Day: March 12, 2024

President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday evening said that a teleconference of the participants in the initiative for the maritime humanitarian corridor to Gaza is to take place on Wednesday at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, noting at the same time that Cyprus will host technocrats from all participating countries, so that the next steps can be promoted. In statements to journalists on his way to an event in Nicosia, and asked whether another departure was on the cards, President Christodoulides expressed his satisfaction with the first departure of a ship to Gaza. He noted that it would take around 48 hours since its departure to reach its destination. 'It is an effort, a journey that has just begun and will certainly continue with the sole goal of providing humanitarian aid that is so badly needed in the region', he said. It is also an indication of the recognition of the role of the Republic of Cyprus in the region, the President added. He noted that this effort started in October 2023 an d that through coordinated actions 'we reached today to this development, which among many others, I repeat, highlights the importance of our country in the region'. He also said that there were constant developments in this matter, since on Wednesday, there will also be a teleconference between the Foreign Ministers of the countries that participate in this effort, namely the Republic of Cyprus, the USA, the United Kingdom, the European Commission, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the next steps. At the same time, he added, Cyprus will host technocrats from all participating countries, in order to promote the next steps. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Three astronauts and a cosmonaut sent to space as part of Space X's Crew-7 mission returned Tuesday to Earth after six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX shared images and videos on X of the splashdown of the capsule off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. The recovery crew arrived at the capsule three minutes after it hit the water, with thermal cameras to track recovery operations. The Dragon capsule carrying the astronauts, including American Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen from Denmark, Satoshi Furukawa from Japan and Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, landed at 5.50 a.m. local time. The descent and landing were broadcast live, showcasing the safe return of the crew after spending 199 days in orbit. The astronauts will undergo a series of health checks. They were launched to the ISS on Aug. 26, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the six-month mission. Source: Anadolu Agency

Inequality in sports persists in media coverage, sponsorship and pay, the President of the European Parliament said today in Strasbourg, during an event celebrating Women's Day, where footballers from the national Spanish women's team were invited to speak. Metsola added that this inequality is part of a systemic problem that the European Parliament is working hard to uproot. She also noted that it is up to each one of us to facilitate this paradigm shift, making it easier for women to remove unfair barriers, and a reminder of the work still to be done. She then thanked the footballers for shattering stereotypes and showing that gender does not have to hinder the road to success Ivana Andrés and Alba Redondo from the Spanish women's national football team addressed the Plenary, saying that a fairer, more equal society needs to be built through education. They added that sports are a unique tool that can change lives and educate, and girls around the globe must be given female role models to help them overco me obstacles. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Boeing has suppliers in Trkiye with a business volume that hit $2.5 billion in the last decade as it 'looks for other collaborations in Trkiye for the coming period,' the company's country executive for Trkiye and Central Asia told Anadolu. 'Trkiye provides advantage for us as Boeing with its strong aviation ecosystem,' said Aysem Sargin. She noted that long-term expectations for the aviation sector have always been positive as it started to recover as of 2022 after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic was over. Sargin said the growth in the sector gained momentum last year, and that Boeing Trkiye saw growth reaching beyond projections. 'The aviation industry saw a rapid recovery worldwide, followed by a transition to growth. Trkiye has been one of the fastest-recovering countries in terms of passenger traffic and it has become one of the pioneers in identifying the need for aircraft and taking action,' she said. Sargin pointed out that there are notable airlines in Trkiye, and they are upda ting their growth projections. 'Trkiye has a strong aviation and defense industry, and it is an important player in the global supply chain,' she said. 'Depending on global demand, the more airplanes made, the more our companies in Trkiye involved in the supply chain will produce, and the more they will export.' ? 'Trkiye is in an excellent position geographically and in terms of aviation' Sargin emphasized that the engineering capability of Trkiye is quite high. 'As aviation production goes up and new technologies are adapted, Turkish engineers will have a lot of work to do; therefore, the growth of this high value-added sector is a very positive development for Trkiye, as on the one hand, the aviation sector provides the know-how in Trkiye to increase, and on the other, it supports companies with regular capital inflow, allowing them to make long-term investments, thus further improving their competitiveness in the international arena.' She said the growth of Istanbul Airport is expected. 'Trkiye is i n an excellent position geographically and in terms of aviation, and if we look at the past decade, airlines in Trkiye grew much faster than expected, and we see very rapid growth in many aviation-related areas in the country,' said Sargin. Business volume of $2.5 billion Sargin mentioned that they cooperate with suppliers intensively in their production models, as they have 'good suppliers.' 'We have had a business volume of $2.5 billion in the last decade and we are looking at other collaborations in Trkiye for the coming period,' she said. Sargin stated that Central Asia is open to growth in aviation. 'We see new breakthroughs in trade and tourism in this region, as Central Asia has become more in touch with the world. Of course, Trkiye is a very important partner in the region and we share their culture and historical roots,' she said. 'Boeing can play a good role here, and Trkiye is certainly a very important bridge to Central Asia,' she added. Source: Anadolu Agency

