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani since the Taliban’s announcement of a new interim administration in Afghanistan last week.
Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Doha, tweeted on Thursday that Lyons and Haqqani “discussed the ongoing situation in Afghanistan and humanitarian aids.”
Haqqani assured that the UN personnel can conduct their work without any hurdle and deliver vital aid to the Afghan people, the statement said, adding: “He emphasized to remain engaged with the international community.”
The meeting also stressed that the UN should recognize the newly established government in Afghanistan and cooperate with it, local Afghan media reported.
According to Tolo News, the meeting also discussed clearing the UN blacklist, implementing the Doha peace deal, and releasing Afghanistan’s frozen currency for banking and economic development.
The new administration insists that the US remains committed to the Doha agreement and that sanctions on the government officials should be lifted, it added.
The international sanctions were imposed in 1999 when the Taliban were in power in Kabul and had enforced Islamic regulations across the country.
At least 14 members of the interim Taliban government, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund and his two deputies, are on the UN Security Council’s blacklist, which includes travel bans and asset freezes.
Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani carries a $10 million bounty, while acting Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and his deputy Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai are all sanctioned by the UN Security Council’s 1988 Sanctions Committee.

In 1st meeting since formation of interim gov't in Kabul, acting interior minister assures head of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan of support

This is the first meeting between the UN special envoy Deborah Lyons and acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani since the Taliban’s announcement of a new interim administration in Afghanistan last week

Taliban leader, UN official discuss aid delivery to Afghanistan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday expressed his country's willingness and readiness to provide support for holding Libyan general elections on its scheduled time, on Dec. 24.

In his meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh in Cairo, al-Sisi stressed his country's fixed stance towards "respecting the Libyan sovereignty and preserving its territorial unity."
From his part, Dbeibeh voiced his country's appreciation for the Egyptian role in stabilizing peace in Libya, especially Egypt's support for the Libyan national institutions.
- Libya is looking to scale up ties with Egypt in all fields in the interest of the two brotherly nations - Dbeibeh said.
On Wednesday, the Libyan prime minister arrived in Cairo to meet Egyptian top officials along with attending the 11th meeting of the Egyptian-Libyan Joint Higher Committee, which focuses on strengthening cooperation and trade between the two countries.
In recent months, relations between Tripoli and Cairo improved following the visit of Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly to Tripoli in April, where Egypt expressed support for the new national unity government in Libya.
In February, Libya's rival political groups agreed to form an interim unity government to lead the country to elections in December.
A popular revolution ousted Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Ever since, the country fell into political deadlock and was engulfed by civil war, with Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar seeking to seize power and overthrow the internationally recognized government.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met in Cairo with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh

In February, Libya's rival political groups agreed to form an interim unity government to lead the country to elections in December

Egypt ready to support elections in Libya

At least three people were killed and 60 others injured when an earthquake hit China early on Thursday, triggering the second-top level alarm in the affected region.

The China Earthquake Networks Center told Xinhua News that a 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Luxian county of Luzhou City in southwest China’s Sichuan province.
Three of the hospitalized people remain critical.
Luxian county was shaken by the earthquake at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) at around 4:33 a.m. (2033GMT Wednesday).
The Sichuan local administration raised the level-II response to meet the earthquake challenges.
China has a four-tier earthquake emergency response system.
Luzhou county authorities have mobilized nearly 3,000 people for relief and rescue operations as affected people are being relocated to safer places.
Telecommunication services in some areas were affected and Luzhou high-speed railway station was also closed. Mining companies have been asked to evacuate miners from shafts and stop the work temporarily.

Pre-dawn 6.0-magnitude quake hits Luxian county in southwest China’s Sichuan province, affecting communication services

The China Earthquake Networks Center told Xinhua News that a 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Luxian county of Luzhou City in southwest China’s Sichuan province

Earthquake kills 3, injures 60 in China

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Thursday suspended the prime minister’s power to hire and fire officials, accusing him of taking “rush and hasty decisions.”

This came after Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Roble removed Internal Security Minister Hassan Hundubey Jimale last week and replaced him with Abdullahi Mohamed Nur.
According to the presidency, there were "no working relations between the president and the prime minister."
Tensions mounted between Mohamed and Roble after they chose different individuals to head the country’s spy agency earlier this month.
Last week, the prime minister suspended Fahad Yasin, director of the spy agency, saying he failed to provide reliable evidence of investigations into the alleged killing on an intelligence agent in June.
Roble appointed Bashir Mohamed Jama as the agency's interim head, while the president named Yasin Abdullahi Mohamed.
The presidency accused the prime minister of infringing the country’s constitution by overstepping his mandate.
The escalating rift between the top political leaders has caught the attention of foreign missions amid heightened political tensions in the country.
Foreign missions and the UN in a joint statement called on the two leaders to resolve their differences, saying the rift could derail the ongoing election process.

