General

UK opens new oil, gas licensing round for 898 exploration blocks in North Sea

The UK has launched a new round of oil and gas licensing for 898 exploration blocks in the North Sea to boost energy security, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) announced Friday.   The 33rd oil and gas licensing round will be launched later Friday for which the NSTA is inviting applications for licenses to […]

General

Hundreds of thousands could die of hunger in drought-hit East Africa, warns regional bloc

Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of dying of hunger, while more than 10 million children are facing acute malnutrition due to droughts and spiraling food insecurity in East Africa, the head of a regional bloc said on Friday.   The East African region is facing its longest dry spell in 40 years […]

General

Türkiye remembers diplomat killed by terrorist in Greece

Türkiye on Friday commemorated Cetin Gorgu, the press attaché at the Turkish Embassy in Athens, who 31 years ago was gunned down in front of his home.   “We remember with respect our martyr Cetin Gorgu, Press Attaché of the Turkish Embassy in Athens, assassinated in the heinous attack by the terrorist organization November 17 […]

General

UN body adopts motion to appoint human rights investigator for Russia

A UN human rights body on Friday passed a motion to appoint an investigator on alleged human rights abuses in Russia on Friday.   On the last day of the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the bill to appoint a “special rapporteur” to examine human rights in Russia was passed […]

General

Biden signs order directing implementation of EU-US Data Privacy Framework

US President Joe Biden signed on Friday a new executive order directing the implementation of a new framework to protect data transfers between the EU and the US estimated to enable some $7.1 trillion in bilateral trade.   The EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) seeks to address concerns raised by the European Court of Justice […]

General

Iran censures Danish police after attack on embassy in Copenhagen

Iran has censured Danish police after a knife-yielding attacker allegedly barged into the Iranian Embassy in Copenhagen and threatened the ambassador and other staff.   Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke to the Iranian Ambassador in Denmark Afsaneh Nadipoor following the incident on Friday, said a statement by the Foreign Ministry.   The envoy was quoted […]

Governance

Germany, Pakistan warn against use of nuclear weapons

German and Pakistani foreign ministers on Friday warned against the use of tactical nuclear weapons, amid escalating rhetoric from Russia and Ukraine.   Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he was horrified by recent reports on discussions about the possible use of nuclear weapons.   “This is […]