Month: July 2023

Kurdish Journalists Released on Bail After 13 Months of Pretrial Detention

A Turkish court in Diyarbakir decided on Wednesday to release 14 Kurdish journalists on bail after detaining them for 13 months awaiting trial. The journalists were initially detained on June 8, 2022, without knowing the charges against them. The indictment was released in March 2023, charging 17 journalists with membership in a terrorist organization in reference to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. Three of the journalists were released, pending trial. The journalists worked for several pro-Kurdish media outlets, including the Mesopotamia News Agency, the PEL production company and the Dicle Firat Journalists Association. The first hearing in their …

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Трюдо у Вільнюсі оголосив про додаткову підтримку України

Прем’єр-міністр Джастін Трюдо на саміті НАТО у Вільнюсі оголосив про додаткову підтримку України. Про це повідомляє пресслужба канадського прем’єра. «Прем’єр-міністр анонсував 541 мільйон доларів нового фінансування та проектів для підтримки України та посилення трансатлантичної безпеки. Нове фінансування для України базується на понад 8 мільярдах доларів багатогранної допомоги, яку Канада виділила з початку 2022 року», – йдеться у повідомленні. Прем’єр-міністр також заявив, що Канада має намір розширити військову підтримку та відповісти на прямий запит України, надавши додаткові камери для дронів. Оттава забезпечуватиме навчання та розбудову потенціалу українських військових у рамках операції UNIFIER. 12 липня у Вільнюсі завершився дводенний саміт НАТО. Президент …

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Маляр: ЗСУ за останні тижні на півдні суттєво підірвали спроможності військ РФ

Українські війська за останні тижні на півдні суттєво підірвали спроможності противника, повідомляє заступниця міністра оборони Ганна Маляр. За її словами, сили оборони України продовжують наступальну операцію на Мелітопольському та Бердянському напрямках. «За останні тижні наші оборонці на півдні суттєво підірвали наступальні та оборонні спроможності ворога. Так, через знищення великої кількості складів з боєприпасами, кількість ворожих обстрілів зараз знизилась», – написала вона у телеграмі. Маляр зазначила, що Сили оборони сьогодні стримували наступ російських військ на Куп’янському, Лиманському, Авдіївському та Мар’їнському напрямках – «ворог не просунувся, тривають важкі бої». «На Бахмутському напрямку на південному фланзі довкола Бахмута ми сьогодні наступали. Є просування. …

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Spain Sweats Out Sultry Nights as Heat Wave Bakes Southern Europe

Spain sweltered under an unrelenting heat wave Wednesday as temperatures started to build toward what is forecast to be a torrid weekend across southern Europe. Spain’s weather service said thermometers could potentially hit 45 C (113 F) in southeastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula, which are under alert for extreme heat. That mark was reached Monday in the village of Loja near Granada at the start of the heat wave that is causing restless nights across the country. More than 100 weather stations registered temperatures of at least 35 C (95 F) as early as 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to …

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UN Chief Writes to Putin in Bid to Keep Grain Deal Alive

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, outlining a proposal aimed at satisfying a Russian demand that threatens to shut down the key Black Sea Grain Initiative. “The secretary-general remains engaged with all relevant parties on this issue and expresses his willingness to further engage on his proposal with the Russian Federation,” Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Wednesday. Dujarric declined to go into details about the proposal, saying “we are in very delicate times.”  The initiative, which allows the export of Ukrainian grain from ports Russia blocked during its invasion of Ukraine last …

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UN Rights Chief Condemns Russia’s ‘Costly, Senseless’ War on Ukraine

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a costly, senseless war that has killed and injured thousands of civilians and violated the human rights of millions. Türk presented an oral update on the current situation in Ukraine and Crimea on Wednesday to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. In a no-holds-barred presentation to the council, Türk outlined in grim detail what he calls the horrendous civilian cost of the war in Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, he said more than 9,000 civilians, including at least 500 children, …

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Iran Summons Russian Ambassador Over Comments on Persian Gulf Territorial Dispute

Iran summoned Russia’s ambassador on Wednesday after Moscow released a joint statement with Arab countries earlier this week challenging Iran’s claim to disputed islands in the Persian Gulf. It marked a rare spat between Iran and Russia, which have deepened ties since Moscow invaded Ukraine, with Iran supplying killer drones that have been used to devastating effect there. Iran and Russia are also strong backers of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s civil war. Iran’s official IRNA news agency said the ambassador was summoned over a joint statement released Monday after a meeting in Moscow between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation …

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‘We Meet as Equals’ NATO Tells Zelenskyy 

NATO leaders met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they close a summit in Lithuania’s capital, reiterating support for Kyiv to join the alliance but stopping short of any specific commitments or timeline that Zelenskyy has sought. “Today, we meet as equals. I look forward to the day we meet as allies,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. In its written declaration Tuesday, leaders said they “will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when allies agree and conditions are met.” Kyiv’s NATO membership in the middle of Russia’s invasion would require allies …

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NATO Leaders Meet With Zelenskyy at Vilnius Summit  

NATO leaders met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Lithuania’s capital as they close a summit that has included emphasis on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion and discussion of Ukraine’s future within the alliance. Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that he understands some allies do not want to consider Ukraine joining the alliance at this time due to fears of a world war, and that it is clear Ukraine cannot join while the conflict with Russia is ongoing. NATO leaders said in a written declaration Tuesday that the bloc …

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