President Mohamed accuses Prime Minister Roble of taking ‘rush, hasty decisions’

Somali president suspends premier’s power to hire, fire officials

Iran on Wednesday resumed flights to Afghanistan, after international flights to the capital’s Kabul Airport were suspended following the Taliban takeover of the country.

The semi-official Fars news agency said two private Mahan planes headed to Kabul from Tehran and the northern city of Mashhad.
The company had suspended its flights to Afghanistan in mid-August.
In the wake of the completion of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 31, and the Taliban control of the Kabul Airport, a number of Taliban officials demanded that foreign countries resume their international flights to the war-torn nation.

Resumption comes after suspension of flights in mid-August following Taliban takeover

The company had suspended its flights to Afghanistan in mid-August

Iran resumes flights to Afghanistan

Former US President Donald Trump strongly criticized a forthcoming book that alleges Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley went behind his back to speak with Chinese military officials in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The Washington Post on Tuesday published excerpts from associate editor Bob Woodward and national political reporter Robert Costa that alleges Milley phoned his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng twice -- once on Oct. 30, 2020 and again on Jan. 8, 2021 to tell him the US would not attack.
Milley further provided assurances that he would personally inform Li ahead of any potential attack, according to the book.
- We are 100 percent steady. Everything’s fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes - Milley reportedly said in the second telephone call after Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol in a failed effort to prevent US President Joe Biden's inauguration.
Milley believed Trump had fallen into mental instability after he lost to Biden in November's election by some 7 million votes, according to Woodward and Costa.
- If it is actually true,that's treason - Trump said of the allegations in the book.&nbsp;- I did not ever think of attacking China - he added during an interview with the conservative Newsmax television network.

'If it is actually true,' Trump says of allegations in forthcoming book, 'that's treason'

Trump rips alleged Milley calls with China, says treason if true

An airstrike targeted fighters of the pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi militia (Popular Mobilization Forces) near the Iraqi-Syrian border, said an Iraqi army officer on Wednesday.

Two vehicles belonging to the Iraqi militia were struck by missiles in the city of al-Bukamal in eastern Syria, near the border with Iraq, the officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
There were reports of casualties in the attack.
Local sources in al-Bukamal told Anadolu Agency that the airstrike targeted Iranian-backed groups in the area.
It remains unclear what party was responsible for the airstrike.
A spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq denied it was the US that launched the airstrike.
The coalition "can confirm we did not conduct airstrikes in Al-Bukamal,” Col. Wayne Marotto tweeted.
In recent years, Israel has been accused of attacks on positions of Iranian-backed groups in the border area between Iraq and Syria, where Iranian-backed groups are active.
Hashd al-Shaabi is an Iraqi pro-government Shia force with a number of Iranian-aligned militias operating under its umbrella. It was officially announced in 2014 with the aim of fighting the terror group Daesh/ISIS.

There were reports of casualties in attack, which it is unknown who was responsible for

There were reports of casualties in the attack

Airstrike targets Iraqi militia inside Syria

Najiya Saleemi is relieved over reports that international flights to Pakistan have resumed as she packs her belongings to say adieu to Afghanistan, the land of beautiful orchards and rough mountain landscape that is suffering from severe economic hardships.

- We have done the packing, and just waiting for some official procedure to take an onward trip to the US from Pakistan - Saleemi, 63, told Anadolu Agency while arranging food, with the great hospitality they offer to guests, regardless of their economic circumstances.
Saleemi said that her son had worked for the Ghani government and now feels frightened, avoiding expressing the invisible fear. She used a pseudonym to prevent backlash and claimed that her son had worked for the Ghani government and now felt insecure. Her one married son is already in the US, while her other married son is in Canada, and she plans to travel with her husband and third son and his family this time.
Tears streamed down her cheeks when she spoke about her married daughter, who will remain in Kabul with her husband and four children. Saleemi said: “This is how this nation's people have been enduring the situation for a long time... divided families.”
The national flag carrier of Pakistan landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday, resuming international flights to the country that has been plagued by war and violence for the past couple of decades.
According to a UN refugees organization, there are 2.6 million Afghan refugees worldwide, with 2.2 million of them registered in Iran and Pakistan alone.
Another 3.5 million people are internally displaced persons, who have fled their homes for safety within the country, the UN Human Rights Commissioner for Refugees reported.
In light of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in 2021, the number of people fleeing will likely continue to rise, it said on its website.
Saleemi's son, who was sitting next to her, stated that the issue is not only the fear but also the future of my children's right to receive education in a fear-free environment.
His children, he stated, have developed certain psychological issues and are currently refusing to attend school.

