JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a new government by the midnight Tuesday deadline and returned the mandate he received from President Reuven Rivlin on April 6.

"Shortly before midnight, Netanyahu informed the President's House that he had not been able to form a government and therefore he was returning the mandate to the president," said a statement issued by the President's House. (Israel- Gov't-Formation)

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BAGHDAD -- The militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group on Wednesday attacked an oil field in Iraq's Kirkuk Province, killing two security members and blowing up two oil wells, a government statement and provincial security source said.

A statement by the media office of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil said IS militants blew up two oil wells and set them ablaze in Bai Hassan oil field in the al-Dibis area northwest of the namesake provincial capital Kirkuk, some 250 km north of the capital Baghdad. (Iraq-IS-Oil Attack)

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ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the delivery of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines in a phone call on Wednesday, Turkey's presidential office announced.

Erdogan stated that he expects the shipment of the vaccines to be sent from Russia as planned within the scope of the agreement, the presidency said in a written statement. (Turkey-Russia-Vaccine)

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CAIRO -- Egyptian and Turkish delegations led by senior diplomats held talks in Cairo on Wednesday in a bid to normalize ties and end eight years of rift between the two countries.

"Now the political consultations between Egypt and Turkey begin," said Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez in a statement, noting that the meeting was co-chaired by Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza and his Turkish counterpart Sadat Onal. (Egypt-Turkey-Ties) Enditem

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