"Your resistance inspired the free world," Austin said at the Ramstein base in Germany, denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "unjustifiable." "It is clear that Ukraine has confidence in its ability to win, and so does everyone here," he added.

With Russia aiming to take complete control of southern Ukraine and the Donbas region, Austin said, "We can do more with our defense industrial base to continue to help Ukraine defend itself more effectively."

The United States is meeting in Germany with about forty allies to provide more weapons to Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, while Moscow warned of a "real" danger of a third world war.

"We have decided that Germany will deliver Gibbard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine," German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said. These armored vehicles, whose number is undetermined, come from the German defense industry's stockpiles.

As the war in Ukraine causes unprecedented tensions between Russia and the Western world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has hinted at the possibility of the war expanding into a global conflict.

Lavrov said to Russian news agencies: "The danger is great and real, and it cannot be underestimated." His words came the day after a visit to Ukraine by US Secretaries of State and Defense Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin.

On Tuesday, Austin will hold a meeting at the Ramstein base in Germany with representatives of about forty countries "to provide additional capabilities to the Ukrainian forces," according to the US Secretary of Defense said.

"They (Ukrainians) can win the war if they have the right equipment and the right support," Austin said Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine's victory was only a matter of time.

On Monday, the United States announced an additional $700 million in military aid to Ukraine, bringing its total assistance to $3.4 billion.

The Americans are now providing Kyiv with heavy weapons to repel the Russian forces, focusing their efforts on eastern and southern Ukraine after they failed to control Kyiv.

"We want Russia exhausted to the point where it cannot take steps like invading Ukraine," Austin said. Moscow has not released any toll since March 25, when it confirmed that it had lost 1,351 of its soldiers.

Macron secured 58.5% of Sunday's vote, making him the first French leader to be reelected in 20 years. He and Le Pen advanced to the runoff after finishing in first and second place, respectively, among 12 candidates who ran in the first round on April 10.

Macron also fended off a long-time rival, Marine Le Pen, who vowed to quit politics if she lost in the presidential elections. However, soon after her defeat war, official Le Pen assured his supporters that she would continue to fight for France as elections for the parliament are set on June 12. 

On April 21, three of seven border couriers from Javanrud and Kameran were shot by Iranian security forces. The rest broke their limbs or were severely wounded attempting to escape the shooting in Nawsud, reported Hengaw organization for Human Rights.  

The report mentioned that two other couriers were also injured, trying to escape fire from security forces. 

The report mentioned that two other couriers were also injured, trying to escape fire from security forces. 

Due to the United States sanctions on Iran, many Kurds from Iran financially depend on smuggling on the Iran-Iraq border. An overwhelming majority of them work as border couriers. Couriers risk their lives every day as they walk on a tight rope by climbing rocky mountains dotted with border guard outposts. Border guards consider the business illegal and fire on anyone courier they come across. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will travel to Kiev next Wednesday and will be received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, a day after his trip to Moscow, a statement from the UN spokesman said today. 

Guterres will not only see President Zelenski and his foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba; he will also meet with UN agency staff to discuss "how to optimize humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine."

Hours before this announcement, the Secretary-General had informed of his trip to Moscow next Tuesday. Before being received by Putin, he would hold "a working meeting" with the head of Russian diplomacy, Serguei Lavrov.

Although it has not been described as a "mediation" mission, this is Guterres' first trip to the two warring countries since mid-February, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, triggering the most significant refugee movement in Europe in decades.

Just a week ago, Guterres proposed to Putin and Zelenski an "Easter truce" on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, which began yesterday and continues until Sunday, but got no response from Russia.

The UN has been under fire during the war in Ukraine for its inability to stop the war or even reach a truce or an agreement for "humanitarian corridors," mainly due to Russia's veto power in the Security Council as one of its permanent members.

On Sunday, Alli Allawi, the Iraqi finance minister, told the Iraqi news agency, Waa, “Iraqi enjoys a good financial position, and its country is not in need of financial assistance.” 

The minister added, “Soon, they would meet with International monetary fund and world bank in Baghdad, and they have constructive discussion in Washington and have reached several agreements to support reforms programs. In their meeting with IMF and the world bank, they will work to get technical and advisory roles to strengthen Iraqi capabilities.”

The minister noted, “they have strategic economic agreement with the US and both parties have agreed to assist the other in all levels.”

