Category: General

Films from eight European countries were awarded at the 22nd edition of Countryside Animafest Cyprus, during its closing ceremony on Saturday August 12 in the village of Salamiou, Paphos. The festival took place with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Culture. According to a Press release by the organizers, this year’s edition included 31 international and 4 Cypriot films in competition, as well as a children’s film program, several music events, exhibitions, workshops, and installations. Members of the jury were Andreas Hykade from Germany, Varya Yakovleva from Russia) and Constantinos Kyprianou from Cyprus. Grand Prix Dimitris Eipides for a narrative film, was awarded to Electra by Daria Kashceeva (Czech Republic, France, Slovakia). The Grand Prix Dimitris Eipides for a non-narrative film, for crafting a personal subject in a non-narrative way on the highest artistic level, was awarded to Is Heaven Blue?, by Paul de Nooijer and Menno de Nooijer (Netherlands, Norway). The winner of the National competition was the film In the city of Dust by Haris Pellapaisiotis and Maud Nivet (Cyprus) ‘for creating a visual and acoustic poem in a touching way’. The jury also gave three special mentions. One was for the film Écorchée (Skinned) by Joachim Hérissé (France), ‘for finding beauty in ugliness.’ Another was ‘for successfully creating a contemporary Eve’ to the film Eeva by Lucija Mrzljak (Estonia, Croatia). The third wen to Antipolis by Kaspar Jancis (Estonia). The children’s jury awarded the first prize for the children’s film competition to Luce and the Rock by Britt Raes (Belgium, France, Netherlands). ‘We chose this film because the plot was very entertaining yet very meaningful. The film was well created in all aspects, such as the music, the animation and the plot!’, the jury notes. The children’s jury also gave a special mention to Harvey by Janice Nadeau (Canada), which they found ‘suitable for the younger and older kids’ and praised its ‘unique animation and its humorous and touching story.’ Three audience awards were also presented. The audience award for the international competition went to Electra by Daria Kashceeva (Czech Republic, France, Slovakia). The national competition audience award went to Phantom of Venus by Christiana Ioannou (Cyprus). The winner of the children’s competition audience award went to Friendly Fire by Tom Koryto Blumen (Israel).

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Pro-democracy activists in Nigeria staged a protest on Sunday calling for the unconditional release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who was taken hostage by the military in a coup last month. The Coalition of Pro-democracy Activists marched through the streets of Katsina city in Nigeria’s northwest condemning the coup and calling for the reinstatement of Bazoum, according to The Daily Post. Sunday’s protest comes a day after hundreds of Nigerians took to the streets of Kano to demonstrate against possible military intervention in Niger. The planned deployment of Nigerian troops into neighboring Niger as part of a regional force has created mixed feelings in the continent’s largest economy. The activists also lauded the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc, for taking a firm decision against the Niger Junta during its 2nd extraordinary summit held Thursday in Nigeria’s capital Abuja. The 15-member states ordered for the activation of its standby force in order to “restore constitutional order” in the coup-hit Niger. Sunday’s demonstrators also condemned what they described as the arrogance and disrespect exhibited by the coup leaders toward envoys, who recently traveled to the country. A group of soldiers calling themselves the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country seized power in Niger on July 26 and detained Bazoum. Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the head of Niger’s presidential guard, declared himself the new leader of the country on July 28.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Malaysia’s key elections in six states have ended in a status quo outcome as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government and the opposition alliance, Perikatan Nasional (PN), clinched three states each. Both the ruling and the opposition parties retained the states they governed before the polls, local English daily Malay Mail reported, citing results announced by the country’s election commission late Saturday night. The opposition PN retained Kelantan, Kedah, and Terengganu states, with unofficial results showing the coalition had swept to more than two-thirds of supermajorities in these states. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and its unity government ally Barisan Nasional (BN) have officially retained Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang after about seven million votes were tallied to see which party will govern six of the federation’s 13 states. Saturday’s vote in six states had been the toughest political challenge yet to Anwar, who, according to many, has lived up to the call by retaining the states his party previously governed. Anwar was appointed prime minister in November last year to head a unity government after an indecisive general election. The election of state assembly members does not affect his current two-thirds majority in parliament.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Bayern Munich signed England star Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, one of the big transfers in the 2023 summer.

“FC Bayern have signed Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur. The 30-year-old England striker has agreed terms with the German record champions until 30 June 2027 and will wear the number 9 shirt for the Munich club,” the German powerhouse said in a statement.

Bayern Munich President Herbert Hainer welcomed Kane and praised their new signing.

“Welcome to Munich, Harry Kane! We’re very happy about this top-quality new arrival,” Hainer said.

“… Harry Kane will not only strengthen FC Bayern, but also be a real asset to the entire Bundesliga,” he added.

Kane said that he is delighted to be a member of Bayern Munich.

“I’m very happy to be a part of FC Bayern now. Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I’ve always said that I want to compete and prove myself at the highest level during my career. This club is defined by its winning mentality – it feels very good to be here,” Kane said.

Kane, who started to play for Tottenham Hotspur in 2011, scored 280 goals in 435 matches that made him the London club’s all-time record goal scorer.

He was the English Premier League’s top scorer in 2016, 2017 and 2021, and is the second highest all-time Premier League scorer with 213 goals after former England forward Alan Shearer.

Kane is England’s captain and scored 58 goals in 84 international caps for his nation. He is also England’s record goal scorer.

He was awarded with the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after scoring six goals to be the tournament’s top scorer.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Ukraine on Saturday accused Russia of launching a strike in the city of Kryvyi Rih in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region.

“Missile strike on Kryvyi Rih. According to preliminary information, it was a ballistic missile. The important thing is it did not cause casualties. All details are being clarified now,” Serhiy Lysak, head of the regional military administration, said on Telegram.

Separately, Kryvyi Rih defense council head Oleksandr Vikul said explosions were heard in the city.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine’s Ivan-Frankivsk airfield, one of the places from which Kyiv reportedly launches its drone attacks on Russia, was struck.

Independent verification of claims is impossible due to the ongoing war.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The first ambassador appointed by Saudi Arabia to Palestine, Naif bin Bandar Al-Saud, presented on Saturday his letter of credentials to the Palestinian authorities.

Ambassador Al-Saud delivered the letter of credentials to Majdi Al-Khalidi, advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for diplomatic affairs, at the Palestinian Embassy in Jordan, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The original credentials will be handed over to the Palestinian president soon.

Al-Saud will serve as the non-resident ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Palestine.

Khalidi said this step would contribute to strengthening the bonds between the two brotherly peoples and countries.

Al-Saud previously served as the Saudi ambassador to Amman.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Jordanian King Abdullah II will meet on Sunday to discuss regional and international issues.

Palestinian Ambassador to Egypt Diab Allouh said in a statement the leaders will discuss regional, international, and Arab world issues and determine a common position.

The tripartite summit will be held in the Egyptian coastal city of El Alamein.

The leaders will also discuss the latest developments in Palestine, as well as the gaining international support for Palestinians’ right to freedom, independence, and establishing their own state.

The leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine met in Cairo on Jan. 17 as part of the summit held for the same purpose.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Members of the ultranationalist group, Danske Patrioter, or Danish Patriots, on Saturday burned a copy of the Quran in front of Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen.

The group then proceeded to burn another copy of the Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen.

The perpetrators chanted anti-Islamic slogans during the provocative act, which took place under police protection.

The attack was streamed live by the group on their social media accounts.

Recent months have seen repeated acts of Quran burning, desecration, or attempts to do so by Islamophobic figures or groups, especially in northern European and Nordic countries, drawing outrage from Muslim countries and the world.

Source: Anadolu Agency

In a telegram, Pope Francis on Saturday expressed his condolences over the murder of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

Francis urged the political forces and citizens of Ecuador to unite “in a common effort for peace,” according to Vatican News.

He condemned “the unjustifiable violence.”

Villavicencio was shot dead Wednesday while leaving a campaign rally in the capital Quito.

The attack took place at 6.20 p.m. (2320GMT) as he was leaving the Anderson School.

Villavicencio, who most polls put in fourth place among the eight candidates competing in elections on Aug. 20, had built his campaign around the fight against corruption and organized crime.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Migrants, who take long and dangerous journeys in pursuit of the “American dream”, are looking for day labor with low wages in New Jersey.

The migrants, including the illegal ones and asylum-seekers, take their backpacks early morning and line up on the roadside near the areas close to New York.

Men wait for jobs in construction, painting, transportation of goods, and women look for cleaning jobs.

The intersection of New Jersey’s connection to the main road near the George Washington Bridge, where it connects to New York, is known as the “day workers’ waiting area.” This is a place where employers from both New Jersey and New York, operating in different fields, come to find cheap labor.

A South American migrant, who asked not to be named, told Anadolu that they can only find a job 2-3 days a week and that the living conditions in the US are not easy.

An Ecuadorian said he can usually find a job every day because he speaks a little English, yet he does not have a steady income as he does not have a fixed job.

A 40-year-old South African migrant said they work for $20-25 an hour to paint a house.

Another South American said he can find a job easily because he knows plumbing work.

A day worker stressed that working legally or knowing the language is not enough to find a regular job. It is more important to gain mastery in a certain field, he added.

Huan Carlos, who came to the US from Guatemala 15 years ago, said the situation in his country is not good.

Despite spending all these years, he still works in daily jobs and cannot have a regular job. ‘It has become even more difficult nowadays.’

“I can find a job maybe 2-3 days a week,’ Carlos said, adding that the money he earned was barely enough for him.

A Latin American teenager said they share a house with others, which is not an easy situation for them.

As of May, more than 1.3 million asylum applications in the US were waiting to be processed, according to the Migration Policy Institute. As of June 15, 750,000 of these people’s files were waiting at immigration courts.

The US hosts over 11 million irregular migrants, including 5.3 million people from Mexico, 741,000 from El Salvador, and 724,000 from Guatemala.

Source: Anadolu Agency