Category: General

Individual rights were violated by police detaining people in Paris after a protest against the government’s pension reform, said a report released on Wednesday by France’s independent public body on places of deprivation of liberty. Controller-General for Places of Deprivation of Liberty Dominique Simonnot in the report criticized human rights violations and preventive arrests. According to the report, three units of the organization visited nine police stations in the French capital on March 24 and 25, following the day’s mass protest against the pension reform. They inspected detention facilities and detainee treatment. On April 17, Simonnot also wrote to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, criticizing the physical conditions of detainees as well as violations of fundamental rights during their detention. The organization also released the letter’s details, in which it reminded the government that under the European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence, people can only be arrested on suspicion of a crime or criminal attempt. “My units observed that some arresting agents received instructions and hierarchical orders to arrest people in this or that district of the capital without any distinction,” the controller-general stated in the report. Simonnot added that 80% of the people are classified as non-case, with the rest being equated by the court. However, most of them spent 24 hours in custody. Her organization can only question its true purpose, she said. She noted that “this approach of policing not only reveals manipulation of police custody measures for repressive purposes.” Since January, French workers and trade unions have been mobilizing and expressing growing outrage at the government’s pension reform. Police have been heavily criticized for their brutal intervention and mistreatment of protesters, particularly in Paris. Government officials, including spokesperson Olivier Veran, voice support for law enforcement and blame the protesters for being violent. Pension reform law President Emmanuel Macron signed the pension reform into law late on April 14 after the Constitutional Council completed its review, despite demands from trade unions to drop the measure that has triggered weeks of protests. The law will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, requiring at least 43 years of service to be eligible for a full pension. The government unveiled the proposal in January and it was taken up for a parliamentary debate the following month even as millions took to the streets to oppose it. Unrest intensified when Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, after consulting with Macron, decided to use special constitutional powers to adopt the bill without parliamentary approval in March. The decision was motivated by concerns that lawmakers would be able to stymie the reforms because the government lacked an absolute majority in parliament. The law is set to go into effect on Sept. 1.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affaires conveys a message of support to the Serbian government and people, following the tragedy that took place after the school shooting in Belgrade. A post on the MFA’s Twitter account says that ‘Cyprus stands by the people and Government of Serbia during this difficult time.’ ‘Shocked and deeply saddened by the devastating news of the school shooting in Belgrade,’ reads the MFA’s post. ‘Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and with all those who have been affected by this tragedy,’ it adds

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Trkiye’s new oil discovery in the country’s southeastern region of Gabar is estimated to increase the country’s overall hydrocarbon production from 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 180,000 bpd, with an estimated yearly financial contribution of around $2.9 billion. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed the news at an opening ceremony for the Karapinar solar power plant and other recently completed projects in central Konya province, announcing that the oil discovery in Cudi and Gabar near Sirnak would yield a production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day. “The reserves are of such high quality that they have the potential to transform the country into an energy exporter,” he said. He also disclosed that the oil discovered at a depth of 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) will be extracted “from 100 wells and will meet one-tenth of our daily consumption.” The new discovery, named after a young music teacher, Aybuke Yalcin, who was killed in terror attack carried out by the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Trkiye, the US, and EU- in southeastern Trkiye in 2017, will contribute around $2.9 billion to the economy when you calculate that around 100,000 bpd will be produced from 100 wells,” Murat Kalay, secretary-general of the petroleum and natural gas platform association, PETFORM, told Anadolu. Yalcin, 22, succumbed to her wounds on June 9, 2017, after a brazen attack targeted the car of the Kozluk region mayor in the Batman. She was on board a minibus that was part of the convoy. Trkiye doubles proved oil reserves The recent discovery is one of many oil and gas explorations undertaken by the country since 2020, the success of which has been demonstrated by the start of production from reserves made in December last year in Mount Gabar, where net reserves of 150 million barrels valued at $12 billion were identified. Dubbed “one of the top 10 onshore discoveries in 2022,” the discovery increased the country’s proved oil reserves from 450 million barrels to 600 million barrels. It came just a few months after the country announced the discovery of $1 billion worth of oil reserves in the Cukurova field in the southern Adana province. With the new oil discovery announced on Monday, Trkiye’s total proved oil reserves are set to double to almost 1.2 billion barrels. “The production from the newly-found wells, of course, will not begin immediately,” Kalay explained, noting that the first output could be realized in two or three years. Kalay stated that the oil discovery could reduce the country’s energy import bill and cover 20% of its oil consumption when added to the existing production that covers 10%, while also yielding higher income from sales due to lower refining costs.

