Simon Button continued on

continued from pg. 1 WiT awards: Finalists announced, category Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award introduced

AProf Amy Mullens

This year’s competition attracted a record 500 nominations across 14 categories and 900 guests are expected to see the winners announced at Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre on September 16th. An impressive lineup of 34 women, one man and seven employer-of-choice companies have made it to the final stages of judging. They come from all corners of the STEM world. This year’s WiT Awards show the outstanding contribution they are making to everything from early childhood robotics, factory automation and online legal services, to world class advances in health, medicine, and environmental science. Digital technology is one of the fastest growing occupations in the country, but women still only represent 16 per cent of Australia’s STEM-skilled workforce. Overall, they still earn less than their male peers and hold fewer senior positions

Associate Professor Kym Rae

A new category, the Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award, has been introduced to celebrate role models of any gender who champion diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplace and are visibly active in their STEM sector. WiT Chair Iyari Cevallos said this year’s awards theme, Writing the Future, is a tribute to the contribution women are making to help define, shape and grow the digital economy. “As we celebrate and reflect on 25 years of WiT it is as important to focus on the future,” she said. “I believe we have the ability and responsibility to dream big, to visualise achievements for the women still to come, to continue to increase our energy and momentum in leading and motivating current and future generations of women. “We’ve created an opportunity to rally around our outstanding talent, unlock their potential, promote each other and ourselves – impacting our

Jyoti Sharma

community in a way that creates positivity beyond the event itself.” Women in Technology (WiT) is one of Australia’s most respected and active technology industry associations. For 25 years WiT has been unlocking the potential of women across all fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through advocacy and networking, professional development, mentoring and collaboration opportunities in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. This year a new category, the Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award, has been introduced to celebrate role models of any gender who champion diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplace and are visibly active in their STEM sector. You can learn more about the top four finalists’ stories on the WiT website: https://lnkd.in/ gJhGdDHK. A/Prof Kym Rae is a Mater

Simon Button

Researcher who is nationally and internationally recognised for her expertise in Indigenous maternal infant health. Kym is passionate about working with indigenous communities to develop health research programs that aim to create health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. As a disabled woman in STEM, Kym recognises that she is a distinct minority and it’s deeply important to her to be ‘visible in the STEM field’ to let women who have disabilities see that it is possible to attain leadership roles and improve outcomes for others despite personal challenges. Dr Jyoti Sharma’s passion to support STEM education has seen her facilitate more than 4000 female scientists and hundreds of school students in science and technology areas across the world to formally document their challenges and issues so these can be addressed through policy interventions. Through her research at QUT (Queensland University of Technology), she investigates the factors influencing the success of women scientists and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students in STEM, and is continuously working with the common interest of policymakers to promote equity and diversity in STEM. Simon Button is a digital leader who values all voices and champions diversity and equity in the organisations he leads. He thrives to create teams with high levels of diversity to drive increased creativity and higher orders of innovation. Nothing gives Simon greater satisfaction than leading teams by giving people the time and space to develop, learn and deliver outstanding outcomes under his stewardship. He believes that one of the most important responsibilities modern, contemporary digital leaders have is to lead, mentor and shape tomorrow’s technology and business leaders. Through research, clinical practice, community leadership and advocacy, A/Prof Dr Amy Mullens (Boedicker) - an academic and practicing clinical psychologist from the University of Southern Queensland - has dedicated her career to improving the wellbeing of people from marginalised communities, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as sexually or gender diverse individuals.

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5 killed in stone quarry collapse in Uganda

Kampala, Sep 5: Five people were killed in a stone quarry collapse in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso, police said.

Abuja, Sep 5: Nigerian police have said that they have launched a manhunt for gunmen who attacked buses conveying some travellers in the southern part of the country, whisking away dozens of them. Some of the victims of the incident, which occurred near Ifon, Police in a statement issued here on Sunday said that five bodies were retrieved from the rubble at Namulanda Nganjo cell in Kajjansi Town Council. The incident took place on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement said four of the dead were casual labourers while one was a truck driver. Investigations into the cause of the incident are still ongoing, according to the Police. “We, however, advise members of the public in the surrounding area to avoid moving to the quarry as it is currently a threat to the lives of those occupying it,” the police statement added. At least four people were killed after a stone quarry collapsed in Uganda’s capital Kampala in June 2021.

Dozens of travellers abducted by gunmen in Nigeria

a town along the Benin-Owo expressway in the southwestern state of Ondo, were rescued on Sunday afternoon by a team of policemen, Funmilayo Ibukun Odunlami, the spokeswoman for the police in Ondo, told Xinhua on the telephone on Sunday. “I can confirm to you that some

in lessening the burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases in the continent. “Traditional medicine has been the trusted, acceptable, affordable and accessible source of healthcare for African population for centuries,” Moeti said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, marking the 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day. Eighty per cent of Africa’s population relies on traditional medicine for their basic health needs, she said, adding that the continent has prioritised its development through enactment of policies, research and training, Xinhua news agency reported. The 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day was being celebrated under the theme of “Two Decades of African Traditional Medicine Day: Progress Towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Africa”. Moeti noted that in the last two decades, the continent has come up with ambitious strategies to mainstream traditional medicine in national healthcare programmes.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Cairo, where they discussed bilateral ties and regional and international issues of mutual interests, said the Egyptian presidency. Sisi stressed that the EgyptSaudi Arabia ties represent “a cornerstone for stability in the entire Middle East region,” particularly considering the delicate conditions Arab countries are going through and various challenges they are facing, said Egypt’s presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement on Sunday. For his part, the Saudi Foreign Minister highlighted the of the victims were rescued during an operation by the police this (Sunday) afternoon. But I cannot give the exact figure of those rescued right now because our men are still working to rescue the others,” Odunlami said. According to her, the number of travellers abducted by the gunmen was yet to be ascertained, as the rescue operation was still ongoing, Xinhua news agency reported. The gunmen emerged from a bush in Ifon on Saturday evening, as two fully loaded buses returning from the neighbouring Edo state to Ondo travelled along that route, local media reported on Sunday, adding at least 32 travellers, who had attended a funeral in Edo, were taken away.

