Day: March 18, 2024

ISTANBUL: Fenerbahce beat rivals Trabzonspor in a Turkish Super Lig match on Sunday to cling to the title race. The visiting side upset Trabzonspor 3-2 on matchday 30, but the players' celebrations were marred by ugly scenes as many Trabzonspor fans stormed the pitch at Papara Park. A large number of security personnel rushed to the scene and stopped the attack. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said an investigation has been launched into the events that took place after the match. "After the Trabzonspor-Fenerbahce football match played this evening, efforts to identify the spectators entering the field and an investigation into the events that took place afterward were promptly initiated," Yerlikaya said on X. Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak also said on X that they are investigating the incident. "The necessary investigation has been initiated by the relevant authorities. We continue to follow the process closely," he added. The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said in a statement t hat they are in communication with their representatives and state officials regarding the events that occurred during and after the match. "No one should have any doubt that once the investigations are completed, necessary criminal sanctions will be imposed on those responsible for these incidents to prevent them from recurring," it added. In the five-goal thriller, Fred scored twice in the 13th and 45th minutes while Michy Batshuayi scored the winner in the 87th minute. Trabzonspor's two goals came from Enis Bardhi in the 63rd minute and Trezeguet (penalty kick) in the 78th minute. With this result, second-place Fenerbahce increased their points to 79 while Trabzonspor remained in third place with 49 points. Galatasaray are atop the standings, two points ahead of Fenerbahce. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday said having a "strong economy" allowed his country to pursue its policy independently at the political level. In an address to the nation from the city of Khankendi on the occasion of the upcoming Nevruz holiday, Aliyev said his country had been preparing for the liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation for 20 years and they worked consistently in many directions in this regard. Relations between Baku and Yerevan have remained tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions. Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russia-brokered peace agreement that also opened the door to normalization. Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after an "anti-terrorism operation" in September 2023, after which separatist forces in the region surrendered.????????????????????? 'At the political level, Azerbaijan's position in the world was strengthened, the number of our friends increased to a great extent. On our initiative, international organizations adopted decisions and resolutions in favor of our position on the conflict and in line with international law,' Aliyev said. Expressing that this created a legal and political basis for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Aliyev said they also achieved economic development and independence during this period. 'A strong economy has allowed us the opportunity to pursue our policy independently at the political level. Today, Azerbaijan is one of a handful of countries in the world with a completely independent policy, a policy that is based only and only on the interests and determination of the Azerbaijani people,' he said. Aliyev further said life is returning to the region amid the return of former internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands through extensive construction efforts, and that this process will continu e this year. He also lit a bonfire in the center of Khankendi to mark the Nevruz holiday. The traditional spring festival is celebrated by various ethno-linguistic groups, mainly in Iran, Afghanistan, India, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Albania, and Macedonia, and falls on or around March 21. Source: Anadolu Agency

? yellow weather warning for isolated heavy thunderstorms, was issued on Clean Monday by the Department of Meteorology. The warning is valid between 11.00 and 18.00. According to the Meteorology Department, isolated heavy thunderstorms are expected to affect mainly the mountainous areas and the east half of the island. In storm, hail is expected while winds may be variable strengthening. Precipitation rate is expected to range between 35 and 55 millimeters per hour, it said. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: European countries on Monday decried the holding of just-concluded Russian presidential elections in regions occupied by Russia as an illegal breach of Ukraine's sovereignty. "France also condemns the fact that Russia organized a so-called 'election' in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as part of the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Crimea and Sevastopol have been occupied by Russia since 2014, in a move some observers see as a prelude to the current war. The other areas, in eastern Ukraine, were illegally annexed by Russia in September 2022, just months after it attacked Ukraine that February, starting the ongoing war. Most members of the international community, including Trkiye, do not recognize the illegal annexation. "The illegal organization of a so-called 'election' in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia constitutes a further violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations," the ministry added, vowing to never recognize "the holding of this so-called 'election' and its results." Paris also denounced a lack of pluralism and democracy during the elections in Russia, mentioning how "opposition figure Alexei Navalny died a few weeks before this election." "Candidates opposed to continuing the war in Ukraine were not allowed to compete in the election, significantly reducing its level of pluralism," the statement said. France also criticized how despite its international commitments, "Russia decided not to invite" international observers. 'Abhorrent violation' "Holding elections on Ukrainian territory … is an abhorrent violation of the UN Charter and Ukrainian sovereignty," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement. Expressing support for Ukraine and its sovereignty, Cameron also denounced "the depth of repression under President Putin's regime, which seeks to silence a ny opposition to his illegal war. " Cameron also criticized a lack of democracy "with only 3 Kremlin-approved challengers." 'Neither free nor fair' elections Germany said the presidential elections in Russia were "neither free nor fair" and condemned voting in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Government spokesman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his reelection. "As you know, we think that the so-called election in Russia last weekend was neither free nor fair," she told a press conference in Berlin, adding that "it was not a democratic election" and "no real opposition candidates" were allowed. Calling Russia "a dictatorship," Hoffmann said Germany also condemns voting in occupied Ukrainian regions. "Of course, we do not recognize this in any way, and only Ukraine would have the right to hold elections on this territory. That is our assessment of this so-called election, and that is why the chancellor did not co ngratulate Putin," she said. Putin got 87.32% of the vote in Russia's three-day presidential election, with 99.75% of ballots counted, the head of country's election authority confirmed on Monday. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: The Belgian foreign minister on Monday reiterated her call for a cease-fire in Gaza. "Hundreds of humanitarian trucks must access (Gaza). Opening all access routes is a priority," Hadja Lahbib said in a post on X. "The violence by settlers cannot go unpunished," she said and also emphasized that the EU must adopt sanctions against the settlers' violence in the West Bank, as Belgium did. "A (cease-fire) is urgent to restart peace negotiations," Lahbib also said. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which killed nearly 1,200 people. At least 31,726 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and nearly 73,792 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 dam aged 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

JERUSALEM: The Turkish aid agency started providing 25 tons of aid consisting of basic food items to the Gaza Strip, which has been under intense attacks by Israel since Oct. 7, 2023. As the humanitarian crisis worsens day by day in blockaded Gaza, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) continues its aid efforts during the holy month of Ramadan. Since the outset of the conflict, TIKA has been providing assistance in the form of food, health, and shelter materials in the region. In observance of Ramadan, TIKA has commenced distributing food packages to 2,500 displaced families in the Gaza Strip. The food packages, totaling approximately 25 tons and containing items such as cooking oil, rice, tomato paste, beans, hummus, lentils, pasta, canned meat, and fish, are being delivered to people in the Deir El-Balah, Rafah, and Az-Zawayda regions of the Gaza Strip. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 whic h killed nearly 1,200 people. More than 31,726 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave, and nearly 73,792 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 stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency