Day: March 19, 2024

ANKARA: Israel carried out airstrikes early Tuesday on several targets outside the Syrian capital Damascus, the state-run SANA news agency reported. "Damage was caused in the attack. Air defense systems shot down some enemy rockets," it said. Israeli authorities have not issued a statement on the attack. In addition to the Syrian army and Iran-backed groups, elements of the Lebanese Hezbollah group are present in Damascus and rural areas. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has occasionally carried out attacks on military positions belonging to Iran-backed groups and the Syrian army in Syria. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has witnessed firing drills involving massive super large multiple rocket launchers, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday, adding that he has warned that if war breaks out, there will be "disastrous consequences." Massive shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers, fired on Monday from sharp gun barrels like lava, flew to the target with the flame of "annihilating the enemy." Kim praised his military force and said it is necessary to further impress upon his enemies that if an armed conflict or war breaks out, they will never be able to avoid disastrous consequences, the news agency reported. "In the future, the destructive offensive means possessed by our army should more thoroughly fulfil their missions to block and suppress the possibility of war with the constant perfect preparedness to collapse the capital of the enemy and the structure of its military forces," Kim was quoted as saying by the news agency. On Monday, South Kor ea and Japan said North Korea fired at least three short-range ballistic missiles, the second such launch this year. This comes as Seoul hosts the third Summit of Democracy, an originally US initiative, with Washington's top diplomat Antony Blinken also attending the event. Pyongyang had fired a new surface-to-sea cruise missile, the Padasuri-6, from its eastern coast on Feb. 14, while it had launched its first ballistic missile this year on Jan. 14. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including US President Joe Biden warning Israel against the Rafah operation, Canadian lawmakers voting for a motion towards a Palestinian state, a famine imminent in northern Gaza according to a global food security body, and Vladimir Putin winning Russia's presidential election. TOP STORIES Biden says Israel 'should not' invade Rafah during call with Netanyahu US President Joe Biden said Israel "should not" follow through with its plans to invade Rafah during a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said Monday. "A major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters. Biden instead proposed that Netanyahu send a delegation to Washington to hear US concerns about Israel's current Rafah planning, the official added. Canadian lawmakers pass motion to work toward Palestinian state Lawmakers voted for a motion Monday that would see Canada and its international partners work toward a 'just and lasting peace' that would eventually include a Palestinian state. The motion, introduced in the House of Commons by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), originally called for Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine.' When it was clear that the motion would not fly, the NDP agreed to an amendment that would eventually see a two-state solution, Canada's official position. The motion did contain other provisions including a weapons embargo on sales to Israel, an immediate cease-fire and sanctions on West Bank settlers. Catastrophic famine 'imminent' in northern Gaza Global food security body Catastrophic famine is imminent in Northern Gaza and Gaza City, a leading international body on food security warned on Monday. "According to the most likely scenario, both North Gaza and Gaza Governorat es are classified in IPC Phase 5 (Famine) with reasonable evidence, with 70% (around 210,000 people) of the population in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe)," said a special brief by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC). The report warned that famine "is imminent in the northern governorates and projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024." Vladimir Putin wins Russian presidential election Vladimir Putin received 87.32% of the vote in Russia's three-day presidential election, with 99.75% of ballots counted, the head of the country's election authority said on Monday. Ella Pamfilova, head of the Russian Central Election Commission, said during a press conference in Moscow that Putin got 75.9 million votes in the election. She added that 87.1 million people had voted in the polls, amounting to a record turnout of 77.44%, surpassing the previous high of 74.66% in the 1991 presidential election. NEWS IN BRIEF Fourteen Palestinians were killed early Tuesday in Israeli airs trikes in the Gaza Strip, including women and children. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday reiterated his intention to ensure full security along Trkiye's border with Iraq and finish ongoing operations in Syria. The Israeli army late on Monday released Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail al-Ghoul and other journalists after arresting them earlier in the day at al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City. The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said Monday that Israel barred him from entering the Gaza Strip. The EU foreign ministers agreed at a meeting in Brussels on Monday to adopt sanctions on violent Israeli settlers. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday labeled the latest report on food insecurity in Gaza as an "appalling indictment" of the conditions faced by civilians in the region. The Belgian foreign minister Hadja Lahbib in a post on Monday reiterated her call for a cease-fire in Gaza. The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday warn ed that Gaza is already "in a state of famine," saying the situation is "entirely man-made" by Israel. At least 10 people were killed in a suburb of Haiti's capital Monday as tensions continued to rise in the Caribbean nation. Trkiye's foreign minister reiterated the country's commitment to fighting terrorism in Iraq and addressing the national security threat posed by a political party's ties to the PKK terror group. SPORTS Trkiye arrests 12 suspects after Trabzonspor vs. Fenerbahce match violence Twelve suspects were arrested for violence after Sunday's Trabzonspor vs. Fenerbahce football match in Trkiye, the Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said. They were held for an on-pitch brawl after Trabzonspor beat Fenerbahce 3-2 at Trabzon's Papara Park. The suspects arrested included