Iraq’s economy is to grow by 9.5 in 2022, according to a Ashraq Business report, as oil prices have skyrocketed after the Ukraine crisis. 

Today, Sunday, the adviser to the Iranian negotiating delegation in Vienna, Muhammad Marandi, considered that the internal conflict in Washington is impeding reaching an agreement in Vienna.

However, he believed that the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict would eventually force the United States to reach an agreement with his country.

In statements to IRNA, Marandi added that Washington had not taken the necessary political decision to reach a reasonable agreement in the Austrian capital.

He reiterated that various issues such as the need for the West to take basic measures to verify and guarantee agreements, the abolition of sanctions, and the removal of Revolutionary Guards from the list of terrorist organizations "are among the main factors in the sudden halt of negotiations by the United States."

Over the past weeks, the two sides have been exchanging blame for not reaching an agreement to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and the West and throwing the ball into the other's court.

While Washington announced that if Iran wants to ease sanctions beyond what is stipulated in the nuclear agreement, in a clear indication of excluding the Revolutionary Guards from the American list of terrorism, it must address American concerns beyond those addressed in this agreement. 

Tehran has confirmed more than once that it adheres to the demand to lift the embargo imposed on those forces that enjoy great power in the country.

The issue of the IRGC had surfaced weeks ago, forming a difficult obstacle for negotiators, especially since the administration of US President Joe Biden is under extreme pressure from Congress not to remove IRGC from the US terror list.

The file of some sanctions also still constitutes one of the obstacles to reaching a final agreement between Iran, the three European countries (France, Britain, and Germany), Russia and China, and the United States, which participated in the marathon negotiations that began in April last year (2021) in the Austrian capital.

Turkish aggression in Kurdistan region is illegitimate and against international norms, HDP’s representative in Erbil told a group of reporters. 

On Saturday, Hikmet Atas, representative People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Erbil, told Iraqi reporters that Turkish assaults on the Kurdistan region had caused not only material but also human casualties in villages in attacked areas. 

"Turkish military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan are illegitimate and violate international norms. The attacks would cause Turkey, political and economic coasts in the future," he added. 

Rabiha Hamad, head of PUK’s office in Baghdad, told Kurdsat News, “working to prepare for the PUK forum, today in Baghdad the forum was held, and several special committees were formed. Baghdad is different from other cities in terms of recruitment, relations and composition of various groups compared to other cities in the Kurdistan region. 

“Baghdadi Faili Kurds have been oppressed numerous times in the past, and they are not compensated. They are not well-treated in state institutions which is why the PUK shall step up for the Failis, and for that purpose the PUK has formed a special committee,” Hamad added. 

PUK’s chief in Baghdad stressed, “the PUK needs to adopt new policies and programs in Baghdad, and place more focus on Baghdad to achieve Kurdish rights.”

The PUK is to hold its annual forum next month. It has held numerous seminars and gatherings across Iraqi cities in preparation for the annual forum, to be held on May 1. 

Faili Kurds are a Kurdish minority primarily residing in Baghdad that number around half a million.

In the French presidential elections, the two candidates, outgoing President Emmanuel Macron and his nationalist right-wing rival Marine Le Pen remained silent on Saturday, the day after the official campaign for a vote whose results appear decisive for the country's future.

The latest opinion polls revealed that Macron will win the second round, which constitutes a second version of the one that took place in 2017, with a smaller difference than the one recorded five years ago when he received 66% of the vote. However, the abstention rate may have a significant impact.

Both camps fear that their voters will abstain, especially in this period of spring school holidays across the country.

The historical significance of the Election

Whoever wins, this ballot will have historical significance.

Macron will become the first re-elected president since Jacques Chirac in 2002 (and the first president to be re-elected outside a period of coexistence with a government by another politician since the head of state was elected by direct universal suffrage in 1962). As for Le Pen, she will become the first woman and the first leader of the far-right to hold the presidency.

As of Saturday, public meetings and the distribution of leaflets and digital advertising of candidates are prohibited. The results of an opinion poll cannot be published before the first estimates are announced at 20:00 (18:00 GMT) Sunday.

Until the last moment, each candidate urged his supporters to go to the polling stations, stressing that he did not settle anything, whatever the expectations or opinion polls.

