Category: Politics

Hundreds of thousands of workers in both countries have lost their livelihoods because of the earthquakes, preliminary findings showed in the new ILO assessments of the disaster’s impact on the labour market.

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“Employment promotion is central to a successful and inclusive response to this disaster,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo. “People can only begin to rebuild their lives if they have rebuilt their livelihoods. We owe it to those who have lost so much in the earthquake to ensure that the principles of social justice and decent work are firmly embedded in the recovery and reconstruction process.”

Türkiye: monthly losses top $150 million

The earthquakes left more than 658,000 workers unable to earn their living, and more than 150,000 workplaces unusable, initial findings suggest.

In the face of steep income and job losses, ILO warned about increasing risks to occupational safety and health, as well as child labour.

Affected workers face average income losses of more than $230 per month each, for as long as the disruption continues. Overall, the crisis is likely to have reduced take-home pay by around $150 million per month in the affected areas, ILO reported.

Lost work hours have rippled across the affected area. Estimates show that in Malatya, 58.8 per cent of work hours are estimated to have been lost, with comparable figures of 48.1 per cent in Adiyaman and 45.2 per cent in Hatay.

The affected provinces in Türkiye are home to more than four million workers, most employed in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, or other “low-value-added” services.

Syria: Soaring ‘disemployment’

In Syria, where 12 years of civil war had already taken a huge toll on the economy and labour market, ILO estimated that about 170,000 workers have lost their jobs as a result of the earthquakes. This has directly affected around 154,000 households and more than 725,000 people.

Around 35,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises have also been affected. This temporary “disemployment” has led to total labour income losses equivalent to at least $5.7 million a month.

The five worst-affected districts – Aleppo, Hama, Idleb, Lattakia and Tartous – were home to an estimated 42.4 per cent of the country’s total population. This includes around 7.1 million people of working age of 16 and up, 22.8 per cent of whom are women.

Source: EMM/ United Nations

Elected to lead the pro-independence Scottish National Party, the 37-year-old politician with Pakistani roots will have to navigate his party and government through multiple challenges.

Humza Yousaf of Pakistani descent, who is most likely to be named Scotland’s new First Minister, will create history when he becomes the first Muslim and the first man of colour to lead the semi-autonomous government of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

He will also be the first Muslim to lead a country in Western Europe.

The 37-year-old won the SNP leadership race on Monday and replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scotland’s top leader.

“I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland. I will work every minute of every day to earn and to re-earn your respect and your trust,” Yousaf said in his acceptance speech.

Yousuf could be sworn in on Wednesday if he wins a vote in the nation’s Parliament on Tuesday, less than six months after Rishi Sunak, of Indian heritage, became the United Kingdom’s prime minister.

“From the Punjab to our parliament, this is a journey for our generations,” Yousaf said in his triumphal address to party members and the followers in the Scottish capital Edinburgh, referring to his South Asian roots.

Yousaf has been a progressive member of his party and actively involved in national politics, which sometimes has led his views to be challenged within the party.

Yousaf has not been far from politics because his family is close to Scottish domestic and international developments.

After earning a degree from the University of Glasgow for politics, Yousaf worked as a researcher for the SNP and was later elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2011.

He first became a party member and gradually climbed the political steps to serve as transport, justice and health secretary under Sturgeon’s leadership.

He was criticised by opponents over his handling of the Covid pandemic that killed over 16,400 people in Scotland since March 2020.

Independent Scotland?

Before the election, Yousaf was targeted by his opponents for being too local, focused on identity politics and not sufficient on the country’s policy issues. However, he refuted the criticism and underlined that he is committed to advancing policies that benefit all nationals regardless of their backgrounds.

He gave speeches in his campaign on rejoining the European Union, making the country renewable energy friendly, barring conversion practices and Scotland’s independence from the UK, a country united for about three centuries.

Yousaf runs against Kate Forbes and Ash Regan — two influential members of the Scottish party. The race was insufficient to give a result in the first round, but he defeated Forbes in the second by 52 to 48 percent.

Yousaf is one of the leading pro-independence politicians in the country. But a recent opinion poll conducted in March shows a big drop in backing a separation from the UK with only 39 percent favouring independence in a survey this month. The number was as high as 58 percent in 2020.

“I will ensure our drive for independence is in fifth gear,” he said. “The people of Scotland need independence now more than ever.”

Chequered life

Yousaf was born and raised in Glasgow in a working-class family and attended local schools before earning a degree in politics from the University of Glasgow. His father was a community organiser, and his mother was a teacher.

