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April
VOInews, Jakarta: Greece on Wednesday (10/4) reopened a historic mosque in northern Thessaloniki for the first time in more than a century, allowing Muslims to perform Eid prayers there.
Around 100 people performed Eid prayers at the "Yeni Mosque" or "New Mosque", which witnessed the last gathering of worshippers in the early 1920s, before the war between Greece and Turkey led to a population exchange between the two countries that reduced the number of Muslims in the city.
"We are lucky that this mosque was opened for us," says 66-year-old Ismail Badreddin.
"I have lived in Thessaloniki for four years and this is the first time I have had the opportunity to pray with my Muslim family" at the mosque, said Ali, 23, a Turkish economics student. Greek police guarded the historic mosque during the prayers.
The Yeni Mosque, built by Italian architect Vitaliano Boselli in 1902, was at the time used by members of the Donmeh community, Jews who pretended to convert to Islam.
In 1922, refugees from the Greco-Turkish war were briefly housed in this two-story building, before it was converted into a museum and city gallery.
Greece is a predominantly Orthodox Christian country, and Muslim places of worship are mostly concentrated in the Thrace region in the northeast of the country near the Greek-Turkish border, where Muslim minorities have been settled for centuries.
In Athens, Muslims have been few in number since the Greco-Turkish war before increasing due to the refugee crisis in 2015.
In November 2020, the city's first new mosque officially opened after more than a decade of construction, which had faced strong opposition from the Orthodox Church as well as nationalist groups. (Daniel)
Source: AFP
April
Artificial Intelligence Monitors Emissions of Environmentally Destructive Methane Gas
Written by Daniel
VOInews, Jakarta: Paris-based environmental engineering firm Kayrros is using satellite data and artificial intelligence (AI) models to accurately monitor leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas produced by fossil fuels. The invisible plumes of odourless gas in the air appear on the company's maps as coloured clouds, in satellite imagery.
Since 2019, Kayrros has detected nearly 10,000 methane concentration events around the world, from the United States to India to Turkmenistan and Algeria, due to harmful practices not being properly managed in fossil industry-based infrastructure.
The leaks occur due to pressure problems in gas pipelines and the opening of valves to avoid the risk of explosion," explains Kayrros data scientist Alexis Groshneri.
Methane has a shorter lifespan than carbon dioxide but greater warming potential, and is a factor in 30 per cent of global warming since the Industrial Revolution. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 40 per cent of methane emissions from the production of fossil energy sources (coal, oil and gas) can be avoided at little cost. However, these emissions must be properly monitored and measured.
Kayrros uses nine satellites operated by governments or official space agencies such as the European and American Space Agencies, which send their images back to Earth at different frequencies, several times a week or every 15 minutes, with greater or lesser resolution, depending on the model.
"We are working with the different sources available to try to improve the observations," Groshenry says.
The downside for mathematicians in green technology is that there is a huge amount of data to process, which is impossible to observe in a single image. That's where artificial intelligence comes in. (Daniel).
Source: AFP
April
Biden says Netanyahu making 'mistake' on Gaza
Written by Rama Shidqi P.
VOInews, Washington: U.S. President Joe Biden said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Gaza policy was a "mistake" and urged Israel to call for a ceasefire, in an interview aired Tuesday. Biden's comments were some of his strongest criticism yet of Netanyahu amid growing tensions over the civilian death toll from Israel's war on Hamas and dire conditions inside Gaza.
April
VOInews, Jakarta: The Türkiye Defence Industry has developed rapidly in the last two decades. The country, which is located on two continents, has exported the main defence system equipment (alutsista) to 185 countries. The Indonesian Ambassador to Ankara, Achmad Rizal Purnama, in an interview in the Ranah Diplomasi program on Wednesday (03/04) conveyed the rapid progress of the Türkiye defense industry.
