Day: March 17, 2024

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized international institutions and organizations over the Gaza crisis, saying that they have "failed once again". "Let's admit that the Islamic world also did not pass the test well during this process," Erdogan said at an iftar, or fast-breaking dinner, in Istanbul.? He said that the “hypocrisy" of Western countries, which provide ammunition support to Israel "to carry out massacres, has turned Gaza into the world's largest graveyard for children and women."? Erdogan said that Türkiye "stands by our (Palestinian) brothers and sisters in Gaza with all its capabilities."? Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people. More than 31,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and nearly 73,700 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: French opposition lawmaker Thomas Portes on Sunday denounced Israel for "genocide protected by the European Union and the USA" and urged people to boycott companies that support Israel and its attacks on the Gaza Strip. Thomas Portes, a member of the Left Unbowed France Party (LFI), highlighted the increasing civilian casualties and humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to Israel's attacks and called for a boycott of companies that support Israel. Portes, a prominent figure in LFI who is known for his support for Gaza in France, shared a poster on his X account featuring logos of companies that should be boycotted. The poster featured numerous logos, including those of a well-known sports shoe brand, supermarkets, and insurance companies, along with slogans such as "Boycott apartheid Israel," "End the forced evictions of Palestinians," and "The right of return is for Palestinians.” “New night of horror in the Gaza Strip. New night of death for Palestinian children. Israeli war criminals continue their genocide protected by the European Union and the USA,” Portes added on X. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 people were killed. More than 31,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and 73,676 others 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 most 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 ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Russian expatriates in Türkiye’s largest city of Istanbul and the southern Mediterranean resort city of Antalya on Sunday voted in their country's presidential elections. Russian citizens in Istanbul voted at a polling booth set up inside the Consulate General building. On the final day of the presidential election, many Russians lined up at the Russian mission on Istiklal Avenue to vote. Meanwhile, a Russian woman burned her passport on the street in protest of the Russia-Ukraine war. The woman was apprehended by police and escorted to the police station. Meanwhile, Russian voters in Antalya cast their ballots at the Consulate General in Karaalioglu Park neighborhood. A long queue was seen due to the voters' intense interest. Consul General Sergey Vetrik said Russian citizens living in Antalya have shown great interest in the presidential election. "We have conducted elections in Kemer, Marmaris, and Alanya before. Many of our citizens came to vote there as well. So far, approximately 1,500 p eople have voted. They continue to vote,” Vetrik said. He said the polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time and would close at 8:00 p.m., with an expected 10,000 voters to cast their ballots. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: At least four people were killed in two separate forest fire incidents in southern China, state media reported on Sunday. Three people died when a forest fire broke out Saturday near Douge, a village near the city of Lincang in Yunnan province, engulfing an area of about 5.33 hectares (13.17 acres), Beijing-based Xinhua News reported. Another person perished in a separate forest fire that broke out near the city of Wenshan, also in Yunnan, on Friday. Both fires have been extinguished. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Sunday, including Israel killing at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza, preparations of the 2nd humanitarian ship, which will depart for Gaza and the demonstrations against Israel's onslaught in Gaza. TOP STORIES 63 Palestinians killed in Gaza in last 24 hours, death toll climbs to 31,553 At least 63 Palestinians were killed and 112 injured in the last 24 hours as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the territory's Health Ministry. "The Israeli occupation committed seven massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 63 martyrs and 112 injured during the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement. Many are still trapped under the rubble and on roads as rescuers are unable to reach them, it added. 2nd humanitarian aid ship from Greek Cypriot administration preparing to depart for Gaza Another ship, which will carry humanitarian aid from the Greek Cypriot administration to Gaza, is planned to set sail after the loading process, a charity said on Saturday. Hundreds of tons of food supplies, including pallets of dates, “which hold spiritual significance during Ramadan” were being loaded on a ship at Larnaca Port, US-based charity World Central Kitchen said on its X account. According to Alithia newspaper's website, the amount of humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza via the second ship has been determined at 500 tons. Thousands gather in Berlin, Geneva to protest Israel's onslaught against Gaza Demonstrations in support of Palestine were carried out Saturday in Germany and Switzerland to protest Israel's onslaught against the Gaza Strip. A large number of people gathered in the area near Sonnenallee Train Station in Berlin’s Neukölln district. Demonstrators marched to Hermann Square carrying Palestinian flags, banners and placards with messages that read: "Stop the genocide in Gaza", "Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine", "Ceasefire now" and "Freedom for Palestine." NEWS IN BRIEF Indians wil l start going to the polls April 19 to elect lawmakers in the lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, authorities announced. The Taliban welcomed a one-year extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) in Afghanistan. Russia claimed that it successfully hit Ukrainian military targets in southern Odesa and northeastern Sumy regions. The voter turnout in the 2024 Russian presidential election exceeded 55% on the second day of voting, according to the country’s Central Election Commission. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is gravely concerned over reports of Israel’s planned ground offensive in Rafah. One-third of children under the age of 2 in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished, said the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). An Israeli delegation, which will participate in cease-fire negotiations in Gaza, will visit Qatar as the kingdom is serving as an intermediary, sources said Saturday. Lebanese group Hezbollah said it tar geted Israeli military sites along the southern border of Lebanon. American rapper and producer Lil Jon embraced Islam at a mosque in the US state of California. Niger's junta announced Saturday it canceled a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the US. SPORTS Real Madrid beat Osasuna 4 - 2 on road in La Liga Real Madrid secured a 4 - 2 win against Osasuna in week 29 of the Spanish La Liga. Real Madrid broke the deadlock with Vinicius Junior in the fourth minute but Osasuna leveled the match with Ante Budimir in the seventh minute at the El Sadar stadium. Bayern Munich hammer Darmstadt 98 in Bundesliga Bayern Munich toppled Darmstadt 98 by a score of 5-2 on matchday 26 of the Bundesliga. Playing at Merck-Stadion am Bollenfalltor, Jamal Musiala scored twice in the 36th and 64th minutes, while Harry Kane scored in minute 45, Serge Gnabry produced a goal in the 74th minute and Mathys Tel netted in stoppage time. BUSINESS and ECONOMY Azerbaijan expects growing demand for its energy in Europe Azer baijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Saturday that the country is currently exporting energy to eight countries and that demand for the commodity in Europe will increase in the coming years. Aliyev said at a news conference in the capital Baku following a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that he sees Tbilisi as a reliable trade partner and gas transit route for Baku. Azerbaijan has resources, financial investment opportunities, and extensive transit opportunities, the president noted. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Tropical Cyclone Megan dumped massive precipitation off the northeastern coast of Australia's Northern Territory, expected to step up intensity to a category three system by Sunday evening. Downpour has accompanied the tropical low to Groote Eylandt, an island off northern Australia, and caused power outages and flooding in Arnhem Land, public broadcaster ABC reported on Sunday, citing the country's Bureau of Meteorology. The cyclone is currently in the Gulf of Carpentaria and is likely to make landfall on Monday night or Tuesday morning, before weakening. Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, while Arnhem Land is home to the traditional landowners, the Yolngu people. Formed in the Gulf of Carpentaria, near Groote Eylandt, on Saturday afternoon, Megan is bringing huge rainfall and gusty winds to the western side of the gulf. The cyclone that strengthened to a category two system on Saturday evening, and is expected to make landfall as a category three late on Monday or early Tuesday morning between the Nathan River and the border between the Northern Territory and Queensland. It is forecast to quickly lose strength as it moves west across the Northern Territory. On Friday, residents in western Arnhem Land were evacuated due to rising floodwaters as heavy rainfall hit. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: US forces destroyed drones launched by the Yemeni Houthi group, the Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday. “On March 16, between 7:50 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. (Sanaa time) (0450-0515GMT), Iranian-backed Houthis launched two unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAV) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea,” US CENTCOM said on X. CENTCOM said its forces “successfully engaged and destroyed one UAV and the other is presumed to have crashed into the Red Sea.” Nearby ships have not reported any damage or injuries, it added. CENTCOM also noted that between 9 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. local time, US forces destroyed five unmanned surface vessels and an unmanned aerial vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas "in self-defense." There has so far been no comment from the Houthis on the statements. The Houthis, in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, facing a devastating Israeli offensive for months, has been targeting Israeli cargo ships or those associated with Tel Aviv in the Red Sea with missiles an d drones, expressing determination to continue operations until the end of the war on the enclave. With the intervention of Washington and London and an escalation of tensions, the Houthis announced they would also consider all American and British ships as military targets. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Ukraine on Sunday claimed that it downed 14 out of 16 drones launched by Russia over the country's southwestern Odesa region. A statement by Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia also launched five S-300 guided anti-aircraft missiles toward the country’s eastern Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, as well as two Kh-59 guided air missiles toward the northern Chernihiv region. The statement did not specify the outcome of these attacks. The downing of the drones comes as a missile strike on the city of Odesa on Friday killed at least 21 people and injured over 70 others. During an evening address on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there would "definitely be a military response" by Ukraine to Russia. "These weeks have demonstrated to many that the Russian war machine has vulnerabilities that we can reach with our weapons," he added. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it struck "temporary deployment areas of Luth and Tsunami nationalist formations" near Odesa. S ource: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Residents in Iceland's coastal town of Grindavik saw their fourth volcanic eruption in the last three months, local media reported on Sunday. Lava has flowed over the Grindavikurvegur, the road between the southwestern town and the rest of the Reykjanes Peninsula, according to public broadcaster RUV, which added that the eruption started at 8.23 p.m. (2023GMT) local time on Saturday. The source of the current eruption is near an earlier one that occurred on Feb. 8, closer to the Stora-Skogfell mountain summit, it reported. According to reports, the fissure is roughly 3.5 kilometers (2.17 miles) long, with lava flowing south towards the defensive wall north of Grindavik, west towards Grindavikurvegur, and to the east. Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon thermal baths were quickly evacuated, while the Keflavik Airport in the northwest and other regional airports were not impacted by the eruption and remain fully operational, added RUV. The current eruption, closely monitored by the Icelandic Meteo rological Office, is "the most powerful in the current system so far," it cited geophysicist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson as saying. "Right now, the situation is that we are primarily monitoring the progress of the lava flows. One flows southeast towards the sea, but it travels very slowly. We also monitor a tongue that travels west, north of Svartsengi," the RUV quoted the expert. The report noted that the defensive walls appeared to be holding back the lava flow and directing it towards the sea, while another flow north of the walls was approaching a heating supply line but that there was still some distance to it. The heating line is about 250 meters away (over 820 feet) from the lava flow, which is traveling slowly to the west, it said, adding that the flows had become less active and slowed down. "If the activity does not decrease further and the lava flow stops, it should reach the line in the next few hours," said Einar Hjorleifsson, a natural disaster expert at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told RUV radio news as he reviewed the situation as of 7 a.m. local time. Hjorleifsson said the "gas that can come from the eruption is also being monitored." "We have been measuring sulphur pollution on our meters in Grindavik and we continue to monitor it today. Responders have gas meters and gas masks. It has crossed the threshold of discomfort in many places tonight," he said. The RUV said gas may be noticeable in Keflavik and Reykjanes later in the day, while the Meteorological Office is expected to hold a meeting at 10 a.m. with responders, followed by a news update on the eruption. Source: Anadolu Agency