Day: March 15, 2024

ISTANBUL: Manufacturing activity in the US state of New York has continued to contract in March, according to a report released on Friday. The Empire State Manufacturing Index, which measures the level of general business conditions in the state of New York, fell a massive 19 points to -20.9, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Readings above zero indicate improving conditions, while those below show worsening conditions. The market expectation for the index was to come in at -7.0. The index plummeted 29 points to -43.7 in January, which was the lowest level since May 2020. "Firms expect conditions to improve over the next six months, though optimism continued to be subdued," the New York Fed said in a statement. Source: Anadolu Agency

The Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry, George Papanastasiou, expressed surprise on Friday morning over the announcement released yesterday by the consortium responsible for constructing the natural gas import terminal in Vasiliko, Cyprus. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a conference for World Consumer Day hosted by the Consumer Protection Service, ahead of a meeting later today with the Chinese consortium CPP which manages the project, Papanastasiou said that he would express at the meeting dissatisfaction with the consortium's operations regarding the Vasiliko project. However, he expressed hope that the dialogue would be consensual, with both parties understanding their strengths and weaknesses. The Minister emphasised the significance of the Vasiliko terminal for the Republic of Cyprus. "It is the way natural gas will be imported, it is the way the cost of conventional electricity generation will be reduced. So, it is very important for the terminal to be completed," he said. Instea d, he noted, there are delays and extensions from the consortium. He pointed out that the terminal was initially supposed to be completed by September 2022 but received extensions until July 2023, then October 2023, with the proposed timeline now being for July 2024. At present, works were halted at the Vasiliko terminal, something that 'is not favoured by the Republic of Cyprus as it significantly impacts electricity prices', stressed the Minister. Papanastasiou also said he was surprised at the consortium's announcement issued on Thursday, as it made references to anything but the infrastructure itself. He emphasised that the essence for Cyprus was to indicate to the consortium that it expects them to honor the contract they signed. Asked whether any ultimatums would be issued to the company to comply before Cyprus seeks other solutions, the Minister stated that it was not the logic of the Ministry of Energy to issue ultimatums but rather through dialogue, expecting both parties to understand their streng ths and weaknesses and express them. "Through this dialogue, I expect the two parties to stipulate their position. I hope it will be a positive one, but if it is not positive, Cyprus will dare to make bold decisions," he added. He further emphasised that if the consortium encounters any obstacles, for whatever reason, it should openly acknowledge it. This, he stressed, was crucial to prevent the Republic of Cyprus from being hostage in the prolonged situation for years to come. He added that the contract was awarded in 2019 with the deadline for the terminal's delivery on September 2022, yet today "we are discussing the problems with delivering the terminal". National Energy Strategy aimed at reducing electricity costs --------------------------- The Minister also assured of the existence of a national energy strategy geared towards reducing electricity costs, in response to recent discussions among Members of Parliament at the House of Representatives' plenary session. "I can honestly tell you that th ere is a national energy strategy aimed at reducing electricity costs for households, businesses, and ultimately for the Cypriot economy," he said. He further explained that the current lack of competitiveness in the Cypriot economy, whether in services or products, was largely due to the high cost of electrical energy. Papanastasiou highlighted that the strategy sets goals and methods, noting that the tools necessary to start providing solutions and reaching the target were currently lacking. He pointed out that one such tool is the natural gas terminal in Vasiliko, which should have been completed. When asked about issues related to infrastructure, storage, and Renewable Energy Sources (RES), Papanastasiou explained that electricity generation, would be followed by transmission and distribution. He emphasised the need to develop networks and make them smart, working towards the integration of the next steps. He added that efforts were being made to enable these networks to store electricity from sources beyond conventional electricity generation. Government and EU officials address consumer challenges ------------------------------------------------ The Energy Minister pointed out the government's commitment to finding solutions and targeted support measures to address consumer challenges in his speech during an Energy Ministry conference marking the "World Consumer Day." 'Our fundamental goal and priority is to introduce affordable energy to significantly assist businesses and consumers," said Papanastasiou. The Minister of Education Athena Michailidou, who also addressed the event, stressed the importance of instilling responsible consumption awareness and culture from an early age, while Myrto Zamparta, Head of the European Commission Representation to Cyprus, highlighted the EU's approach to addressing new consumer challenges. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Following the Israeli Cabinet's deliberation on Hamas' cease-fire proposal, Tel Aviv on Friday announced to send a delegation to Doha, Qatar's capital, to speak with officials as the kingdom is serving as intermediaries. An Israeli delegation will travel to Doha, said a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Friday after the Cabinet discussed Hamas' cease-fire proposal. Late on Thursday, the Palestinian group Hamas presented Qatari and Egyptian mediators with its comprehensive vision for a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap deal with Israel. In a statement, Hamas said its stance involves a cease-fire in Gaza, the delivery of aid, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, and the Israeli army's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. It added that it also included a prisoner swap deal with Israel. Shortly after Hamas' announcement, Israel's Channel 12 reported that Qatar handed the group's response to Israel. Israeli Army Radio quoted an Israeli official a s saying that Hamas' response is under review. Israel believes 134 Israelis are being held in Gaza after the Israeli army managed on Feb. 12 to free two Israelis held in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Israel launched its war on Gaza after an Oct. 7 cross-border incursion by Hamas. It has since killed more than 31,300 Palestinians and pushed the territory to the brink of famine. 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 war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid 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 civilian s in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkish Cypriot activist, Murat Kanatli described a ruling announced this week by the European Court of Human Right's (ECHR) as a historic decision that will have an impact on conscientious objection in the wider European region and in Turkey. It is recalled that the ECHR condemned Turkey this week in the case of the Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector Murat Kanatli. The Court found that the case involved a violation of the provisions of Article 9 of the Convention on the Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion. Speaking to CNA, he said that 'ten years after the appeal, the Court vindicated us. The Court ruled that indeed Turkey violated Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This case and its outcome are important not only for Cyprus and Turkey but also for the whole of Europe," he added. He explained that in the past the Court had concluded that there was an issue of violation of rights and with the new decision the interpretation was broadened. Now, he said, it is accepted that th e right to conscientious objection can be invoked both at the time of the call for military service and during the military service and at any time after the end of the service. For the first time, the reserve issue is included in the decision, he added. Kanatli noted that a significant number of reservists are being called for military service in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Some of them refuse military service and try to resist. However, they do not receive protection in the countries where they seek asylum. With the new ruling, activists in these countries can unite and mobilise since the Court raised the issue of constitutional rights. This will also affect asylum applications, noted. He said that the ECHR's decision is important for Turkey. "Perhaps the public in Turkey does not discuss this issue much, but the 2023 Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has given Turkey until June 2024 to take action," he added. "If no action is taken at the end of this period, the sanctioning process will begin," he told CNA. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Kanatli, the applicant, complained that he had been sentenced for refusing to perform his one day of military service as a reservist on the grounds of conscientious objection. The Court found that the relevant "national legislation" did not provide for conscientious objectors to perform an alternative form of service, the statement added, pointing to the relevant "legislation" of the illegal regime operating in the northern, Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus. The ECHR also underlined that it had already ruled that "a system which provided for no alternative service or any effective and accessible procedure for the examination of a claim of conscientious objection could not be seen as having struck a fair balance between the general interest of society and that of conscientious objectors." In the absence of any convincing argument from the Turkish Government, the Court saw no reason to depart from its existi ng case-law.The Court ordered Turkey to pay the applicant the sum of 9,000 euros (EUR) for non-pecuniary damage and 2,363 euros for costs and expenses. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: A New Zealand theologian said the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in 2019 were primarily directed at Muslims, who were viewed and defined as the "invading other." Douglas Pratt, a professor of theology and religious studies, who is a researcher at the University of Bern in Switzerland and the University of Birmingham in the UK, as well as an honorary academic at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, spoke about the connection between the March 15, 2019 terrorist attacks on mosques in Christchurch and Christian fundamentalism. Pratt pointed out that the Christchurch massacre, in which 51 people lost their lives, was fueled by anti-Muslim and white supremacist ideology, emphasizing that "this was a terrorist attack, an Islamophobic attack. It was an attack motivated by a mixture of white supremacy, anti-immigrant sentiment, and even anti-Muslim sentiment, and aimed at arousing a stronger outrage.' "The actual target of the Christchurch attacks was Muslims, who were regarded as the invad ing other," he told Anadolu. Noting that the number of people who lost their lives in the Christchurch mosque attacks was akin to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the US in terms of their ratio to the population, he said, "Another interesting detail is that the 51 Muslims who died account for a sizeable portion of the Muslim population in New Zealand, which stands around only 1%.' When the country's general population is compared to the killing ratio, it is nearly equal to the number of people killed in the 9/11 attack in the US, he said. So some people are saying, 'This is New.' Zealand's 9/11,' however, "My answer is no because the attack on the Twin Towers was an attack against the entire nation. This was an Islamophobic attack targeting merely Muslims." 