Day: March 27, 2024

BERLIN: Trkiye asked Germany to take additional security measures to protect its diplomatic missions following recent violence by the PKK terror group, diplomats said Wednesday. Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Basar Sen raised the concerns during talks with German Foreign Ministry officials and called for stronger security measures for the diplomatic missions, Turkish institutions and businesses, Anadolu has learned. A group of PKK supporters attacked Trkiye's Consulate General building late Tuesday, following a pro-PKK demonstration in the city center of Hannover, without any intervention from police. There were no injuries in the attack but the windows and main entrance door to the building were damaged. Diplomats said Sen also conveyed Trkiye's expectations from authorities to take more determined action against the propaganda, recruitment and fundraising activities of the PKK terror group in Germany. The PKK, classified as an "ethno-nationalist" terror organization by the EU's law enforcement agen cy, Europol, has been banned in Germany since 1993. But it remains active with nearly 14,500 followers among the Kurdish immigrant population, according to the German domestic intelligence agency, BfV. In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people. Source: Anadolu Agency

LONDON: People are free to have opinions and thoughts, but expressions of support for terrorist organizations such as the PKK are not to be tolerated, Belgian Premier Alexander De Croo said on Wednesday. In the wake of recent violent attacks targeting Turks across Belgium, Prime Minister De Croo sternly condemned the actions of PKK sympathizers, labeling them as "intolerable provocations." Addressing the press after a National Security Council meeting, he underscored Belgium's commitment to freedom of expression while firmly denouncing any support for terrorist organizations such as the PKK. The prime minister emphasized that the PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization in Europe, saying: "We want to clearly convey this message: Provocations must stop." De Croo noted that many individuals from abroad were also involved in the acts of violence, adding: "However, we do not have any evidence that it was organized from abroad." Amid a spate of attacks in Europe by supporters of the terrorist group PKK, Trkiye on Wednesday called on European countries to crack down swiftly, saying it expects the countries in question to bring the attackers to justice. Members of the PKK terrorist organization gathered in the Belgian city of Leuven on Sunday, and attacked Turkish citizens living in the cities of Heusden-Zolder and Hauthalen, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that "no lives were lost, but some of our citizens were injured." In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organization by Trkiye, the US, and EU - has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is PKK's Syrian offshoot. Source: Anadolu Agency

NAIROBI: Trkiye's first lady on Wednesday delivered a powerful address at an International Day of Zero Waste event in Nairobi, Kenya, stressing the urgent need for collective action to address environmental challenges and advance sustainability efforts. Emine Erdogan decried the perilous condition of Earth's ecosystems, warning that rivers face the threat of disappearance due to improper consumption and that the soil across the world struggles for survival amid chemical waste. "Air pollution kills 7 million people every year," she stated, pointing to the human toll of environmental degradation. "Since 1970, global wildlife populations have fallen by 70 percent." The first lady said humanity generates 2 billion tons of waste annually, leading to severe environmental devastation, especially caused by plastic pollution. She noted that daily, an equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastics are dumped into oceans, rivers, and lakes. "Is our conscience at peace with the fact that a continent-sized island of plastic is floating in the ocean because of the people in this century?" Erdogan asked, challenging the audience to confront the consequences of unsustainable practices. On the origins of the zero waste movement, Erdogan expressed satisfaction with its evolution into a global initiative, culminating in the UN General Assembly's adoption in December 2022 of a resolution in support of zero waste principles. "The recognition that every resource we consume must be used responsibly lies at the heart of the zero waste approach," she said, stressing the importance of conscious choices in consumption and production. "As chair of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, I believe that the awareness of waste-free and sustainable life will be one of the most favorable legacies we can leave to future generations," Erdogan declared, expressing hope for a world where resources are optimized, waste is minimized, and sustainability prevails. Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Envir onment Program, emphasized that the International Day of Zero Waste serves as a reminder that "our planet cannot endlessly give up resources while receiving pollution in return." In an address, she stressed the imperative of addressing poorly managed waste, which compromises people's health and the health of the planet. Also speaking at the meeting, Turkish Ambassador to Kenya Subutay Yuksel commended Erdogan's visionary proposals, including the declaration of a year of zero waste and the establishment of a global zero waste fund overseen by the advisory board. Trkiye's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Guven Begec said the Turkish experience with zero waste started with the personal commitment of the first lady. Begec said it is now a national policy executed by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry. 