Author: Daily Sabah With Agencies

Fireworks and drone displays depicting the iconic golden World Cup trophy lit up the Riyadh skyline Wednesday night as Saudi Arabia officially secured the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The announcement, though expected, marked a significant milestone in the kingdom’s ambitions to establish itself as a global sports powerhouse. A speech by President of FIFA Gianni Infantino is broadcasted on a screen during a ceremony, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 11, 2024. (AFP Photo) Pride and celebration Despite Saudi Arabia being the sole candidate since last year, the formal confirmation by FIFA spurred grand celebrations across the Gulf…

The Ministry of National Education (MEB) in Türkiye has revealed the country’s first “Perception of Violence Survey” report. Mustafa Otrar, director general of special education and guidance services at the MEB, stated that one of the key findings was the alarming 91.5% rate of “touching in private areas” being recognized as violence. Professor Murat Okcu, a faculty member at Süleyman Demirel University, emphasized the growing use of artificial intelligence to harm children, adding that 300 million children are subjected to online sexual abuse annually. Otrar, who presented to the Children’s Rights Subcommittee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, explained…

Barcelona edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on Wednesday, with substitute Ferran Torres delivering two decisive goals in the final 15 minutes. The win secured the Catalan side a place in the knockout phase, leaving Dortmund to rue missed opportunities and defensive lapses. Raphinha opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, calmly slotting home after a pinpoint through ball from Dani Olmo. However, Dortmund quickly leveled seven minutes later when Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty, awarded after Pau Cubarsi’s clumsy shove in the box. Torres, introduced for the ineffective Robert Lewandowski, made an immediate impact. In the 75th minute, he pounced on…

In eastern Türkiye, two separate chain collisions on the Van-Erciş highway due to fog and ice resulted in one death, four serious injuries and 51 people with minor injuries on Tuesday. A large number of vehicles, including a truck, minibus, bus, van and cars, collided at around 7:30 a.m. local time near the rural Göllü neighborhood on the Van-Erciş highway. Following the accident caused by fog and ice, many health, police, gendarmerie, National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE), Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), and fire teams were dispatched to the scene. Approximately 30 minutes later, around 8 a.m., a second…

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to discuss the latest situation in Syria since the collapse of the Bashar Assad regime, the Turkish Presidency said Tuesday. Türkiye has always defended the preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity and stability since the civil war broke out, with Ankara continuously stressing Syria should be governed by the Syrian people, Erdoğan told Rutte. He confirmed that Türkiye will continue to do its best to build a whole Syria rid of terrorism, the presidency said. Anti-regime groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Assad in an…

Türkiye is opening a border gate on the southern frontier with Syria to manage the safe and voluntary return of the millions of Syrian refugees it hosts, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday, after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar Assad. Speaking at a news conference following a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara was ready to support Syria’s rebuilding in any way it can. In one of the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations, opposition forces seized the Syrian capital, Damascus, and Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war and more…

Syria has entered a “new era” after anti-regime forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar Assad in a lightning advance, Türkiye said Monday, pledging unwavering support for the Syrian people at a time of uncertainty. “We expect international actors, especially the United Nations, to reach out to the Syrian people and support the establishment of an inclusive administration,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in a speech to ambassadors in the Turkish capital. He emphasized that it has always been stated from the outset that a permanent solution, peace, and stability in Syria can only be achieved through national reconciliation. Recalling that the…

Syrian nationals who took shelter in Türkiye after fleeing the regime attacks in their country, celebrated on Sunday the apparent end of Assad as anti-regime forces captured Damascus. From a historic district of Istanbul to a town on the border with Syria, celebrations were ubiquitous in the Syrian refugee community living in Türkiye. In Istanbul’s Fatih, a hub for refugees who set up businesses there after fleeing Syria, the community gathered at a historic mosque for morning prayers. After the prayers, they convened in the courtyard, chanting God is Great in celebration. In nearby streets, some Syrian nationals formed convoys…

Security sources said on Sunday the Syrian National Army (SNA) of the opposition now controls 80% of Manbij, a stronghold of the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing YPG. The SNA recently launched Operation Dawn of Freedom to weed out the terrorist group from territories it seized in northeastern Syria. Tal Rifaat was liberated from terrorists in late November. Sources said the SNA, advancing through northern and western parts of Manbij, entered the central town, which has been occupied by the terrorists since 2016. Residents of Manbij have joined the efforts, rising up against the terror group and rescuing prisoners held…

Türkiye, Iran, Russia and five Arab countries on Saturday urged a political solution in Syria to stop military operations there and protect civilians. In a joint statement released by the countries’ foreign ministers after they met in Doha, they said the crisis in Syria posed a threat to regional and international security. The call was also echoed by U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen. He called for urgent political talks in Geneva to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, urging immediate action to address the ongoing crisis in Syria. “The situation is changing by the minute. So when…