Source: Anadolu Agency

A series of intrusion and trespassing attempts have so far occurred at Buckingham Palace, as well as some other criminal acts near the Palace. A man was arrested on Tuesday after he approached the gates of Buckingham Palace and threw suspected shotgun cartridges into the Palace grounds, according to Metropolitan Police. A controlled explosion was conducted as a precaution as the man was also found to be in possession of a suspicious bag. In 2017, a man was detained after he drove a car at police outside Buckingham Palace, and then “reached for a four-foot sword.” Three officers were slightly injured while struggling to arrest him, police said. Meanwhile, trespassing via climbing a wall of Buckingham Palace took place multiple times and raised questions about the security of the Royal Family. The well-known intrusion case took place in 1982, when Michael Fagan, a 34-year-old unemployed man, intruded into Buckingham Palace twice. In his second attempt, he even entered the bedroom of Queen Elizabeth II, while she was sleeping. One of the most shocking breaches of royal security was reimagined in the fifth episode of season 4 of The Crown, a historical Netflix drama series about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. 2000s The last two decades saw a series of trespassing incidents and no harm came to any of the royal family members. Here are some of the trespassing attempts. In 2004, a protester dressed as “Batman” climbed a wall of Buckingham Palace, and reached a ledge adjacent to a balcony used by the royal family on ceremonial occasions. No member of the royal family was at the residence at that time. Jason Hatch, the protester, stood on the balcony with a banner, reading: “Superdads of Fathers 4 Justice, Fighting for Your Right to See Your Kid.” The group was founded in 2011, aiming to champion the causes of equal parenting, family law reform, and equal contact for divorced parents with children. Meanwhile, in September 2013, a security review was launched after an intruder was able to scale a fence and get inside the palace before being arrested. In May 2016, another man was arrested after climbing a Buckingham Palace wall. The 41-year-old man was detained on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site, said the police. Two years later, a homeless man was found sleeping on the grounds of Buckingham. 44-year-old Steven Lawlor broke poster boards and the display cabinet to use as bedding. In 2019, an intruder was arrested after allegedly climbing into the grounds of Buckingham Palace while the queen was sleeping. According to police, the 22-year-old man scaled the front gates of the palace and was arrested on suspicion of trespassing. In another trespassing attempt, Cameron Kalani, 44, armed with a knife and cocaine, was spotted by security guards climbing over the fence of the Royal Mews in May 2021. A year later appearing at the court, Kalani claimed he was in a “state of psychosis” and did not realize he was climbing Buckingham Palace wall. In December 2021, American tourist Joseph Huang Kang, 25, was caught in the toilets at the Royal Mews after trespassing into the palace.

Source: Anadolu Agency

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, who held a meeting Wednesday in Paris with President of France Emmanuel Macron, presented his proposal for a more active and substantial involvement of the EU in the effort to resume the Cyprus talks, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a written statement, adding that the two Presidents will stay in contact on the matter. Referring to the working visit of the President of the Republic to France, the Spokesman noted that the coordination of actions and the support of France in this great diplomatic effort is a common understanding of the two Presidents and thus they will continue to be in communication. The President of the Republic, he said, held a working lunch with the President of France, during which they discussed ways to further strengthen their excellent bilateral relations, focusing on the fields of Education, Defence, Economic relations, and Energy. He also presented in detail to President Macron his proposal for a more active and substantial involvement of the EU in the effort to end the impasse, resume the negotiations from where they were left and solve the Cyprus issue. President Christodoulides explained the aspects of his proposal and how the further involvement of the EU can act as a catalyst and reinforce the efforts of the UN. The EU has those incentives and tools that can lead to the achievement of a win – win situation for all parties involved, the President of Cyprus said, adding that the role of France, as a strong supporter of Cyprus, becomes more important, especially due to the fact that France is the only EU Member State that is also a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council. The prospect of reaching in solution of the Cyprus problem, especially during this time, taken into consideration the international developments, has an additional geopolitical dimension for the EU, but also for the regional role that Cyprus can play, President Christodoulides said. “The coordination of actions and the support of France in this great diplomatic effort is a common understanding of the two Presidents and in this direction, they will continue to be in communication,” the Spokesman says. In addition, the President of the Republic presented to President Macron the situation regarding Migration in Cyprus, stressing the need for the EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean to be completed, adopted and implemented as soon as possible. Furthermore, they discussed regional issues in the wider region, such as Lebanon, Libya and Syria and how these can affect the region, as well as the need for EU initiatives since it has an important role to play. In addition, they discussed France’s participation in tripartite cooperation mechanisms. Ukraine and European issues were also on the agenda. The President of the Republic congratulated President Macron on his initiative for the European Political Community and informed him that he will attend the 2nd Summit to be held in June in Moldova. The two Presidents held a tete a tete discussion after the working lunch, the press release says. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

