ANKARA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed straight into talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after landing in Ankara on Thursday, a US official said.
The plane touched down at 8:14 p.m. (1714 GMT), an AFP correspondent traveling with him said. Blinken headed straight into talks with Erdogan “in the VIP lounge” at Ankara’s Esenboga airport, the US official said.
Washington’s top diplomat flew in from the Jordanian Red Sea resort of Aqaba where he kicked off a regional tour on Thursday to discuss fallout from the ouster of Syria’s Bashar Assad.
Turkiye was expected to put heavy emphasis on its security concerns following the upheaval in Syria, where it has been fighting a Kurdish-led force that Washington backs as a key player in the fight against Daesh group militants.
Before leaving Aqaba, Blinken said the role of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) was “critical” to preventing a resurgence of Daesh militants in the country.
Blinken meets Erdogan for talks in Turkiye
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Blinken meets Erdogan for talks in Turkiye
- The plane touched down at 8:14 p.m.
- Blinken headed straight into talks with Erdogan
NASA honors Algerian parks with Martian namesakes
- “Our planet is fragile, and it’s a signal to the world that we really need to take care of our national parks, whether they are in Algeria or elsewhere,” Melikechi said
- “The first one that came to my mind was the Tassili n’Ajjer,” he said of the UNESCO-listed vast plateau in the Sahara Desert
ALGIERS: NASA’s mapping of Mars now bears the names of three iconic Algerian national parks, Algerian physicist Noureddine Melikechi, a member of the US space agency’s largest Mars probe mission, has told AFP.
The Tassili n’Ajjer, Ghoufi and Djurdjura national parks have found their Martian namesakes after a proposition by Melikechi, which he sought as both a tribute to his native Algeria and a call to protect Earth.
“Our planet is fragile, and it’s a signal to the world that we really need to take care of our national parks, whether they are in Algeria or elsewhere,” the US-based scientist told AFP in a recent interview.
He said the visual resemblance between some of the Martian landscapes and the ones after which they were labelled was also a key reason for the naming.
“The first one that came to my mind was the Tassili n’Ajjer,” he said of the UNESCO-listed vast plateau in the Sahara Desert with prehistoric art dating back at least 12,000 years.
“Every time I see pictures of Mars, they remind me of Tassili n’Ajjer, and now every time I see Tassili n’Ajjer, it reminds me of Mars,” added Melikechi, who left Algeria in 1990 for the United States, where he now teaches at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
The ancient art found in Tassili n’Ajjer depicts figures that can seem otherworldly, he said.
Some of the paintings show single-eyed and horned giants, among others which French archaeologist Henri Lhote dubbed as “great Martian” deities in his 1958 book, “The Search for the Tassili Frescoes.”
“Those paintings are a signature... a book of how people used to live,” said Melikechi.
“You see animals, but also figures that look like they came from somewhere else.”
Melikechi’s second pick was the Ghoufi canyon in eastern Algeria, whose rocky desert landscape was the site of an ancient settlement off the Aures Mountains.
Now a UNESCO-listed site and a tourist attraction, it has cliffside dwellings carved in the mountain, a testament to human resilience in a place where survival can be adverse.
“Ghoufi gives you a sense that life can be hard, but you can manage to keep at it as you go,” Melikechi said.
“You can see that through those homes.”
The third site, Djurdjura, is a snowy mountain range some 140 kilometers (about 90 miles) east of the capital Algiers.
Comapred to Tassili or Ghoufi, it bears the least resemblance to Mars.
Melikechi said its pick stemmed of Djurdjura’s “reminder of the richness of natural habitats.”
He said the naming process came after Perseverence, NASA’s Mars rover exploring the Red Planet, made it into uncharted territory.
That area was then split into small quadrants, each needing a name.
“We were asked to propose names for specific quadrants,” he said.
“I suggested these three national parks, while others proposed names from parks worldwide. A team then reviewed and selected the final names.”
The announcement, made by NASA earlier this month, sparked celebrations among Algerians.
Algerian Culture Minister Zouhir Ballalou hailed it as a “historic and global recognition” of the North African country’s landscapes.
Melikechi said he hopes that it will attract more visitors as Algeria has been striving to promote tourism, especially in the Sahara region, with authorities promising to facilitate tourist visas.
Official figures said some 2.5 million tourists visited the country last year — its highest number of visitors in two decades.
“These places are a treasure that we as humans have inherited,” Melikechi said.
“We need to make sure they are preserved.”
Lebanon PM condemns Israeli airstrike on Khiam as ‘treachery’
- Israel bombs border town after Lebanese army deployed there; Mikati says attack breaches ceasefire deal
- Amnesty International demands investigation into Israeli ‘war crimes’ after deadly air raids
BEIRUT: Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday accused Israel of “treachery” following a deadly airstrike on the border town of Khiam that came less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army began a deployment there under a ceasefire agreement.
The US brokered the truce between the Israeli army and Hezbollah last month.
Mikati said that Israeli forces resumed attacks on the town less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army began deploying in the Khiam and Marjeyoun areas to implement the ceasefire.
His protest came as Israeli forces targeted the town square a few hours after the Lebanese army entered the area, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar station reported.
The strategic hilltop town is less than 5 km from the border with Israel. The Israeli army occupied the area during its land operation in southern Lebanon last October.
Lebanese soldiers were positioned in five posts on Thursday after Israeli forces reportedly withdrew from Khiam earlier in the day. The army was also preparing to deploy 6,000 soldiers north of the Litani River.
Mikati said Israeli “treachery” contradicted the commitments of the US and France, who sponsored the ceasefire agreement.
The two countries must address the situation and act against Israeli aggression, he said.
“These continued violations are the responsibility of the monitoring committee tasked with supervising the implementation of the ceasefire, which is required to address what happened immediately and firmly and prevent its recurrence,” said Mikati.