He then worked for several political organisations before being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2011.

Yousaf’s political career has been marked by a commitment to social justice and equality. He has been a strong advocate for minority rights and has spoken out against racism and discrimination.

Yousaf’s appointment has been met with both praise and criticism. Many have lauded him for his trailblazing role as the first person of colour and Muslim to hold the top position. However, others have questioned his qualifications and experience, and some have criticised his support for Scottish independence.

Yousaf’s family has reportedly been facing discrimination in the country. In a highly-publicised case, his wife Nadia El-Nakla launched legal action against a nursery in a school for refusing to give their two-year-old daughter a place due to her non-western name. The case was later dropped after the nursery agreed to make some changes in admissions.

His historic election has been seen as a sign of progress and a testament to the diversity and inclusivity of Scottish society.

Source: TRTworld.com

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday highlighted great progress on his three-party ruling coalition talks on a final agreement on the country's biggest modernization drive since the end of the 19th century.

'I am very, very happy about these talks. We are constantly making progress. We have long since resolved the main issues that needed to be resolved,' said Scholz at a joint press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto in Berlin.

We will have 'very, very, very good results,' he said. The focus of the talks is on 'modernization and climate protection,' he added.

The leaders of the co-ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) resumed their marathon talks on a number of controversial issues on Tuesday morning, which had been interrupted the day before.

By the afternoon, there was still no end in sight for the coalition committee, which had kicked off its deliberations on Sunday evening.

The talks dwelt on boosting climate protection in the transport sector and accelerating the construction of highways.

The center-leftist government coalition is also bickering over the replacement of oil and gas heating systems and revamping the child welfare system.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Tuesday discussed steps to enhance the bilateral relations. In a phone call, the leaders also exchanged views on regional issues, according to Trkiye's Communications Directorate. Erdogan also thanked Tebboune for the solidarity and support the Algerians displayed following the Feb. 6 deadly earthquakes in southern Trkiye. The presidents exchanged greetings on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Source: Anadolu Agency

In response to reports of military actions against civilians during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Pilecki Institute in Warsaw, Poland, has established a center that collects and preserves evidence of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. Lesia Bakalets has a story from Warsaw.

Source: Voice of America

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu early Monday to stop the legislative process immediately for the government's judicial reform plans after night-long mass protests. Addressing the prime minister, the government, and the members of the coalition on Twitter, Herzog said: "Tonight we saw some very difficult scenes. I'm turning to the prime minister, the government, and the members of the coalition: The emotions are difficult and painful. Deep anxiety is engulfing the people. The security, the economy, the society -- everything is threatened. The eyes of all the people of Israel are turned to you.' "For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel, for the sake of responsibility, I am calling on you to stop the legislation immediately. I turn to all the party leaders in the Knesset, coalition, and opposition as one, put the citizens of the nation above all else, and behave responsibly and bravely without further delay." Israel has seen mass protests over the past 12 weeks against plans by the government for judicial reforms, which are seen by the opposition as a power grab in favor of the executive authority. Netanyahu decided to fire Defense Minister Gallant on Sunday after Gallant urged the Israeli leader the previous day to pause the government's judicial overhaul plan. Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, claims that his plan would enhance democracy and restore the balance between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Cuba renewed its parliament in an election with a turnout of 75.9% of the eligible voters, a figure that exceeds the results of the last elections in the island, the National Electoral Council (CEN) said on Monday.

The 470 candidates for 470 seats, overwhelmingly from the Communist Party, surpassed the 50% threshold of the votes and were therefore elected in the country's National Assembly, the highest legislative body.

Alina Balseiro, president of the CEN, said that 6.164.876 Cubans voted on Sunday out of 8.1 million Cubans who were called to the polls.

According to the preliminary data from the election authority, 90.28% of the votes were valid, 6.22% of the ballots were blank and 3.50 % were annulled.

Balseiro said in a press conference on Sunday that election day had been without incidents and explained that the body decided to delay the closing of polling stations by one hour, until 7:00 pm local time, for people who were away from their voting station.

The election process concludes on April 19 with the constitution of the new parliament and the election of the country's president. Miguel Diaz-Canel, leader of the Communist Party, is expected to serve a second term.

"Since yesterday we said it: we trust our people who came out to defend the Revolution, despite the draconian measures of the United States, despite the fierce campaign and calls for abstentionism," President Diaz-Canel said on his Twitter account.

The vote comes at a time when Cuba is going through the worst economic crisis in decades, with shortages of food, blackouts, a wave of migration, inflation and crippling US sanctions.

