Politicians voted to approve the final 18th article of the lengthy package. The proposed reforms – which proponents in Mr Erdogan’s ruling AK party say are necessary to deal with Turkey’s fragile economic and security situations – would give the President the power to appoint and dismiss ministers, to once again become head of a political party, and possibly govern until 2029.
Opposition politicians and democracy activists have said the bill is dangerously close to a form of authoritarianism, The Independent reported.
According to a Farsi report by Al Alam, the ISIS drone attacked the news crew of Iraq’s Al-Ghadeer TV Channel somewhere close to Prophet Jonah’s tomb in Nineveh, which had been liberated by Iraqi forces in the earlier day.
The journalists’ car was damaged, but none of them were injured.
ISIS have been using drones to attack civilians in the liberated areas of Mosul with bombs and other explosive devices.
This may be some of the first instances of drones being used as attack vehicles, rather than its traditional use of surveillance.
“Until recently though there was little evidence they had developed their use further but a series of recent strikes has now confirmed that they have developed the capability to drop 40 millimetre grenades,” Telegraph said in a recent report.
Khamis is expected to hold talks with Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani.
Talks between the Syrian premier and the SNSC secretary will focus on the continuation of consultations between the two countries, pursuit of agreements reached between Tehran and Damascus in economic, political and security areas and the adoption of strategies to safeguard the recent achievements made in Syria, particularly after the liberation of the strategic city of Aleppo from foreign-backed militants.
Shamkhani and Khamis will also exchange views about ways to improve economic relations, Press TV reported.
Iranian Ambassador to the Philippines Mohammad Tanhaei met with Filipino Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol on Friday to discuss the proposal.
Pinol told Tanhaei that as part of the standard procedure, the Philippine Department of Agriculture is finalizing the Pest Risk Analysis of apple samples.
“I’m still waiting for the results, and if everything turns out okay, rest assured that (the document on) importation of apples is ready for signing,” Pinol was quoted as saying by state-owned Philippine Information Agency.
The Philippine official expressed his interest in other ventures because of the huge market for tropical fruits, particularly banana and pineapple, in Iran. He requested the Tehran government to reduce the tariff on bananas.
At present, the tariff on imported bananas is pegged at 24%, which is lowered against apple export.
The ambassador said Iran is also interested in exporting cherry, pomegranate and pistachios to the Philippines.
“Tehran is willing to collaborate with the Philippine government in research and development for rice, biotechnology and modern farming,” he said.
Pinol noted that the department is willing to assist Iranian companies interested in business ventures on banana and in identifying possible sites for the project, Financial Tribune reported.
Tanhaei also said Iran has a huge demand for abaca, which is widely utilized in making tea bags and wellness products in Iran.
Pinol announced his plans to visit Iran in May to explore agriculture ventures with the country and hold agro-fishery trade shows.
Bahram Qassemi on Monday denounced the recent terrorist attack in Afghanistan’s troubled southern city of Kandahar which killed and wounded a number of United Arab Emirates’ diplomats and Afghan citizens.
“Terrorism is the most important security issue in the region and across the world which has targeted peace and security of countries and nations without any exceptions,” the Iranian spokesperson said.
He called for collective and comprehensive efforts by all regional countries and the international community to fight the vicious phenomenon of terrorism.
Qassemi expressed sympathy with the Afghan and Emirati governments and the bereaved families of the victims.
The UAE said five of its diplomats had lost their lives in the massive bomb explosion that ripped through a guesthouse in Kandahar on January 10.
The victims were reportedly in the violence-wracked country to inaugurate a number of UAE-backed humanitarian projects.
At least 11 people, including Kandahar’s deputy governor Abdul Ali Shamsi, lost their lives and 16 others sustained injuries in the explosion.
The Taliban militant group issued a statement on January 11, blaming an “internal local rivalry” for the Kandahar assault.
The Taliban militants lost their grip over Afghanistan in the 2001 US-led invasion, but security has never taken hold in the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign boots on Afghan soil.
Iran’s unique climate has contributed a lot to the growth of medicinal plants in the country, said Ali-Hossein Beiranvand, a member of the Iranian Association of Forestry.
He noted that some of these species have been found and used by Iranian physicians and scientists since ancient times, regretting that some of them have not been fully identified yet, according to a Farsi report by ISNA.
“There are 8,000 species of medicinal plants in Iran, of which only 800 have been discovered. Zagros forests in Lorestan Province, alone, are home to up to 500 types of medicinal herbs, of which only 50 have been identified and is being used.”
He went on to say that currently, people have redeveloped an interest in traditional medicine, particularly medicinal plants, as they are easy to cultivate and access, more effective than pharmaceutical drugs in curing diseases, and have no side-effects.
“Latest news indicates that Iraq is about to celebrate the liberation of Mosul,” announced Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, an Iranian Parliament member, referring to the advancements of Iraqi Army in the fight against ISIS militants.
“Alongside the popular and tribal mobilization forces, Iraqi army has struck fatal blows to ISIS.”
“By destructing Tigris bridges in western Mosul, Takfiri terrorists show that they have practically given in to defeat. They have confined their forces in Mosul for suicidal operations,” he explained, according to a Farsi report by ICANA.
“Takfiris try to destruct Iraqi infrastructures, just like the US-led coalition, so that Washington can have a pretext for colonizing Iraq,” he added.
Ankara Should Respect Iraq’s Territorial Integrity
Regarding the presence of Turkish forces in northern Iraq and Bashiqa base, Naqavi said, “During his visit to Baghdad, Binali Yıldırım, Turkish Prime Minister, undertook to withdraw its forces from northern Iraq. But he has done nothing about it up to now.”
“Due to the upheavals in Iraq, we are worried that the extended Turkish presence leads to fresh tensions,” he stressed, while stating that Turkey has shifted its attitude towards Takfiris and practically started a fight against ISIS.”
“Tehran’s main concern is that some problematic forces in northern Iraq engineer military conflicts between Ankara and Baghdad.”
“The Takfiri terrorists are a threat to the region’s security,” Naqavi noted. “We must be co-ordinated and convergent to defeat them. In cooperation with Tehran and Moscow, Ankara should respect Iraq’s territorial integrity and bring peace to Turkey.”
Anti-aircraft forces firing shots at the camera drone that trespassed on Tehran's no-fly zone
The Deputy Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Airbase told state TV that the aircraft was an ultralight camera drone that illegally entered the no-fly zone, but was targeted by anti-aircraft forces.
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Iranian people looking at the anti-aircraft forces shooing away the drone
Iranian people looking at the anti-aircraft forces shooing away the drone
Iranian people looking at the anti-aircraft forces shooing away the drone
Iranian people looking at the anti-aircraft forces shooing away the drone
Jet fighters reportedly patrolling Tehran’s sky after the drone was shooed away
“The aircraft immediately got out of the zone,” the security official noted, adding that the shooting was then stopped to ensure the citizens’ safety.
An informed source also told ILNA that the drone had moved away to eastern Tehran following the shots fired by anti-aircraft forces in central parts of the city.
It was later reported that jet fighters patrolled the capital city’s sky after the drone was shooed away.