Traditional medicine key to easing Africa’s disease burden: WHO

Egypt’s Prez meets Saudi FM on bilateral ties, regional issues

Nairobi, Sep 1 (IANS): African countries should harness traditional medicine that has proved effective in the management and cure of ailments afflicting the continent’s population, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti on Wednesday underscored the critical role of herbal medicine In particular, Moeti said, more than 40 African countries have developed national traditional medicine policies as of 2022, up from eight in 2000, while 30 countries have also integrated traditional medicine into their national health policies. “Additionally, 39 countries have established regulatory frameworks for traditional medicine practitioners, compared to only one in 2000, demonstrating good governance and leadership,” she added. Currently, 34 research institutes aimed at promoting research, development and commercialisation of traditional medicine have been established in 26 countries, Moeti said. She noted that 12 African countries have dedicated funds toward research and development of traditional medicine, adding that domestication of WHO protocols on safety and efficacy of traditional medicine have enhanced their use in treating priority diseases like HIV/AIDs, malaria, diabetes and hypertension.

kingdom’s commitment to strengthening “the strategic cooperation” with Egypt at various levels, adding that Saudi Arabia is keen to further advance the joint action and intensive coordination with Egypt on regional and international issues, Xinhua news agency reported. In June, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud paid a state visit to Cairo, during which he met with Sisi and witnessed the signing of 14 investment deals worth $7.7 billion in total, covering infrastructure, renewable energy, e-commerce, digital finance, and other fields.

Death toll from heavy rains, floods in Sudan climbs to 112

Khartoum, Sep 5: The death toll from the recent heavy rains and floods in Sudan has climbed to 112, the country’s National Council for Civil Defence said. “The torrential rains and floods have killed 112 people and injured 115 others,” the Council said in a statement on Sunday. A total of 34,944 houses were destroyed and 49,096 others damaged during the current rainy season across the country, the Council said, adding that 413 public utilities and 108 shops and stores were damaged. More than 250 villages in northern, central, and western Sudan have been battered by torrential

Nairobi, Sep 6: William Ruto, Kenya’s incoming President, said his administration will prioritise economic turnaround, peace, reconciliation, and cohesion once he is sworn into office next week. Ruto in a televised address to the nation soon after the Supreme Court declared he was validly elected as Kenya’s fifth President, pledged to transform the economy, ensure growth was shared evenly, and unite the country after a fractious campaign season, reports Xinhua news agency. “The journey for transforming this country’s economy and open opportunities for everyone regardless of ethnic origin, creed, gender, and political persuasion has begun.” Ruto, who will turn 56 years on December 21, was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman on August 15, after garnering 7.17 million or 50.49 per cent of 14.1 million votes cast during the August 9 polls. His closest rival in the race and veteran opposition leader, Raila Odinga garnered 6.9 million or 48.85 per cent of votes cast but disputed Ruto’s victory citing electoral malpractices. Odinga and a host of civil society activists later filed a petition at the Supreme Court to overturn Ruto’s victory but the seven bench judges of the apex court in their ruling on Monday dismissed the consolidated petitions, citing a lack of tangible rains for a month, Xinhua news agency reported. On August 21, the Sudanese Council of Ministers declared a state of emergency in the six flood-hit states of River Nile, Gezira, White Nile, West Kordofan, South Darfur and Kassala. Nearly 136,000 people have been affected by the floods and heavy rains across Sudan since June, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Sudan often witnesses floods caused by heavy rains from June to October.

Kenya’s incoming President pledges economic revival, cohesion

evidence. By upholding Ruto as validly elected fifth President, the apex court paved way for his swearing-in after one week as stipulated in the country’s constitution. Ruto who made history by becoming President in his first attempt vowed to reach out to political competitors to build a united, prosperous, and democratic country. “Now that the lengthy protracted electoral cycle has come to an end, I will extend a hand of friendship to my worthy competitors to build a society of hope, opportunity, and progress,” said Ruto. He pledged to build on the legacy of his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta besides ensuring that other national leaders are accorded respect and protection in their retirement. In addition, Ruto said his administration will respect the rule of law, nurture political pluralism, and ensure independent institutions are adequately funded and shielded from meddling by the executive arm of government. He said that during his hundred days in office, he will implement an ambitious framework to tackle youth unemployment and ease inflationary pressures on households. Ruto takes over the reins of power at a time when Kenyans are reeling from an economic downturn linked to a prolonged drought, pandemic-related disruptions, and the Ukraine war.

Chinese couple plotted to set up mini-state on Marshall Islands in Pacific Fiji works on strengthening child protection legal framework to meet int’l standards New York, Sep 8 (IANS): A Chinese couple plotted to set up a mini-state on the Marshall Islands in the Pacific, bribing MPs and officials along the way, US prosecutors said, as per a media report. The man and woman tried to persuade the lawmakers to set up a “Semi-Autonomous Region” (SAR) on a remote atoll, BBC reported. Such a zone would have expanded foreign access to the Pacific nation, which was administered by the US until 1979, the report said. The Marshall Islands government is yet to fully address the accusations, despite calls from opposition parties. Suva, Sep 5: Fiji is working on But US authorities said the establishing a new department to defendants - Cary Yan and Gina strengthen child protection and Zhou - undermined the island child welfare in the island nation nation’s sovereignty. and create legal framework in Their efforts saw bills supporting line with international standards, the SAR’s creation debated in the a Minister said on Monday. Marshall Islands’ parliament in Minister for Women, Children 2018 and 2020, US prosecutors and Poverty Alleviation Rosy said. Akbar said that this is the imThe prosecutors alleged that sev- portant progress in Fiji’s history, eral Marshall Island lawmakers, marking a serious commitment unidentified in the chargesheet, by the government to provide voted for the bills after receiving services for the benefit of every bribes ranging from $7,000 to child in the country, reports $22,000. Xinhua news agency. The couple was detained in Thailand in 2020 and extradited to the US last week. “Yan and Zhou’s bribes blatantly flouted the sovereignty of the Republic of Marshall Islands Basically it seeks to ensure a more coordinated, structured and reformed system to promote and ensure the prevention and responsive approaches to child protection nationally and

