Day: June 13, 2021

Britain on Sunday appealed for respect from EU leaders, saying that they are speaking about Northern Ireland as if it were not part of the UK.

“We have serially seen senior EU figures talk about Northern Ireland as if it were somehow a different country from the UK,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, speaking to SkyNews.

“That is not only offensive, it has real world effects on the communities in Northern Ireland – it creates great concern, great consternation.”

Raab’s remarks came on the closing day of a G7 summit in Cornwall, England and after French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly said during the meeting that Northern Ireland was not part of the UK.

The diplomatic spat between the UK and the EU continued on the sidelines of the summit over the issue of border checks on goods received by Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Macron reportedly was responding to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was questioning how he would feel if sausages from Toulouse could not be transported to Paris.

An Elysee source speaking to the BBC said Macron was talking about “geographical territory.”

“President Macron said that Toulouse and Paris are on the same geographical territory, Northern Ireland is on an island,” the source was quoted as saying.

“The president wanted to stress that the situation was quite different and that it was not appropriate to make this kind of comparison.”

“Could you imagine if we talked about Catalonia, the Flemish part of Belgium, one of the Lander in Germany, northern Italy, or (the island of) Corsica in France as different countries?” Raab asked.

“We need a bit of respect here and also, frankly, a bit of appreciation of the situation for all communities in Northern Ireland,” he said.

Raab underlined that the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol – reached last December – had been “very lopsided” and had had “real life effects” on people in Northern Ireland.

“What we cannot have is the continuing disruption of trade and effectively try to change the status of Northern Ireland, contrary to the consent and wishes of the people, which is not just contrary to the Northern Ireland Protocol but also to the Belfast Agreement,” he added, referring the landmark 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson Saturday urged the EU towards “pragmatism and compromise” on the ongoing problems with the Northern Ireland protocol.

Meeting at the summit with EU leaders Ursula Von der Leyen and Charles Michel, as well as the French president and the German chancellor, Johnson said he was looking for “urgent and innovative solutions” to the problems of the protocol.

A statement from the Elysee Palace said Emmanuel Macron warned Johnson that the British government must “honor their word” over the Brexit deal.

In his meeting with Merkel, Johnson “underlined the UK’s position on the Northern Ireland Protocol and the need to maintain both the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UK.”

– Latest spat

The latest war of words between Britain and the EU started last week over ongoing uncertainties on the Brexit regulations related to Northern Ireland.

The spat came after David Frost, the UK’s Brexit minister, urged EU officials to show “common sense” and compromise on checks over goods transported to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK – a requisite under the Northern Ireland Protocol signed last December by both parties.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic threatened to retaliate with a ban on selling some products in Northern Ireland.

The protocol necessitates border checks on any animal and plant-based products, including frozen meet and processed meat products, before their transport to Northern Ireland, which is aligned with EU rules and regulations.

The protocol creates a de facto trade border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and rest of the UK.

The UK is considering the extension of the grace period, which allowed many of the products into Northern Ireland with relaxed checks, beyond June 30, when it will end.

The EU, however, says such a unilateral extension would be a breach to the internationally signed Brexit agreement.

The UK left the bloc on Jan. 31, 2020 as a result of a 2016 referendum that ended the country’s 47-year membership in the European club.

The agreement signed by the sides included the Northern Ireland Protocol, which practically avoided a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Israeli soldiers arrested three children from the Aida refugee camp on Saturday, according to media reports.

The Palestinian news agency, WAFA, said Mahmoud Baraqaa,14, Amhad Zakaria Baraqaa, 15, and Abdullah Abu Srour, 14, were detained while playing football.

Israeli police also arrested three others in occupied East Jerusalem. Witnesses said the detainees were in their 20s and were threatened with weapons by authorities.

Israeli officials have not yet commented about the arrests.

A total of 4,634 Palestinians were arrested by Israel in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in 2020, according to a report by Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

As many as 543 detainees were children and 128 women, the report said, adding that Israeli forces expanded the arbitrary detention of women and children in 2020 and resorted to various torture methods during detentions.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to save himself at the cost of Palestinian blood, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Netanyahu tried to prevent political opponents from forming a government by escalating tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the ministry said in a statement.

“Netanyahu and his team have been relying on the spiral of bloody violence since 2009 to defend the stronghold of the right and the radical right in the occupying state,” it said. “Netanyahu is doing all this to free himself from the guilty seat in court at the cost of Palestinian blood and the future of Palestinian generations.”

Barring a last-minute surprise, Israel’s opposition coalition is likely to get 61 votes it needs to win the confidence of the 120-member Knesset, or parliament, on Sunday.

The opposition coalition is comprised of three right-wing parties: Yamina, headed by Naftali Bennett, and Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party with six seats each. And Yisrael Beiteinu, headed by Avigdor Lieberman with seven seats.