'The target is to increase the recovery rate of recyclable waste to 60% in 2035, which was 13% in 2017 and 35% in 2023,' Begec said. Begec said they would like to see a zero waste agenda m ore visible in the G7, G20, the UN COP climate change conferences, and Pacific Island Forum meetings. 'Waste pollution threatens human health, costs the global economy heavily, and aggravates the triple planetary crisis.' According to the UN, the International Day of Zero Waste promotes responsible production and consumption patterns and encourages a shift towards a lifecycle approach. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye on Wednesday denied claims of cooperation with Israel, especially defense-based cooperation. 'Trkiye does not allow any form of arms and ammunition exports to Israel. There is no military training, exercises, or defense industry cooperation between our country and Israel,' the Trade Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the contents within the sections of Customs Tariff are being manipulated and distorted, leading to intentionally false news reports on the matter. 'Trkiye stands by Palestine and the Palestinian cause today as it did yesterday, and will continue to support the Palestinian cause at all times,' the statement said. Ankara will persist continue its efforts to deliver 'all our assistance and support to our Palestinian brothers and sisters, including Gaza, through every channel." 'In this context, we expect the ceasefire decision taken by the UN Security Council to be implemented as soon as possible,' the ministry added. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Pressure needs to be ramped up on Israel for it to comply with a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. "Pressure must be increased on Israel, the spoiled and lawless child of the West, for it to comply with this decision," Erdogan said at an election rally in eastern Trkiye. Israel has not been able to break the resistance spirit of "our Gazan brothers" for a full 173 days despite its barbarism and the military support it receives from Western states, Erdogan said, adding that Palestinians taught the world a lesson in "humanity, dignity, and courage through their epic resistance." "We will never hesitate to come to the aid of any oppressed and victimized individual anywhere in the world," he added. Speaking in the province of Batman, he also vowed that Trkiye would "do its part" for the Security Council decision to be fulfilled. "As Trkiye, we will do our part for this decision, which we welcome, to b e fulfilled," he said. Ankara will "make every effort" for peace and tranquility in Gaza as soon as possible, added the Turkish president. The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. While Hamas welcomed the move, Israel rejected the cease-fire demand and vowed to continue its offensive in the Palestinian enclave. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed. More than 32,200 Palestinians have since been killed and over 74,500 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. The Israeli onslaught has pushed 85% of Gaza'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 (ICJ), which in Janu ary issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Trkiye's fight against PKK Although Trkiye has been surrounded by conflicts and wars, the country is progressing towards its goals with determination, Erdogan said. 'The presence of the separatist organization in our territories has reached its end. The threat directed towards our country from Syria has been significantly brought under control. As of this summer, we will also have ensured the security of our border with Iraq,' the Turkish president added. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has accused US President Joe Biden of aligning with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar following the passage of a UN Security Council resolution demanding a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. ''Presently, Biden prefers the line of (US Representative) Rashida Tlaib and Sinwar to the line of (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir,' he told The New York Times. ''I would have expected the president of the United States not to take their line, but rather to take ours.'' The far-right minister criticized Biden's approach towards Israel, saying the US president was ''enormously mistaken'' in his attempts to pressure Tel Aviv. Biden ''constantly sought to impose restrictions on Israel and talks about the rights of the other side, who include, I remind you, many terrorists who want to destroy us,' Ben-Gvir said. Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian territory since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas which kil led nearly 1,200 people. Nearly 32,500 Palestinians have since been killed and 74,900 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. On Monday, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. While Hamas welcomed the resolution, Israel rejected the cease-fire call and vowed to continue its war on the Palestinian enclave. Washington abstained from voting on the UN resolution. The Israeli war, now in its 173rd day, has pushed 85% of Gaza'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 ICJ, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: A recent study has suggested that Indonesia's Javan tiger may still exist. The Javan and Bali tiger species were declared extinct in 2008 and 2013, respectively, with the Sumatran subspecies remaining "extant in Indonesia," according to the study by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and published last week by Cambridge Press. Researchers were prompted to look into any traces of the Javan tiger after a villager reported seeing the big cat near the village of Cipendeuy in the forest of South Sukabumi in West Java in 2019. They also discovered a "single hair" on a nearby fence that was investigated. Following an "in-depth interview" with Ripi Yanur Fajar, who saw the tiger, the researchers said they "believed" the hair was from a Javan tiger. The hair sample was then handed over to geological staff conducting research in the area and forwarded to the West Java Nature Conservation Authority (BKSDA), the study said. Later, Indonesia' National Research and Innovation conducted genet ic analysis, along with several hair strands from Sumatran tigers in North Sumatra province for comparison. The findings suggested a close relationship to Indonesia's native Javan tiger, which differed from other tiger species and the Javan leopard. "From this comprehensive DNA analysis, we conclude that the hair sample from South Sukabumi belongs to the Javan tiger and that it falls in the same group as the Javan tiger museum specimen collected in 1930," the study noted. This finding underscores the need for "further genetic and field studies" to confirm the existence of Javan tigers in the wild zone due to the lack of "conclusive evidence." The last survey, conducted in 1999-2000, discovered no tigers but did record "some prey species and many poachers." Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Ukraine on Wednesday said it detained a group of Russian 'agents' preparing missile strikes on military personnel, as well as energy and telecommunications facilities, in the country's Kyiv, Poltava, and Odesa regions. A statement by Ukraine's Security Service said two people allegedly affiliated with Russia's Federal Security Service were detained following special operations in Kyiv and Odesa, and were preparing missile strikes on Ukrainian military units, as well as energy and telecommunications facilities in three regions. 'The agents were especially focused on army units that provide security for the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, gathering on the Defense Forces in Poltava region, as well as the Kyiv TV Tower and the capital's thermal power station,' the statement said. The two detainees tried to identify the location of bases housing Ukrainian troops, after which they would send the appropriate coordinates of these bases to plan such attacks, it added. One of those detained got a job as a freight forwarder in an Odesa-based company supplying food to the military, while the other was collecting information about the technical condition of the Kyiv TV Tower after it was shelled in March 2022, the statement further said. 'He also photographed the exterior of one of the thermal power plants, which provides electricity and heat to a large part of the capital region,' it noted. The statement added that the security service caught both individuals 'red-handed' when they were looking out for new 'potential targets" for Russia. Investigators have notified both persons of the charges against them under Ukraine's Criminal Code, it said, noting that they are facing life imprisonment. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Artificial intelligence (AI) poses a threat to low-skilled job sectors, echoing historical patterns seen with the introduction of new technologies, according to an expert. Muhammet Elyesa Koytak, a faculty member at Istanbul Medeniyet University's sociology department, spoke to Anadolu about the effect of AI on job security. He highlighted that the impact of AI on different job sectors has been evaluated, and that like any technology, AI initially threatens low-skilled job sectors. Koytak said: "Whenever a new technology emerges, there is always discomfort and unrest among those who have been traditionally engaged in that work." Regarding income inequality in society, Koytak said that depending on the socio-economic structure, AI could lead to unemployment among the lower classes, noting that people with higher income are less worried about losing their jobs. Stressing the inclusive nature of AI, he said: "It has participatory aspects, with students, educators, practitioners, and even policymak ers using it." 'AI has positive and negative aspects' Discussing the impact of AI on different professions, Koytak divides jobs into two: those that are sensitive to technology and those that are not. Hairdressing for example, he said, has gained speed with technology but has not experienced a change in its essence. He clarified that being sensitive to technology in professions does not necessarily have negative connotations, mentioning fields like medicine, engineering, academia, and law, which have long used AI and evolved with it. Koytak also noted the acceleration in the work of academics, researchers, and engineers using AI, and warned that despite the widespread use of this technology, there is a need for verification. Highlighting the dual nature of AI, Koytak stressed the importance of avoiding "simplistic" interpretations, adding: "AI restricts individuality in some respects while opening up art, knowledge, trade, and professions to broader usage." He concluded: "We can also use AI to identify and analyze poverty in a detailed manner, providing fundamental insights for fair and equitable social policy-making." Source: Anadolu Agency