ANKARA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's economy outperformed market expectations, with a year-on-year growth of 4 percent in the first quarter, the Turkish Statistical Institute announced Wednesday.

This growth follows a 3.5 percent annual expansion in the final quarter of 2022. Economists surveyed by the Anadolu Agency had expected Türkiye's growth to be 3 percent on an annual basis in January-March.

Despite the negative impact of the massive Feb. 6 earthquakes, domestic demand played a significant role in achieving this growth.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Western countries have been putting considerable pressure on Ankara for a year and a half to impose sanctions on Russia but Ankara, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told Al-Khabar TV yesterday.

"They … demand sanctions, and ask why we are cooperating with the Russian Federation," he added. "But we did not listen to anyone, and we celebrated … delivering the first fuel shipment to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant."

MOSCOW, May 31 (Reuters) - Drones attacked two oil refineries just 40-50 miles (65-80 km) east of Russia's biggest oil export terminals on Wednesday, sparking a fire at one and causing no damage to the other, according to Russian officials.

Drone attacks deep inside Russia have intensified in recent weeks with strikes on Moscow, oil pipelines and even the Kremlin ahead of a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

At around 0100 GMT a drone struck the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region, causing a fire which was later extinguished, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.

KYIV, May 31 (Reuters) - The U.N. has proposed that Kyiv, Moscow and Ankara start preparatory work for the transit of Russian ammonia through Ukraine as it tries to salvage a deal allowing safe Black Sea grain exports, a source close to the talks said on Wednesday.

As the preparatory work starts, the U.N. wants parallel talks to be held on widening the Black Sea deal that was agreed last July to include more Ukrainian ports and other cargoes, said the source, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

TOKYO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese parliament on Wednesday enacted legislation to allow nuclear reactors in the country to be operated beyond the current limit of 60 years in a push to cut carbon emissions and ensure stable electricity supplies.

The newly approved bill allows nuclear plants to operate for longer than 60 years if approved by the industry minister and is subject to regular inspections by the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Scores of public sector employees in Syria have resigned due to poor wages that do not meet their basic needs, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.

According to the paper, the province of As-Suwayda recently recorded 400 resignations.

The Syrian citizens' purchasing power has decreased greatly in regime-controlled areas, due to the significant drop in the exchange rate of the Syria lira against the US dollar.

PARIS, May 31. /TASS/: The West may reconsider its aid for Ukraine, if the conflict turns into a protracted one, French President Emmanuel Macron said during the Globsec international security conference in Bratislava, adding that high hopes are being place on the potential Ukrainian counter-offensive.

NEW DELHI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and two others injured Wednesday after a blast took place inside a firecracker godown in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, police said.

The blast took place at Ellakattava village in Tirupati district, about 758 km southwest of Visakhapatnam, the main city of Andhra Pradesh.

According to police, the explosion immediately triggered fire inside the godown.

The police rushed the fire brigade to the spot to contain the blaze. An investigation into the blast is underway.

SYDNEY, May 31 (NNN-AAP) – Scientists announced today that, an examination of 107-million-year-old fossils revealed, giant flying reptiles once soared Australia’s skies.

Two tiny fossils were found in the Australian state of Victoria in the 1980s, but researchers have only just confirmed its origin.

ANKARA, May 31 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is viewed as almost certain to include former economy chief Mehmet Simsek in his new cabinet, either as finance minister or as a vice president responsible for the economy, four senior officials said.

Simsek was highly regarded by financial markets when he served as finance minister and deputy prime minister between 2009 and 2018. A key role for him now could signal a departure from years of unorthodox policy underpinned by low interest rates despite high inflation and heavy state control of markets.

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (NNN-AKP) – Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd (CAIC), yesterday signed a joint venture agreement, with Singapore’s SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC), to form aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services in Cambodia.

Under the agreement, CAIC will hold a 49 percent equity stake in the joint venture, with SIAEC holding 51 percent, said a joint statement.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s intelligence agency said Wednesday that a retired agent was among four people killed in northern Italy when a sudden storm sank a houseboat hired for a weekend pleasure cruise on a lake.

The former agent was on the vessel with 22 other people on a lake near the town of Lisanza. Two Italian intelligence agents and a Russian woman — part of the two-person crew — also died.