'Being Christian assumed to be white, European' Telling how Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the Christchurch attacks, was inspired by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people, the majority of whom were children, in Norway in 2 011, Pratt agreed that religion and terrorism were inextricably linked in the background of both attacks. Noting that both terrorists held fundamentalist Christian beliefs, Pratt said: "I think there's more of a historical perspective here. Whatever the theological basis, that perspective often has the view that there's a reward. Coming from the Christian world, coming from Western Christianity, there's an assumption that being Christian means being white and European. "It's the same as saying you have to be Arab to be Muslim. Of course, there are Muslims of all ethnicities. Thus, when you take that kind of narrow assumption, it gets distorted and becomes the root of an extremist view." Though Tarrant acted on his own, Pratt said, "Tarrant was not an Einstein. He was not smart enough to think. He, like Anders Breivik, wanted the Christian West to take strong action to regain what was lost. He had learned the exculpatory motivation lines from Breivik, but another point was that it lent him the inspiration a nd strength to act on his own." 'White supremacist view of Christianity is an extreme form of Christian fundamentalism' Pointing out that terrorist Tarrant's manifesto contains traces of Muslims' fears of invading and altering the European race, Pratt underlined "In his manifesto, he clearly stressed that the people he loathed the most were those who converted to Islam from our cultural society. The underlying meaning of this perception is 'we are right, you are wrong' Christian elitism, which is a simple way of expressing exclusivism from any background." Adding that the Christchurch attacks were unleashed by Tarrant's white supremacist racist and fundamentalist Christian views, as well as his intense anti-Muslim thoughts, the theologian underscored that "The white supremacist view of Christianity is the extreme form of Christian fundamentalism. "As you know, Christian ultra-conservatism and fundamentalism tend to assume that Muslims and Christians are forever enemies or forever opposed to each other. Th ey reject the possibility of any real dialogue, detente or engagement, and these anti-Muslim or Muslim-skeptical backgrounds pushed him to go this far." Transition from reality to virtual reality Referring to Tarrant's livestream of the attack on social media, Pratt said, "He wanted to demonstrate that such an act of extremism could reach its apogee. He revealed that if such a thing could arise even in a peaceful and distant country like New Zealand, then it is clear that no Muslim is safe anywhere. That was surely the purpose." Pratt compared terrorist Tarrant's attack to computer games, saying, "There is a transition between reality and virtual reality. In a way, the combination of live broadcast, video and music almost seemed to have a game effect on it, like one of those violent games that people play. It's almost unreal. "Even though it had a reality, people knew it was real." Emphasizing that far-right ideas are becoming more visible through tools such as social media, Pratt cited the country's fir st fundamentalist Christian terrorist attack in the Australian state of Queensland on Dec. 12, 2023, in which two police officers and one civilian were killed. The scholar highlighted that "given what's going on in the United States right now and the dominance of the Republican Party, which has a robust base of support in what I would call very fundamentalist and far-right Evangelical Christianity, and the possibility of that party's advent to power with (former US President Donald) Trump, I would say that many places across the world tilted the extreme right, notably certain regions. This suggests that extremism will go up in some regions, if not globally." 'Acceptance and love root of our faith' Referring to Imam Gamal Fouda of Nur Mosque's words, one of the mosques attacked in Christchurch, Pratt said: "I am a Christian theologian and I was extremely pleased with the statement of Gamal Fouda at the great ceremony held a week or two after the incident. "He emphasized that we are all one race, the human race, and only through love will we survive and we must learn to love. Muslim leader stressed that 'we have suffered, but the root of our faith is acceptance and love.' Many in the secular community in New Zealand had never heard this perspective from a Muslim. This was one of the excellent outcomes that came out of such a horrible incident." Pratt, who also had a message for the Christchurch victims' relatives, concluded by saying, "As-salamu alaykum, may God protect us. Hopefully, we will surmount the terror, pain and misunderstanding that gave rise to these events. Alhamdulillah for all that we have." 2019 terrorist attacks On March 15, 2019, Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist, killed 51 people and injured 40 more at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch city. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 without the possibility of parole, in the first such ruling ever handed down in the island country. Source: Anadolu Agency