and its legislature,” said US Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, BBC reported. The Marshall Islands, a chain of islands located between Hawaii and Australia, gained independence in 1979 after being under US administration for four decades. It remains a key strategic base for Washington in the Pacific, where the US has some security alliances in place but China is seeking to expand its influence. Prosecutors said the two defendants operated a New Yorkbased NGO through which they paid and liaised with Marshall Islands officials, BBC reported. Starting in 2016, they contacted island representatives in a bid to create an SAR on the Rongelap atoll - an area abandoned following US hydrogen bomb testing in the 1950s. internationally, Akbar said. She said in Fiji services for children are currently hampered by limitations in legislation in national structure and workforce and legal reform is needed to bring the Fijian regulatory US authorities said Yan and Zhao framework on child protection in aimed to “significantly change line with international standards. the laws on the island”, such as The Minister said institutional by cutting taxes and relaxing reform is also needed to immigration restrictions, to ensure consistency between the attract foreign investment. children-protection mandate They alleged the pair wined and and government structures in dined at least six Marshall Island charge of its implementation. officials and lawmakers, paying The department for children for flights and hotels in New specialises in delivering services York as well as in Hong Kong, that are aligned with legislative where the officials attended a commitments and will strengthconference promoting the SAR, en child protection and child BBC reported. welfare services nationwide, she added.

S.Korean govt’s YouTube channel hacked to stream Elon Musk video

Seoul, Sep 3 (IANS): The South Korean government’s YouTube channel was hacked on Saturday, apparently to broadcast a cryptocurrency-related video including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, but has been restored, according to sources. At 3.30 a.m., the government’s official channel on the video-sharing platform appeared to have been hacked as its name changed to “SpaceX Invest” and showed a live broadcast on cryptocurrency that included an interview with American billionaire and SpaceX founder Musk. An official at the culture and tourism ministry, which manages the YouTube account, said they had become aware of the situation at 6 a.m., took security measures and restored the account at 7:20 a.m. The official said the account’s ID and password were suspected to have been stolen. Google, YouTube’s parent company, confirmed that the channel had been hacked, reports Yonhap news agency. An official at Google Korea said that it was currently looking into the cause of the incident. The attack follows a hack of a YouTube channel operated by the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO), under the tourism ministry, earlier this week. According to KTO, the channel, which has around 509,000 subscribers, was initially targeted on Thursday and again the next day. The channel is currently unavailable. A KTO official said that Google automatically blocks access to the account if it spots abnormal connections.

S.Korea braces for powerful typhoon Hinnamnor

Seoul, Sep 5: Super Typhoon Hinnamnor has gradually moved northward to reach waters off South Korea’s southern island of Jeju on Monday, the state weather agency said, as the country braces for what could be the most powerful storm ever. As of 5 a.m., the typhoon, the 11th this year, was located 550 km south-southwest of Jeju’s Seogwipo, moving north at a speed of 22 km per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The speed is faster than an earlier estimate of 12 km per hour, and the typhoon is classified as “very strong”, packing a maximum sustained wind speed of 49 meters per second, reports Yonhap News Agency citing the KMA as saying. After brushing past Jeju, Typhoon Hinnamnor is forecast to gain momentum to make landfall 80 km north-northwest of the southern port city of Busan by 9 a.m. Tuesday, with an atmospheric pressure of 955 hectopascals at its centre, according to the KMA. The typhoon’s strength when it reaches Busan is forecast to weaken to “strong”, although it is expected to become the strongest typhoon ever to make landfall in South Korea.\ Hinnamnor is forecast to maintain its strength after passing through the Korean Peninsula, the KMA said, adding that a heavy rain warning has been issued for all parts of the country until Tuesday. The typhoon could also bring record strong winds, with the KMA forecasting maximum speeds of 40 to 60 meters per second in Jeju and other lower coastal areas between Monday night and Tuesday. The current record is 63.7 meters per second measured in the eastern coastal city of Sokcho on October 23, 2006. No casualties have been reported from the effects of Hinnamnor so far. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters’ emergency response posture was upgraded to the highest level for the first time in five years in terms of the typhoon response. A series of ferry services and flights were cancelled across the country. Out of 67 domestic flights leaving the Gimpo International Airport, located just west of Seoul, as of 9 a.m. Monday, 13 had been cancelled, according to airport authorities. Across the country, a total of 38 domestic flights were cancelled, in addition to 294, according to the Korea Airports Corporation. The government also recommended schools skip classes or switch to online learning and private companies adjust work hours Tuesday morning, when Hinnamnor is expected to make landfall.

China experiences hottest summer since 1961

Beijing, Sep 6: China has experienced its hottest summer since record keeping began in 1961, the National Climate Centre said on Tuesday. The country’s average temperature from June 1 to August 31 was 22.3 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than that in the same period of regular years and the highest since 1961, reports Xinhua news agency. A total of 17 provincial-level regions, including Hunan province and Chongqing Municipality, registered a record-hot summer, the Centre said. The average days with the highest temperature reaching or exceeding 35 degrees Celsius on the day in China reached 14.3 days, a record high since 1961 and 6.3 days more than that in the same period of regular years. China saw 366 national-level meteorological stations reporting temperatures reading the same or higher than the previous record. A total of 15 stations registered temperatures reaching or topping 44 degrees Celsius. The national average precipitation logged the second lowest in the same period since 1961, said the Centre. It forecast that the temperature in autumn in most parts of China will be close to or slightly higher than that in regular years.

