Day: March 5, 2024

ISTANBUL: China on Tuesday vowed to "resolutely" oppose Taiwan "independence," as Premier Li Qiang delivered his maiden government report to the second session of the country's national legislature. Ensuring both development and security, Li stressed, Beijing will "resolutely" oppose "Taiwan independence" and 'external interference' while upholding international fairness and justice. 'Stability is the basis for everything we do," Li told nearly 3,000 deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC), urging localities and government departments to adopt more policies conducive to keeping expectations, economic growth and employment stable.? Li said the country's armed forces 'will strengthen all-around military training and combat readiness, make well-coordinated efforts to improve military preparedness ... so as to firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests.' "We will implement our (Communist) Party's overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question, stay committed to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus," Li said, adding Beijing "will promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations" and will be "firm in advancing the cause of China's reunification."? He added China's military budget would increase by 7.2% to 1.66 trillion yuan ($231.4 billion). As the world's second-largest $18 trillion economy faces headwinds, Li set a target of 'around 5%' gross domestic product growth (GDP) for this year. President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders also attended the opening meeting of the NPC at the Great Hall of the People in the capital Beijing. The Chinese government has 'taken into account the need to boost employment and incomes besides preventing and defusing risks' including in property, local debt, and small and medium-sized financial institutions, Li said in the report. The world's second-largest economy last year saw growth of 5.2%, matching the official target of around 5%. With an urban unemployment rate of around 5.5%, Xi's g overnment seeks to create over 12 million jobs in urban areas this year, according to the government report. With a focus on high-quality development, Li said the government will launch the 'AI Plus initiative' besides enhancing disruptive and frontier technology research. He said the government will ensure 'national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises' while working toward joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Tens of hundreds of China's political elite, including lawmakers, officials and advisers, have gathered in the capital Beijing for the annual Two Sessions. More than 2,000 members of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held their second session at the Great Hall of the People on Monday. The NPC has announced that Li will not meet the press after the session concludes on March 11. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: The southeastern Australian state of New South Wales has reported the first deaths caused by a lithium-ion battery fire, the state's Fire and Rescue (FRNSW) service said on Tuesday. The FRNSW said in a statement that four people were inside a townhouse in Teralba in the Lake Macquarie area when a fire broke out last Thursday. The state has recorded 45 lithium-ion battery-related fires this year, or five incidents a week, said the FRNSW. After investigations, the FRNSW said a battery was compromised and immediately went into a process 'where a Lithium-Ion cell overheats and gives off toxic gases before exploding in flames.' 'Two of the occupants escaped the intense flames but two others inside the townhouse were killed, their bodies recovered from the unstable ruins on Friday and Saturday,' it said. It appears 'to be the state's first recorded deaths' due to a lithium-ion battery-related fire, the FRNSW said, urging people to maintain 'caution.' According to the statement, the FRNSW will "forma lly identify the victims" and prepare a report, after which the NSW Coroner will formally determine the cause of death. FRNSW records show that there were 269 such fires in the state last year, at the same weekly rate. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Trkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and police in Istanbul detained seven suspects for allegedly selling information to Israel's Mossad intelligence service, security sources said on Tuesday. One of the suspects captured in the joint operation was identified as Hamza Turhan Ayberk, a former civil servant and a private detective. Mossad contacted Ayberk through an operative codenamed "Victoria," said the sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. MIT established that he was leaking information to the Israeli intelligence service in exchange for money, they said. He was found to have formed a team of people, including public officers, to provide information to Mossad, and was also found to have compiled information on Middle Eastern individuals and companies in Trkiye based on the instructions he received, the sources added. Secret communication applications Ayberk was trained by Mossad in Belgrade in 2019, and was first used by the Israeli secret service for simple jobs, the sources said. While he used secret communication applications under the direction of Mossad, he also received payments in cryptocurrencies so that they would not be included in official records, they said. In addition to leaking information, Ayberk also engaged in threats and surveillance activities. Ayberk transmitted the locations of his targets to the Mossad with a tracking device he placed on their vehicles, harassed them and occasionally made threats, the sources said. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X: '7 suspects were captured in the operation KOSTEBEK-2, which was carried out simultaneously against Israeli Intelligence elements in Istanbul.' 'We will never allow espionage activities to be carried out within the borders of our country. We will catch them one by one and bring them to justice,' he vowed. He said during the operation, "unlicensed guns, various amounts of drugs, an electronic device used to detect a listening device," as well as "a large number of digital materials, documents, and foreign currency" were recovered. Source: Anadolu Agency