Opponents in and out of the island have been carrying out a campaign for weeks to encourage electoral abstention as a way of protesting the precarious situation the island is going through.

In a joint statement, the association of opposition groups Observers of Electoral Rights, Citizen Observers of Electoral Processes and the Cuban Commission for Electoral Defense denounced that the elections "have been the most irregular in its history," stressing that "repression was unleashed against activists and observers who sought to monitor the process".

Source: Anadolu Agency

Spain's evangelical Christian federation FEREDE on Monday called on preachers to 'avoid using their pastoral influence to shape believers' votes.'

This came after Yadira Maestre, an evangelical pastor, spoke at a Popular Party event with the Latin American community in Madrid over the weekend.

Maestre, a pastor based in Madrid but originally from Colombia, prayed for God to bless the Popular Party candidates ahead of local and national elections.

The Popular Party is Spain's largest conservative party and acts as the main opposition to the federal coalition government.

This is the first time an evangelical pastor has spoken at an official Popular Party event, according to the Spanish daily El Diario.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the Popular Party president of Madrid, went on stage after Maestre, accusing Spain's progressive government of hailing more 'immorality' as progress.

Another Popular Party leader slammed President Pedro Sanchez for meeting with 'dictators' at the annual Ibero-American summit over the weekend, while Spain's opposition party was with 'the inheritors of American freedom' in Madrid.

While Catholicism is the strongest religion in Spain, the evangelical population has been increasing, primarily due to Latin American immigrants. A recent study found the number of evangelical churches grew from 2,796 in 2011 to 4,340 in 2023.

However, Spain's evangelical federation said it believes in the separation of church and state and even includes political neutrality in its code of ethics.

In Monday's statement, it said 'the vast majority of our evangelical churches in Spain' are politically neutral due to the 'political plurality among its worshippers.'

Source: Anadolu Agency

Thank you President Iohannis, dear Klaus, for your warm welcome. It’s a pleasure to be back in Bucharest. Today we discussed important issues for our European continent. I will focus on three: EU support for Ukraine, Moldova and the Schengen area and border management

Russia continues to attack the free people of Ukraine. And they continue to fight back bravely to defend their freedom. The European Union will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.

Just a few weeks ago, President Zelenskyy attended our European Council meeting in Brussels. He made one thing perfectly clear: Ukraine needs more ammunition. Urgently. And we have responded quickly and decisively. We are again stepping up our military support. Last week, we agreed to urgently deliver one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine. We will massively ramp up our production capacity. Klaus, a special thanks to Romania for your contribution to our financial, military, and humanitarian support to Ukraine. And for establishing a Union Civil Protection Mechanism logistic hub to channel EU assistance to Ukraine.

Romania has also played a key role in making our Solidarity Lanes a success. This has brought vital revenue to Ukraine. But I know this has adversely affected Romanian farmers. The EU has mobilised over 50 million euros for farmers from front-line states. But we should look into increasing this amount. You know I fully support your call on that important question.

Klaus, I want to personally thank you for Romania’s efforts in welcoming over 115,000 Ukrainian refugees. And for the international humanitarian hub that has helped the transit of more than 70 international assistance missions. This shows the true spirit of European solidarity.

At last week’s European Council, we also sent a strong message of solidarity to the people of Moldova. And we asked the European Commission to present a support package for Moldova before the summer. We reaffirmed our unwavering support for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In recent months, you have mentioned it, Russia and its proxies have stepped up their efforts to destabilise the country. Weaponsing energy, conducting cyber-attacks, staging protests, and other subversive activities. We strongly condemn these attempts to destabilise Moldova. They must stop immediately.

We continue our comprehensive support for Moldova. To bolster its security, stability, and resilience. It’s important that we launch the new Common Security and Defence Policy mission in Moldova as soon as possible. I will be indeed in Chisinau tomorrow, where I will reaffirm our steadfast support. As a candidate for EU membership, the people of Moldova begin a journey towards our European family. And we will be right by their side. I’m grateful to the government — and the people of Romania — for their solidarity with Moldova.

Today, again, we also discussed the Schengen area and the importance of effectively managing the EU’s external borders. I would like to reiterate that I fully support Romania’s efforts to become a fully-fledged member of the Schengen area. I’m pleased to see that the pilot project of EU external border control was successfully launched earlier this month.

Dear President, thank you again, for your warm welcome. I know we can count on you personally and we can count on Romania to help make our Union stronger, more resilient and more prosperous. And Romania can count on the EU. Thank you.

Source: EMM/ European Council Council of the European Union