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ISTANBUL: Trkiye on Wednesday remembered Turks who lost their lives during events in 1915. "We commemorate with mercy those who died in the 'so-called Armenian Genocide,' in which defenseless and innocent Turks were brutally murdered,' Turkish National Defense Ministry said on X. The statement underscored Ankara's rejection of the label of 'genocide' amid debates surrounding the events. Trkiye's position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties. Trkiye objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide," describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties. Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Trkiye and Armenia as well as international experts to tackle the issue. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Kazakhstan and the UK on Wednesday signed a strategic partnership and cooperation agreement during an official visit by Britain's top diplomat to the capital Astana. A statement by the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said that the agreement was signed following talks between Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron. 'This comprehensive agreement will be a significant step in taking political, trade and investment relations between Astana and London to new horizons,' Nurtleu was quoted as saying at the meeting. 'We believe our strong and mutually beneficial strategic partnership will continue to strengthen in all areas, from energy to rare metals, from ecology to education,' Nurtleu further said. The Kazakh foreign minister also said that he welcomed contacts between his country and the UK at the intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary level. For his part, Cameron expressed that the UK pays great attention to developing cooperation with Kazakhstan as a key partner in Centr al Asia. 'He also expressed support for the ongoing reforms in our country and the readiness of London to deepen its ties with Astana,' the statement added. Cameron later held talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, during which the latter noted the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation between his country and the UK. Describing the UK as an 'important strategic partner,' Tokayev was quoted as saying by a Kazakh presidency statement that he is confident the strategic partnership and cooperation agreement will provide a 'qualitatively new foundation for expanding our multifaceted bilateral agenda.' 'We intend to strengthen our interaction in the fields of energy, education, business, culture, as well as strengthen interpersonal ties,' Cameron was also quoted as saying. On Monday, Cameron embarked on a regional tour to Central Asia and Mongolia. He has so far visited Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the country has not permitted any form of 'alienation, exclusion, or making any Armenian citizen feel like a second-class citizen.' 'We have not allowed and will not allow the alienation, exclusion, or the feeling of being second-class citizens of even a single Armenian citizen,' Erdogan said in his video message to Sahak Mashalian, the Turkish Armenian patriarch, regarding the events of 1915. 'It is important for us to approach the events of history guided by reason, conscience, and science, without giving way to radical discourse, alienation, or hate speech,' Erdogan added. Commemorating the Ottoman citizens of Armenian descent who lost their lives under the adverse conditions of World War I and extending his condolences to their grandchildren, Erdogan expressed his condolences to all members of the Ottoman society who "passed away or were martyred" due to conflicts, rebellions, gang movements, and terrorist actions, and prayed for mercy from Allah. "The continuation of the atmosphere of peace and tranquility inherited from our ancestors can only be achieved through our joint efforts. "The safety, prosperity, and happiness of our Armenian citizens, who enriched the Anatolian lands with their cultural and humanistic works, are guaranteed today,' Erdogan added. He noted that without discrimination among events engraved in 'national memory, fostering empathy will also prevent the seeds of hatred from taking root.' Erdogan stressed that the way to protect future generations from the spiral of violence and war engulfing the world lies in collectively building the future in the light of lessons drawn from shared sorrows, and he conveyed his greetings to the members of the Armenian community. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: The executive director of Amnesty International in the US said Wednesday that their research reveals that Israeli troops are committing war crimes against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip "using US-made munitions." "That's why we have been calling on the US to stop sending #weaponsforwarcrimes," said Paul O'Brien in a post on X. O'Brien thanked "the 37 members of Congress who voted NO on the Israel arms bill." The US Senate approved a $95-billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan on Tuesday. The chamber passed the bill in a bipartisan 79-18 vote, sending it to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature. The bill was approved by the US House of Representatives on April 20. Source: Anadolu Agency