After a decade of strained relations, Trkiye and Egypt finally show strong signs of a normalization period. Following the solidarity and condolence visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to Trkiye after the devastating earthquake, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Cairo on March 18. And, most recently, Shoukry visited Ankara for talks with his counterpart. Messages of economic cooperation and regional peace and stability were conveyed, and it was understood that the two countries could be represented at the ambassadorial level. A meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected at some stage. The handshake between the sides at the 2022 World Cup, facilitated by Qatar’s emir, broke the ice between the two leaders, and further conciliatory steps are expected. Geopolitical considerations regarding the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya, among other issues, and the reinforcement of economic ties have influenced the normalization’s trajectory. A look at the recent history of bilateral relations Strained relations marked the past decade. Despite the initial significance attributed to the Muslim Brotherhood issue for which Trkiye provided asylum, it appears to have taken on a secondary role in the current negotiation discussions after undergoing some changes in perception. The two governments supported opposing sides during the Arab Spring. The Turkish military involvement in Libya in 2020 was critical in saving the UN-recognized government in Tripoli. In contrast, Cairo put all its eggs in Haftar’s basket, whose ill-fated offensive dented the warlord’s chances to control the entire country. Nevertheless, the two nations’ leaders want to go past this legacy. While this process has not been painless, it has paved the way to the path of reconciliation. This ongoing momentum has influenced other issues, such as the complex Eastern Mediterranean geopolitics. Ankara and Cairo seek common ground on maritime delimitation. Egypt’s recent announcement of a tender for energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, which took into consideration the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) demarcated by Trkiye, is a productive step. [1] In the past, Egypt was more aligned on Greek and Southern Cyprus positions. In August 2020, Greece and Egypt signed an exclusive economic zone agreement in response to Trkiye’s earlier maritime authorization pact with Libya in 2019. Economic aspect of the relations Moreover, it is important to highlight the economic aspect of the relationship. The Egyptian leaders seek to redress an ailing economy. Egypt’s tourism sector was devastated in the post-pandemic period, while the war in Ukraine pushed up global food and commodity prices. [2] Inflation has soared to over 40%, dragging the national currency to its lowest point ever. The IMF has pledged $3 billion in funding [3] contingent upon implementing deep reforms. Cairo’s Gulf traditional bankrollers, such as Saudi Arabia, have also changed direction, only providing a lifeline if conditions are met. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said: “We used to give direct grants and deposits without strings attached. And we are changing that.” A similar disappointment occurred with the UAE, underscoring Cairo’s limbo and desperate need for assistance. Paradoxically, despite the Turkish-Egyptian political frictions last decade, the economic ties between the two sides remained solid. Bilateral trade has witnessed considerable growth, with trade value increasing [4] by 14% year-on-year, totaling $7.70 billion in 2022, up from $6.70 billion. Egyptian exports to Trkiye also experienced a surge, reaching $4 billion in January-December 2022, an increase of 32.30% from $3 billion. Moreover, Egypt may benefit from energy cooperation [5] with Trkiye in the Mediterranean. This issue could further cement bilateral relations between Cairo and Ankara. President Erdogan once highlighted [6] the distinct nature of Trkiye’s ties with Egypt, emphasizing the search for regional peace in the hands of Trkiye and Egypt. Can the differences be narrowed down? Regarding the Libya conundrum, while progress is still distant, the fact that Haftar has recently sided [7] with Egypt’s enemies in Sudan creates some opportunities for both sides to narrow down their differences. Cairo has long nurtured ambitions to have a key role in post-war reconstruction in Libya. After betting on Haftar, Egypt made a U-turn, forging multiple economic deals [8] with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). However, Libyan reconciliation is a complex matter. Trkiye and Egypt differ on how best to move forward. While Ankara insists on preserving constitutional order in Libya by holding free and fair elections, Cairo sees things differently. If both sides manage to work together, exciting opportunities [9] could open up, contributing to a brighter future for Libya. In any case, Cairo seems to have recognized that Turkish interests and concerns cannot be dismissed. This situation has prompted Egypt to re-evaluate its approach, revisiting its past entente with Greece. The path of normalization is promising, but success will depend on the political will to convert the current overtures from transactional, tactical moves to long-term strategic commitments.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Brazilian federal police raided the home of former President Jair Bolsonaro early Wednesday looking for evidence on allegations that he tampered with coronavirus documents. Bolsonaro is a target of Operation Venire, a federal investigation into the alleged forgery of vaccine certificates. The former president allegedly falsified his vaccination certificate and the vaccination cards of relatives and advisors to gain entry to the US. The investigation led to the raid and the seizure of his cell phone. “I never mentioned that I had taken the vaccine. I was never asked for a vaccination card in the United States. There is no manipulation on my part,” Bolsonaro said outside his residence in Brasilia, according to Agencia Brasil. Authorities executed six arrest warrants and 16 raids in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro as part of the operation. Among those arrested was a former advisor to Bolsonaro, Lieut. Col. Mauro Cid. The forgery happened between November 2021 and December 2022, according to the investigation. “With that, such persons were able to issue the respective vaccination certificates and use them to circumvent the sanitary restrictions in force imposed by public authorities (Brazil and the United States) aimed at preventing the spread of contagious diseases,” said Federal Police. During the height of the pandemic, then-President Bolsonaro was ironclad in dismissing the severity of the virus and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Bolsonaro has had different clashes with Brazilian authorities. The right-wing politician has faced accusations and testified before Federal Police for purposefully spreading false information regarding the legitimacy of current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s election win and gifts of jewelry from the Saudi Arabian crown prince.

