Middle East & North Africa

ANKARA, May 12 (Reuters) - Kemal Kilicdaroglu, main challenger of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, said on Friday his party has concrete evidence of Russia's responsibility for the release of "deep fake" online content ahead of Sunday's presidential elections.

Kilicdaroglu, who has a slight poll lead over Erdogan two days ahead of the election, told Reuters in an interview it was unacceptable for Russia to interfere in Turkey's internal affairs, but added that should he become president he would maintain Ankara's good ties with Moscow.

TEHRAN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Embassy in Dublin said that an Irish national imprisoned in Iran has been pardoned and released on "consular and humanitarian" grounds.

The Iranian Embassy announced in a post on its Twitter page on Thursday evening the Irish national's release was a result of "constructive diplomatic engagement between Iran and Ireland," identifying the Irish citizen as Bernard Phelan.

ANKARA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations to extend a Black Sea Grain Initiative were nearing an agreement after two days of talks in Istanbul between Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and UN officials, Türkiye's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Friday.

"As part of the first information received, the meeting in Istanbul was positive. We are heading toward an agreement on the extension of the grain deal," Akar said in a statement.

KHARTOUM, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have promised to protect civilians and achieve a short-term ceasefire to facilitate emergency humanitarian assistance, as they signed the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus is working together with Irish and U.S. military experts to help train two groups of Ukrainian personnel in clearing an untold number of unmarked minefields in their homeland, the island nation’s defense minister said Friday.

Minister Michalis Georgallas told the Associated Press Friday a first group of 24 Ukrainians was currently undergoing training in Cypriot military installations, with another group expected to arrive next month.

CAIRO (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Sudan on Friday welcomed a deal between the country’s warring generals promising safe passage to civilians fleeing the conflict in the East African nation and protection for humanitarian operations.

The envoy, Volker Perthes, said the agreement was an important first step toward a cease-fire to the fighting which is about to enter its fourth week.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The most violent confrontation in months between Israel and Palestinian militants continued for a third straight day on Friday, as Israeli warplanes struck targets in the Gaza Strip and militants fired rockets toward Jerusalem and southern Israel.

There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side Friday, as foreign mediators pressed ahead with efforts to reach a cease-fire. The past few days of fighting have killed 31 Palestinians in Gaza and a 70-year-old man in central Israel.

11 May 2023; MEMO: European welcomes to Turkiye's invitation to "security and cooperation" to monitor the elections in a statement by the European Commission spokesperson, Peter Stano, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, European Commission spokesman, Peter Stano, said during a press conference on Thursday, "Turkiye is a major partner of the European Union in many ways, and we are closely following the elections in the country."

11 May 2023; MEMO: Israel has taken no accountability for its killings of 20 journalists over the past two decades, a press watchdog's report has revealed on the first anniversary of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh's killing by Israeli forces.

11 May 2023; MEMO: The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution, Thursday, on the human rights impact of the conflict in Sudan, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Calling for an immediate cessation of violence with no pre-conditions by all parties in the fighting between the Army and a paramilitary group, the decision was passed with 18 votes in favour, 15 against, and 14 abstaining at the end of a special session on Sudan.