Archives for October, 2020

Construction labourers work on the top of a new mosque at Taksim square in Istanbul on January 14, 2019. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan’s economic policies show growing disconnect from working class

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aims for social justice by distributing the loot to his favorite powerful elites at the expense of hardworking blue- and white-collar professionals.

In Jordan, female engineers lead way in sustainable agriculture

A Norwegian NGO has launched a joint training program to train female engineering graduates in the field of sustainable agriculture, with the aim of both encouraging Jordanian women to join the workforce and fight desertification.

A picture taken in 2002 shows tourists casting their shadows as a ray of light illuminates the statue of Ramses II inside the temple of Abu Simbel, south of Aswan, in upper Egypt. More than 2500 tourists witnessed 22 October 2007 the sun illuminating the inner sanctuary, which happens only twice a year with a wide belief among archaeologists that the two days mark Ramsis II's birthday and day of coronation. AFP PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt prepares for solar alignment in Abu Simbel temple amid coronavirus

The major solar phenomenon of the sun passing over the statue of Ramses II at the Temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt’s Aswan is overshadowed this year by the coronavirus pandemic.

Civilians drive along a road behind a Turkish military convoy through the village of Iblin, near Ariha in Syria's rebel-held northwestern Idlib province on October 20, 2020 after Turkish forces vacated the Morek post in Hama's countryside. - Turkey started withdrawing from one of its largest outposts in northwest Syria encircled for the past year by Syrian regime forces, a war monitor and a pro-Ankara rebel commander said. The outpost in Morek is Turkey's largest in the northwest province of Hama, which is

How Turkey’s withdrawal from Morek post affects opposition factions in northeast Syria

Turkish forces withdrew from their observation post in the city of Morek, raising many questions about the fate of Turkish-backed rebels in the surrounding area.

TOPSHOT - Orthodox Jewish yeshiva (religious school) students study separated by plastic cells set up amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, on August 25, 2020 in the southern Israeli city of Sdreot. - Israel has over 92,000 COVID-19 cases to its nine million population, with fewer than 700 deaths. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel’s education system fails Zoom test

With an enormous number of poor Israeli students lacking computers and a state that seems unable to supply them, distance learning has no chance of success.

Egyptian, Iranian leaders criticize French president over comments on freedom of expression

French President Emmanuel Macron angered many Muslim leaders when he defended images of the prophet of Islam after a Parisian teacher was beheaded for showing such images.

Saudi Arabia to pay families of health care workers who died from COVID-19

The government will disperse $133,000 per family.

Qatar reveals disturbing details and expresses 'regret' regarding strip-search of women at airport

The Gulf state is under fire after women headed to Australia said they were forcibly searched in an attempt to see whether they had recently given birth to a newborn found alive in a trash can at Doha's airport.

Intel: New bill in Congress would push for Israel to get bunker-busting bombs

The bill was announced the same day the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran is building an underground centrifuge facility at Natanz.

Turkish academic in Canada caught up in Ankara's anti-Kurdish sweep

Cihan Erdal, a Ph.D. candidate at Carleton University and permanent resident in Canada, has been held since late September on alleged terror links.

Iranian plane sanctioned by US lands in Venezuela

It is unclear what the aircraft brought. The United States maintains sanctions on both Iran and Venezuela.

Turkish President and leader of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, on October 28, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The Takeaway: Is Erdogan’s threat to Syrian Kurds linked to US election?

Turkish president also calculates risk of escalation in Idlib; a primer on the Idlib ceasefires; plus: four more quick takes on Syria and Iraq.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on August 24, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan sues Charlie Hebdo over caricature

An ongoing Turkey-France spat deepened after French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo published a caricature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prompting legal action from Ankara.

Iran's Atomic Energy Vice-President Ali Akbar Salehi, is seen speaking on a screen as he attends virtually the 64th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria on September 21, 2020. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by JOE KLAMAR has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Ali Akbar Salehi] instead of [Zarif]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all

Satellite images indicate construction at Iran's Natanz nuclear plant

Work is apparently underway at a facility where Tehran said an act of sabotage caused an explosion in July.

Intel: Pentagon undercounting civilian casualties in Yemen, watchdog says

At least 86 civilians have been killed in US operations in Yemen since 2017, according to a new report by Airwars, a UK-based nongovernmental organization.

Iranian Mohamad Bagher Ghalibaf (C) sits among members of the parliament after being elected as parliament speaker at the Iranian parliament in Tehran on May 28, 2020. - Iran's newly formed parliament elected the former Tehran mayor Ghalibaf as its speaker, consolidating the power of conservatives ahead of next year's presidential election. State television said the 58-year-old received 230 votes out of the 267 cast to secure the post, one of the most influential positions in the Islamic republic. (Photo by

Parliament speaker tests positive on Iran’s deadliest virus day

Iran’s hard-line parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has tested positive for the coronavirus as the pandemic rages the country.