Source: Anadolu Agency

House President Annita Demetriou said that she will inform her EU counterparts on the issue of Varosha, in light of recent reports on the sale of hotels owned by Greek Cypriots in the fenced off area of Varosha, in the occupied part of Famagusta. In statements on Wednesday, following a meeting she had with DEPA Head Marios Karoyan, Demetriou said that she will send a letter in which she will brief her counterparts about the violations of UN resolutions on Varosha. She added that on parliament level, both her and Cyprus parliamentarians make use of every step and fora to inform on international level about the issue of Varosha. Demetriou also said that the public needs to know of our steps, about the dangers of division and the solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. House President also said that she expects President Christodoulides to convene the National Council soon to discuss all these issues and future actions. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta, is often described as a ‘ghost town’. The Turkish Cypriot leadership announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha. A few months earlier, on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. The UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action, while the UN Secretary General, in his latest report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, reiterated his concern over developments in the fenced-off area, noting that the position of the UN on Varosha remains unchanged. The EU also expressed grave concern.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday denied Kyiv’s involvement in a drone attack on the Kremlin residence in the Russian capital Moscow earlier in the day. “We are not attacking (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or Moscow. We are fighting on our own territory and defending our villages and cities. We have not attacked Putin. We will leave it to the tribunal,” Zelenskyy said in a joint news conference during the Nordic Summit in the Finnish capital Helsinki. Zelenskyy’s Press Secretary Serhii Nykyforov also denied Ukraine’s involvement in the incident, which the Russian presidency defined as a ‘terrorist’ attempt by Kyiv, saying that the country directs ‘all available forces and funds to the liberation of its own territories, and not to the attack of foreign ones.” Russia earlier claimed that Ukraine attempted to strike the Kremlin residence with two drones, which it said were shot down. ‘We view these actions as a planned terrorist attack and an assassination attempt targeting the President, carried out ahead of Victory Day and the May 9 Parade, where foreign guests are expected to be present, among others,’ it said. It added that Putin was not injured by the alleged attack and that the Russian side reserves ‘the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it deems appropriate.’ Following the news of the attempted attack, Moscow banned drone flights in the capital.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The UN chief said Wednesday that freedom of the press is under attack in every corner of the world and urged all nations to stop threats and attacks on journalists on World Press Freedom Day. ‘At least 67 media workers were killed in 2022, an unbelievable 50% increase over the previous year.’ Antonio Guterres said in a video message. ‘Nearly three-quarters of women journalists have experienced violence online and one in four have been threatened physically.’ He said: ‘Our freedom depends on press freedom” and that freedom ”represents the very lifeblood of human rights.’ Guterres said the financial collapse of scores of independent news organizations and an increase of national laws and regulations that stifle journalists are further expanding censorship and threatening freedom of expression as he criticized the increased concentration of the media industry into the hands of a few. ‘Stop the threats and attacks. Stop detaining and imprisoning journalists for doing their jobs. Stop the lies and disinformation. Stop targeting truth and truth-tellers.’ he said. ‘As journalists stand up for truth, the world stands with them.’

Source: Anadolu Agency