Cyprus' 16th post-programme surveillance begins next Tuesday, focusing on the public finances, the prospects of the Cypriot economy and the state of play in the banking sector. According to reliable sources, the four-day meetings with the Cypriot authorities will cover the state of the public finances, the banking sector on the basis of 2024 financial results and the economic outlook. The meetings will also address the challenges facing the economic outlook, mainly stemming from the continuing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to free shipping due to the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The same sources also noted that discussions will also touch upon issues associated with the sectors of energy and health. The pos-programme surveillance is carried out by technocrats of the European Commission, the ECB and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2013 Cyprus received a financial bailout by the EU and the IMF amounting to pound 10 billion, with total disbursements reaching pound 7.3 billion (ESM pound 6.3 billion and IMF pound 1 billion). So far, Cyprus has repaid the pound 1 billion loan facility provided by the IMF. Post-programme checks are carried out twice a year until Cyprus repays 75% of the outstanding debt amounting to pound 6.3 billion. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Despite Israel's restrictions, thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank were able to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to offer their weekly prayers in congregation while fasting. 'About 80,000 faithful performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque,' the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said in a statement. Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the prayer leader or Imam of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, praised Palestinian faithful for entering the mosque despite Israeli restrictions. "Your blessed influx sends a message to those coveting the mosque that it does not accept division and belongs solely to Muslims, with no room for negotiation or relinquishing any part of it," he told the congregation. Sabri urged Muslims to come to Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying, "If prevented, prayers can be performed at the point reached by the faithful, with the reward of praying at Al-Aqsa." He criticized the 'silence of some Arab and Islamic countries on the I sraeli war on Gaza, with some contenting themselves with statements of condemnation and denunciation.' The Israeli broadcasting authority reported that '3,000 police officers were deployed in the city.' Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli army prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa through checkpoints in Jerusalem. Since early in the morning, large forces of Israeli police were deployed in the city's streets, particularly in the Old City and its alleys, as well as around Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestinians from Jerusalem, Arab cities, and towns in Israel flocked to Al-Aqsa, while Palestinian law enforcement, scout, guard, and support teams were deployed to assist them. After the Friday prayers, Muslims held funeral prayers in absentia for victims of Israeli aggressive attacks on Gaza and the West Bank. On Monday, the Israeli government announced that "during the Fridays throughout the month of Ramadan, people from Judea and Samaria (the Torah name for the West Bank) will be al lowed to enter Jerusalem subject to possessing a valid magnetic (security) permit and assessing the security situation." The army added that only men over the age of 55, women over the age of 50, and children under the age of 10 will be allowed entry. Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, police have closed all checkpoints around East Jerusalem to residents of the West Bank. Israel launched its war on Gaza after a Oct. 7 cross-border incursion by Hamas. It has since killed more than 31,300 Palestinians and pushed the territory to the brink of famine. 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 war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid 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

The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) rose by 2.1% between February 2023 and February 2024, according to data published by the Statistical Service on Friday. Compared to February 2023, the largest positive change was noted in Restaurants and Hotels (6.1%). As regards the economic origin, the largest change was recorded in Services (4.2%). Compared to the previous month, the HICP increased by 0.8%. The largest change was recorded in category Clothing and Footwear (3.4%). As regards the economic origin, the largest change was monitored in the category Food, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (2.2%). For the period January - February 2024, the HICP rose by 2.1% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. During this period, the largest changes were noted in Restaurants and Hotels (5.9%) Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (3.1%) and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (3%). Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: At least 149 more Palestinians were killed and 300 others injured over the last 24 hours, as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, the territory's Health Ministry said on Friday. 'The Israeli occupation (forces) committed 13 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 149 martyrs and 300 injured during the past 24 hours,' a ministry statement said. 'Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,' it added. Flouting the International Court of Justice's provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 31,490 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 73,439 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people. The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory'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. Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe. Source: Anadolu Agency