Author: Makbule Azra

Brussels (12/03 – 55.56) Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said that the dissolution of human rights NGOs signals a deteriorating environment for civil society and human rights defence in Tajikistan. She reiterated that Tajikistan must reconsider its attitudes towards civil society and view human rights defenders as allies instead of enemies. Earlier in November 2023, Tajikistan Minister of Justice announced that 700 NGOs in the country had been liquidated over an 18-month period. “Human rights defenders working on so-called sensitive issues, including freedom from torture, the right to housing and compensation for requisitioned land, minority rights, freedom of belief and good governance, political rights, and…

“A concrete kennel, measuring 2.5m x 3m. Most often, it is unbearable due to the cold and dampness. Water collects on the floor, and the window is tiny. The walls are thick, stifling any airflow, and not even the cobwebs stir. There is no ventilation, leaving one feeling suffocated at night, akin to a fish out of water. An iron bunk, reminiscent of those found on sleeper trains, is bolted to the wall.” This is how Alexei Navalny described the cell in which he spent 308 out of 1125 days in solitary confinement. His imprisonment amounted to both physical and…

As Congress continues to delay aid and Volodymyr Zelensky replaces his top commander, military experts debate the possible outcomes. Long before it was reported, at the end of January, that Volodymyr Zelensky had decided to replace his popular Army chief, Valery Zaluzhny, the Ukrainian counter-offensive of 2023 had devolved from attempted maneuvers to mutual recriminations. The arrows pointed in multiple directions: Zelensky seemed to think that his commander-in-chief was being defeatist; Zaluzhny, that his President was refusing to face facts. And there were arguments, too, between Ukraine and its allies. In a two-part investigation in the Washington Post, in early December, U.S. officials…

Copenhagen (13/11 – 37.5) When Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as Sri Lanka’s president in July after a popular uprising ousted his predecessor, the South Asian island nation was engulfed in its worst economic meltdown in 75 years. Since then, President Wickremesinghe has managed to a keep a lid on mass protests, improve supplies of essentials and on Monday, secured a nearly $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that opens the door to restructuring about $58 billion of debt and receive funding from other lenders. He has done that despite a deeply unpopular government, his own party commanding just one…

Nyon, Manchester, Milan (19/12 – 31) The group phase of the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League is to conclude this month. Names of the sixteen clubs who will compete in the knock-out phase have been released. On Monday, 18 December 2023, UEFA conducted the draw for the last-16 round, at their headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending champion Manchester City came out from the draw with the biggest smile as they will face off with the arguably easiest opponent. Pep Guardiola’s team will Danish champion Copenhagen, who were down at 37th in the UEFA club coefficient ranking. As the current title holder,…

Türkiye has evacuated another 100 individuals from Gaza, including Turkish and Turkish Cypriot citizens along with their relatives, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The evacuees crossed the Rafah border gate, the only route out of the region not controlled by Israel, and reached Egypt, Öncü Keçeli said late on Nov. 21. Keçeli emphasized that the group is scheduled to be transferred to Cairo. From there, the Turkish citizens and their relatives were expected to be flown back to Türkiye yesterday. Meanwhile, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca provided an update on the evacuation process for patients from the region. Koca revealed that 50 more individuals are planned…

Turkey and Iran on Wednesday called for a regional conference aimed at averting the spread of the Israel-Hamas war. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian a day after Iran’s top diplomat met Hamas leaders in Qatar. Iran has warned that the armed groups it supports in the region could attack Israel in light of its war on Hamas. Fidan said Turkey was pushing for an immediate cease-fire because “it is not difficult to predict that this spiral of violence will grow” without a permanent solution to the war. “We do not want the human tragedy…

Greece on Tuesday moved toward building its first offshore wind farms, identifying areas for private development in a draft plan that the government hopes will lessen the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. Greece aims to build an installed capacity of at least 2 gigawatts from offshore, representing one-tenth of its onshore capacity. The government’s goal is to have the first offshore wind farms in Greece operational before 2030, the Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakis said. “The development of these projects is a national priority not only because it will contribute decisively to our energy independence, but also because…

Türkiye has strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in the Gaza Strip, labeling it an “inhumane attack” that violates international law and strips Palestinians of their basic rights. Ankara issued a statement expressing outrage over Oct. 30’s targeted attack on the hospital, which is the only facility in Gaza dedicated to cancer patients. The ministry emphasized that all necessary information, including the hospital’s coordinates, had been shared with Israeli authorities in advance, making the strike “unjustifiable.” “There is no explanation for such an attack,” the ministry stated, condemning Israel’s actions in the strongest terms. The hospital,…

The summer cruise program of the Resilient Lady this year featured seventeen visits to Santorini. Since its debut in early May, the newly constructed ship from Virgin Voyages made weekly stops on the island, every Monday, as part of its 7-day cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean. Yesterday, on October 23rd, it made its final approach to Santorini for this season, as it relocates to Australia for the upcoming summer months in the Southern Hemisphere. For its last departure from Santorini, the ship bid farewell to the island in a unique way, illuminating itself to express its love for this stunning…