“Türkiye’s defence is currently extraordinary. In the last 20 years they have grown very rapidly. Currently the Türkiye defence industry has exported to 185 countries. The number of products in 2023 will be around 230 products with a value of around USD 5.5 billion and next year there will be contracts for USD 10 billion. That's the size of Turkiye's defence industry. "Finally, 7 Türkiye companies are included in the 100 largest companies in the world in the defence industry," said Ambassador Ahmad Rizal Purnama to Voice of Indonesia.
Türkiye’s defence industry is very labour intensive. Türkiye is building its defence industry by involving local Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
"Here I have met maybe more than 25 Türkiye defence industries. Türkiye has an MSME model. If I may make a classification, for example Tear 1 type of defence is the big companies TAIS, Havelsan, Aselsan, BMC, and Baykar, which make the best drones in the world. There are more Tears 2 and 3, actually MSMEs. What the Türkiye MSME industry builds is airplane steering, and they make Boeing wings. That's what we have to learn. "This happened because they succeeded in building their defense industry," continued Ambassador Ahmad Rizal Purnama.
Ambassador Ahmad Rizal Purnama also emphasized the importance of learning and replicating Türkiye’s success in building a defence industry in accordance with the interests and situation in Indonesia.
"Turkey really opens up extraordinary opportunities for technology transfer, how they build their defence industry. "After that, we replicate it according to our interests and situation and then work together to build our defence industry," concluded Ambassador Ahmad Rizal Purnama. (Daniel)
April
Palestinians Eye UN Membership Vote in April as US Pushes Back
Written by ranov
VOInews, Jakarta: The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations is pushing for a vote to be recognized as a full member state next month, Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Wednesday, a move opposed by the United States.
"We are seeking admission. That is our natural and legal right," Mansour said, adding that he was pushing for an April 18 vote at the Security Council.
"Everyone is saying 'two-state solution,' then what is the logic of denying us to become a member state?" he added.
Any request to become a UN member state must first pass a vote by the Security Council -- where Israel's ally the United States and four other countries wield vetoes -- and then be endorsed by a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas originally launched the statehood application in 2011. It was not considered by the Security Council, but the General Assembly the following year granted a more limited observer status to the "State of Palestine."
The Palestinian Authority submitted a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking for the Security Council to reconsider on Tuesday.
Source: AFP
April
France seeking 'clear message' from China to Russia over Ukraine war
Written by Rama Shidqi P.
VOInews, Beijing: France's top diplomat said Monday (1/4/2024) that Paris expects China to send "clear messages" to its close partner Russia over its war in Ukraine, after meetings with his counterpart in Beijing. France and China have sought to strengthen ties in recent years and, during meetings in Paris in February, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told President Emmanuel Macron that Beijing appreciated his country's "independent" stance. But Paris has also sought to press Beijing on its close ties with Moscow, which have only grown closer since the invasion of Ukraine.
March
Five dead, 1,000 homes destroyed in PNG earthquake
Written by Rama Shidqi P.
VOInews, Port Moresby: At least five people were killed and an estimated 1,000 homes destroyed when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocked flood-stricken northern Papua New Guinea, Governor of East Sepik, Allan Bird said on Monday (25/3/2024) as disaster crews poured into the region. Governor Bird added that emergency crews were "still assessing the impact" from a tremor that "damaged most parts of the province".
March
Japan PM pledges to boost defence, diplomatic capabilities to preserve peace, NHK says
Written by nuke
Fumio Kishida Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) delivers a speech during the party convention on Mar 17, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Rodrigo Reyes Marin/Pool via REUTERS) -
VOInews, Tokyo : Japan will work to strengthen its defence and diplomatic capabilities to maintain peace, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said on Saturday (Mar 23), according to public broadcaster NHK, adding that military buildups around the country have been growing.
Japan is a close ally with the United States and has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, supporting Kyiv financially and joining international sanctions on Moscow.
"Military buildup, including nuclear and missile development, has been accelerating in areas surrounding Japan and attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force are growing," Kishida told a graduation ceremony at the National Defence Academy in Yokosuka near Tokyo, according to NHK.
