STOCKHOLM, October 24. /TASS/: Sweden has fulfilled its commitments to Turkey and is now ready to join the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

"Sweden has fulfilled its commitments. Sweden has amended its constitution, changed its laws, expanded counter-terrorism cooperation, and resumed arms exports to Turkey," he pointed out at a press conference in Stockholm. "I look forward to welcoming Sweden as a full NATO Ally in the very near future," Stoltenberg added.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The gas-rich nation of Qatar has become a key intermediary over the fate of more than 200 hostages held by Hamas militants after their unprecedented attack on Israel, once again putting the small Arabian Peninsula country in the spotlight.

The negotiations have also thrust Qatar into a delicate international balancing act as it maintains a relationship with those viewed as militant groups by the West while trying to preserve its close security ties with the United States.

DODOMA (Tanzania), Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A multimillion-dollar deal signed between Emirati maritime giant DP World and Tanzania looks set to further entrench the dominance of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Africa’s freight industry.

Reports of the $250m deal first emerged in July, sparking criticism by the opposition that it “violated Tanzania’s constitution and endangers national sovereignty”.

Activists petitioned a court to halt the deal and were briefly detained for planning anti-government protests.

BEIJING, October 24. /TASS/: Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a decree to dismiss Defense Minister Li Shangfu, China’s central television has said.

Presidential decree No. 14 says Li has been removed from the posts of a member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and Minister of National Defense in accordance with a decision made during the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on October 24, 2023, the broadcaster said. The appointment of a new minister has not yet been announced.

TEHRAN, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday the promotion of bilateral ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia will effectively enhance regional cooperation and help resolve the problems of the region.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Iran Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi in the Iranian capital Tehran to receive his credentials, according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.

CAIRO, Oct 24 (NNN-MENA) – The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, announced yesterday, the launch of a new tripartite round of ministerial negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

In a statement, the ministry said, the new round kicked off in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, yesterday morning, with the participation of delegations from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

TEHRAN, Oct 23 (NNN-ISNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, yesterday warned that, the region had turned into a “powder keg” and any miscalculation by Israel and its supporters could lead to “heavy and bitter” consequences for them.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting South African Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, following their meeting in the Iranian capital, Tehran, earlier in the day, during which they discussed bilateral ties and regional issues.

WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - During the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 - the last time people walked on the moon - U.S. astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan collected about 243 pounds (110.4 kg) of soil and rock samples that were returned to Earth for further study.

A half century later, crystals of the mineral zircon inside a coarse-grained igneous rock fragment collected by Schmitt are giving scientists a deeper understanding about the moon's formation and the precise age of Earth's celestial partner.

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — The Biden administration is designating 31 technology hubs touching 32 states and Puerto Rico to help spur innovation and create jobs in the industries that are concentrated in these areas.

President Joe Biden is set to announce the hubs on Monday at the White House with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden told a crowd of Democratic donors over the weekend about a decades-old photo he took with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an aside that seemed intended to illustrate his long support of Israel and track record of speaking bluntly with the conservative Israeli leader.

Philadelphia  (AP) —Local elections in Democratic strongholds at both ends of Pennsylvania next month could show how voters feel about progressive candidates and issues such as abortion and crime ahead of the 2024 election.

Philadelphia will get a new mayor, and Allegheny County — where Pittsburgh is the county seat — will see a new executive. Voters there will also decide whether to reelect the district attorney with backing of another party, after his long career as a Democrat.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States renewed a warning Monday that it would defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack under a 1951 treaty, after Chinese ships blocked and collided with two Filipino vessels off a contested shoal in the South China Sea.