<h2>3 categories of people leaving country</h2>

Several more Afghans, like Saleemi and her family, desire to flee the country.

Nasratullah Haqpal, an Afghan writer and political analyst, said there are largely three types of people leaving the country.
- The first category of people are those who are concerned that the money they earned through illicit means during the previous regimes of President Ashraf Ghani and President Hamid Karzai will be unsafe to keep in Afghan banks or at home - Haqpal said.
The number of these people is significant, and they fear the new interim Taliban administration may interrogate them or at least will not allow the illegal practices to continue, he opined while talking to Anadolu Agency.
The second category is of young educated people who believe there will be fewer job opportunities under the new administration in Kabul.
Finally, people who are drawn to modern lifestyles but find it difficult to adopt an Islamic way of life would strive to leave the country in some way, according to Haqpal.

<h2>Challenges to Taliban administration</h2>

The interim Taliban administration has faced a number of issues, including security, economics, immigration, and brain drain.

Despite the Taliban's Acting Culture and Information Minister Zabihullah Mujahid's appeal to stay and help rebuild the country, which appears to be divided along economic lines, the exceedingly rich and the incredibly poor, many people want to leave.
The Taliban is highly likely to face a huge challenge as a result of brain drain and the desire of the educated young to flee the country.

Analyst says those with ill-gotten wealth, hopeless educated youth, Afghans who cannot adopt Islamic way of life to leave

According to a UN refugees organization, there are 2.6 million Afghan refugees worldwide, with 2.2 million of them registered in Iran and Pakistan alone

Fear, uncertainty keep driving people out of Afghanistan

Commercial space flight operator Virgin Galactic uses software made by Quantum3D, a subsidiary of Turkish defense giant Havelsan, to train both pilots and passengers.

Virgin Galactic uses the IDX 80 software, integrated with the firm’s award-winning real-time scene management software Mantis, said Havelsan in a Tuesday statement.
Havelsan acquired the Silicon Valley-based Quantum3D in 2016.
The software boasts life-like effects which enable pilots and passengers to test critical conditions such as altitude and sightlines.
The firm has also received an order from another space company for software for space travel simulation.
IDX 80 can be used in many different systems, including fixed-wing aviation, weapons and gunnery systems, maritime, automotive research, development and driving simulators, and land vehicles.
IDX 80 is equipped with the NVIDIA Maxwell-series Quadro GPUs and Dual Intel Xeon E5-series 6-core.

Turkish defense giant's signature IDX 80 software enables pilots and passengers to test critical conditions

The software boasts life-like effects which enable pilots and passengers to test critical conditions such as altitude and sightlines

Virgin Galactic trains pilots with Turkish firm’s software

The Qatari and United Arab Emirates teams will remain in Afghanistan until Kabul airport is fully operational for international flights, said a Taliban administration official.

Mawlavi Abdul Hadi Hamadan, acting head of Hamid Karzai International Airport, told Anadolu Agency that several teams from Qatar and the UAE are working at the airport, but there are still technical difficulties that must be resolved before international flights are fully operational.
- International flights have already begun, with many flights bringing humanitarian aid from Qatar, the UAE, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan landing here, but the airport is not fully operational - he continued.
Before leaving, the US forces caused extensive damage to the airport, planes, terminals, and buildings, and they did not spare even small commodities such as chairs, TV sets, and computers in different departments, according to Hamadan.
The Qatari and UAE teams are working to resolve the technical issues as quickly as possible, but no timetable for making the airport fully operational for international flights can be given at this time, he said.
He stated that the UAE team has informed him that they have already spent $1 million renovating one of the terminals, and that “they cannot forgive what the US troops have done to the airport.”
There are many Afghans residing overseas who are yearning to return since they are facing numerous hardships, he said.
They desire to have reciprocal flight operations with different countries, "especially between our neighbors." However, once the airport issue is fixed, other difficulties will be addressed progressively.
In response to a question, Hamadan stated that the interim Taliban administration has already asked all former employees to return to their work, not just at the airport but also in other ministries. “But no problem mongers will be asked to rejoin,” he said, adding that several people have returned to their prior positions.
Women are also asked, particularly those in security, to rejoin work because "adequate searches of women passengers cannot be done by men," he added.
- However, they will be dressed in the Islamic hijab - he continued.
A woman official searching travelers at the domestic terminal said: “Five women have joined at the domestic flights' security.” A good number of women have been working in different departments at Kabul airport, but “only five of us have joined so far,” she said without disclosing her name.