Three centrist parties are also part of the “change” bloc. They include the There is a Future party headed by Yair Lapid with 17 seats, the Blue and White party headed by Benny Gantz with eight seats, and the Labor Party headed by Merav Michaeli with seven seats.

In addition, one left-wing party, Meretz, headed by Nitzan Horowitz with six seats, completes the bloc.

The coalition also enjoys the support of the United Arab List headed by Mansour Abbas, with four seats.

If the coalition wins the Knesset’s confidence, Bennett and Lapid will take turns occupying the premiership, with each leading for two years of the four-year term.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey on Saturday condemned an attack by the terror group YPG/PKK on a hospital in Afrin, northern Syria which killed at least 13 civilian patients and injured dozens.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry “strongly” condemned the attack and its perpetrators, including one of the YPG/PKK’s other aliases, the so-called SDF.

“The PKK/YPG/SDF, which does not hesitate to target innocent civilians and healthcare workers who work tirelessly to serve the Syrian people under all conditions, with artillery and missiles, has once again demonstrated its terrorist organization identity and bloody face,” the statement said.

“In this respect, we invite the international community to see the truth and to end their support for this terrorist organization operating under different names,” it said.

Turkey has often accused Western countries of turning a blind eye to the vicious attacks of the YPG/PKK, and blasted some countries such as the US for supporting the terror group.

“We reiterate that we will resolutely continue our fight against all terrorist organizations that pose a threat to our national security and Syrian civilians, always and everywhere,” it added.

The statement also wished God’s mercy on those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to the wounded.

-‘Malicious attack’

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun condemned the attack on innocent civilians as well as the supporters of the YPG/PKK terror group.

On Twitter, Altun wished God’s mercy on those who lost their lives in the “malicious attack” and a speedy recovery to the wounded.

“We know this terrorist organization with such a dark spirit that attacked a hospital in Afrin and killed innocents waiting for healing. I condemn the vile attack of the Syrian branch of the anti-human terrorist organization and wishes God’s mercy on those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to the injured,” Turkey’s Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also “strongly” condemned the attack.

“The Syrian branch (YPG) of the terrorist group (PKK) showed its brutal face once again. Staying silent in the face of this attack means being complicit to this crime,” Kalin said on Twitter.

-YPG/PKK ‘anti-humanist terror group’

Omer Celik, a spokesman for Turkey’s Justice and Development (AK) Party, also denounced the attack.

“The YPG/PKK targeted the al-Shifa Hospital in Afrin and caused the death and injury of many of our civilian Syrian brothers, once again showing that it is an anti-human terrorist organization,” Celik said on Twitter.

“We condemn this cowardly attack which targeted innocent civilians and a hospital. Turkey’s fight against the PKK and its extensions will continue. A total struggle must be waged against all forms of terrorism, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said,” he added.

Celik also criticized some countries for claiming that they support YPG/PKK terrorists to fight Daesh/ISIS terrorism in the country – an excuse cited by the US.

He called on these countries to end their support for the terror group.

Turkey’s National Defense Ministry also denounced the attack.

“The targets of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, which carried out the attack, came under immediate fire. This cowardly attack, which directly targeted innocent civilians, was reported to the Russian Federation,” said a ministry statement.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Turkish president on Sunday stressed the importance of alliance ahead of Monday’s NATO summit.

“We will participate in an important summit where decisions will be taken regarding the NATO 2030 process, which will determine the alliance’s roadmap for the next ten years,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters before his departure for Brussels.

“Turkey will once again underline the importance of alliance with its allies,” Erdogan said, adding Turkey does not only protect its borders but also NATO’s borders.

Erdogan said a wide range of issues, including bilateral ties, will be discussed during his meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

He said although Turkey fulfills its promises regarding the purchase of F-35 jets, the US failed to do it.

In 2019, Washington announced it was taking Turkey out of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system.

The US claimed that the Russian S-400 would compromise security on the F-35s, but Turkey said these fears were baseless, and has repeatedly proposed setting up a commission to clarify the issue.

On Afghanistan, Erdogan said Turkey is the “only country that can be trusted to continue the process” after the US’ withdrawal from the country.




– Terror attack in Afrin

Condemning the terror attack on a hospital in Afrin, northern Syria, the Turkish president said the attack shows the treacherous and barbaric character of the YPG/PKK terror group.

The YPG/PKK’s Saturday attack on a hospital in northwestern Syria killed at least 13 civilian patients and injured more than 27, said officials in southern Turkey.

Leaders of NATO countries at Monday’s summit will discuss the path that the military alliance will follow over the next decade against challenges such as China, Russia, and cyber threats.

