Russia to host new round of talks to normalize ties between Syria and Turkiye

ISTANBUL: Russia will host a new round of talks on Tuesday aimed at normalizing ties between Turkiye and Syria, Turkiye’s defense minister said.

The talks, also involving Iran, will be held in Moscow, Hulusi Akar said on Monday.

They will be attended by the defense and intelligence chiefs of all four countries.

Russia is seeking to repair ties between Ankara and its ally Damascus, which were severed at the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

Egypt braces for refugee influx as fighting worsens Sudan’s humanitarian crisis

CAIRO: Egypt has long been a favored destination among refugees fleeing conflict, persecution and economic woes in countries across the Middle East and East Africa, either as a place of refuge or a stopover en route to Europe.

Now, with violence and chaos engulfing its southern neighbor, Sudan, authorities in Cairo are braced for a fresh wave of refugees in search of safety, employment and functioning health services. According to a report in the New York Times, more than 15,000 Sudanese have fled the Darfur region into neighboring Chad.

UAE spacecraft takes close-up photos of Mars’ little moon

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: A spacecraft around Mars has sent back the most detailed photos yet of the red planet’s little moon.
The UAE’s Amal spacecraft flew within 100 km of Deimos last month and the close-up shots were released on Monday.
Amal — Arabic for Hope — got a two-for-one when Mars photobombed some of the images. It was the closest a spacecraft has been to Deimos in almost a half-century.
The spacecraft also observed the little explored far side of the odd-shaped, cratered moon, 15 km by 12 km by 12 km.

RAF plane lands in Sudan as UK gears up for further evacuations

LONDON: A team of troops from the UK arrived at Port Sudan on Monday on a reconnaissance mission, media reported on Monday.

The flight comes as the UK government assessed options for an evacuation of British nationals stranded in the crisis-hit country, Sky News said.

The C-17 Globemaster was on the ground at the eastern Sudanese port on the Red Sea along with troops who “may form part of a second rescue,” the channel reported.

Flydubai aircraft heads for destination after engine fire extinguished

DUBAI: A Flydubai flight from Katmandu to Dubai experienced a bird strike during takeoff but is now heading to the United Arab Emirates, the company said on Monday.

Jagannath Niroula, spokesperson for Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said in a statement to Reuters an engine caught fire on the Flydubai Boeing 737-800 plane with 167 passengers on board, shortly after takeoff from Katmandu and the fire had been brought under control.