Briefly

GREECE

Communication with Turkiye always 'open'

Greece will always seek to keep open channels of communication with Turkiye, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday. The prime minister made the remarks at a news conference during the 86th Thessaloniki International Fair in port city Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Mitsotakis rejected "recent unacceptable statements" of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, adding that despite such remarks, he was "always available and open to a meeting with the Turkish leader", Greek national broadcaster ERT reported. During an event in Turkiye earlier this month, Erdogan accused Greece of "harassment" of Turkish fighter jets in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean recently. Greece has rejected the claims.

UNITED STATES

Treasury chief admits 'risk' of recession

The United States faces "a risk" of recession as its battle against inflation could slow the nation's economy, but a serious downturn can still be avoided, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday. A US recession "is a risk when the Fed is tightening monetary policy to address inflation," President Joe Biden's leader on financial, economic and tax policy told CNN, referring to the US Federal Reserve. The Fed is aiming for a "soft landing"－bringing inflation back toward its goal of 2 percent－without forcing a recession, a move which could cause unemployment to spike.

ETHIOPIA

Tigray rebels ready for AU-led peace talks

Ethiopia's Tigray rebels said on Sunday they were ready to take part in peace talks led by the African Union, removing an obstacle to potential negotiations with the government to end almost two years of brutal warfare. The announcement came amid a flurry of international diplomacy after fighting flared last month for the first time in months, torpedoing a humanitarian truce in northern Ethiopia. "The government of Tigray is prepared to participate in a robust peace process under the auspices of the African Union," said a statement by the authorities in the northernmost region of Tigray. The Ethiopian government has long insisted that any peace process must be brokered by the AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa.

SOUTH AFRICA

Mine dam collapse kills 3, wounds 40

A mine dam collapsed in the central part of South Africa on Sunday morning as flooding caused by the collapse destroyed homes and infrastructure, according to the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs. The South African government has deployed different departments at Jagersfontein town in Free State province, following the bursting of the dam killing three and injuring over 40 people, CoGTA spokesperson Lungi Mtshali said. CoGTA said they have deployed police emergency medical services, health, disaster management, social development, search and rescue personnel, and engineers.

Agencies Via Xinhua