Turkey

Turkish currency lira has lost about 40 per cent of its value this year against the US dollar, while the annual inflation hit almost 20 per cent in October. he currency tumbled to a fresh historic low against the greenback on Tuesday, and one dollar was traded at 13.50 liras. Grocery stores, shops and supermarkets in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul have been continuously reflecting the losing value of the lira to the prices.

Attending a joint press conference with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Erdogen said, "It is truly ingratitude to say that the refugee crisis is caused by Turkey." He also added that it was Greece that has pushed refugees to their deaths in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Mitsotakis, denying the claims that his government pushed back the refugees, said on Tuesday that Greece intercepted boats coming from Turkey but , Xinhua news agency reported.

The motion, passed on Tuesday, will authorise cross-border operations to be carried out in Iraq and Syria from October 30, 2021 to October 30, 2023, Xinhua News Agency reported. The previous cross-border motions were only for one-year duty. The motion also allowed the deployment of foreign armed forces in Turkey with the principles to be determined by the president.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan welcomed a new statement by several Western embassies in Ankara, which noted that they abide by a diplomatic convention that stipulates not to interfere in a host country's internal affairs, reports Xinhua news agency. "Our intention is never to cause a crisis but to protect our honour, our pride, our sovereign rights. The new statement shows they have taken a step back from the slander against our country. They will be more careful now," President said.

"We all know that this decision is not a just and appropriate decision, but a political decision," he said at a press conference. "It is Europe and the West that finances terrorism and gives it strength and direction. We are the ones who pay the price and struggle of this, but it is Turkey that they blame." Along with Turkey, the FATF also place Mali and Jordan on its increased monitoring list, reports Xinhua news agency.

While addressing a virtual meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of State on Friday, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had accused Iran of conspiring with Armenia and promoting drug trafficking for nearly three decades.

Calling the proposal "important", Zabihullah Mujahid, the Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, said a summit comprising the Foreign Ministers in Kabul "will pave the ground for resolving the current political challenges", TOLO News reported. "In total it is a better step, and we praise it and we will welcome them (diplomats)... And this can kind of resolve the political problems that we have with foreign countries."

"We maintain stand in favour of solving the ongoing problem in Kashmir for 74 years through dialogue between the parties and within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions," he said on Tuesday in his speech at the General Assembly's summit.

"We have controlled 125 out of the 132 fires in the last five days, and are still fighting the remaining seven ones," Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli told reporters on Monday. Firefighters have hard times in Marmaris and Bodrum, the resort towns of Mugla province, because of a low humidity rate which dropped to 10 per cent in the morning hours.

Over 70 wildfires have been reported since Wednesday across the country. Scorching heat and strong winds have fanned the fires in different regions as 4,000 firefighters battled the blazes, aided by helicopters and planes, local media have reported. Around 100 firefighters and over 80 civilians were injured, mostly from smoke inhalation, emergency authorities have announced.