Day: March 6, 2024

ISTANBUL: Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Wednesday, including a meeting between Turkish President Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meeting with Qatari officials over the Gaza cease-fire talks, UN experts accusing Israel of intentionally starving people in Gaza, and International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Russian commanders. TOP STORIES Israeli attacks on Gaza one of century's 'greatest barbarities': Turkish President Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday reaffirmed his condemnation of Israel's "barbarism" against Palestinians. "For the past 151 days, we have been witnessing one of the greatest barbarities of the last century," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in the Turkish capital Ankara. Accusing the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing "blatant genocide against Palestinians," Erdogan s aid this was happening with "unlimited support from Western powers." Blinken meets Qatari counterpart over Gaza cease-fire talks US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Tuesday with his Qatari counterpart amid efforts to reach a six-week cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in exchange for a hostage swap deal. Blinken said ahead of his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the State Department that there is an "opportunity for an immediate cease-fire that can bring hostages home, that can dramatically increase the amount of humanitarian assistance getting to Palestinians who so desperately need it, and can also set the conditions for an enduring resolution." UN experts accuse Israel of 'intentionally starving' people in Gaza The UN experts on Tuesday accused Israel of "intentionally starving" people in Gaza since Oct. 8, 2023, and now targeting civilians seeking humanitarian aid and humanitarian convoys. "Israel has been intentionally starving the Palestinian people in Gaza since 8 Oc tober. Now it is targeting civilians seeking humanitarian aid and humanitarian convoys," the experts said in a statement. "Israel must end its campaign of starvation and targeting of civilians," they urged, as 15 children have already died of malnutrition at the Kamal Adwan Hospital and there are fears that the figures could be higher in other hospitals. International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for 2 Russian commanders International Criminal Court judges on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two Russian commanders over the war in Ukraine, which recently began its third year. In a statement, the court said the judges issued arrest warrants for Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash, commander of long-range aviation of the Aerospace Force, and Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, "in the context of the situation in Ukraine for alleged crimes committed from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023." NEWS IN BRIEF The US is working to open up a maritime corridor to delive r humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the White House said Tuesday. Some 80% of the world's most hunger-ravaged people live in the Gaza Strip, said Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki at an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Saudi city of Jeddah. South Africa's foreign minister warned Tuesday that if talks on the release of hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza fail, there will be an "unbelievable tragedy and catastrophe.' Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel for a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip are still ongoing but are facing 'difficulties,' according to Egyptian media on Tuesday. Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov submitted his resignation to parliament Tuesday as part of a planned step with his party's governing coalition partner under an agreement following last year's elections. More than 99,000 people including 61,492 children have fled their homes due to renewed violence in northern Mozambique, Save the Children said Tuesday. Pales tinian television presenter and journalist was killed Tuesday in an Israeli air raid on the Gaza Strip, pushing the death toll of press members targeted by Israel since Oct. 7 to 133, said officials and state media. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan 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. Three civilians were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to local media. The UNICEF on Tuesday warned that under the current circumstances, malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza would "skyrocket" as at least 10 children have been confirmed to have starved to death. Two people lost their lives on Tuesday following a mid-air collision of two planes over Kenya's capital Nairobi. Former US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel must 'finish the problem' in its war against Hamas as he backed the Israeli army's attacks on Gaza. SPORTS Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain advance to Champions League quarterfinals Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain qualified for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday. Bayern beat Lazio 3-0 in a Round of 16 match to proceed to the last eight phase of the competition. English star Harry Kane scored a double as German forward Thomas Muller scored for the home team. Former Grand Slam champion Simona Halep's doping ban reduced The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday reduced former Grand Slam women's champion Simona Halep's four-year doping ban to nine months. "The CAS Panel has unanimously determined that the four-year period of ineligibility imposed (on Halep) by the ITF (International Tennis Federation) Independent Tribunal is to be reduced to a period of ineligibility of nine (9) months starting on 7 October 2022…' according to a statement by the international sports court. BUSINESS and ECONOMY Russia and China plan to place a nuclear power unit on the moon Russia and China plan to place a nuclear power unit on the moon in the year 2033-2035, said Yury Borisov, director general of Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, on Tuesday. The countries signed an agreement for the joint project on the moon, Borisov said at an event in Moscow. UK lags behind European counterparts in low-carbon energy spending A recent analysis by Greenpeace revealed that the UK falls behind other major European economies in its expenditure on low-carbon energy policies. The country's spending on low-carbon measures from April 2020 to April 2023 amounted to approximately $33.3 billion (£26.2 billion), the lowest among the top five European economies.??????? Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Security staff's strike will cause major disruptions at Germany's Frankfurt Airport on Thursday, the airport authorities cautioned. Security checkpoints will be closed on Thursday due to the strike and passengers departing from Frankfurt Airport will not be able to pass through the legally required security checks. "The strike will cause major disruptions and flight cancellations throughout the day," the airport announced on X. The airport advised passengers to contact their airline or travel operators regarding their flight schedule. The union of the staff, Ver.Di, called a strike on Tuesday over wage negotiations. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday examined The Evidence, a book published by Anadolu that documents Israel's war on the Gaza Strip. During his visit to the Turkish capital Ankara at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abbas was introduced to the book, which highlights the war crimes committed by Israel in the besieged enclave through documented photographs. Expressing gratitude to Anadolu for the book, Abbas underlined the significance of the book in revealing the war crimes perpetrated by Israel in the Palestinian territory. The publication by the Turkish news agency puts together visual evidence of Israeli actions in the besieged Palestinian enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, including the use of white phosphorus. The book was also submitted to the International Court of Justice, where South Africa filed a case accusing Israel of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip sinc e an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people. More than 30,700 Palestinians have since been killed and 72,156 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. 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. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday reiterated Trkiye's determination in the fight against terrorism, stating the country will eventually eradicate 'the roots' of terrorists. 'We will eventually, but certainly, eradicate the roots of the hired killer hordes acting as the henchmen of imperialists,' Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a meeting held in Trkiye's Elazig province. Erdogan said that wherever there is a terrorist within or outside its borders, Trkiye attacks them, and added that peace and security now prevail in places that were known for many years for terrorist conflicts. 'In the mountains like Cudi, where terrorists once roamed freely, and in our plateaus, tourists from different corners of our country and the world now explore it fearlessly. We have entered every place deemed impassable, and cleared them all,' he added. 'Some had dreams of establishing a Terroristan for a separatist organization in Syria. With the operations we have conducted, we have destroyed these p lans,' Erdogan said. In the same way, he said, counter-terrorism operations are progressing successfully 'in line with our objectives.' 'We hold accountable those who, relying on their Western masters, cast greedy eyes on our lands and attempt to divide us, with a reckoning proportional to their actions. We will continue to do so,' Erdogan said. "When it comes to the survival of our homeland, the integrity of our state, and the peace and security of our people, we do not turn a blind eye to anyone,' he added. On Monday, Erdogan had said: 'We're ready to bring new nightmares to those who think they can bring Trkiye to its knees with a terrorist formation along its southern borders,' after chairing a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, referring principally to the terrorist group PKK, based across the border in northern Iraq, and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PKK. In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Trkiye, the US and EU -- has been re sponsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Mathys Tel signed a contract extension Wednesday with Bayern Munich until end of the June 2029. "This contract extension means a lot to me. I've already learnt a lot at Bayern, both on and off the pitch. Munich has become a home for me and my family, and the fans are also very important to me," Tel said after the signing. "I can't be the player I am without them. When you play for Bayern, you always want to win every trophy. I want to score and set up goals, play with heart and energy for Bayern, and give everything for this club and its fans,' he added. Tel, who moved to Bayern from Stade Rennes in the summer of 2022, has made 59 appearances for the Bavarians and scored 13 goals. The 18-year-old French won the Bundesliga title in his first season. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Appeals for an immediate cease-fire in the illegally blockaded Gaza Strip are growing on a global scale while Israel's aggression against the enclave continues. Amid the growing calls, both US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made on Sunday unprecedented remarks in which they urged an immediate cease-fire. 'There's got to be a cease-fire because of Ramadan - if we get into circumstances where this continues to Ramadan, Israel and Jerusalem could be very, very dangerous,' Biden told reporters. In a rare display of American criticism of Israel, Biden also said that there could be 'no excuses' for Israel to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, considering the ongoing suffering of civilians. 'Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table. This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in,' Harris said. 