S.Korea expected to become world’s most aged country in 2044

Seoul, Sep 5: South Korea is expected to become the country with the largest share of people aged 65 years or older in the world in 2044 due to rapid aging, data revealed on Monday. The proportion of senior citizens in South Korea is forecast to account for 36.7 per cent of the total population in 2044, outstripping the world’s most aged country of Japan with 36.5 per cent, according to data from Statistics Korea. The timing of the country having the largest proportion of senior citizens in the world will be moved up one year, compared with 2019, when the agency put its estimate at 2045. The data was compiled based on the UN’s outlook for the global population and the South Korean statistics agency’s 2020-70 forecast for Korea’s population. The data showed South Korea will undergo aging at a faster pace, while its total population began declining last year amid chronically low birthrates.

The share of people aged 65 or older will likely reach 17.5 per cent of the total population this year and rise to 46.4 per cent in 2070. South Korea is widely expected to become a super-aged society in 2025, in which the proportion of those aged 65 and older will hit 20 per cent of the total population. The country became an aged society in 2017, as the proportion of such people exceeded 14 percent. The proportion of the working-age population, or people aged 15 to 64, peaked at 73.4 per cent in 2012 and will further decline to 71 per cent in 2022. The tally is likely to dip to 46.1 per cent in 2070, the data showed. Meanwhile, the combined population of South and North Korea is expected to peak at 77.8 million in 2028, the data showed. South Korea’s total population fell for the first time in 2021, while North Korea’s population is expected to peak in 2033. Covid pain relievers, masks sent to N.Korea: Defector group

Seoul, Sep 5: A North Korean defectors’ group said on Monday that it has sent big balloons carrying Covid-19 pain relievers and face masks to the reclusive country. The group, Fighters for a Free North Korea, said 20 plastic balloons were released from Ganghwa Island in Incheon, around 30 km west of Seoul, to North Korea on Sunday, with 50,000 painkiller pills, 30,000 vitamin C tablets and 20,000 masks, reports Yonhap News Agency. In photos released by the civic group, the balloons were also carrying banners showing the images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his younger sister Kim Yo-jong, along with messages denouncing the regime’s claim that the group’s leaflets were responsible for the Covid-19 outbreaks in North Korea. The defectors’ group has sent balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets and face masks to North Korea on several occasions this year while the North claimed that “alien” things found in a border area were responsible for the country’s first Covid-19 outbreak, apparently referring to the balloons. “North Korea publicizes that it has overcome Covid-19, but it’s not true and the country still suffers from a shortage of medicine,” the group’s head Park Sang-hak said, accusing the Kims of overlooking the pandemic in the country. Other civic groups and residents of border areas in South Korea, meanwhile, filed a complaint against the defectors’ group with the police last month on charges of violating the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act that prohibits the sending of leaflets to North Korea.

Blast kills 3 children, wounds 3 others in Afghanistan

Kabul, Sep 4: Three children lost their lives and three others sustained injuries as an explosive device went off in Nad Ali district of Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province. The blast took place in Hiwad Bazaar area on Saturday afternoon, killing three children and injuring three others, provincial police spokesman Ahmad Jan said. All the victims were students of a religious school, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the official. A day earlier on Friday, a deadly blast killed 18 people including a renowned cleric and injured 23 others in western Herat province of war-torn Afghanistan.

‘Bloody revolution or elections only way to remove ruling elite’: Imran Khan

Islamabad, Sep 4: Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said “a bloody revolution” or “elections” are the only way to remove the ruling elite imposed on the nation, local media reported. Addressing a jalsa in Bahawalpur, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman highlighted how the Sharifs, Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman are a disease the country is suffering from, Samaa TV reported. He maintained that the incumbent government did not come to power to reduce inflation but only to protect their ill-gotten wealth. Reiterating his call for fresh general elections, Imran added the country will continue to suffer because no one knows where the country is headed

Shehbaz blasts Imran for comments on Pak Army chief

Islamabad, Sep 5: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has blasted his predecessor Imran Khan for what he called “Imran Niazis despicable utterances to malign institutions”. The Prime Minister also said that Khan’s “nefarious agenda is clearly to disrupt and undermine Pakistan”, Samaa TV reported. The strong response from the premier came a day after Khan, addressing a rally in Faisalabad, said that Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif were trying their level best to nominate their army chief, who will be a personal favourite. Khan also said that if a powerful and patriotic general became the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) he would question Zardari and Nawaz Sharif about their corruption, Samaa TV reported. The current COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa is set to retire in November this year and Prime Minister Sharif will appoint his successor. Taking to Twitter On Monday, Shehbaz Sharif said: “Imran Niazi’s despicable utterances to malign institutions are touching new levels every day. He is now indulging in direct mud-slinging towards, Samaa TV reported. “We are stuck in the quicksand of debt,” the ex-premier said as he pinned hope on overseas people of Pakistan for always lending help to their home country in the time of crisis. The PTI chief went on to say that the only way overseas people of Pakistan will bring their money back is when they know the justice system in the nation is active. Earlier, the PTI chairman addressed a lawyers convention in the same city. Declaring to bring a “revolution of justice”, the former Prime Minister said he needed help of the lawyers community to take down all the mafias imposed on the country. “Who protects democracy? The lawyers,” he emphasised. “The only reason we have been sent to this world is to dispense justice.” “Land mafia has become the biggest mafia in the country,” he added, saying that thieves have taken over the country, Samaa TV reported.

& poisonous allegations against Armed Forces & its leadership. His nefarious agenda is clearly to disrupt & undermine Pakistan.” Khan also drew condemnation from PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who said that from sepoys to generals everyone in the Pakistan military was a patriot and that no one needed a certificate of patriotism. The nation will not allow anyone to embroil the military in politics at their public rallies, he said in a video statement.

Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to 3 more years in prison, totaling 20 years

Yangon, Sep 4: Two days after Myanmar’s former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to three years in jail for electoral fraud in 2020, increasing her total prison term to 20 years, the Information Team of Myanmar’s State Administration Council confirmed. She, along with former President U Win Myint and former Union Minister of Union Government Office, U Min Thu, was found guilty of electoral fraud, said the information team on Saturday. Before this, Aung San Suu Kyi has been convicted of multiple

Islamabad, Sep 5: Pakistan may have publicly expressed concerns over the Afghan Taliban’s allegations that the country was allowing the US to operate drone from its soil, Islamabad has privately conveyed in categorical terms to the de facto rulers of Kabul that such public outbursts will be detrimental for the bilateral ties. Pakistan was dismayed by the acting Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob’s allegations, reflecting the same mindset of the previous Afghan administrations that blamed their own follies on Islamabad, The Express Tribune reported. Sources said Pakistan was not expecting such a public statement from the senior Afghan Taliban leader given the fact that Islamabad had done so much for the interim government since the Taliban returned to power. Yaqoob last week had alleged that Pakistan was allowing the US to operate drones from its soil. “According to our information charges, including corruption, incitement, breaching the Natural Disaster Management Law, breaching the Export and Import Law and breaching the Communications Law. She was already sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for these offences, and now faces 20 years in jail, Xinhua news agency reported. On Feb. 1, 2021, U Win Myint, Suu Kyi and some senior officials of the National League for Democracy were detained by the military. Trials over more charges against Suu Kyi will follow.

the drones are entering through Pakistan to Afghanistan, they use Pakistan’s airspace, we ask Pakistan, don’t use your airspace against us,” said Mullah Yaqoob, who is the son of former Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Omar. Pakistan rejected Afghan Taliban government’s allegations that the country was allowing the US to use its airspace for drones, terming the charge as defying diplomatic norms. Responding to allegations, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said that Pakistan had noted, with deep concern, the allegation by the acting defence minister of Afghanistan regarding use of Pakistan’s air space in the US counter-terrorism drone operation in Afghanistan. “In the absence of any evidence, as acknowledged by the Afghan Minister himself, such conjectural allegations are highly regrettable and defy the norms of responsible diplomatic conduct,” he added.

Pakistan lodges protest with Taliban over drone charge

4 killed in private jet crash over Baltic Sea

Stockholm, Sep 5: All four persons onboard were believed to be killed when a private jet crashed into the Baltic Sea, according to Swedish media reports. “There is no hope we will find survivors,” Swedish Television quoted a spokesperson at the Swedish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre as saying. The incident took place on Sunday evening, Xinhua news agency reported. Wreckage and an oil spill were spotted in the sea between Sweden and Latvia. The plane was en route from Spain to Germany when it, for unknown reasons, veered off course, Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter reported.

Finnish govt plans 10-bn-euro crisis package for energy companies

Helsinki, Sep 5: Finnish government has proposed to provide the country’s electricity companies with loans and guarantees of up to 10 billion euros ($10 billion) to secure the sufficiency of their cash resources. Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said at a government press conference on Sunday afternoon that with the pledge, the government wants to “calm down the electricity futures, or derivatives market and to secure the availability of electricity in Finland in all circumstances”. “The state could grant loans or guarantees on a case-by-case basis to companies whose continued operations are critical to the functioning of society,” said Prime Minister Sanna Marin at the press conference. The situation erupted over the weekend following information that natural gas deliveries from Russia to continental Europe through the Nord Stream One pipeline would not resume on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. Finland does not use Nord Stream One, but the Nordic electricity market will likely see a price increase. The Finnish measures were thought to follow Sweden’s similar but larger announcement on Saturday. According to the government’s proposal, the state could grant loans or guarantees to electricity companies if they are threatened with insolvency. A government loan would be the last resort when all other financing options have been exhausted. Only companies central to the functioning of the electricity market could receive loans or guarantees. Mika Lintila, Economic Affairs Minister, said at the press conference that the government wants to be proactive in the situation to avoid a “Lehman Brothers” in the energy market. Lintila underlined that the state is the last instance loaner if other channels are not available. “The primary responsibility is with banks and the owners,” he added. He said the policy would be available to Finnish companies only. Thus the German subsidiary of Fortum, Uniper, is not eligible for assistance from Finland. The crisis package requires parliamentary approval. It will be taken to the parliament on Monday. Local analysts said that it has a high chance of being approved in the current situation.

Putin, Erdogan discuss bilateral ties, Ukraine over phone

Moscow, Sep 4: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanged views on bilateral ties during a phone call. Putin and Erdogan reaffirmed their commitment to expanding trade and economic relations between the two countries, including promoting joint strategic projects in the energy sector, the Kremlin said in a statement on Saturday. According to the statement, when discussing the situation in Ukraine, the Turkish President stressed Russia’s constructive role in organising an International Atomic Energy Agency mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sweden announces liquidity guarantees of $23 bn to electricity companies

Stockholm, Sep 5: Electricity companies in Sweden and neighbouring countries will receive credit guarantees of up to 250 billion Swedish crowns ($23 billion) to tackle the problems that have arisen on the electricity exchange, the Swedish government announced. If approved by parliament, the Swedish government will task the National Debt Office to issue the credit guarantees, which are expected to be in place before stock markets close on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. Fears for Sweden’s financial stability arose when the total amount of required collateral from companies’ trading in electricity derivative contracts at Nasdaq Clearing AB increased from about 70 billion crowns in June to 180 billion crowns recently, due to skyrocketing electricity prices, the government said at a press conference on Sunday. Skyrocketing prices in Europe made it more expensive for utilities to buy and sell electricity because of the additional collateral required to guarantee trades on power markets. This has in turn led to a lack of liquidity for utilities and pushed them at risk of insolvency, according to the government. A company’s inability to provide its collateral, despite sound finances, could lead to instability of Nasdaq Clearing AB, which in turn would put the whole financial system at risk. Sweden’s energy sector is in a difficult situation which has been worsened by Russia’s announcement to cut off the gas supply to Germany, said Swedish Finance Minister Mikael Damberg. “We are therefore acting quickly to get guarantees in place to handle the situation the electricity companies are in and ultimately avoid a financial crisis.” (1 Swedish crown = $0.093)

