Day: April 22, 2024

ROME: Rome, one of the world's oldest and most celebrated cities, on Sunday celebrated its 2,777th birthday with events to promote its historical and cultural significance. The Historical Group of Rome (Gruppo Storico Romano), a non-profit founded in 1970 known for its activities to promote the Italian capital's historical and cultural heritage, organized a series of events to mark the legendary city's birthday. Volunteers of the group dressed as soldiers, legionnaires, and senators from the era of republican and imperial Rome marched through the city center. Starting from the Circus Maximus, the historical city's central hippodrome area, the procession passed through significant landmarks such as Piazza Venezia, Via dei Fori Imperiali, and the ancient Colosseum, before traveling full circle to end up at the Circus Maximus. There the public could take in visual shows on the founding of Rome, its historical development, and life in ancient Rome. Both Romans and tourists visiting the city showed great inte rest in the procession and shows, often stopping to snap photos. The legendary founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus, marked as taking place on April 21, 753 BC, was proposed by the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro, who lived in the first century BC. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: Delegations from Trkiye and Greece conducted on Monday a new round of talks on confidence-building measures, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced. The Greek Defense Ministry hosted the meeting. 'Both delegations included ambassadors, high-ranking military officers, as well as other officials,' the Turkish ministry said on X. The two sides reviewed previously agreed measures during the ongoing year, and discussed the implementation plan for 2025, the statement said, adding: 'The meeting was held in a positive spirit. The next meeting will be hosted by the Turkish side." Source: Anadolu Agency

Minister of Health Michalis Damianos departs today for Brussels where he will participate in the Informal Meeting of the EU Health Ministers Council (EPSCO HEALTH). According to an official press release, important issues related to the health sector will be discussed, including the health workforce crisis, the security of supply of medicines and the European plan to fight cancer, with a focus on primary prevention. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Russia on Monday said that it took control of a village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.? A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian units captured the village of Novomykhailivka, located about 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) from the city of Donetsk.? The statement further said that Russian units have improved the 'tactical situation along the front line' with Ukraine.? On Sunday, Russia said that its troops took control of the city of Bohdanivka, located about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) northeast of the city of Chasiv Yar, which Kyiv claimed Russian forces were tasked to take control of by May 9. Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing war. Source: Anadolu Agency

The significant potential and great potential of wind and solar energy in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region up to 2050 is revealed in a study conducted by the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of the Cyprus Institute (CyI) and published in the prestigious journal Science of the Total Environment, noting that the region could meet most of its growing energy demand through utility-scale Renewable Energy Sources. According to an Institute statement today, the study, utilizing a meteorological and atmospheric chemical forecasting system, provides crucial insights into the RES technical potential in all EMME countries, while by mapping hourly generation profiles per source and country, simulated starting in 2015 up to 2050, it identifies potential energy surpluses and deficits across the region. It is added that in parallel, the study identifies four dominant wind and solar power generation patterns, providing valuable insights for energy system operators, indicating for examp le that Greece has the potential for seamless integration into the grid, as it presents almost continuous wind power potential. According to the study's key findings, 89% of the projected energy demand in the EMME region by 2050 could be met by utility-scale renewable energy sources, even predicting that Egypt will emerge as a "powerhouse", with the potential to achieve 76 GW per hour of surplus power generation and become a renewable energy hub in the region. With regard to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, it is stated that solar resources are highly predictable, though with substantial volatility during the winter, adding that Cyprus is expected to need storage capacity, while the UAE and Iran may face electricity deficits if they rely solely on renewables. Overall, it is noted that wind power potential is generally low, with only limited areas meeting the required wind speed criteria, with countries such as Cyprus, Israel, and Lebanon having only 2-6 grid sites that meet the specified standards, while in cont rast Greece, Oman, and Yemen have the highest potential for offshore wind power plants. With regard to Cyprus in particular, it is stated that the island presents a strong inverse relationship between wind and solar energy and requires energy storage solutions. The strong inverse relationship between wind and solar power sources observed in Cyprus can lead to reduced total generation at two tipping points, when wind power generation starts to decrease and before solar radiation starts to increase, and vice versa, creating the need for short-term energy storage systems, it is added in this regard. According to the study's lead author, PhD candidate Pantelis Kyriakidis, the findings of the study indicate the transformative potential for the EMME region, with the possibility of seven countries becoming net energy exporters by 2050. He also notes that it is imperative that policy makers take into account the complementary and substitute relationships between solar and wind energy generation, as well as season al variations, for effective energy planning. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammed Shia al-Sudani said Monday he agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to bolster security cooperation to enhance the stability of the two neighbors. 'The security of Iraq and Trkiye is inseparable,' al-Sudani said during a joint press conference in the capital Baghdad. The Iraqi premier stressed that his country will not allow any group to use Iraqi territories to launch attacks against neighboring countries, referring mainly to terror group PKK. Al-Sudani said that Iraq and Trkiye have signed 24 memoranda of understanding during Erdogan's visit. Source: Anadolu Agency

ANKARA: Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammed Shia al-Sudani said Monday he agreed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to bolster security cooperation to enhance the stability of the two neighbors. 'The security of Iraq and Trkiye is inseparable,' al-Sudani said during a joint press conference in the capital Baghdad. The Iraqi premier stressed that his country will not allow any group to use Iraqi territories to launch attacks against neighboring countries, referring mainly to terror group PKK. Al-Sudani said that Iraq and Trkiye have signed 24 memoranda of understanding during Erdogan's visit. Source: Anadolu Agency