'The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,' she said. 'Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed,' Harris also said. Calls for a cease-fire have been steadily growing since Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas carried out a surprise attack against Israel. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that there is an 'opportunity' for a cease-fire in Gaza. Remarks from Biden, Harris and Blinken indicate a major shift in the US approach to a possible cease-fire in the war-ravaged Strip, as they seem to be reversing the US' long-standing stance that saw a truce as a threat to Israel's security. 'Any cease-fire will give the ability to rest, to refit, and to get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,' State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said back in late October. The US has also blocked UN Security Council resolutions calling for a truce, for the same reason. The Biden administration is also reportedly concerned with regard to Muslim voter preferences in the upcoming electi ons. American Muslims have grown increasingly wary of Biden since the conflict flared up in October, as the '#AbandonBiden' campaign, which started when Muslims in Minnesota demanded that Biden call for a cease-fire by Oct. 31, continues on X. Many months have passed since the campaign kicked off, resulting in Biden approval rating among Muslims hitting historic lows. Another anti-Biden hashtag, '#GenocideJoe' also became trending on X and gained more traction after South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza on Dec. 29, 2023, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). - Calls for cease-fire from West In its 2023 report, the European Parliament made its first-ever call for an "immediate and permanent cease-fire" in Gaza as Israel continued its attacks on the enclave. The report's Article 62 was amended to include the call for an "immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza." In a joint statement, UK and German top diplomats David Cameron and Annalena Baerbock have also called for a cease -fire. 'We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable cease-fire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better - the need is urgent,' they said in late December, also indicating a shift from their previously anti-truce stances. The then-outgoing French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also emphasized the importance of a cease-fire. 'What we think and what we say is that an immediate truce is needed, to move towards a cease-fire,' Colonna said. On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X that he is on the same page with Harris on the necessity of a cease-fire. 'I join US VP Kamala Harris' call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. There should then be no obstacle for a UN Security Council resolution to that effect," he said. "Time for the UN Security Council to act." Spain has also repeatedly called for a cease-fire, and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares reminded on Friday in a post on X that Israel attacked Palestinian civilians waiting in line fo r humanitarian aid. "The unacceptability of what happened in Gaza, with dozens of Palestinian civilians killed while waiting for food, underlines the urgency of the cease-fire," Albares said, referring to Israeli shelling in southern Gaza that killed 112 people and injured 760 more. "Humanitarian aid must be able to enter without hindrance. Compliance with international humanitarian law is mandatory,' Albares said. Belgium also called for a cease-fire, with the country's Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib saying on X: 'The tragedy in northern Gaza reinforces Belgium's call for an immediate ceasefire!' 'Respect for international law is an absolute priority. Civilians must be protected,' she added. - Eastern bloc, non-aligned countries also call for cease-fire Since the conflict reignited, Eastern countries such as China and Russia, in addition to non-aligned countries like Brazil, have been calling for a cease-fire. "An immediate ceasefire in Gaza is a prerequisite to save innocent civilians and provide huma nitarian assistance and a key to avoiding further escalation and proliferation of the conflict," Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said in a statement on Wednesday. On Monday, Mikhail Bogdanov, Moscow's special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, held talks with Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares and both officials called for a cease-fire. 'At the same time, the importance of further vigorous efforts aimed at achieving an early ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and providing necessary humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population was noted,' a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry after the meeting said. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive, now on its 152nd day, on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people. More than 30,700 Palestinians have since been killed and over 72,000 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. 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. 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. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Armenia decided to end the duties of the Russian Border Guards at Zvartnots International Airport in the capital Yerevan, local media reported on Wednesday. According to the Armenian news agency Armenpress, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan told the press that the service at the airport should be fully performed by the border guard troops of Armenia, saying: "Armenia has a clear position on this issue and has informed the Russian Federation about it with an official letter.' Grigoryan further stated that during this period of independence, his country was acquiring capabilities in various fields. 'At this moment, Armenia has full capability for full control over the airport,' he added. Earlier, Armenian National Assembly President Alen Simonyan said that he believed it would be appropriate for the Russian border guards to depart. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not yet received any Armenian requests regarding this issue. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: In a Tuesday maritime standoff with the Philippines, China flouted international law, risking the safety of everyone on board the Filipino ships, the Pentagon said. 'Dangerous maneuvers by PRC (Chinese) ships near Second Thomas Shoal caused collisions with lawfully operating Philippine vessels, injured Filipino crew members, jeopardized the safety of all on board, and showed disregard for international law,' Defense Department spokesman Maj. Patrick Ryder said on X. Ryder also expressed US solidarity with its ally the Philippines. China's Coast Guard on Tuesday blocked Filipino supply missions to its grounded warship the BRP Sierra Madre in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, causing a collision. The two sides filed diplomatic protests while Manila reiterated its claims over the shoal as part of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The maritime neighbors have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal - also known as the Ayungin Shoal, Bai Co May, and Ren'ai Jiao - wh ich is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Beijing claims vast maritime territory in the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line, which in 2016 The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said has no legal basis under international law. China says the ruling is not valid and has been in negotiations with ASEAN since 2002 for a code of conduct for the disputed sea. The shoal 'can neither be the subject of a sovereignty claim nor is it capable of appropriation under international law,' said Manila. In the wider Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines is the oldest ally of the US, which also condemned China over 'provocative actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations.' Washington extended support to Manila, saying the US 'reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft - including those of its Coast Guard - anywhere in the South China Sea.' "The Ren'ai Jiao issue is a matter between China and the Philippines. The US or any third party has no right to intervene or use the issue to sow discord," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing. Mao said the US State Department "statement on the South China Sea is a clear misrepresentation of facts." "The responsibility for the recent incident in waters of Ren'ai Jiao lies completely with the Philippines," she added. Speaking to reporters in Australia, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he 'does not' think China's recent actions would be a reason to invoke the defense pact with the US. He added, however: 'We continue to view with great alarm this continuing dangerous maneuvers and dangerous actions that are being done against our seamen, our coast guard. And this time, they damaged cargo ship and caused some injury to some of our seamen and I think that we cannot view this any way but in the most serious way.' Source: Anadolu Agency

ANTALYA: Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina??????? Zeljka Cvijanovic said there is a greater imbalance in the world with conflicts increasing and diplomatic efforts to stop killings decreasing. ''This world is becoming a more and more unfair place. You can see a lot of conflicts of interest and conflicts of use. What we see less and less and missing is real diplomatic efforts to actually stop killings,'' the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina said in an interview with Anadolu on the sidelines of the 3rd Antalya Diplomatic Forum. Regarding Israel's attacks on Gaza, Cvijanovic said Bosnia strongly champions peaceful solutions through diplomacy. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive, now in day 152, on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people. More than 30,700 Palestinians have since been killed and over 72,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. "It is very difficult for us from Bosnia and Herzegovina to talk about wars. We know how difficult it is to cope with all these developments -- war, family tragedies, killings and shootings. We always advocate peaceful solutions to any conflict on this planet regardless of where it takes place,'' she said. Cvijanovic emphasized that it takes decades to overcome the problems that arise from conflicts. 'We strongly advocate that diplomacy should be number one in dealing with different issues and looking for solutions to these issues,'' added Cvijanovic. She said the Forum is a valuable event where world leaders can exchange ideas. "I think this is a very important meeting, a good opportunity for all of us. It is a very good opportunity to hear the stance of our country's friend and host Trkiye, and to get the opinions of our colleagues and to exchange views. Different countries' views on global issues. I think it's very important to listen to their views," said Cvijanovic. 'We highly appreciate President Erdogan's attitude' Cvijanovic said Bosnian leaders and the public very much appreciate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attitude toward Bosnia Herzegovina and the region. ''I would like to state that we highly appreciate President Erdogan's attitude. He always encourages us to find domestic and internal agreements. We cannot expect someone from outside to impose good recipes or formulas on our lives. He always encourages us to be united and take appropriate steps for our future,'' said Cvijanovic. The three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which saw the participation of nine heads of state and government, as well as 25 foreign ministers from the African continent, concluded Sunday. Source: Anadolu Agency