Israeli, Turkish Leaders to Meet at United Nations

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Reuters file photo
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Reuters file photo
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Israeli, Turkish Leaders to Meet at United Nations

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Reuters file photo
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Reuters file photo

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid is to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, as relations between the two countries thaw.

Lapid's office said he would travel to New York on Monday night, ahead of an address to the General Assembly on Thursday.

The office said that while in New York he would also meet the prime minister of Greece.

A source said the meeting with Erdogan would take place on Tuesday.

It came as Israel's armed forces chief Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi announced his first visit to France and Poland to meet with senior officials in the two countries.

Last month, Türkiye and Israel announced the full restoration of diplomatic ties following years of strained relations.

In May, Mevlut Cavusoglu became the first Turkish foreign minister to visit Israel in 15 years.

Erdogan described a fence-mending visit to Ankara by Israeli President Isaac Herzog in March as "a turning point in our relations".

Relations began to fray in 2008, following an Israeli military operation in Gaza.

Relations then froze in 2010 after the deaths of 10 civilians following an Israeli commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, part of an aid flotilla trying to breach the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

A brief reconciliation lasted from 2016 until 2018, when Türkiye withdrew its ambassador and expelled Israel's over the killing of Palestinians. More than 200 Gazans were shot dead by Israeli forces during border protests in 2018 and 2019.



Pope Francis Slept Well and Is Resting, the Vatican Says 

Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (AFP)
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (AFP)
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Pope Francis Slept Well and Is Resting, the Vatican Says 

Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (AFP)
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (AFP)

Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, slept well overnight and is resting, the Vatican said in a brief statement on Thursday.

The Vatican gave a largely upbeat assessment of his health on Wednesday evening, saying there had been a "further, slight improvement" in his medical condition.

It added that a "mild kidney insufficiency" reported at the weekend had been "resolved".

Wednesday's statement did not specify whether the pope was still considered to be in a critical condition, as he has been listed since Saturday. Despite the pope's improvements, it said his prognosis was still "guarded".

The 88-year-old pope is spending his 14th day at Rome's Gemelli hospital, the longest hospital stay of his papacy.