Day: March 14, 2024

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A) FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 14/03/2024 UNTIL 0600 15/03/2024 Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards. Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times. Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1013hPa (hectopascal) Weak low pressure affects the area. The weather will be mainly fine with increased cloud coverage at times. Risk of isolated showers in the afternoon over the southeastern and eastern coasts, while tonight isolated showers and isolated thunderstorm are expected mainly over the western and northern coastal areas. Visibility: Good, but moderate in showers Sea surface temperature: 19°C Warnings: NIL Source: Cyprus News Agency ISTANBUL: The Australian government has been accused of canceling visas to fleeing Palestinians from Gaza, who have been under Israeli attacks for five months. According to Palestine-Australia Relief and Action (PARA), a community-based group that helps Palestinian migrants and refugees have safe, happy, and fulfilling lives in the country, there are 'multiple instances' where family members have their visas 'canceled en route to Australia.' Expressing anger and frustration, the group said it is 'deeply concerned' and seeks 'urgent clarification as to why some visa cancelations are occurring, leaving Australian family members devastated as their loved ones are being flown back to Egypt or denied departure altogether.' 'Palestinian refugees, who have been vetted multiple times and given visas to join families in Australia, families with young children who escaped the horror of Gaza are now left in airports confused and stranded, without any resources or support structure,' said PARA Founding Director Samah Sabawi, who is in the Egyptian capital Cairo. Sabawi said Canberra had issued temporary visas to hundreds of family members of Australian citizens. However, 'the number of Palestinians who have been able to leave Gaza safely is much lower, with the Australian government citing 'extremely limited' capacity to assist them.' PARA has been funding flights for families who have gained safe passage, but the 'abrupt cancelation of previously approved visas has caused significant distress and confusion for people who have already suffered extreme trauma,' the statement said. Emphasizing the 'need for leadership and compassion,' PARA Executive Director Rasha Abbas said: 'These people have faced unimaginable horrors, and yet this week it gets worse, with people beginning the journey to be reunited with family, only to be turned back.' The group urged the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to 'urgently resolve the situation and allow Palestinian visa holders to travel to their family in Australia and find th e safety they deserve.' Canberra acknowledged the cancelation of visas. A spokesperson for Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told SBS News: 'The Australian government recognizes that this is an incredibly distressing time for Australians with extended family members in Gaza.' 'All visa applicants undergo security checks subject to ongoing security assessments. The Australian government reserves the right to cancel any issued visas if circumstances change,' said the spokesperson. Tel Aviv has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in which 1,163 people were killed. More than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 73,000 have been injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine. In comparison, 60% of the enclave's in frastructure 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

A total of 17 young Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot senior high school students that are attending United World Colleges (UWC) in Germany and in the Netherlands with a scholarship by the European Commission are visiting Brussels in a study visit. The visit, this Wednesday and Thursday, is intended to help the students familiarise themselves with the functioning of EU institutions as well as its policies and programmes. They were going to meet with members of the cabinet of Commissioner for Cohesion, Elisa Ferreira, whose file includes the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community and the support to reunification and solution efforts. The educational trip, under the title 'Back to the Roots: Cypriot Youth for a Peaceful and United Future', also included a visit to the Experience Europe Exhibition Centre of the European Commission as well as the House of European History museum, and a meeting with a youth-led NGO promoting peace and human rights in Europe. 'Cypriot youths can have a great influence t o foster stronger ties between the people of Cyprus, by showing that peaceful coexistence and friendships are possible across the dividing line' said Director-General of the EU Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support, Mario Nava in a written statement. 'I hope that their entire academic experience at the UWC and their visit in Brussels today, will inspire the Cypriot students from both communities to bring a message of cooperation and unity to the whole island' he added. Students attending UWC schools with EU scholarships had met with Commissioner Ferreira during her visit to Cyprus in July 2022. The EU Scholarship Programme for Cypriot Youth started in 2019 and since then, 46 EU scholarships have been awarded to Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot students to complete together the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a two-year high school programme, at a UWC school in Europe (UWC Adriatic, UWC Maastricht, UWC Mostar, and UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany). UWC also organ ises youth engagement activities in Cyprus, such as short courses, mentorship programmes and workshops, which bring together young people from Cyprus, Europe and the Mediterranean region. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Trkiye continues its efforts to get the F-35 fighter jet funds reimbursed while working with allies to procure Eurofighter Typhoons, a Turkish defense official said on Thursday, emphasizing the ongoing focus on the 5th generation fighter aircraft KAAN. At a press briefing, Defense Ministry's Public Relations Advisor Admiral Zeki Akturk stated that negotiations on F-35 fighter jets were ongoing with the US but there was no change in the positions of both countries. However, Akturk noted that they hoped to recover the money they had paid for the jets.'At this stage, we need to focus on KAAN,' he said. Regarding the status of the requested Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from the UK, he stated that the efforts to procure Eurofighters are ongoing and that discussions between the UK and German officials on this matter are continuing. 'Our expectation is for our allies to take decisions in line with the spirit of the alliance and common security perspective. We believe that positive results will be achi eved,' he added. Counterterrorism, border security The official said the upcoming visit of Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the President of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin to Iraq will involve discussions on counterterrorism efforts, border security, and diverse topics, including energy. 'As you know, a Security Summit was held in Ankara with Iraqi officials last December. The second summit will take place in Iraq today. These discussions will prioritize developing a joint understanding of counterterrorism, with security and military cooperation being key topics," he said. 'The meeting held by Turkish commanders across the border took place within the Claw-Lock Operation zone boundaries. During the meeting with Iraqi officials, measures to enhance the security of the Iraq-Trkiye border and improve the safety of Iraqi citizens were discussed. Such cooperation and coordination meetings will continue," he added. Akturk stated that o perations targeting all terrorist organizations, primarily PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, Daesh, and FETO, resulted in the neutralization of 63 terrorists in the past week, including in northern Iraq and Syria. He mentioned that since Jan. 1, 2024, a total of 582 terrorists have been neutralized, with 229 in northern Iraq and 353 in northern Syria. Illegal border crossing Akturk disclosed that in the past week, 138 people, including four members of terrorist organizations, were apprehended while attempting to illegally cross the borders, and 2,861 others were prevented from crossing. "Thus, the number of individuals apprehended while attempting to illegally cross our borders since Jan. 1 has risen to 1,747. The number of individuals prevented from crossing the border has reached 34,447," he said. Top Turkish officials are attending a security summit with Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Thursday. The meeting, attended by Hakan Fidan, Yasar Guler, and Ibrahim Kalin, will focus on security and military cooperation, in add ition to eradicating the presence of the PKK terrorist group in Iraq, a top goal set by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting will see both sides discussing a common understanding of the fight against terrorism. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: A therapy dog project, launched for the first time in Trkiye at Istanbul Airport, aims to offer a peaceful and pleasant traveling experience to passengers feeling stressed about flights with the support of their pawed friends. Under the pilot project, five specially trained therapy dogs started to work at Istanbul Airport. The dogs are taken around the airport accompanied by their trainers to support passengers with their positive energy. The dogs are on duty in the international departures area during the day, especially when flights are busy. 'Dogs all around airport' Abdulkadir Demirtas, the customer experience manager at IGA, which runs the airport, said that every year the airport sees millions of people from many countries Stating that the airport develops services for different needs and situations by prioritizing passenger satisfaction, Demirtas noted that traveling can sometimes be stressful. Demirtas stated that for this reason, the management cares about providing a pleasant and re laxing atmosphere at the airport, adding: "The positive effects of human and animal interaction on blood pressure, stress and anxiety levels, have been proven by many scientific studies. Acting in light of these studies, we aim to provide a pleasant, stress-free travel experience at our airport with therapy dogs." The airport wants its guests to leave the airport happy and with unforgettable memories, he said: "Our guests can meet our dogs all around the airport." Underlining that there are similar projects in other parts of the world, Demirtas added that in addition to dogs, ponies do similar tasks at airports in the US and Canada. 