one who invaded the pitch to attack Fenerbahce players, while another one removed the corner flag pole to rush towards the players. Great Britain's most decorated female Olympian Laura Kenny retires from cycling Laura Kenny, Great Britain's most decorated female Olympian, has retired from cycling ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. "Thank you cycling for everything you've given me - including a husband and our growing family!,' she wrote on Instagram. Kenny won five Olympic golds on track cycling across London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and also secured seven world titles. BUSINESS and ECONOMY World Bank to provide over $6B to Egypt in next 3 years The World Bank Group announced Monday that it will provide more than $6 billion of support to Egypt over the next three years. The amount includes $3 billion in financial support to the government's programs and $3 billion for the private sector that includes mobilization. Programs will focus on increasing opportunities for private sector participation in the economy, US regulator charges 2 firms amid false statements about AI The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Monday that it settled charges against two investment advisor firms for making false and misleading statements about their use of artificial intelligence (AI). Delphia (USA) Inc. and Global Predictions Inc. agreed to settle the SEC's charges and pay $400,000 in total civil penalties, the regulator said in a statement. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: New Zealand's foreign minister Tuesday reiterated his criticism of what he called 'race-based theory' where some behaved as 'superior' to others. Winston Peters' renewed criticism came after facing backlash from mainstream media for referring to Nazi Germany during his State of the Nation speech delivered this Sunday. In a statement on X, he accused 'many' in the mainstream media of 'deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly' misrepresenting his comments, alleging that Peters compared 'co-governance to the Holocaust.' Peters said his comments were aimed at Maori Party's co-leader Rawiri Waititi's previous statements about Maori people having 'superior genetics.' 'It was not just ideological theory, it was race-based theory. Where some people's DNA made them, sadly, according to these people, and condoned by their cultural fellow travelers, their DNA made them somehow better than others,' Peters said in his address on Sunday, referring to Waititi's earlier comments. 'I've seen that sort of philo sophy before, I saw it in Nazi Germany, we all did. We have seen it elsewhere in the world in the horrors of history, but right here in our country tolerated by the very people whose job is to keep the system honest,' Peters had said. The State of Nation address had 'no mention of co-governance or the Holocaust,' said Peters, blasting the media over alleged 'blatant misreporting.' However, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he 'does not agree with the comments' and urged all political leaders to 'tone down similar inflammatory language.' Luxon said he will discuss the issue with Peters, also a deputy prime minister and leader of New Zealand First party. 'Blatant political bias' Peters said the 'outrage' from 'some journalists' against his statement on 'race-based theory' was not only a 'disgraceful example of journalism, but yet another example of blatant political bias.' Such commentary was an 'insult to the public of New Zealand,' he added. 'The dripping bias and subsequent outrage sur rounding their self-determined inference of a comparison to the 'Holocaust', 'genocide', 'white supremacy' and 'dictatorships' from these journalists, is writ large in their inconsistency when reporting on others,' said New Zealand's top diplomat. Recalling statements made by other politicians, Peters asked: 'Where was the outrage shown by those in the media about these examples of direct and specific comparisons to the 'Holocaust', 'genocide', 'Nazis' and 'Nazi ideology'?' 'The moment you argue that one race has superior DNA to other races you're leading to awful racial consequences. 'I'm not backing down one iota. I want everybody in this country no matter whether they're here for 1,000 years or here yesterday legally to be treated the same - equally as one people,' Peters stressed. 'I make no apology for that.' Source: Anadolu Agency

Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis described on Tuesday remarks by the Turkish President on Cyprus as condemnable, unacceptable and provocative. Recep Tayip Erdogan claimed that the whole of Cyprus would have fallen to Turkey if the invasion did not stop. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island's northern third. Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Letymbiotis said that "the unacceptable statements and the timing chosen by President Erdogan demonstrate a lack of respect for international law, the European acquis, the UN Security Council resolutions, but also for the Secretary General himself, whose personal envoy was in our country some 24-hours ago, with the mission to create conditions for the resumption of talks within the agreed framework." The Turkish President, said the Spokesperson, chooses to send a message of division in practice by violating and ignoring the UN Security Council resolutions. "Erdogan's unacceptable statements prove once again the obvious: there can be no anachronistic guarantees in a modern, European state. It is inconceivable that any state should be prey to the appetites and expansionist intentions of foreign states. This is what international law requires. This is what justice and reason demand", said the Spokesperson. We will continue with all our strength, said Letymbiotis, "to resume negotiations from the point where they have been left off with the aim of a final solution of the Cyprus problem, on the basis of the bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality, fully aligned and consistent with the UN Security Council resolutions", adding that this is our national priority. Asked if, following the Turkish President's statements, he believes there is room for success in the efforts of the UNSG's Personal Envoy, the Spokesperson said Holguin's efforts open up "a new period in our efforts to resume negotiations". Her appointment, he added, proves the SG's dedication to efforts to resume the negations. "We wil l not allow anyone to deviate us from the mission of resolving the Cyprus issue within the agreed framework", Letymbiotis added. He also said the Cyprus problem will not be resolved through public remarks and "we will not accept such kind of statements from Turkey." What we want and we are urging, "is for there to be a sincere intention and willingness to return to negotiations within the agreed framework, from the point where they have been interrupted, to achieve a viable, final solution that will benefit the whole of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, but also the entire region, Letymbiotis added. CNA sources meanwhile said that Holguin is due to visit Brussels and Berlin in April, as Germany is considered a country with good relations with Turkey. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus Naturas Gas Public Company (DEFA) is racing against time to meet a deadline that finishes at the end of 2024 for the conclusion of the Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal in a bid to absorb the balance of the pound 101 million grant from the Connecting Europe Facility, a DEFA senior official has said. According to DEFA, pursuant to a decision by the Council of Ministers, the pound 101 million grant would be utilised as equity financing to the Natural Gas Infrastructures Company (ETYFA) a subsidiary of DEFA responsible for the LNG project. So far pound 73.4 million have been acknowledged with pound 27.8 million remaining. DEFA said that the remaining amount will be granted under two conditions. The certified expenditure should reach pound 253.2 million by the end of 2023 and the construction projects should be completed by the end of this year. However, the project consortium, the Chinese CPP, suspended constructions works in late January 2024 due to a dispute with ETYFA and appealed to an arbitratio n court in London. Last Friday the Minister of Energy George Papanastasiou met with CPP officials and announced that the construction works will resume. Speaking on Tuesday before the parliamentary committee on Energy, Marios Menelaou, DEFA General Manager said that 80% of the project is completed so far, whereas certified expenditure amount to pound 249.6 million, which means that the EU grant could reach 99.8 million of the pound 101-million approved grant. He noted that there was a delay due to the suspension of the construction works. 'We have not been informed over a revised timeframe by the contractor which, I presume they will submit,' he said recalling that the Energy Minister believes that the terminal could be completed by the end of 2024. 'If the timeframe extends beyond 2024 decisions should be taken at the political level,' he added noting that if the by the end of 2024 construction works could be certified by the Commission as amounting to 80% of the project, 20% of the remaining grant would be sliced. Furthermore, Nicolas Valanides, economic director at DEFA, recalled that the authority has received two extensions by the European Commission with the final one ending on December 31, 2024. 'There will be no further extension,' he added, noting that DEFA have made some soundings with European Commission with regard to the completion of the project. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Energy George Papanastasiou has expressed hope that the LNG Terminal, under construction in the Vassilikos area, will be completed before the end of this year. Speaking to journalists after the Council of Ministers meeting, the Energy Minister said that an additional 120 specialised personnel from China will arrive in Cyprus and that a commitment has been made before the President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, who visited the site on Saturday, that the company is moving forward with the completion of the terminal. Papanastasiou explained that the terminal consists of two parts. The first part is the floating unit which is almost completed, awaiting certification. "This week we will have a confirmation from a classification society that the ship is on course for certification," he said. Regarding the second part, the land terminal, he said that the construction has already started and that since last Saturday, the consortium, with management company being CPP, which is of Chinese interes ts, has resumed work. "We hope that through an increase in the staff and the employees that the management company will bring from China and with the help of the state to give the necessary visas, the terminal will be finished hopefully before the end of 2024," he emphasised. The Minister said that there is a time frame indicated by those funding the project for the terminal to be completed, which is until the end of 2024, but noted that a slight postponement can be given. He also said that the President of the Republic visited the site on Saturday. "We visited the area of Vasilikos together with the President of the Republic on Saturday because he wanted to see for himself what is happening there" the Minister said, adding that there has been a commitment before the President of the Republic that the company is moving forward with the completion of the terminal and with the delivery of the vessel in the coming weeks. The Minister said the European Commission is closely monitoring the project which has t aken several extensions, and recalled that the project is mostly European, as it has received European funding with 101 million euro and the banks involved in this project are European ones. "There is some concern on the part of the financiers of the project but with the latest development which shows that the project is starting to move in the right direction and with the close monitoring by the Ministry itself I believe that we will see the completion of the terminal," he concluded. Source: Cyprus News Agency

The second ship with humanitarian aid for Gaza is ready to set sail, in accordance with the protocols that have been agreed upon, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday. But he went on to clarify that before its departure, there are parameters that must be taken into account, such as weather conditions. Speaking to the press following a Cabinet meeting, Letymbiotis said that the ship is expected to depart within the next few days. He also recalled that a meeting is taking place in Cyprus March 21 with representatives from 40 states for the necessary coordination that is required to enable aid to reach the civilians in Gaza, to maximize the flow and to guarantee continuous flow there. The meeting, the Spokesperson said, will be among technocrats, pointing out that the magnitude of the humanitarian aid needed is such that the contribution of many states is required. "No state can cope on its own, let alone Cyprus," he said. Replying to a question he said that some of these 40 stat es have signed the declaration for the flow of aid but also many others want to be part of the "Amalthea" initiative. He added that the Belgian Prime Minister had a meeting with Cyprus President in Egypt yesterday and conveyed his country's intention to participate in Amalthea. Source: Cyprus News Agency