Gas supplies via Nord Stream 1 pipeline indefinitely halted

Berlin, Sep 3: The supply of Russian gas to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been halted for an indefinite period, due to problems in a key piece of equipment, Russia’s largest gas producer Gazprom said on Friday. After completion of three days of maintenance work, gas was due to begin flowing through the pipeline again on Saturday morning, reports Xinhua news agency. However, after a leak was detected during the work, Gazprom said on Friday night that since the safe operation of the last remaining gas turbine could not be guaranteed, the pipeline must therefore be shut down “until all equipment faults have been rectified”. It was not specified how long this would take. According to Gazprom, it had received a warning from Russia’s state technology and ecology watchdog Rostekhnadzor concerning the fact that the detected malfunctions “do not allow for the safe trouble-free operation of the gas turbine engine”. European Commission Chief Spokesperson Eric Mamer accused Gazprom of stopping the flow of gas on false pretenses. Following Gazprom’s announcement of the extended supply freeze, the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) emphasized the importance of Germany’s precautionary measures. “The situation on the gas market is tense, but security of supply is guaranteed,” a spokeswoman from the Ministry said on Friday night, adding that the ministry is implementing measures to strengthen independence from Russian energy imports. BMWK said that Germany’s gas storage facilities are currently 84.3 per cent full, and the country is expected to hit the October target of storing 85 per cent in early September.

Poland, Baltic countries agree to restrict entry of Russians France launches national consultative body for building consensus Paris, Sep 9 (IANS): French President Emmanuel Macron launched has the National Council for Refoundation (CNR), a consultative body bringing together citizens and influential figures with a background in politics, economy, social affairs, and associations, to carry out a “broad national consultation” on a wide range of issues. Warsaw, Sep 9 (IANS): Prime The goal is to “build consensus on the situation of France and Ministers of Poland, Lithuania, its future” by enhancing cooperLatvia and Estonia have issued ation and dialogue between all a joint statement, agreeing to parties present and allowing the temporarily restrict Russian French to be “more associated” visa-holders’ entry into the with the state’s decision-making, European Union (EU) and the Xinhua news agency quoted the Schengen area for tourism, President as saying. culture, sport and business Macron said he wants to take purposes, according to a release from the Polish Prime Minister’s Office. The majority of visas had been issued to Russian citizens before the Russia-Ukraine conflict and concrete actions concerning education, health, and employment in tandem with the local institutions. “The French trusted me for the second time to act,” he said, announcing the start of a “national

“under different geopolitical online consultation” next week conditions and considerations,” and possible referendums in the said the release, adding that future. the influx of Russian citizens to Macron said he aims to end the the EU and the Schengen area through their countries’ borders, however, poses “a serious threat” to their “public security and to the overall shared Schengen area”, Xinhua news agency reported. The agreed “national temporary measures” are not “an outright consultations with a calendar of actions for the next months and years for France. “The (consultative) body will make it possible to share (our) diagnoses and identify a certain number of problems and objectives” at the national level and to consider “the local and territorial aspects of the entry ban” to Russian nationals, (proposed) reforms”, government the statement said, adding that spokesperson Oliver Veran said.

the restrictions should enter into force in each country by September 19. The four prime ministers said that they welcome the suspension of the EU visa facilitation agreement with Russia, and called for further measures to “drastically limit the number of visas issued (primarily tourist visas)” and to decrease the flow of Russian citizens into the EU and the Schengen area. During their informal meeting in Prague on August 30-31, EU foreign ministers agreed to suspend the visa facilitation agreement that allows simplified procedures for the issuance of visas to Russian citizens. The decision, however, has yet to be legalised. Russia responded on Sunday that it will take serious retaliatory measures if the EU formally introduces visa restrictions on Russian citizens.

Boris Johnson bids farewell as UK PM

London, Sep 6: Outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Street, just before his successor Liz Truss takes office. He began his televised addressed to the nation by saying “this is it folks”, reports the BBC. Johnson said that in a couple of hours he will be in Balmoral to see the Queen and the torch will be passed to a new leader, in what he says was a relay race where they “changed the rules half way through”. The outgoing leader added that the Conservative Party leadership contest was an unexpected relay race and the rules were changed halfway through, “but never mind that for now”. Touting his successes, he said that it was his government that got Brexit done, delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, and delivered a rapid vaccine roll-out. Johnson added the supply of weapons to Ukraine could very well have changed the course of the war. He went on to say that despite

on Tuesday bade farewell in an address outside 10, Downing the “naysayers”, the new government led by Truss, who was his Foreign Secretary, will get through people through the energy crisis. Taking an aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin, the outgoing leader said that “he can’t blackmail or bully the British people over the energy crisis”, reports the BBC. Putin is “utterly deluded” to think he can, Johnson says, adding that the “compassionate” Conservative government led by Truss will get people through the crisis. He also mentioned his other successes, including making streets safer, more police on the streets, the building of hospitals and recruiting thousands more nurses. He added there was a record funding for education and three new high speed railways. On the subject of “bouncing around in future careers”, Johnson likened himself to “one

if the current energy crisis persists in winter, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are going to finalise the gas connections in order to be able to deliver gas to Germany... It (Germany) will be ready to produce more electricity to bring to us in extreme situations,” Macron said. The French president said that he was in favour of solidarity measures at the European level to deal with the current energy crisis. “We are in favor of common gas purchasing practices that will make it possible to buy cheaper,” he explained. However, he said there was “no need” for a gas pipeline linking France and Spain. Concerning the high energy prices in Europe, Macron proposed to set up control mechanisms for speculative operations at the European level. Days ahead of a European Union (EU) energy ministers’ meeting, of those booster rockets” that “has fulfilled its function”. “I’d be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific,” the BBC quoted him as saying. In conclusion, he said: “We are one whole and entire United Kingdom... (The) union is so strong that those that want to break it up will keep trying, but they will never, ever succeed.” He also thanked “everyone who looked after him and his family over the last three years” and also gave a special mention to his dog Dilyn and Larry, the Downing Street cat. On Monday, Truss was named as the new Conservative leader and she will take over as the Prime Minister on Tuesday. As Truss takes office, she faces one of the toughest in-trays in decades, with inflation fears mounting as gas prices soar again and the pound slides further.

