Day: May 24, 2026

The F-15SA fleet currently uses the US-made AIM-9X missile. According to the Arab Defense, the integration of IRIS-T suggests an expansion of available weapon options rather than a direct replacement, News.Az reports, citing Militarnyi.

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Such diversification may be aimed at exploiting technical differences between the two systems in different combat scenarios or improving interoperability between Saudi Arabia’s F-15SA and Eurofighter Typhoon fleets, which also use European missiles, thereby increasing training flexibility and logistical support.

IRIS-T

The IRIS-T is a European short-range air-to-air missile developed by a consortium led by Germany, with participation from Italy, Sweden, Greece, Norway, and Spain.

Development began in response to the US AIM-9X and the need for a new-generation, highly maneuverable missile for Eurofighter aircraft. It entered service in 2005 and has since become the standard short-range missile for most European combat aircraft.

The IRIS-T is in service with most countries operating the Eurofighter Typhoon, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Saudi Arabia. It has also been integrated into the JAS 39 Gripen in Sweden and Hungary, the F-16 in Norway, Greece, and Oman, and the F/A-18 in several countries with adapted integration kits.

The system has since been adapted for ground-based air defense use, with the IRIS-T SLS short-range and IRIS-T SLM medium-range systems becoming widely used, including in Ukraine.

The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker capable of generating a full image of the target rather than relying solely on heat signature detection. This improves its ability to distinguish real aircraft from decoys.

A key feature is the combination of a thrust-vectoring system and gas-dynamic control surfaces, giving the missile high maneuverability of up to 60 g and enabling engagement of targets at high off-boresight angles of more than 90 degrees.

The missile has an effective range of about 25 km and is designed to intercept highly maneuverable supersonic targets.

In 2024, the German government approved the sale of 150 IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia after a five-year embargo. The embargo had been imposed over Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Yemen conflict and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

According to the SIPRI arms transfer database, Saudi Arabia ordered a total of 1,400 IRIS-T missiles for its air force in 2009, delivered between 2010 and 2014.

The post Saudi Arabia equips F-15 with IRIS-T first​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

According to the sources, Fidan and Umerov held the meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu agency.

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No further details about the meeting were immediately available.

The post Turkish foreign minister hosts Ukraine’s top negotiator​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

The ministry accused Spain of hypocrisy, noting that Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez and his ministers had not condemned the police violence nearly 24 hours after it occurred, “when they are always quick to condemn Israel under any pretext,” News.Az reports, citing i24 news.

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The ministry also demanded explanations regarding why Spain has not acted yet regarding citizen Saif Abu Kashak, a flotilla activist with alleged ties to Hamas on whom the US imposed sanctions last week.

The post Israel summons Spanish envoy over flotilla violence row​ appeared first on azeritimes.com.

Question: In problems below, all probabilities must be calculated using a TI83 or TI84 calculator or MS Excel. Be sure to list the calculator function in its entirety or the Excel command as your work for each problem.

The fact that Sima Shi had no sons is indeed one reason, but it is also necessary to consider that posthumously honoring Sima Shi would give Sima You a strong claim to the succession. In fact, during the reign of Sima Zhao, Sima You contested the throne with Sima Yan, and during the reign of Emperor Wu, he also contested the throne with Emperor Huai. Therefore, I personally believe that this …

The eighth edition of the International Ethnosport Culture Festival has concluded in Istanbul, bringing together traditional sports, cultural performances, and heritage displays from across the Turkic world and beyond.

Parliamentary elections were held in Cyprus on May 24, 2026, with voters choosing 56 members of the House of Representatives. Formally, the Cypriot parliament has 80 seats, but 24 seats allocated to Turkish Cypriots have remained vacant since 1964, meaning that 56 lawmakers are elected in practice.
The vote took place against a backdrop of growing public frustration with traditional political parties. The campaign was shaped by concerns over corruption, the rising cost of living, expensive housing, high electricity bills, and migration. As a result, the election became not just a routine parliamentary contest, but a wider test of public trust in Cyprus’s established political system.
One of the main developments was the expected rise of the far-right ELAM party. Exit polls suggested that ELAM could win around 10–12.5% of the vote, compared with 6.8% in the 2021 parliamentary elections. If confirmed, this would mark a major advance for the party and could make it one of the strongest forces in parliament after the right-wing DISY and the left-wing AKEL.
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This result would reflect a growing demand among part of the electorate for tougher policies on migration and a more nationalist political agenda. ELAM also takes a hard line on the Cyprus settlement process and opposes major concessions in negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side.
Another important factor is the possible entry into parliament of the new anti-corruption movement ALMA. The movement is associated with former Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides, who built his campaign around transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption. Its potential success shows that many voters are not only worried about economic pressure, but are also deeply dissatisfied with what they see as a lack of accountability among the political elite.
The pro-European liberal party Volt Cyprus is also being closely watched. Its rise reflects a different kind of protest vote — less nationalist and more focused on institutional reform, European values, and political renewal.
For President Nikos Christodoulides, the election is particularly important. Cyprus is a presidential republic, so parliamentary elections do not directly change the government. However, the new balance of forces in parliament could make it harder for the president to pass legislation and build stable political support ahead of the 2028 presidential election. This is especially relevant because centrist parties that have supported Christodoulides — including DIKO, DIPA, and EDEK — were expected to perform less strongly.
In broader terms, Cyprus’s political system appears to be becoming more fragmented. In the past, politics was largely dominated by the main right-wing and left-wing parties, DISY and AKEL. Now, however, new movements, protest parties, and right-wing forces are gaining ground. This could make the next parliament less predictable and complicate the formation of stable alliances.
Overall, the elections in Cyprus were held in a calm atmosphere, but their political consequences may be significant. Traditional parties remain important, but they are losing part of their influence. The far-right ELAM is gaining strength, anti-corruption forces are entering the political scene, and the president’s centrist allies may be weakened. For Christodoulides, this is a warning sign: ahead of 2028, he may need to seek new political partnerships and respond more actively to public demands for change.

The post How Cyprus elections are unfolding amid growing protest mood appeared first on azeritimes.com.

A death threat had been sent to Japan’s Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki before his meeting with supporters held Sunday in the prefecture’s capital city, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The threatening email was sent on Friday to the meeting’s venue, warning that the sender would go to the meeting to “kill Denny Tamaki,” Kyodo according to sources close to the matter.
Police strengthened security around the venue on the day of the meeting, which concluded without incident, the report said.
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“Thorough measures were taken to ensure that no harm would come to prefectural residents,” Tamaki told reporters after the event.
Tamaki, who strongly opposes the contentious plan to relocate a U.S. base within the southern island prefecture, has said he will run for a third term in September.

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