Japan faces "the most complex and challenging" security environment since World War Two, and the government will strengthen its defence and diplomatic capabilities to maintain peace and to prevent security emergencies, he added.
Kishida and US President Joe Biden are to hold a summit on Apr 10 in the United States, aimed at boosting the longstanding bilateral security alliance in the face of growing Chinese influence and as North Korea continues its military tests//CNA-VOI
March
EU Leftist Leader Says 'Time to Negotiate' End to Ukraine War
Written by ranov
VOInews, Jakarta: The head of the EU's main leftist political grouping has said it is time to "negotiate" an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, rallying behind a controversial call by Pope Francis for Kyiv to raise the "white flag."
"I believe helping the Ukrainian people means now making attempts to end the war," said Walter Baier, the 70-year-old Austrian picked last month by the Party of the European Left as its candidate to head the next European Commission.
Baier underlined that his party -- whose 26 full members include Germany's Die Linke, France's Communists and Greece's Syriza -- had "absolutely condemned the Russian aggression" in its manifesto for June's European elections.
But in a joint interview Monday with the "European Newsroom," which brings together news agencies including AFP, he said the conflict's "frozen" fronts required a new approach.
"I would wish from the European Union... to take diplomatic efforts to start negotiations to achieve a ceasefire and to achieve the withdrawal of the Russian troops," Baier said.
"In this regard, I fully support what Pope Francis was saying. Now it's the time to end the war, and now it's the time to negotiate and stop killing," said the former head of Austria's communist party.
In an interview broadcast earlier this month, the Argentine pontiff urged Kyiv, which has been fighting invading Russian forces for more than two years, to "raise the white flag and negotiate".
The Ukrainian government reacted with fury, even while the Vatican insisted the words "white flag" were intended to mean a cessation of hostilities, not a surrender.
Analysts see no immediate prospect of negotiations to find a breakthrough in the Ukraine war, with Russia's Vladimir Putin emboldened by the erosion of Western support for Kyiv -- while Ukraine is determined to keep fighting to recapture territory.
The Party of the European Left is the larger of two leftist formations in the European Parliament -- along with Now the People whose members include Spain's Podemos and France Unbowed.
Both are part of the 37-strong group of lawmakers called The Left in the EU parliament -- where polls point to a surge by far-right movements following June's vote across the 27-nation bloc.
The EU parliament currently has 705 seats, which will increase to 720 seats after the 2024 elections.
Source: AFP
March
Blinken to Meet Philippine Leader on Bolstering Alliance
Written by ranov
VOInews, Jakarta: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday, as the countries seek to reinforce security and economic ties in the face of growing Chinese aggression.
Blinken's visit to Manila -- his second since Marcos took office in June 2022 -- is part of a brief Asia tour that also included South Korea.
Washington is keen to improve relations with its regional allies, such as Manila and Seoul, in a bid to deter China and North Korea as tensions rise in the South China Sea over Taiwan and on the Korean peninsula.
Blinken's trip comes ahead of a trilateral meeting in Washington next month between US President Joe Biden, Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Announcing the three-way summit with the Asia Pacific allies, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would push a "shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific".
During his meeting with Marcos and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday, Blinken is expected to reaffirm the United States' security commitments to the Philippines.
"What we're trying to demonstrate... is that we are committed to the Indo-Pacific, to this region, despite everything else that's going on in the world right now," a senior State Department official told reporters on Monday.
"I would expect when we're in Manila, the main concern will obviously be China's continued destabilising actions in the South China Sea that are in contravention of international law."
Top US officials have repeatedly said that "an armed attack" against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard would invoke the 1951 US-Philippines mutual defence treaty in which Washington is obliged to defend its ally.
Blinken's visit follows a spate of incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, including collisions, in recent months.
Marcos has expressed "great alarm" over the confrontations that have sparked diplomatic sparring between Manila and Beijing.
Source: AFP