Macron concluded his campaign, which he started late due to the war in Ukraine, with a meeting in Vigiac in the rural region of Le Pen (central France). At the same time, Marine Le Pen, who toured around the country for a month, ended her campaign in her stronghold in Pas-de-Calais (Northern France).

Where do the votes of Melanchon voters go?

The two contenders courted voters for the radical leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who came in third place in the first round, which took place on April 10, after Le Pen, and won about 22% of the vote.

Because of the time difference, the overseas territories of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre-et-Miquelon and French Polynesia will vote on Saturday.

The health crisis largely overshadowed the campaign and then the war in Ukraine, which affected the French's purchasing power, the primary concern, given the repercussions of the conflict on energy and food prices.

To attract Melenchon voters, Marine Le Pen has promised to protect the weakest, while Emmanuel Macron has swung to the left, vowing to put the environment at the heart of his business.

TV debate results

The televised debate, on Wednesday evening, between the two candidates who qualified for the second round revealed the profound difference in their positions on Europe, the economy, purchasing power, relations with Russia, pensions and immigration.

Le Pen tried to entrap her rival in the numbers trap, but she fell, embarrassing her when he said that her call to ban the headscarf in public places would lead to a civil war, so her argument declined on this subject.

Macron said, "The issue of the veil concerns a particular religion. Secularism is not a fight against any religion. The veil is forbidden in school, but banning it in cities will lead to civil war. What you are saying is very dangerous."

Whoever wins, the legislative elections scheduled for June could become a "third round", as it is difficult for both Le Pen and Macron to obtain a parliamentary majority. 

Melenchon also expressed his ambition to become prime minister and thus impose coexistence, hoping for a big vote for the deputies of his "Rebellious France" party, which started negotiations with other leftist formations.

On the other hand, a third-round could take place in the streets along the lines of the popular protest of the "yellow vests" in 2018-2019, especially regarding Emmanuel Macron's project to reform the pension systems, which angers part of public opinion.

But if Marine Le Pen wins, the tremors may start from Sunday evening, and the country will enter into the unknown the next day.

The first Kurdish paper focused on raising national and ethnic awareness among the Kurds. Baderkhan called for a Kurdish revolution through education and public awareness on the cover page of the first issue. 

The paper was published in Cairo because it was a relatively free region, and the Ottoman authority in Egypt had eroded. The Baderkhan family continued to publish Kurdistan until 1902. 

Kurdistan was not published on a scheduled timeline but rather on various dates. Few issues of the paper were published in Switzerland.  

Kurdistan was a private paper, probably one of the first private papers in the Middle East and the broader world. It was funded by the Baderkhan family, an aristocratic Kurdish family who were exiled and separated by the Ottoman Empire after an unsuccessful uprising attempt. 

Kurdish papers proliferated after the liberation of Iraq in 2003. As the first autonomous Kurdish polity, Kurdistan Region has helped in the appearance of hundreds of newspapers and media outlets that maintain their independence and impartial coverage. 

Peskov explained to reporters on Thursday that "there was and is an opportunity for the Ukrainian forces to lay down their weapons and get out through the opened corridors."

"The operation continues according to plan," he said, noting that Mariupol was "liberated."

Asked whether the order not to storm the steel plant represented a change of plans, he said, "This is a separate facility, where the remaining group of Ukrainian nationalists are completely surrounded."

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military not to storm the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. He wanted the blockade to continue safely instead, adding that it was necessary to cordon off "the area so that not a single fly could pass."

The Russian President congratulated Defense Minister Sergio Shoigu on the success of the operation in the city of Mariupol in Ukraine and said that the control of Mariupol was successful. There was no need to storm the industrial zone in Mariupol.

Putin also stressed that Russia guarantees not to be disturbed and treat Ukrainian forces leaving the Azovstal facility with respect.

For his part, the Russian Defense Minister told Putin that the situation in Mariupol was calm and allowed the return of civilians, pointing to the Russian forces' control of Mariupol completely, with the exception of the Azovstal factory, where there are still Ukrainian fighters in the factory.

He added that members of the Ukrainian armed formations in Mariupol had weapons capable of reaching Russian regions.

Shoigu stated that at the moment of the encirclement of Mariupol, the number of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries was about 8,100, and added that during the liberation of the city, more than 4,000 of them were eliminated, 1,478 others surrendered, while the remaining group of more than 2,000 militants were surrounded in an area Azovstal Industrial.