The International Thalassemia Federation and the Pan-Arab Thalassemia Associations Forum are organizing the 1st Regional Pan-Arab Summit on Thalassemia and other hemoglobin diseases, on Monday, April 29, in Nicosia. A press release says that the summit is under the auspices of the Health Minister Michalis Damianos and the aim is to further strengthen the work carried out by the competent health authorities of each Arab country affected by genetic disorders and to help conduct a fruitful dialogue between medical experts and policy makers. WHO Regional Director for Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Hanan Balkhy and renowned Professors of Hematology, Ali Taher and John Porter, the Professor of Cardiology, Dr. Demetris Farmakis, as well as high-ranking government officials, representatives of state health services, and experts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco, and other countries in the region Middle East and North Africa will attend the summit. The participan ts will discuss the effects of Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) on public health and the sustainability of national health systems, the upgrading of national health programs and policies in Arab countries, the best practices for the prevention and management of hemoglobinopathies and the further strengthening of individual transnational collaborations in the health sector. The announcement says that hemoglobinopathies are particularly prevalent in the Arab world, with approximately 2-7%, and in some areas up to 15%, of the population being carriers of ß-thalassemia and an even greater percentage of sickle cell disease carriers. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Spacecraft and objects, including satellites passing over Trkiye, can be tracked using artificial intelligence in a project which will also enable the detection of espionage activities. Prof. Tahsin Cagri Sisman, vice rector of Turkish Aeronautical Association University, shed light on the project. Sisman said that they conduct satellite orbit determination studies using artificial intelligence and specifically deep learning at the university, aiming to contribute to Trkiye's capabilities in space. Recalling that one of the 10 goals in Trkiye's National Space Program is "Observation and Tracking of Space Objects from Ground," Sisman said that they are also working towards this goal. He underlined that their ultimate goal is to develop an artificial intelligence application that will identify satellites and space objects in the sky. The team initiated a study two years ago aimed at determining the position and speed of satellites and space objects passing over Trkiye using a domestic artificial in telligence application. Their project focuses on conducting space awareness studies utilizing artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on integrating orbital mechanics with deep learning. They aim to commence trials by the end of the year, which will allow for the instantaneous learning of the speed, position, and orbit of any space object observable through amateur radio bands passing over the country. National Security and AI Sisman expressed a desire for artificial intelligence applications to learn about space objects, similar to how people learn by observing the sky. He explained that they aim to collaborate with other space stakeholders in the country. Having completed artificial intelligence-based orbit determination studies in two dimensions on the Equatorial plane, Sisman reported their goal of elevating the AI application to a more professional level by converting the data into three dimensions. He also noted the occurrence of "Doppler shift" in the signal frequency when satellites send radi o signals to ground stations as they approach or move away, indicating the possibility of determining orbits based on this. He stated that they are conducting related research at the THK University Ground Station. Spy Satellites Can Be Tracked Highlighting the implications of the project, Sisman emphasized that national security is closely tied to this goal. Currently, orbit data for spy satellites is not accessible through existing channels like 'space-track.org,' underscoring the significance of indigenous projects for safeguarding Trkiye's security interests. The project aims to leverage artificial intelligence to track and ascertain the orbits of spy satellites, providing insights into their transit schedules over Trkiye. This capability enables the concealment of clandestine activities carried out by these satellites, further enhancing national security measures. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday on a three-day crucial visit, Chinese state media reported. Blinken will meet top Chinese officials, including his counterpart Wang Li, to discuss a set of thorny issues between the two world's largest economies, mainly its support for Russia, cheap Chinese exports that Washington says threaten American jobs, and escalating tensions in the disputed South China Sea. His visit coincides with passing of a bill by the US Senate, which President Joe Biden is expected to quickly sign into law, that provides $8 billion to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, and could also lead to a nationwide ban on the Chinese-owned app TikTok. 'The Secretary will meet with senior PRC (People's Republic of China) officials in Shanghai and Beijing to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including the crisis in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, cross-Strait issues, and the South China Sea," according to a State Departme nt statement. "The Secretary will also discuss ongoing work to fulfill the commitments made by Presidents Biden and Xi at the Woodside Summit in November on resuming counternarcotic cooperation, military-to-military communication, artificial intelligence, and strengthening people-to-people ties, and will reiterate the importance of the United States and the PRC responsibly managing competition, even in areas where our two countries disagree." It is not clear whether he will meet President Xi Jinping, as he did during his last visit, in June 2023. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: The UN officials said mass graves were found in Gaza with Palestinians stripped and bound, raising war crime concerns amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Over the weekend, the uncovering of mass graves in Gaza has sent shockwaves through international circles, raising serious concerns about potential war crimes amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes in the region, a UN report said on Tuesday. The discovery was made at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, with a total of 283 bodies unearthed at Nasser Hospital alone, of which 42 have been identified. "Among the deceased were allegedly older people, women and wounded, while others were found with their hands…tied and stripped of their clothes,' said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. "Some of them had their hands tied, which of course indicates serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and these need to be subjected to further investigatio ns," Shamdasani added. "What we need is an immediate cease-fire," she reiterated. The situation escalated further with the revelation of additional bodies at Al-Shifa Hospital. According to local health authorities in Gaza, approximately 30 bodies were found buried in two graves within the hospital's premises. Despite efforts, only 12 of these individuals have been identified so far. More casualties may exist, despite the Israeli Defense Forces' claim of 200 Palestinians killed during the Al-Shifa medical complex operation, Shamdasani said. UN slams latest series of Israeli strikes, killing women, children The UN human rights chief on Tuesday decried the latest series of Israeli strikes on Gaza, killing mostly women and children. Volker Turk's remarks came after at least nine children among 16 Palestinians were killed on Sunday in an Israeli bombing targeting several homes east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. "The latest images of a premature child taken from the womb of her dying mother, of the adjacent two houses where 15 children and five women were killed - this is beyond warfare," OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a UN briefing in Geneva, reading Turk's statement on the matter. Turk reiterated such an operation in Rafah would lead to further breaches of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as it would "risk more deaths, injuries and displacement on a large scale - even further atrocity crimes, for which those responsible would be held accountable." He also said he was "horrified" by the destruction of the Nasser Hospital and Al-Shifa Hospital and the reported discovery of mass graves in and around these locations, calling for "independent, effective and transparent" investigations into the deaths. "The intentional killing of civilians, detainees, and others who are hors de combat (someone who cannot fight back) is a war crime," he added. On "grave human rights violations" continuing in the occupied West Bank, Turk said that despite international condemnation of massive illegal settler attacks from April 12-14 facilitated by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF), "settler violence has continued with the support, protection, and participation of the ISF." Meanwhile, in the West Bank, grave human rights violations persist despite international outcry over illegal settler attacks facilitated by Israeli security forces. The recent operation in Nur Shams refugee camp and Tulkarem city resulted in the deaths of 14 Palestinians, including three children, further exacerbating tensions in the region. Condemnations from all over world Germany on Wednesday urged an investigation into media reports of mass graves at two Gaza hospitals, stressing the need for full clarification, said Christian Wagner, a deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman in Berlin. Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned Israeli war crimes and called for an international inquiry into reports of mass graves in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza. 'It is regrettable and disgraceful that international law and human values continue to be violated so crudely in front of the whole world,' the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Also, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Israel's "horrific massacres" of Palestinians, saying the discovery is an indication that "hundreds of displaced, injured and the sick as well as medical convoys were subjected to forms of torture and abuse before they were executed and given mass burial." The Arab League convened an emergency meeting to discuss Israel's continued genocidal war, the discovery of mass graves in Gaza and a US veto against Palestine's full UN membership. Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people. At least 34,151 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,00 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal di splacement 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. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Portugal must pay the costs for the colonial era, the country's president said, according to Portuguese media outlets on Wednesday. The country takes responsibility for its past mistakes, and must pay its costs, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told foreign reporters in Lisbon on Tuesday, broadcaster SIC Noticias reported Wednesday. The president added that the country must find solutions to repair damages. He added that apologizing is easy, while taking responsibility is more important. Portugal was one of the biggest colonial empires in terms of extension, reaching Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The country was responsible for the trafficking of almost 6 million people, according to SIC Noticias. Source: Anadolu Agency