In a statement, the US Central Command leader, Gen. Erik Kurilla, earlier described the Israeli pullout as an “important first step in the implementation of a lasting cessation of hostilities and laid the foundation for continued progress.”
Kurilla arrived in Beirut on Wednesday and met Lebanese Army Chief Gen. Joseph Aoun.
In its statement, the Israeli army earlier said that its 7th Brigade had ended its mission in Khiam.
In accordance with the ceasefire agreement and in coordination with the US, the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will be deployed to the area, the Israeli army said.
The first phase of the Israeli withdrawal was accompanied by a series of Israeli violations, especially of Lebanese airspace.
Reconnaissance aircraft flying at low altitudes were seen over Beirut and its southern suburb.
Israeli warplanes were also seen over Rashaya, the western Bekaa, the Zahrani area, and the eastern sector.
Civil Defense workers continued to search for victims buried under rubble following Israel’s 64-day assault on Lebanon.
Human remains were found in a building destroyed by an Israeli airstrike near the town of Maarakah.
Israeli forces continue to stop the Lebanese crossing into areas they have occupied south of the Litani River, while also destroying houses and facilities in the border area to make it uninhabitable.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s office in Beirut said he discussed the latest developments with Maj. Gen. Patrick Gaushat, chief of staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.
Hezbollah had appointed Berri as its representative in the negotiations.
Hezbollah MP Hussein Jashi said the party was now exercising restraint in response to Israeli violations.
“This situation will not last long, as Hezbollah fighters are determined to confront the enemy to the very end,” he said.
“Those who were able to liberate Lebanon under the most challenging circumstances — from Beirut to Sidon, Tyre, and most of the southern lands in 2000 — are capable today of liberating what remains of our land so our people can live with dignity and pride in our country and on our land.
“There is no place for occupation among us, as the time of living under occupation is over.”
Hezbollah’s reaction came as Amnesty International said on Thursday that four recent airstrikes by Israeli forces that left at least 49 people dead must be investigated as war crimes.
“Under international law, direct attacks on civilians or civilian objects, indiscriminate attacks that kill or injure civilians, and disproportionate attacks that cause excessive incidental civilian loss are war crimes,” it said.
In a research briefing titled “The Sky Rained Missiles: Israeli Airstrikes in Lebanon Must Be Investigated as War Crimes,” Amnesty International claimed that Israeli forces unlawfully targeted residential buildings in several locations. These strikes occurred in the village of Al-Ain in northern Bekaa on Sept. 29, in the town of Aitou in northern Lebanon on Oct. 14, and in Baalbeck city on Oct. 21.
Israeli forces also unlawfully attacked the municipal headquarters in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on Oct. 16.
“The Israeli military did not issue warnings ahead of these strikes,” the group said.
“These four attacks are emblematic of Israel’s shocking disregard for civilian lives in Lebanon and their willingness to flout international law,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns.
“The Lebanese government must urgently call for a special session at the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism into the alleged violations and crimes committed by all parties in the conflict.”
Chemical weapons watchdog warns of dangers of Syria strikes
- The director-general of OPCW Fernando Arias, said his group was "following closely" reports of strikes on military facilities
- "Such airstrikes could create a risk of contamination"
THE HAGUE: Strikes on Syrian chemical weapons sites risk contaminating and destroying valuable evidence, the head of the international watchdog warned Thursday, admitting the group did not yet know whether sites have been affected.
There has been widespread global concern about the fate of Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons since the dramatic overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
On Monday, Israel said it had struck "remaining chemical weapons or long-range missiles and rockets in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists".
The director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Fernando Arias, said his group was "following closely" reports of strikes on military facilities.
"We do not know yet whether these strikes have affected chemical weapons related sites. Such airstrikes could create a risk of contamination," said Arias in a speech.
"Another real risk would be the destruction of valuable evidence for investigations by different independent international bodies related to past use of chemical weapons," he added.
In 2014, the OPCW set up what it called a "fact-finding mission" to investigate chemical weapons use in Syria.
This team has issued 21 reports covering 74 instances of alleged chemical weapons use, according to the OPCW.
Investigators concluded that chemical weapons were used or likely used in 20 instances.
"Additionally, we also have to consider the risk of any dangerous chemicals or equipment being lost, without any control," warned Arias in his speech.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas opens new embassy building in Vatican City
- Abbas calls on countries to recognize Palestine
- President meets Pope Francis, senior Vatican officials
LONDON: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas officially inaugurated the new building of Palestine’s Embassy in Vatican City on Thursday.
Abbas called on countries that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so, and to acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the news and information agency WAFA reported.
After raising the Palestinian flag, Abbas spoke of efforts to gain full UN membership and achieve greater international recognition for Palestine.
The Vatican officially recognized the State of Palestine on May 13, 2015. On June 26 of the same year, the Vatican’s Holy See and the Palestinian Authority signed a comprehensive agreement for mutual recognition.
Armenia was the last country — the 149th — to recognize Palestine, on June 21, 2024. There are Palestinian embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions in 110 countries.
The opening ceremony of the new embassy building was attended by several Palestinian Authority officials, including Ziad Abu Amr, the first deputy prime minister, and Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador to the Vatican.
Earlier, Abbas had a private audience with Pope Francis and senior Vatican officials. He is also scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella in Rome.
Blinken says US working to bring home US citizen found in Syria
- In media reports, the man was identified as Travis Timmerman
AQABA, Jordan: The United States is working to get a U.S. citizen found on Thursday in Syria out of the country and bring him home, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Jordan, where he held meetings to discuss the situation in Syria.
In media reports, the man was identified as Travis Timmerman. Blinken said he had no update on American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, but said the U.S. was continuing work to find him.
