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As the fragile Iran-Israel truce took hold, there was no letup in Turkey’s diplomatic efforts Wednesday to prevent any return to a conflict fraught with risk for Ankara’s domestic and regional policies. Hours after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met him for talks on the sidelines of a NATO summit for their third conversation in 10 days. Erdogan’s “intensive diplomatic efforts” to curb the conflict also involved calls with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian and top Middle Eastern leaders.”Turkey has been trying very hard to de-escalate the situation, but it’s not seen as a credible mediator, neither by Iran nor by Israel,” Gonul Tol of the Washington-based Middle East Institute told AFP.Turkey’s ties with Israel have been shattered by the Gaza war and Iranians see Ankara as complicit “because it hosts this strategic radar”, she said of a NATO early-warning system at Kurecik base in eastern Turkey that can detect Iranian missile launches. Turkey has categorically denied radar data was used to help Israel but its presence has rattled Iran — with several Iranian military officials warning it could be “the first target” in case of a wider war, she said. Even so, Erdogan reportedly sought to set up US-Iran talks in Istanbul last week, which only failed because Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — in hiding due to assassination threats — couldn’t be reached to approve it, the Axios news site said. Unsettled by the long arm of Israel’s reach, Erdogan upped Turkey’s deterrence, ordering the defence industry to increase production of medium and long-range missiles. warning Ankara was “making preparations for every kind of scenario”. “Concerns about a possible Turkish-Israeli confrontation in the short term seem exaggerated… (but) both would be wise to reduce tensions,” said Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).- Fears of Iran in chaos -For Turkey, the big fear would be seeing neighbouring Iran plunged into chaos as happened in Iraq and Syria, said Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. “Ankara absolutely does not want to see Iran descending into chaos, decentralisation or civil war which could create cross-border threats or fresh refugee flows,” he told AFP.In Iraq and Syria, destabilisation had created a power vacuum that was used by the Islamic State (IS) group and Kurdish PKK militants “to launch attacks into Turkey”, fuelling Ankara’s efforts to support both nations’ recentralisation, he said. But “the biggest risk” would be another flow of refugees: “If Iran collapses, there’s only one country the Iranians will flee to in large numbers: Turkey,” he said.On Friday, Erdogan warned Germany’s Friedrich Merz the conflict “could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration” although there was no sign of any influx at the Turkish border last week. – Risk to Turkey’s PKK move? -Turmoil in Iran could also harm Ankara’s efforts to draw a line under its decades-long conflict with the PKK, which last month said it would disarm, Tol said. Although most PKK-linked groups embraced the call to disarm, its Iranian affiliate, the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), did not, with Ankara concerned any unrest could embolden recalcitrant Kurdish separatists. “The worry is that this chaos may strengthen the PJAK. There are PKK fractions who are not happy with (founder Abdullah) Ocalan’s call who could think: why disarm now when there’s so much chaos we can capitalise on,” she told AFP. A more immediate concern for Turkey was the economic implications of the conflict, she said, with its crisis-hit economy already “struggling” with rising energy prices while fighting hard to bring down inflation. “But if Iran closed down (the Strait of) Hormuz, that would mean a bigger jump in energy prices and that’s something Turkey is deeply worried about,” she said.Oil prices spiked during the 11-day conflict as concerns grew that Iran might disrupt supplies passing through Hormuz, peaking on Monday after US warplanes hit Iran. With the ceasefire taking hold, Turkey was breathing easier Wednesday — although the Iran-Israel crisis remained high on the agenda at the NATO summit. 