The leaders will gather Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels for the first time since 2018.

Erdogan will meet with the US president – their first meeting since Biden took office – as well as with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s machinery exports reached $9.2 billion in the first five months of this year, according to figures released by a sector association on Sunday.


The sector’s exports increased by 37% year-on-year in the January-May period, and 12% versus the same period in 2019, the Machinery Exporters’ Association said in a press release.


Turkey’s machinery exports to the country’s 10 main destinations in this field — such as Germany, the UK, France and Poland — increased by 18% during the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2019.

Kutlu Karavelioglu, the head of the association, said the global goods trade increased 18% in the first quarter and suddenly surpassed $5 trillion level in the last two quarters, adding that considering that global exports have not exceeded $18.5 trillion level annually for a long time, it is inevitable that this unexpectedly pace of improvement will have after effects.


The main reason for the increase in value in the trade of goods is high orders, he stressed and noted global inflation, logistics problems and some raw materials which are on the black market or whose exports are restricted also fuel the price increase.


The concern that “the supply will not be enough” has quickly reflected in machinery and equipment investments, Karavelioglu underlined.


He highlighted that the sector has been constantly receiving new machine orders.


The sector may revise its export target of $21 billion for 2021 after these positive figures, he added.


Touching on the EU’s machinery imports, which has reached $360 billion during the pandemic, Karavelioglu said Turkey’s exports were $12 billion to the EU countries during this period but it is not enough.

“We aim to get a much thicker slice of this cake,” he added.

Source: Anadolu Agency

England on Sunday started the UEFA EURO 2020 with a victory by beating Croatia 1-0 in a Group D game at London’s Wembley Stadium.

English forward Raheem Sterling scored the winning goal in the 57th minute.

Sterling had a through ball as he entered the Croatia box to make a close-range finish. Kalvin Phillips assisted him, giving the Three Lions the 1-0 win at Wembley.

During the game, England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who was subbed in the 82nd minute, become the youngest player in a European football championship.

“RECORD! Jude Bellingham becomes youngest player in history to appear at a EURO (17 years and 349 days),” EURO 2020 said on Twitter.

On matchday two this Friday, England will play against rivals Scotland at Wembley Stadium.

Source: Anadolu Agency

_:India reported 80,834 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, its lowest daily rise in the last 71 days, the country’s Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The country also reported 3,303 fatalities over the last day.

The total number of confirmed infections has now reached 29.4 million and deaths toll stands at 370,384 in the country.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 370 million samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far. Of these, 1.9 million samples were tested on Saturday alone.

The active caseload has now declined to over 1.02 million, while the weekly positivity rate has dropped to 4.72%, the data showed.

India has administered over 253 million vaccine doses, according to the ministry, with 204 million people have gotten their first doses, while over 48 million have been fully vaccinated.

India has the second-highest coronavirus cases in the world after the US. The country stands third behind the US and Brazil in terms of deaths.

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Source: Anadolu Agency

Right-wing politician Neftali Bennett on Sunday secured the required Knesset votes to become Israel’s new prime minister, paving the way to ending the 12-year reign of Premier Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Thank you Benjamin Netanyahu for your lengthy and achievement-filled service on behalf of the state of Israel,” Bennett told the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) ahead of a vote of confidence for his coalition government.

Bennett, 49, is known for his hard-line stance against the Palestinians, as he has repeatedly expressed opposition to the idea of creating an independent Palestinian state.

Bennett entered politics in 2005 as a deputy to Netanyahu, and since then he held many positions, including top roles in the defense, economy, and education ministries.

He argues that Israel should annex parts of the occupied West Bank that it captured during the 1967 Middle East war – a move that would be illegal.

-Rotating premiership agreement

After Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas forged an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire to end Israeli attacks on Gaza last month that killed 254 Palestinians, Bennett and Netanyahu’s rival in the main opposition – Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid – agreed to form a coalition.

After changing the name of his Jewish Home Party to Yamina in 2018, the party was part of the Netanyahu-led coalition. It won seven seats in the general elections of March 23.

Under an agreement between the two politicians, Bennett will assume the premiership for the first two years, followed by Lapid.

Long-term prospects for the for the eight-party coalition – which includes right, left, and centrist parties, plus Arab parties representing Palestinians with Israeli citizenship – seem shaky at best.

In 2013, Bennett delivered controversial remarks saying that “Palestinian terrorists” should be killed instead of being released. He also claimed that the West Bank was not under occupation and that there is no such thing as a Palestinian state.

The Israeli politician became a millionaire thanks to a tech company he built from scratch and throughout his political career, has always appealed to far-right voters.

Bennett’s parents were born in the US, and his aggressive rhetoric against Palestinians has made headlines during his political career.

Source: Anadolu Agency