Greek island pleads for refugee evacuations after fireAthens, 20 September 2016 (MIA) - Authorities of the island of Lesbos are calling for the immediate evacuation of thousands of refugees to the Greek mainland after a fire gutted a detention camp following protests, AP reported.
Regional governor Christiana Kalogirou said Tuesday she had repeatedly warned the government that camps on the east Aegean Sea islands were dangerously overcrowded.
More than 4,000 people were housed at the camp at Moria on Lesbos where fire which broke out Monday destroyed or damaged tents and trailers. There were no reports of any migrants being injured.
The government is expected to charter a passenger ferry to provide temporary accommodation while the camp is repaired. ba/16:44
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Turkey's Erdogan at UN urges global action against preacher
New York, 21 September 2016 (MIA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday demanded international action against the US-exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating an aborted coup d'etat against him, AFP reports.
"I would like to call on all our friends to take the necessary measures against the Fethullah Terrorist Organization in their own countries for the future of their own people and their well-being," he told the UN General Assembly, referring to Gulen's movement.
Gulen, who fled Turkey for Pennsylvania and has been active in religious dialogue and charity, strongly denies Erdogan's charges that he organized the July military coup attempt, which quickly collapsed.
Erdogan, who has sought to purge Turkey's schools and military of Gulen followers as he solidifies control, told the United Nations that the movement was present in 170 countries, posing a "national security threat" to all of them.
"This terrorist organization is in a deep mental heresy of subduing the whole world, far beyond Turkey," he said.
"It is evident from our experience that if you do not fight against FETO now, tomorrow may be too late," he said, referring to the group by an acronym.
Erdogan has pressed the United States to extradite Gulen. US Vice President Joe Biden said on a visit to Turkey last month that legal experts and courts would need to review evidence against the preacher.
The Turkish leader also lashed out at the European Union over implementation of a deal in March that calls for Turkey to step up efforts to stem the flow of migrants, mostly from Syria, who have fled for Europe.
In turn, Europe promised three billion euros in aid, visa-free travel to Turks and faster talks on the country's longstanding goal of joining the European Union.
"Unfortunately, we have not received significant support from other countries, especially the European Union, that had promised us to contribute in this regard," said Erdogan, who said Turkey had spent a total of $25 billion, half of it in camps, to care for the nearly three million Syrians on its soil.
Promises by the European Union "have been nearly forgotten and artificial excuses are raised all the time," Erdogan said.
The European Union voiced particular alarm when Turkey spoke of reinstituting the death penalty -- banned in the 28-member bloc -- for coup perpetrators.
Erdogan is a major proponent of toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
He said Turkey's military offensive launched last month has "propped up the self-confidence of the moderate Syrian opposition."
The operation aims to create a buffer zone between Turkey and Syria. Erdogan regretted that Turkey "could not get the necessary support" earlier to meet the goal.
The United States, while allied with Turkey, has put an emphasis on eliminating the Islamic State group rather than on the removal of Assad. sk/08:59
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Attacker wounded in front of Israeli Embassy in Ankara
Ankara, 21 September 2016 (MIA) - An attacker has been wounded in an incident in front of the Israeli Embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara.
No Embassy personnel were reported injured in the incident, in which a man was waving a knife and shouting at the security officers. He was shot and wounded after refusing orders to stop.
Earlier reports indicated a shooting attack on the Embassy and that the attacker has been killed.
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