Category: General

Pope Francis on Sunday offered his prayers and condolences to the people of Morocco hit by a devastating earthquake on Friday.
Sending a condolence message, the pontiff said during the Angelus prayer: “I thank the rescue workers and those who are seeking to alleviate people’s suffering.”
He invited everyone to help the quake-hit people, hoping the aid would help the victims in this tragic moment.
At least 2,122 people were killed and 2,421 injured in the quake that struck the North African country late Friday.
Fatalities from the magnitude 7 tremor occurred in various regions, including El-Houz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Tiznit, Marrakech, Azilal, Agadir, Casablanca and Youssoufia.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Clashes renewed on Saturday between Palestinian Fatah movement and rival armed groups at the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon, local sources said.
Sounds of gunfire and shells were heard early Saturday inside the camp, according to an Anadolu reporter at the scene.
The violence erupted shortly after the fighting groups reached a cease-fire agreement on Friday, according to a source with Hamas group.
At least 14 people were killed and more than 40 others injured since the clashes first erupted on July 29, according to UN figures.
On Saturday, Palestinian President received a phone call from Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss developments at the Ein el-Hilweh camp.
Abbas issued orders to reach ‘a complete and comprehensive cease-fire’ between all parties at the camp, the Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported.
Abbas underlined ‘his keenness on achieving this truce and addressing matters in accordance with Lebanese law and in coordination with the government,’ the broadcaster said.
The Ein el-Hilweh camp is the largest of 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
Established in 1948, Ein el-Hilweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon with 50,000 registered people, according to figures released by the UN, while unofficial statistics put the camp’s population at 70,000 people.
The total number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated to be about 200,000, distributed among 12 camps, most of which are under the control of the Palestinian factions.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi

Source: Anadolu Agency

Five people were killed in renewed clashes between rival Palestinian groups in the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Sunday, according to Lebanese media.
Fifty-two other people were also injured in the violence that erupted between Fatah movement and armed groups in the camp, the National News Agency reported.
Sounds of heavy weapons and shells were heard across the camp.
The Lebanese army, for its part, said five soldiers were also injured when shells struck a military site near the camp.
Established in 1948, Ein el-Hilweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon with 50,000 registered people, according to figures released by the UN, while unofficial statistics put the camp’s population at 70,000 people.
The total number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated to be around 200,000, distributed among 12 camps, most of which are under the control of the Palestinian factions.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar

Source: Anadolu Agency

Argentina’s Lionel Messi on Sunday offered his condolences to Morocco following a deadly earthquake that killed hundreds in the North African country.
“My condolences to all the families of the earthquake victims in Morocco,” the world champion footballer Messi wrote on Instagram.
“All the strength to the injured and the people who were affected by the terrible catastrophe,” he added.
At least 2,122 people were killed and 2,421 others injured when a magnitude-7 earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, according to the Moroccan Interior Ministry.
The quake was the strongest tremor to hit the North African country in the last century, according to Morocco’s National Geophysical Institute.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar

Source: Anadolu Agency

The death toll from the devastating floods that hit the Greek central Thessaly region hard on Tuesday climbed to 15 amid growing anger against the government, local media reported on Sunday.
Bodies of four more people were found today in the Karditsa area by the search and rescue teams, while another two people, reportedly a couple from Austria, are still missing, the public broadcaster ERT reported.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Pinios River remains well above the alarm level and hence threatens the city of Larissa, one of the biggest in the region, and adjacent settlements, it added.
It underlined that the floods caused severe destruction in the region and destroyed agricultural production, as well as a large number of houses, businesses, and infrastructure.
The situation is worrying especially in the city of Volos with a 200,000 population where the water supply network was badly damaged, and its residents remain without access to running water.
In a related development, Deputy Health Minister Irini Agapidaki warned the residents of the flood-stricken settlements to drink only bottled water.
She also stressed that pets and farm animals should be isolated in areas where animals have died, and residents should notify local authorities to remove the carcasses.
Anger against government
A protest was held against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the city of Larissa, where he came this afternoon to assure the citizens that their losses will be compensated, local news outlet onlarissa.gr reported.
About 150 people were at the scene with some of them throwing stones at the police, who responded with tear gas shelling, it added.
The main opposition party SYRIZA said in a statement: ‘Without any apology and without a trace of self-criticism for his enormous responsibilities and after drowning the protesting citizens in Larissa with chemicals and flash grenades, Mr. Mitsotakis appeared today as a simple observer of the biblical disaster in Thessaly.’
Also visiting the region, the leader of the social-democratic opposition PASOK party, Nikos Androulakis, remarked that the responsibilities of the government and regional authorities are very high.
“They did not manage to defend Thessaly from these extreme phenomena. The quality of antiflood works carried out must be inspected. Also, they must account for the works that were not carried out these past few years,” he said.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Israel’s spy intelligence service Mossad warned Sunday that Russia could sell advanced weapons to Iran.
“Our fear is that the Russians will transfer to the Iranians in return what they lack (of advanced weaponry),” Mossad director David Barnea said in statements cited by The Times of Israel newspaper.
Such advanced weapons “will certainly endanger our peace, and maybe even our existence here,” he added at a conference organized by the Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy.
Barnea claimed that Tehran has provided Russia with hundreds of home-made drones for use in Ukraine and plans to send more shipments of short- and long-range missiles to Moscow.
There was no Iranian or Russian comment on the Israeli claim.
Iran has a long-running rivalry with its arch-foe Israel.
Tensions between the two countries escalated after top Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed in an operation on the outskirts of Tehran in November 2022, which Tehran blamed on Israel.
Israel has also accused Iran’s intelligence services of plotting attacks on Israeli citizens in foreign countries.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar

Source: Anadolu Agency

Trkiye is taking ‘significant steps’ toward renewable energy, and has accepted responsibility for the greenhouse gas issue, which concerns the common future of the world and humanity, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.
‘Trkiye’s greenhouse gas emissions are quite low. Despite this, we take responsibility for this vital issue that concerns the future of our world. We are among the countries that have made the most significant contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement with our 2053 zero net emissions and green development goals.
“We are taking important steps in renewable energy, nuclear, and hydrogen investments,” Erdogan said at a news conference after the G-20 summit in India.
The G-20 leaders, in the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, gathered in the capital New Delhi for a two-day summit under the theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
Trkiye is fifth in Europe and 12th in the world in terms of renewable established strength, Erdogan said.
“Our steps in energy efficiency and renewable energy have prevented 90 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. In line with our 2053 net zero emission target, we doubled our emission reduction target by 2030. We are one of the world’s leading countries in the fight against desertification and erosion,” he added.
‘Global movement’
About Trkiye’s zero-waste project, Erdogan said the project has turned into a global movement.
“Thanks to our suggestion, attention was drawn to the importance of zero waste initiatives in the G-20 declaration. In the first session of the summit, we emphasized the importance of fair burden sharing between developed and developing countries.
“We also drew attention to the importance of increasing financing and technology transfer to developing countries,” he added.
In 2017, under the auspices of first lady Emine Erdogan, Trkiye launched the zero-waste project to highlight the importance of eliminating waste in fighting the climate crisis.
The project has drawn international praise, with UN chief Antonio Guterres expressing his gratitude to the first lady during a conference in New York last September.
Last December, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on the zero waste initiative presented by Trkiye, declaring March 30 as the International Day of Zero Waste.
In the second G-20 summit session titled “One Family,” Erdogan said he talked about Trkiye’s efforts to strengthen global solidarity.
“We expressed what needs to be done for the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of refugees and displaced persons to their home countries,” he said.
Ankara believes that a fairer world is possible, Erdogan said, adding: “We are the country that provides the most aid in the world in proportion to national income.”
Trkiye, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The EU and its member states sent a letter Saturday to Moroccan King Mohammed VI, conveying solidarity and condolences after a devastating earthquake struck the North African nation.
The letter, led by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, opens with sincere condolences for the tragic loss of life from the quake.
“We are deeply saddened by the devastating consequences of this tragic event. The European Union and its Member States stand in full solidarity with the people of Morocco in this difficult moment,
“As close friends and partners of Morocco, we are ready to assist in any way You may deem useful,” it said.
The letter is signed by Michel, leaders of all EU member states and Ursula Von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission.
At least 2,012 people were killed and 2,059 injured in the quake that struck late Friday.
Fatalities from the magnitude-7 tremor occurred in various regions, including El-Houz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Tiznit, Marrakech, Azilal, Agadir, Casablanca and Youssoufia.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Leaders of several African countries extended condolences to Morocco, as a deadly earthquake in the North African country killed at least 2,012 people and left 2,059 others injured.
In a statement, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said: ‘Nigeria will continue to stand in solidarity with Morocco as they recover, rebuild and come out stronger than ever from this unfortunate event.’
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said: ‘On behalf of all Rwandans, I express our deepest sympathy and solidarity with King Mohammed VI, the families of the victims and the people of Morocco in this moment of profound tragedy.’
‘Rwanda stands with Morocco in this difficult time,’ he added.
In a statement, Kenyan President William Ruto said: ‘Kenya stands with the people of Morocco as they deal with the devastating effects of the earthquake that struck their nation.’
On behalf of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was attending the G-20 summit in New Delhi, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said: “We are deeply saddened by the shocking loss of life and extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Morocco, and wish all survivors strength and a speedy recovery.”
Mashatile praised the efforts of the emergency response institutions in Morocco and said he has full confidence that the country will unite in its response and emerge even stronger following the disaster.
The magnitude-7 quake occurred in various regions of Morocco late Friday, including El-Houz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Tiznit, Marrakech, Azilal, Agadir, Casablanca and Youssoufia, the interior ministry said in a statement.
The quake was the strongest tremor to hit the North African country in the last century, according to Morocco’s National Geophysical Institute.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicenter of the earthquake, which hit just after 11 p.m. local time, was 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) southeast of Marrakech, at a depth of 18.5 kilometers.
The situation was said to be particularly dire in the Marrakesh region where buildings were said to have collapsed and residents trapped under debris.
Media reporters said buildings, including the famous red walls that surround the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage, were damaged.
The Royal Armed Forces urged citizens to exercise caution and directed them toward safe areas to shield them from aftershocks.
Tremors were also felt in neighboring Algeria and Mauritania.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares confirmed on Sunday that a Russian attack killed Spanish aid worker Emma Igual in Ukraine.
Igual, 32, was the co-founder and director of the non-profit organization Road to Relief, created to help evacuate citizens on the frontline and provide aid in Ukraine.
On Saturday, four of the organization’s team members left Slovyansk to assess the needs of the civilians caught in the crossfire in the town of Ivanivske, a small town six kilometers (3.7 miles) west of Bakhmut.
On their way, Russian forces attacked the vehicle, causing it to flip over and burst into flames, according to Road to Relief.
Two of the passengers, a German medical volunteer and a Swedish volunteer, survived. Although they were ‘badly injured’ with shrapnel wounds and burns, they are recovering in a hospital.
Igual and Canadian volunteer Anthony ‘Tonko’ Ihnat did not survive.
According to the organization’s website, its volunteers evacuated more than 1,200 people from the frontlines in Ukraine, 500 of whom were children. It has also been delivering around 30 tons of aid per month to villages in Donetsk. Meanwhile, its teams of medics stabilize and treat around 60 casualties per week.
Before co-founding Road to Relief in March 2022, Igual had worked in refugee camps and informal settlements in Greece, Myanmar, Kenya, and Morocco, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent her family condolences and said that the targeting of humanitarians is against the rules of war.
Spain’s second deputy prime minister Yolanda Diaz called Igual ‘a young woman committed to human rights, a woman who represents the best of our country.’

Source: Anadolu Agency