'Training starts when they are puppies' Veterinarian Volkan Arslan said the dogs undergo training process for their job. Saying that five dogs have already successfully passed the training, Arslan said that the dogs started to be trained as puppies and that there are four more puppies now in the pipeline. Arslan said that the trainers also took training and got certificates. Saying that they got positive reactions from passengers during the training process, Arslan said that they take care of the dogs' health and have monthly and weekly programs for this purpose. 'I've never seen something like this before' Yunus Kizilaslan, a passenger, was pleased by the people-friendly pooches. "It's a very nice program, we want it to continue. It's very nice that they are trained." Chinese passenger Xi Yuki also adored the therapy dogs. Saying he found the project useful, Xi added: "I love dogs and animals very much. I'm very happy to see them here. I never saw a program like this before." Animal-friendly airport At IGA Istanbul Airport, there are a total of four pet rooms, one at the departing passenger floor counter islands, two after passport control, and one at the arriving passenger floor, for the needs of small traveling animals. The pet rooms are equipped with products such as cat and dog food, litter, and cat scratching boards. Source: Anadolu Agency

The European Commission upholds the right to conscientious objection, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira said in a written response to a parliamentary question, pointing out that the European Court for Human Rights considers Turkey responsible for human rights violations in the occupied areas. Ferreira was responding to a parliamentary question by MEP Demetris Papadakis (S and D, Cyprus). In her written response (dated 12/3/2024) to the question, which focused on the case of Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector Mustafa Hrben, Ferreira said that the Commission is aware of the specific case, and that Hrben 'was released from prison on 25 January 2024 after having served a three-day prison sentence following his refusal to pay an 800 Turkish Lira fine (around EUR 24) for exercising the conscientious objection to military service.' 'The Union upholds the right to conscientious objection', Ferreira stressed, pointing out that under Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union 'everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to conscientious objection'. Ferreira also noted that Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) 'upholds the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion', and, through the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the right to conscientious objection. While the acquis, including the Charter, is suspended in the areas not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, the European Court of Human Rights 'holds Trkiye, a contracting party to the ECHR, responsible for violations of the ECHR in these areas'. 'The Commission regularly calls on Trkiye to respect human rights and implement ECtHR judgments' she added. Commissioner Ferreira also pointed out that, under the Aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, the EU provides support to Turkish Cypriot civil society organisations working on human rights. Among them is the Human Rights Platform which monito rs and reports on the right to conscientious objection, and also provides services to victims of violations and proposes legal texts to improve respect for human rights. The Platform received two Union grants totalling 1,450,000 euros for the period October 2021 to March 2026 according to the Commissioner. In his parliamentary question (submitted 9/1/2024) Papadakis had pointed out the violations of the rights of Turkish Cypriots by 'the illegal regime in occupied Cyprus, a vassal of Trkiye', citing the prosecution of Mustafa Hrben as the most recent case. The MEP added that the regime forces Turkish Cypriots, who are legal citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, to serve in the Turkish army, initially as conscripts and later as reservists, with refusal to serve being considered desertion which carries a prison sentence. Three Turkish Cypriots, Murat Kanatli, Halil Karapasaoglu and Haluk Selam Tufanli, have already taken their cases to the ECHR he added, and asked the European Commission what steps it could tak e to address the issue and to protect legal residents of the RoC living in the Turkish-occupied territories. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: European Parliament members on Thursday called on Israel to immediately open all border crossings and facilitate the passage of convoys for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. In a call adopted by a vote of 372 in favor, 44 against, and 120 abstentions in the General Assembly, the members expressed "deep concern" over the humanitarian situation, including the "catastrophic" level of hunger in Gaza. Calling on Israel to open all border crossings and facilitate the passage of convoys for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, they emphasized the "urgent need for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access" in the region. They reiterated the call for an "immediate and lasting cease-fire" to eliminate the risk of mass hunger in Gaza and for the "immediate and unconditional" release of prisoners. Emphasizing the priority of land transportation for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza while welcoming the sea corridor, the members highlighted the spread of diseases and confirmed