Macron said that he supports a price cap on gas purchased from Russia at the EU level. Macron assured his countrymen that France is not in a situation for energy rationing, but called on people to limit heating to 19 degrees Celsius to save energy. “If we collectively know how to behave more soberly and save energy everywhere, then there will be no rationing or cuts,” he stressed. On Friday, Macron chaired a Defense Council meeting on the energy crisis. French Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher said after the meeting that France’s gas reserves were 92 per cent full in preparation for possible shortages this winter. According to the minister, 32 of the country’s fleet of 56 nuclear reactors are currently offline for routine maintenance, but French multinational electric utility company EDF has committed to restarting all of them for this winter.

France, Germany to help each other through energy crisis

Cambodia, Cuba vow to strengthen ties

Phnom Penh, Sep 5: Cambodia and Cuba have vowed to bolster bilateral ties and cooperation for mutual benefit, Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said. The pledge was made during a meeting in Phnom Penh between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Cuba’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Penalver Portal on Friday, Sounry added in a statement on Sunday. He said the two sides discussed “the preparation for the upcoming exchange of high-level visits between the two countries with the strong expectation these historical visits would pave the way for the strengthening of bilateral ties”. The two sides spoke highly of a long lasting friendship between the two nations and sound bilateral cooperation, particularly in the sectors of health, education and sports, and expressed interest for better cooperation, the spokesman added. According to Sounry, Penalver Portal appreciated Cambodia’s remarkable success in fighting Covid-19 and socio-economic development, and Sokhonn said he was impressed with Cuba’s economic strength, Xinhua news agency reported. Both sides showed interest for exchanging information and experience between the two countries, Sounry said, adding that they also talked about ways to enhance cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Cuba. Penalver Portal praised Cambodia for dealing with challenges stemming from its ASEAN chairmanship for 2022 with “skillful diplomacy and wisdom”, according to the spokesman. The two sides also had an exchange of views on regional and international issues of common interest, and pledged to support each other in the international arena. The meeting was followed by the second bilateral political consultations between Cambodian Foreign Ministry Standing Secretary of State Ouch Borith and Penalver Portal. The Cuban official paid a working visit to Cambodia from September 1 to 3.

Laos, Cambodia agree to promote cooperation in border security

Vientiane, Sep 1 (IANS): Personnel from the Lao and Cambodian armies will continue their cooperation in border security as well as humanitarian assistance, especially during natural disasters. Cooperation between the two countries in these fields was discussed when Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, Hun Manet and senior army staff visited Lao capital Vientiane from Monday to Wednesday. Lao Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, Khamlieng Outhakaysone warmly welcomed the Cambodian delegation, Lao National Radio reported on Wednesday. The two sides reviewed activities in which they had been jointly involved based on the good relations between the two nations and the Lao and Cambodian armies, especially in border security, Xinhua news agency reported. The two delegations agreed to step up their cooperation through reciprocal visits by their respective army personnel, as well as cooperation in economic development between the Lao People’s Army and the Royal Cambodian Army. They agreed that the maintenance of security on the Laos-Cambodia border is essential to ensure peace in this area. In addition, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation in the provision of humanitarian aid, dealing with natural disasters and providing training in this field for army personnel in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. They also agreed to enhance cooperation in tackling drug trade, transnational crime and other problems under the joint mechanisms agreed by the Lao and Cambodian armies.

Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to 3 more years in prison, totaling 20 years

Yangon, Sep 4 (IANS): Two days after Myanmar’s former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to three years in jail for electoral fraud in 2020, increasing her total prison term to 20 years, the Information Team of Myanmar’s State Administration Council confirmed. She, along with former President U Win Myint and former Union Minister of Union Government Office, U Min Thu, was found guilty of electoral fraud, said the information team on Saturday. Before this, Aung San Suu Kyi has been convicted of multiple

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 3 (IANS): The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has said that Malaysia has attracted 123.3 billion ringgit ($27.5 billion) in approved investments in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors in the first half of this year. Foreign direct investment (FDI) remained the major contributor, accounting for 70.9 per cent of the approved investments with 87.4 billion ringgit ($19.5 billion), it added in a statement on Friday. Meanwhile, investments from domestic sources contributed 29.1 per cent, amounting to 35.9 billion ringgit ($8 billion), Xinhua news agency reported. The services sector played a major role in driving the country’s economic recovery, accounting for 63.3 per cent of the total approved investments with 78 billion ringgit ($17.4 billion), followed by the manufacturing sector with 43.1 billion ringgit ($9.6 billion) and the primary sector with 2.2 billion ringgit ($491 million). charges, including corruption, incitement, breaching the Natural Disaster Management Law, breaching the Export and Import Law and breaching the Communications Law. She was already sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for these offences, and now faces 20 years in jail, Xinhua news agency reported. On Feb. 1, 2021, U Win Myint, Suu Kyi and some senior officials of the National League for Democracy were detained by the military. Trials over more charges against Suu Kyi will follow.

Mohamed Azmin Ali, the Minister for International Trade and Industry, said Malaysia is on the right trajectory to secure more high-quality and capital-intensive projects, with the services sector being the key growth driver for the economy and the largest contributor to approved investments for the first half of this year. In maintaining the momentum, he added that his Ministry will continue efforts to strengthen the country’s competitiveness by developing economic complexity, nurturing a strong industrial ecosystem with innovations, enhancing inclusiveness, creating high-income jobs and promoting opportunities to participate in regional and global supply chains. “Driven by the National Investment Aspirations, we will intensify our focus towards sectors such as digital economy, electrical and electronics (E&E), pharmaceutical, chemical and aerospace with significant economic potential and sustainable long-term growth,” he said.