Council of Europe member states should impose, without delay, a moratorium on the export, sale, transfer and use of highly intrusive surveillance software for journalists such as Pegasus. This is stated in the recommendations of the Council of Europe's (CoE) Annual Assessment of threats to media freedom and safety of journalists in Europe, by the partner organisations of the Safety of Journalists Platform. Apart from the unlawful deployment of spyware against journalists, main concerns highlighted in the 2024 annual report include the use of abusive lawsuits against journalists to hamper their investigative work and the precarious situation of many journalists in exile, notably from Russia and Belarus. Released under the title 'Press Freedom in Europe: Time to turn the Tide', the report assesses the major issues undermining press freedom - including threats and intimidation, detention, restrictive legislation, abusive lawsuits, media capture and attacks on public service media - and issues recommendations t o address them. According to the report, both Hungary and Greece were singled out for criticism in the report of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA), adopted by the European Parliament on 15 June 2023. The Committee made targeted recommendations for Hungary, Poland, Greece, Cyprus and Spain, it is noted. MEPs said spyware 'should only be used in member states where allegations of spyware abuse have been thoroughly investigated, where national legislation is in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU, and where export control rules have been enforced.' The assessment of threats to media freedom and safety of journalists in Europe further notes that member states must refrain from illegally deploying spyware against journalists and comply with their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights to ensure the legality, necessity and proportionality of each case. It also states that judicial authorities should fully investigate any alleged misuse of the software and governments should establish strict procedures for reviewing, using and storing any information obtained. The Pegasus scandal, exposed by the journalistic collaborative project Forbidden Stories in 2021, revealed that nearly 200 journalists around the world have been targeted with Pegasus spyware. Spyware had been used to surveil journalists in Azerbaijan, France, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. In the report, it is also said noted in 2023 the Council of Europe listed 13 member states which had completely removed defamation from their domestic criminal law, while four others - Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lithuania and Serbia - had implemented partial decriminalisation. Regarding Turkey, the report says that national security has been invoked to justify imprisonment of journalists, including under the accusation of extremism or terrorism of journalists with alleged links to the banned Kurdish Worker s' Party (PKK). Commissioner for Human Rights releases memorandum on freedom of the media in Turkey ------------------ Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, in a separate Memorandum on freedom of expression and of the media, and the situation of human rights defenders and civil society in Turkey, released on Tuesday, said that "freedom of expression is in peril in Turkey, with journalists, human rights defenders and civil society operating in a critically hostile environment, marked by systematic pressure and legal action against them'. She further said the "deterioration of freedom of expression in Turkey has reached new, deeply worrying levels, characterised by numerous blatant violations of human rights standards. As time goes by with the authorities failing to address these violations, the damage caused to media freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey leaves an increasingly deep mark, leading to self-censorship by journalists and independent media. The same can be said for the public in general, including the younger generation. All in all, the situation has generated an impoverished, one-sided public debate. 'The judicial actions targeting journalists, civil society, human rights defenders and lawyers remain the most worrying manifestation of continuous and concerted pressure exerted in a deliberate attempt to silence critical voices and to prevent them from reporting on ongoing human rights violations in Turkey', said the Commissioner. 'The authorities should remedy this highly detrimental situation and create an enabling environment for the exercise of freedom of expression and of the media and freedom of association", she added. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Ambassador of the United States to Cyprus Julie D. Fisher met with Mayor of Famagusta Dr. Simos Ioannou and Dr. Sleyman Uluçay on March 5 for a joint tour of the Walled City of Famagusta, the US Embassy said in a statement issued on Tuesday, adding that they viewed historically significant sites and discussed the rich cultural heritage of the city and its importance to the island. According to the statement, the US Ambassador recognized the long history of American support, particularly the contributions made by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) towards the restoration and preservation of historical sites like the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, Desdemona Park, and the Sea Gate, and towards capacity building for the civil society networks in Famagusta, adding that the restoration of shared cultural heritage sites continues to encourage connections between people and communities. It is added that she expressed her appreciation for the commitment of Dr. Ioannou and Dr. Uluçay for the ir shared endeavor to bring the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities together. The United States continues its long-standing commitment to bringing Cypriots together to find a way forward for the peace and prosperity of the island, the Embassy finally notes. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. During the second phase of the Turkish incasion in August 16, 1974, Turkey took the city of Famagusta, under its control. Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a "ghost town". UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) considers any attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the UN. UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) also urges that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the area at present under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha. On October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Then, in July 2021, Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, announced a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. In his latest UNFICYP report, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, reiterates his concern over any new developments in the fenced-off area of Varosha and the lack of response to the Security Council's call for a reversal of the actions taken since the announcement of the partial reopening in October 2020. The has EU also expressed concern. Source: Cyprus News Agency