Efforts to vaccinate children against deadly diseases are faltering across the world due to economic inequality, Covid-era disruptions and misinformation, putting millions of lives at risk, research warned Wednesday.These trends all increase the threat of future outbreaks of preventable diseases, the researchers said, while sweeping foreign aid cuts threaten previous progress in vaccinating the world’s children.A new study published in The Lancet journal looked at childhood vaccination rates across 204 countries and territories.It was not all bad news. An immunisation programme by the World Health Organization was estimated to have saved an estimated 154 million lives over the last 50 years.And vaccination coverage against diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles, polio and tuberculosis doubled between 1980 and 2023, the international team of researchers found.However the gains slowed in the 2010s, when measles vaccinations decreased in around half of the countries, with the largest drop in Latin America. Meanwhile in more than half of all high-income countries there were declines in coverage for at least one vaccine dose.Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Routine vaccination services were hugely disrupted during lockdowns and other measures, resulting in nearly 13 million extra children who never received any vaccine dose between 2020 to 2023, the study said.This disparity endured, particularly in poorer countries. In 2023, more than half of the world’s 15.7 million completely unvaccinated children lived in just eight countries, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the study.In the European Union, 10 times more measles cases were recorded last year compared to 2023.In the United States, a measles outbreak surged past 1,000 cases across 30 states last month, which is already more than were recorded in all of 2024.Cases of polio, long eradicated in many areas thanks to vaccination, have been rising in Pakistan and Afghanistan, while Papua New Guinea is currently enduring a polio outbreak.- ‘Tragedy’ -“Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available,” said senior study author Jonathan Mosser of the US-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).”But persistent global inequalities, challenges from the Covid pandemic, and the growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunisation progress,” he said in a statement. In addition, there are “rising numbers of displaced people and growing disparities due to armed conflict, political volatility, economic uncertainty, climate crises,” added lead study author Emily Haeuser, also from the IHME.The researchers warned the setbacks could threaten the WHO’s goal of having 90 percent of the world’s children and adolescents receive essential vaccines by 2030.The WHO also aims to halve the number of children who have received no vaccine doses by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.Just 18 countries have achieved this so far, according to the study, which was funded by the Gates Foundation and the Gavi vaccine alliance.The global health community has also been reeling since President Donald Trump’s administration drastically slashed US international aid earlier this year.”For the first time in decades, the number of kids dying around the world will likely go up this year instead of down because of massive cuts to foreign aid,” Bill Gates said in a separate statement on Tuesday.”That is a tragedy,” the Microsoft co-founder said, committing $1.6 billion to Gavi, which is holding a fund-raising summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned on Wednesday that global trade tensions were “intensifying” as he addressed the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum.Officials including Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong are among those attending this week’s gathering in the northern port city of Tianjin, known colloquially as the “Summer Davos”.Li said the global economy was …

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Arriving in Tel Aviv after 12 days of war with Iran, Dorit Tzarum says among drinks on a crowded beach in the Israeli city that “it feels like California”.The devout Orthodox woman hasn’t left her apartment in Jerusalem throughout the missile fire, scrupulously respecting the restrictions imposed by the Israeli government.Travelling the 70 kilometres (43 miles) to Tel Aviv, she sits with her adult son Yair on a bench to watch the waves after the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of exchanging strikes. “We’re very happy tonight. We succeeded, we destroyed the Iranian nuclear threat with the help of (US President) Donald Trump,” said Yair, a restaurant chef at the coastal city, renowned for its partying, fashion and music. “Life can go on.”On Wednesday, schools, offices and transport will reopen after the lifting of restrictions.”I’m not religious but I pray that I won’t hear any more sirens, that I won’t have to run and hide in a shelter,” says Yafit Sofi, 33, between sips of beer.”We want to party, we want to live, to regain our carefree attitude… But how long will this last? What will the next war be?” the young woman asks. “So many people want to kill us, so many countries want to destroy Israel. And each time, it’s worse.”Israel launched its campaign in a bid to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.The Israeli action killed at least 610 civilians and wounded more than 4,700, according to the Iranian health ministry.Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 28 people, according to official figures and rescuers.