Malaysia attracts $27.5 bn investment in first half of 2022

Turkish Prez warns Greece over ‘harassment’ of Turkish jets

Ankara, Sep 4: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a warning against Greece over what Ankara calls recent “harassment” of Turkish fighter jets in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean. “Hey Greek, look at history. Go back to history. If you go too far, it will cost a lot. We have only one sentence for Greece, don’t forget Izmir,” Erdogan said on Saturday at the aerospace and technology

Tehran, Sep 5: A senior Iranian lawmaker has urged Western countries to refrain from delays in reaching a nuclear agreement, warning that otherwise, Iran would consider “other options”. Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told the official IRNA news agency on Sunday that a winwin agreement is important for securing Iran’s national interests. “The Westerners need negotiations more than Iran ... if the Western side does not make an agreement, we have other

Damascus, Sep 5: A total of 171 civilians have so far been killed in 2022 by explosions of landmines and other ordnance left uncovered in previous war zones across Syria, a war monitor reported. festival Teknofest in the Black Sea province of Samsun. He was referring to the withdrawal of the Greek army from Turkey’s western province of Izmir during the country’s Independence War in 1922, Xinhua news agency reported. “Occupying the islands does not bind us. We will do what is necessary when the time comes. As we say, we can come suddenly one night,” he added.

options on the table, and Iran’s hands are not empty in this regard,” he noted. “Any agreement that deprives and limits Iran of the desired privileges will not be accepted by the Iranian nation,” he added. In response to the question about safeguard issues, he said that solving the safeguards issues can “repair the damaged wall of trust between Iran and the West”. Iran has repeatedly said that reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about traces of uranium in some of its nuclear sites in the past are “political” and this case should be closed simultaneously with

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Sunday said that 171 civilians, including 86 children, have been killed and 251 people, including 141 children, have been wounded by the explosives so far this year, Turkey recently accused Greece of harassing twice the Turkish jets carrying out NATO missions over the Aegean and Mediterranean. Ankara said the Greek warplanes locking their radars on Turkish F-16s on August 22 and August 24, while Athens rejected the claims. The relations between the two NATO allies have long been at odds over a series of issues, including maritime and energy disputes in the Aegean and the Mediterranean. To seek out diplomatic solutions to their disputes, the two countries restarted their consultative talks in 2021 after a five-year break. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also initiated a military-to-military de-confliction mechanism between Turkey and Greece, but meetings within the mechanism have been stalled since the end of the fourth round.

the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran and the US are indirectly exchanging views about a recent EU proposal aimed at resolving the outstanding issues on the revival of the JCPOA, Xinhua news agency reported. Iran signed the deal with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. The talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus. On August 8, the EU put forward a “final text” of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.

Xinhua news agency reported. On Sunday, three children were killed by an explosive device in the village of Daba’a south of the central province of Homs, according to the UK-based watchdog group and the state news agency SANA. Almost every week, the Syrian Army detonates explosives it uncovers in various previous battle zones. In June, the UN said explosive ordnance contamination represents a major protection concern, with one in two Syrians estimated to be living in contaminated areas.

Iran to consider ‘other options’ if West delays nuclear agreement: Lawmaker

171 killed by explosive war remnants in Syria so far in 2022: Monitor

Turkey sharply raises 2022 inflation forecast to 65%

Ankara, Sep 5: Turkey sharply raised the country’s inflation forecast for 2022 to 65 per cent, up from 9.8 per cent predicted one year ago, according to a government program published in the Official Gazette. The new three-year Medium Term Program, which was jointly prepared by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Directorate of Strategy and Budget, expects the country’s inflation will fall to 24.9 per cent in 2023, 13.8 per cent in 2024 and 9.9 per cent in 2025, reports Xinhua news agency. The latest inflation forecast from the program for 2022 indicated a big increase from the 9.8 per cent seen in the same report one year ago, although it was only slightly higher than the central bank’s prediction in July that Turkey’s year-end inflation would be 60.4 per cent. The program estimates Turkey’s economy to grow by 5 per cent in 2023, 5.5 per cent in 2024 and 2025. Turkey’s unemployment rates are expected to be 10.8 per cent in 2022, 10.4 per cent in 2023, 9.9 per cent in 2024 and 9.6 per cent in 2025, it notes, adding the

Baghdad, Sep 5: Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi has called on the parliamentary blocs to hold new rounds of dialogue to agree on various issues, including early elections. “The agenda of the upcoming national dialogue rounds must include several issues that must be agreed upon, including setting a date for early parliamentary and provincial council elections no later than the end of 2023,” al-Halbousi said in a statement on Sunday. He called for discussing the election of the President of the republic, the formation of a government with full powers, the adoption of the annual federal budget, in addition to the amendment of several vital laws. He also called for discussing the immediate return of the displaced to their homes, as well as the relations between Baghdad and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, Xinhua news agency reported. country’s foreign trade deficit is expected to reach $105 billion in 2022 and $80 billion in 2023. The program predicts that an increase in production and productivity would limit price increases, among which the food prices would be reduced to single digits in three years, while the Turkish lira would become stable. Turkey’s economy grew by 7.6 per cent year on year in the second quarter. Its annual inflation hit 79.6 per cent in July, the highest level in 24 years. Turkey is facing financial woes unseen in decades, with the Turkish lira keeping plunging since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. The Russia-Ukraine war that started in late February worsened Turkey’s situation by pushing energy prices to new highs. Despite high inflation, the country did not raise interest rates as many monetary authorities did to counter inflation. Last month, the central bank shocked markets again with a 100-basis point cut of the interest rate to 13 per cent.

According to local media reports, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is expected to invite the political parties for a new round of national dialogue to discuss the months-long political deadlock in the country. In August, Iraqi political parties held a round of dialogue at the invitation of al-Kadhimi to find a way out of the stifling crisis in the country, but prominent Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr did not attend the dialogue meeting. Political tensions in Iraq have escalated in the past weeks between al-Sadr and his rivals in the Shia Coordination Framework, an umbrella group of Shia parliamentary parties. During the past months, the continued disputes among the Shia parties have hampered the formation of a new Iraqi government, making it unable to elect a new President by a two-thirds majority of the 329-seat parliament under the Iraqi Constitution.

Iraq’s parliament speaker calls for early elections