Western Asia

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Dec. 17 to extend cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to Syrians in rebel-held areas without Syrian government approval.
     

TED talks make us all think harder about various amazing phenomena. Their subjects range from personal experience to scientific projects, from minor daily acts to huge social behavioral patterns. I have listened to almost a hundred of them. They are all impressive, but recently I found the real gem.

It is ironic that it is only at times like this that the EU starts waving the big stick, warning Ankara that if it does not fulfill its obligations in terms of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law it will endanger its membership prospects.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated a high speed train link from Istanbul to the Central Anatolian city of Konya on Dec. 17, which cuts journey times by nearly nine hours.
      
Erdoğan himself opened the line at a ceremony in Konya, 460 kilometers southeast of Istanbul, and declared that all travel on it would be free for the first week.
      

Iraqi Kurdistan plans to strengthen its relationship with Iran, the prime minister of the semi-autonomous region said yesterday in an acknowledgement of the deepening ties between Arbil and Tehran.

The European Parliament overwhelmingly backed the recognition of a Palestinian state "in principle" on Dec. 17, following a series of votes on the issue in EU nations that have enraged Israel.
     

The Members of European Parliament (MEPs) failed on Tuesday to agree on a joint motion calling on EU member states to recognise the state of Palestine.

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A draft resolution on ending the Israeli occupation will be submitted to the UN Security Council Dec. 17 after the Palestinians agreed with France on a merged text, foreign minister Riyad al-Malki said.
      
"The draft that will be presented today (Wednesday) is the French draft based on Palestinian observations and decisions," Malki told AFP.
      

Turkey has been unable to exploit its full faith tourism potential and the number of faith tourists visiting Turkey last year hit a 10-year low, according to the latest report by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB). Sector representatives, however, are hopeful for a rise in the number of faith tourists in the near future after Pope Francis’ visit to Turkey in November. 

Şenol Kazancı has been appointed as the new director-general of Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency, according to media reports.

Kazancı previously worked under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Prime Ministry and in the Presidency, before being assigned to his new post.