US forces caused extensive damage to airport before leaving, says acting Taliban administrator

The Qatari and UAE teams are working to resolve the technical issues as quickly as possible

‘Qatari, UAE teams to stay until Kabul airport made fully operational’

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez's ruling Frente de Todos coalition suffered a heavy defeat on Sunday as they lost the midterm primaries to the opposition alliance in most districts of the nation on Sunday.

The primaries are usually understood to provide a strong indication of how citizens will vote ahead of the midterm election in November.
Voting took place on Sunday as the country faces a spiraling economy with high inflation and is in the midst of the global pandemic.
Juntos por el Cambio won the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and the Province of Buenos Aires, usually considered the base of support for the Peronist party.
The center-right opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio gained their highest win since their formation in 2015 - achieving 41% of the note nationwide vote, as the current government notched up 30% of the vote.
There were key victories for the opposition in the areas such as Cordoba, Santa Fe, and Mendoza and also in Peronist heartlands such Entre Rios, Chaco and La Pampa.
Overall 15 districts fell to the opposition Juntos por el Cambio and 7 to Frente de Todos and two for provincial parties without nationwide representation.
The result could impact the government's senate majority in November's elections.
The turnout was around 70% on Sunday, according to preliminary data.
"Nothing is more important than listening to the people; Today they told us that we made mistakes and we are going to meet that request”, said President Alberto Fernández after the results.
Fernandez added that they will continue to work hard "to satisfy the needs that we have not satisfied".
Due to the impact of the virus, strict COVID-19 protocols were in place throughout the day.
Voting began at 8 am simultaneously in Argentina although broadcaster TN reported delays at some voting centers which opened later than the scheduled time.
Voting closed at 6 pm across the country, but in Buenos Aires due to delays related to COVID-19 protocols, a federal judge extended the voting time for those that have arrived to cast their ballot before the 6 pm cut off time.
Sunday's results will likely determine who could run for congress in Nov. 14 polls.

Frente de Todos coalition suffers heavy blow to opposition in primaries as citizens cast their ballots

Argentina's ruling coalition defeated in primary election

A main prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu died in a plane crash in Greece, according to Israeli media on Tuesday.

Haaretz newspaper said two people had died in the crash; Haim Garon, the former deputy director of the Communications Ministry, and his wife Esti Garon.
Haim Garon was a main prosecution witness in the case known as "Case 4000", in which Netanyahu is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
On Monday, the Israeli Central Court in East Jerusalem resumed Netanyahu's corruption trial after a 3-month hiatus.
Greek authorities are investigating the cause of the crash of the single-engine plane, which went down off the island of Samos in the eastern Aegean on Monday.

Haim Garon was main prosecution witness in corruption trial of former Israeli prime minister

A coast guard vessel arrives with two bodies at Pythagorio port, on the eastern Aegean island of Samos

Turkish president Erdogan to inaugurate 36-story Turkevi Center in New York

UN Security Council extends Afghan mission mandate for 6 months

Camp housing nearly 10,000 refugees in Rwanda to be closed due to disaster risks

Russian armed forces take delivery of latest S-500 air defense system

Taliban leader, UN official discuss aid delivery to Afghanistan

Egypt ready to support elections in Libya

Earthquake kills 3, injures 60 in China

Somali president suspends premier’s power to hire, fire officials

Iran resumes flights to Afghanistan

Trump rips alleged Milley calls with China, says treason if true

Airstrike targets Iraqi militia inside Syria

Fear, uncertainty keep driving people out of Afghanistan

Virgin Galactic trains pilots with Turkish firm’s software

‘Qatari, UAE teams to stay until Kabul airport made fully operational’

Argentina's ruling coalition defeated in primary election

Witness in Netanyahu's graft trial killed in Greece plane crash

World

Turkish president Erdogan to inaugurate 36-story Turkevi Center in New York

UN Security Council extends Afghan mission mandate for 6 months

Camp housing nearly 10,000 refugees in Rwanda to be closed due to disaster risks

Russian armed forces take delivery of latest S-500 air defense system

Taliban leader, UN official discuss aid delivery to Afghanistan

Egypt ready to support elections in Libya

Earthquake kills 3, injures 60 in China

Somali president suspends premier’s power to hire, fire officials

Iran resumes flights to Afghanistan

Trump rips alleged Milley calls with China, says treason if true

Airstrike targets Iraqi militia inside Syria

Fear, uncertainty keep driving people out of Afghanistan

Virgin Galactic trains pilots with Turkish firm’s software

‘Qatari, UAE teams to stay until Kabul airport made fully operational’

Argentina's ruling coalition defeated in primary election

Witness in Netanyahu's graft trial killed in Greece plane crash