Author: Betul Kemal

Tajikistan, a Central Asian state with limited means, is trying to project a get-tough-on-terror image following the late March attack at a Moscow concert venue, in which Tajik militants are accused of killing over 140 people. But the government steps being taken appear to address the symptoms of the domestic challenge, not the disease. The March 22 terror tragedy prompted a wave of retribution against Tajik citizens in Russia and placed President Imomali Rahmon’s regime in an unwelcome spotlight, reminding the world of its numerous flaws in governance. Rahmon’s damage-control efforts have included a mixture of denial and a “round-up-the-usual suspects” approach that does…

Propel Fremantle has selected nine ventures to receive funding as part of its inaugural program. The Propel initiative, coordinated by the City of Fremantle alongside local partners, aims to grow Fremantle’s capacity for innovation and provide support to aspiring founders and entrepreneurs. The inaugural program managed by Enkel Collective is supported by Spacecubed, Lotterywest and the City of Fremantle with the objective of helping innovators turn their ideas into reality. The nine ventures all sit within three of Fremantle’s growth sectors of Blue (Marine) Economy, Sustainability and Immersive / Creative Technology. Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the City was committed…

Two Hezbollah fighters and a village mayor were killed on Monday and three people were injured by artillery shelling and air strikes in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said two Hezbollah members were killed due to three Israeli air strikes that targeted the southwest village of Aitaroun. The sources added that Hussein Ali Mansour, 88, the mayor of the southeast village of Taybeh, was also killed after an Israeli shell hit his house, while eight people sitting next to him on the balcony of the house survived. The sources indicated…

Turkish police detained at least 38 suspects after an investigation allegedly revealed a plot of sabotage by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the state-run broadcaster TRT reported on Monday. Public prosecution authorities in Türkiye launched a probe upon a report by the country’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, which claimed that the PKK sought to attack marinas and railroads and set forests on fire. After a year-long investigation, the police nabbed 38 out of 43 suspects in several operations in Istanbul and other cities, the TRT reported, without providing the date of the operations. The probe revealed an alleged “sabotage…

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid paid an official visit to Cyprus on Monday, the first ever since the eastern Mediterranean island gained independence 63 years ago. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said at a joint press conference that the visit by an Iraqi president is both historic and symbolic. Rashid underlined that the visit “could lay the foundation for the further consolidation of a new era in bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.” The Cypriot president highlighted various areas of cooperation with Iraq, such as the economy, investment, security and combating terrorism. Their discussions also extended to the situation in…

“Friendly, cozy, warm, culturally rich, historically rich, that’s what comes to mind when I think of China and Chinese people,” said a Turkish woman in her 50s, as she enthusiastically showed off souvenirs she had bought in China to her colleagues in Istanbul. Elif Pervane, director of corporate relations at the Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association, spoke wistfully of the colorful chopsticks, handbags, tea sets, Chinese storybooks, and jewelry and the memories behind them. Pervane traveled to Beijing in July to attend classes at Beijing Language and Culture University for over a month to improve her Chinese. She had as much contact…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first time since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out on Oct. 7, according to his office. During the phone call, Netanyahu appreciated the Russian effort to release an Israeli-Russian citizen held by Hamas, reaffirming that Israel would use all means to free all hostages from the Gaza Strip. He also requested that Russia apply pressure on the Red Cross regarding visits and essential medicines for hostages held in Gaza, according to the statement. Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister criticized the “positions…

The success of China in renewable energy inspires and shows a responsible path to other countries including Türkiye in their efforts to tackle climate change, a Turkish expert said. “China has been making huge progress in shifting from its dependence on coal to renewables for power generation,” Selcuk Colakoglu, director of the Ankara-based Turkish Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies, told Xinhua in a recent interview. As carbon emission is a major factor behind global warming, China has been quick in action to cut it in response, he said, stressing that the steady growth of renewables was accompanied by accelerated investments in…

Frankfurt (3/12 – 12) The relatively rapid cohesion of disparate nations, historically competitive or even at war with one another, into the European Union came about in part because of the ongoing threat from the Soviet Union. The specter of a tank invasion from Warsaw Pact nations, today forgotten, was such a reality that the German government kept a major portion of its gold bullion across the Atlantic. The USSR, an ally in World War II after being double-crossed by Hitler – remember the “Non-Aggression Pact signed in Moscow by von Ribbentrop and Molotov – was soon appraised as a…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced optimism that a “historic” deal to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia could be “within reach.” Netanyahu’s comments came after he met U.S. President Joe Biden in New York on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office on Wednesday. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since Netanyahu’s return to office in December 2022. The Biden administration has been working to broker a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu told Biden…