- ‘Felt like a game’ -Many of the young people interviewed by AFP said they remain traumatised by the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants which killed 1,219 people.Israel’s retaliatory military campaign spawned into fighting on several fronts. Unlike rockets from Hamas or Hezbollah, its Lebanese ally, Iranian ballistic missiles have proven more difficult for Israel’s ultra-sophisticated air defence system to intercept. And the metropolis of Tel Aviv, which had previously been relatively unaffected, has been hit several times in recent days.”At first we felt like it was a game, it all seemed unreal. We were at the beach and suddenly we were running into shelters to hide,” says Dorothea Schupelius, 29, while strolling along a palm-lined ledge at sunset. “And then no, it wasn’t a game: real people died,” she says. “Everyone suffered.”No one mentions the famine raging across the border in Gaza.Israel’s campaign has killed at least 56,077 people, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.The territory of more than two million people is suffering from famine-like conditions after Israel blocked all supplies from early March to the end of May and continues to impose restrictions, according to rights groups.- ‘We’re pawns’ -Fashion designer Noa Karlovsky has a pile of wedding dresses sewn for her clients in her loft in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv.”Many of our men are in Gaza, and with the war in Iran, even more weddings have been cancelled,” she says sadly. “We can’t plan anything, we don’t really control our lives anymore. Our leaders are at war, but we’re just pawns. I’d like to start a family, but I wonder if it’s a good idea,” adds the thirty-year-old. Omet Btami and Eyal Chen, both 25, say they trust the government.”Anyway, we’re not going to wait our whole lives for peace to return for good. Tomorrow, you’ll see, everyone will be celebrating,” says Noa.”Here, resilience isn’t just a word.”

Classified US intelligence suggests that American strikes on Iran set back its nuclear programme by just a few months, contradicting President Donald Trump’s claim of total destruction.Here are the latest developments as a truce between Iran and Israel appeared to be holding early Wednesday:- US intel report -US media on Tuesday reported that a classified US intelligence document had concluded that American strikes last weekend did not fully eliminate Iran’s centrifuges or stockpile of enriched uranium.B-2 bombers hit two Iranian nuclear sites with massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs while a guided missile submarine struck a third with Tomahawk cruise missiles.Trump initially said the attacks had “obliterated” the nuclear sites while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington’s forces had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”.But a preliminary report by the Defense Intelligence Agency said the bombings sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings, according to US media, which cited sources familiar with the findings.Trump rebuffed the media reports.”THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED!” the president posted on his Truth Social.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed the assessment was authentic but said it was “flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked.””The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear programme,” Leavitt posted on X.- Iran-Israel ceasefire holds -A US-proposed ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding early Wednesday.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed a “historic victory” in the 12-day conflict.In a national address Netanyahu vowed to thwart “any attempt” by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme, which armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said Israeli strikes had set back “by years”.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed his nation’s “heroic resistance” in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.Pezeshkian has said Iran will respect the ceasefire as long as Israel holds to its terms, adding that Tehran will continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic power but was “ready to resolve the issues… at the negotiating table”.- Final salvos -Israel “refrained” from further strikes on Iran on Tuesday after a call between Trump and Netanyahu, the premier’s office said, though it did destroy a radar installation.Trump had accused both Iran and Israel of violating the ceasefire he announced late on Monday, but hours later he posted that it was in effect.”Following President Trump’s conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel refrained from further strikes,” a statement said.Iran’s state media said on Tuesday that a wave of missiles was headed towards Israel around the time the ceasefire was expected to take hold.Israeli emergency services later said four people were killed in a missile strike in the southern city of Beersheba.At least 50 impacts have been acknowledged across Israel since the war began, and 28 people have been killed, according to official figures.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 610 civilians, Iran’s health ministry said on Tuesday.- International relief -After mounting fears of regional spillover, the international community breathed a sigh of relief at the apparent Iran-Israel truce.Trump, who had previously toyed with “regime change” in Iran, rejected the idea en route to a NATO summit in the Netherlands.”If there was, there was, but no I don’t want it. I’d like to see everything calm down as quickly as possible,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.Meeting Trump on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump’s efforts, hoping it would be permanent,” his office said. Russia and Germany are among the other countries to hail the truce.burs-kir/mjw/pst