KARACHI: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Ankara and Islamabad need to work together to achieve the annual target of $5 billion in bilateral trade. In a meeting with Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Pacaci at the prime minister's office in Islamabad, Sharif called upon the two sides to enhance their bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest including trade, defense, connectivity and culture, according to an official statement. Pakistan and Trkiye, he said, have consistently supported each other on core issues and would continue to do so in the future. Appreciating the congratulatory telephone call and message of felicitations from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately after his re-election, Sharif congratulated Trkiye on the successful flight of homegrown 5th generation fighter aircraft KAAN. Reiterating his invitation to Erdogan to visit Islamabad, he said the people of Pakistan looked forward to the visit that would also provide an opportunity to carry out extensive con sultations during the 7th session of High Level Strategic Coordination Council. Pacaci, for his part, congratulated Sharif on his re-election, conveyed best wishes from the leadership of Trkiye, and emphasized the importance of strengthening the fraternal ties. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has congratulated Pakistan's newly-elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, who assumed office on Sunday. According to Trkiye's Communications Directorate, during a phone conversation with Zardari on Tuesday, Erdogan said he expects relations between the two countries to develop in every field, and voiced his hope that the new term will be auspicious for Pakistan. The Turkish president also condemned terrorist attacks in Pakistan during the election period, saying Trkiye will continue to support Islamabad in combating terrorism. Zardari, 68, co-chairman of the center-left Pakistan People's Party, was elected as the country's 14th president for a five-year term on Saturday. The ruling coalition's candidate defeated Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a veteran politician from southwestern Balochistan province. Zardari was also the president from 2008 to 2013. Pakistan held general elections on Feb. 8, after which Shehbaz Sharif was re-elected as the prime minister. Source: A nadolu Agency

CORUM: Turkish security forces have arrested three suspected Daesh/ISIS terrorists in central Trkiye, according to local authorities on Tuesday. The suspects were arrested in Corum province as part of an operation against the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group, a local governorship statement said. Two of the suspects were found to have been wanted by Interpol with a red notice, it added. The suspects were taken to the police station for further procedures. In 2013, Trkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist organization. The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks. In response, Trkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks. Source: Anadolu Agency

Minister for Labour and Social Insurance Yiannis Panayiotou, underlined the importance of monitoring and evaluating the actual results of national and European policies on social issues, during a joint meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) of the EU which took place in Brussels on Tuesday. The joint session focused on economic and social policy issues, in particular social investment and reforms for more sustainable economies. Panayiotou also took part in a meeting with his Employment Ministers counterparts, which focused on adequate wages in the context of the growing economies of member states. "I participated today in the joint meeting of EU's Finance and Labour Ministers, where we discussed the interconnections between economic and social policy, with an emphasis on the added value of social investment for the sustainable development of the economy," Panayiotou said in a statement after the meeting. "I referred to examples of people-centred policies implemented by our government in line with the needs of society and the capabilities of the economy, while I stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluating the actual results of all national and European policies," he added. He further noted that in a meeting with his counterparts they discussed "the necessity of improved wage adequacy so that the growth of the economy is mutually beneficial and makes society more cohesive and strong." Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz discussed on Tuesday bilateral ties, and international issues. "During our meeting, we had the opportunity to evaluate global and regional developments as well as bilateral, economic and trade relations between our countries," Yilmaz said on X after holding a closed-door meeting with Ruiz in the capital Ankara. Trkiye is determined to develop its relations with Cuba, "one of the most important partners" in the Latin America and Caribbean region, in every field, especially in energy, health, construction, agriculture and tourism, Yilmaz said. He added that the relations with Cuba are progressing on the basis of friendship and solidarity. Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also met Ruiz. No further information was shared about the closed-door meeting. Diplomatic relations between Trkiye and Cuba were established in 1952. Trkiye opened its first embassy in the Caribbean in Havana in 1979. Sourc e: Anadolu Agency