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, referred on Tuesday to the most important policies that his administration promoted and implemented since assuming office a year ago stressing that "we have laid the foundation to achieve the best Cyprus that we all envision". In a televised message on the occasion of the completion of the first year in office, the President said that "I certainly do not claim that in these first twelve months we did not avoid mistakes. But I can confidently say that we laid the foundation to achieve the best Cyprus that we all envision". At the center of our priorities, he stressed, remains the Cyprus issue and recalled that in the coming days the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General for Cyprus will return to the country to continue her contacts. The appointment of Maria Angela Holguín Cuéllar, he said, and the beginning of a new effort to restart talks was the result of our own persistent efforts and initiatives. "Without ignoring the difficulties and challenges as a result of the Turkish stance, we approach Holguin's mission with absolute seriousness and as a window of opportunity for the resumption of substantive talks. Our effort for a more active involvement of the European Union, taking into account the full spectrum of Euro-Turkish relations falls within this framework. Such a development can lead us, through the solution of the Cyprus issue, to a mutually beneficial state of affairs", he continued. Referring to the economy, he said that the upgrading of our economy to investment grade by all rating agencies is a vote of confidence and a reward for the prudent policies we follow and is based on fiscal responsibility, solid financial system and continuous reforms". He also said that addressing the immigration problem was of high importance for the government in its first year, so as Cyprus is no longer considered an attractive destination. As a result of our work, he pointed out, for the first time, asylum seekers and others leaving Cyprus have increased by 66% and their number is higher than the one of those that arrive. "The data speaks for itself," he said. The President also said that the policies and actions that were decided, implemented or that have been launched, will be made public and that the Ministers and Deputy Ministers will present at press conferences the work they have accomplished so far. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Issues concerning the electricity interconnection among Greece, Cyprus and Israel were discussed on Tuesday during a meeting of the Minister of Finance, Makis Keravnos, and the Chairman of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) in Greece, Manousos Manousakis, at the Ministry of Finance. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Finance, the two sides briefed each other and exchanged views on issues related to the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electricity interconnection and in particular on the further promotion of the procedures for the financing of the project. It is noted that Manousakis was accompanied by an IPTO delegation. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye's foreign minister on Tuesday told Muslim nations that there was "overwhelming expectation" that they take immediate action on the situation in the Gaza Strip, not ruling out doing so unilaterally. "There is an overwhelming expectation from us to act right now, even if it means doing so unilaterally," Hakan Fidan said in an address at the Extraordinary Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Fidan also called for the development of a plan to "counter the atrocities in Gaza," as Israel continues its attacks on the besieged Palestinian enclave for nearly five months. "As the Muslim world, we must devise a plan on three grounds to counter the atrocities in Gaza," he said, emphasizing that the implementation of a decision to stop weapons shipments to Israel "must be monitored." He continued: "On the actual ground, we should prevent people from starving to death by breaking the Israeli siege." "On the political and diploma tic front, we should increase the pressure on Israel through every available means by acting collectively and with one voice," he added. Fidan stressed that on the legal ground, efforts to uphold international law at all costs are "indispensable." He also welcomed a resolution at the session calling for OIC members to get involved in "cases before the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court." Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed over 30,000 people and injured nearly 72,000 others, with mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Gaza siege 'must be broken' Fidan also underlined that the blockade around Gaza "mus t be broken." "This must be done now," he said, adding that Israel is using humanitarian aid as a "weapon in war." He stressed that more than 400,000 Palestinians are facing starvation. "We cannot leave the people of Gaza at the mercy of Israel or wait for the blessing of hegemonic powers," he said. "It is our solemn duty to turn grievances of Palestinians into peace, security and dignity in their own state and in their own lands." The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. Gazans cannot be left at Israel's mercy The minister also emphasized that Israel's "extremist and racist government" has been attempting "yet again to deceive the world." He said the government of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been propagating that an operation on Palestinians trapped in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip "is a must." Asserting that Israel is using humanitarian assistance as a "weapon of war," Fidan stressed that human rights groups and non-governmental organizations should be allowed in Gaza, "accepting whatever risks." "We cannot leave the people of Gaza at the mercy of Israel or wait for the blessing of hegemonic powers," he said. Source: Anadolu Agency