deaths of children due to malnutrition and lack of water. They urged Israeli authorities to open the Rafah, Kerem Shalom, Karni, and Erez border crossings. They also drew attention to the "indispensable role" of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the region. The members strongly condemned attacks on humanitarian aid convoys, civilians seeking assistance, humanitarian workers, and healthcare workers, as well as Israel's attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the escalating violence by extremist illegal Jewish settlers. Israel has waged a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last October which killed some 1,200 people. More than 31,300 people have since been killed and 73,100 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, 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 am id acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while most 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, which in 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

Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Giorgos Papanastasiou, said on Thursday that the Ministry's priority is the future of the LNG import terminal, in Vassilikos, which must be operational as soon as possible. The Minister was speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the second closed - door meeting of the House Standing Committee on Development Plans and Public Expenditure Control in the light of a pending arbitration between the Republic of Cyprus and the consortium. The issue concerns delays in the completion of the construction of the LNG import infrastructure at Vassilikos, in Larnaca district. The project also includes the delivery of a floating storage regasification of LNG unit (FSRU). The Minister expressed the government's position, saying that the contractor "will not receive a single euro while the process is ongoing". In addition, he said that the Republic of Cyprus requires the contractor to resume construction work on the land terminal. He also said that the Ministry requires the project to be delivered in July 2024, as promised by the contractor, following a third extension. He explained that the project should had been delivered in September 2022, it was postponed to July 2023, then to October 2023 and now it has to be delivered in July 2024. The Energy Minister said the government is focusing on making this terminal operate, explaining that there is immediate need to import natural gas for use by conventional power generation. He said that if the terminal was operational today then the price of electricity would had been reduced by around 20 cents per kilowatt hour. Furthermore, he said that he is discussing the matter on a political level with the Chinese Ambassador, since the Chinese company is state-owned and added that the discussion is "very constructive." The Minister said that this coming Friday, he will meet with a high-ranking executive of the company who is visiting Cyprus for consultation, to whom he will express once more the Republic's positions. Asked if it was p ossible to implement the timetable by July 2024, he said he believed it was not possible. "We are very close to completion if the contractor wants it. If the contractor for whatever reasons is unwilling or unable to complete the project, he should say so, so that the Republic of Cyprus is not held captive by any weaknesses of the contractor," he noted. Replying to questions, he said that with the knowledge he has today he, acting on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus, would not had given the same project to this consortium today. He pointed out that the fastest solution is to continue the project with the same contractor, because he is in the field, therefore "the first effort of the Republic of Cyprus is to complete the project with the specific contractor, unless he shows serious weaknesses or if his demands are very excessive." Concluding, he said that there is a plan B, but added that any timetable for this eventuality can be given after consultations with the parties involved. Source: Cyprus News Age ncy

ANKARA: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake jolted Japan's Fukushima on Thursday, according to local media reports. However, GEOFON, a global seismological broad-band network operated by the German GeoForschungsZentrum, said the magnitude was recorded at 6.0 on the Richter scale. The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 5.6. There were no immediate reports of casualties or infrastructure damage. Source: Anadolu Agency

The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides has told the Financial Times that it was a 'moral duty' to pursue the delivery of aid to Gaza via the sea. Speaking after the first ship carrying humanitarian aid left Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides said that 'for the first time in about two decades, the Gaza Strip will be connected to the outside world via its sea border.' The UK newspaper commented that it took about four months of diplomatic negotiations to convince Israel to agree to this maritime route for aid. 'There's an operational protocol that we have developed, produced with the Israelis,' Christodoulides explained. Commenting on the plan, he added: 'We felt compelled to try to add the maritime route. It's our moral duty,' before noting that the initiative 'gives flesh and bone to what we always say that we are: an EU member state that is an integral part of the region, a reliable partner.' Source: Cyprus News Agency