Seven traffickers were arrested and over 80 foreign nationals illegally brought into the country were held in eastern Turkey, authorities said on Saturday.

Local police teams carried out an operation against migrant smuggling in the Tatvan district of the eastern Bitlis province, the provincial governorate said in a statement.

A total of 83 foreign nationals were held in the operation, while seven human traffickers were taken into custody, it added.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

It hosts nearly 4 million refugees, including more than 3.6 million Syrians, the most for any country in the world./aa

The US space agency NASA’s discovery rover Perseverance made approximately 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) long drive two weeks after its landing on Mars on Feb. 18.

Anais Zarifian, one of the engineers of Perseverance, expressed her happiness with the movement of the rover and said the tire tracks that the rover left on Mars are still visible.

Perseverance successfully landed on Mars surface on Feb. 18 at the end of an approximately seven-month journey covering a distance of 470 million kilometers (over 292 million miles) after it was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the state of Florida, the US on June 30, 2020.

NASA announced on Feb. 18 that Perseverance had touched down safely at the 28-mile wide depression thought to have been home to a large lake -- and perhaps microbial life -- according to the space agency.

The rover will begin the process of collecting rock core samples that will be stored in metal tubes for return to Earth on future missions.

The samples are key to understanding whether life once existed on the planet the US now hopes to send humans to as early as the 2030s.

The most sophisticated vehicle ever sent to Mars was built in NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in California and it runs on plutonium fuel.

The space agency announced that $2.4 billion was spent on infrastructure work for the realization of the new mission on the red planet, and $300 million on the system that enabled the vehicle to land and operate.

Perseverance, which has a chemical analyzer, 20 cameras, a rock drill for collecting samples, a robotic arm, and a helicopter known as Ingenuity, is expected to stay on Mars for two years for exploration activity./aa

The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies said on Friday it is deeply saddened by the recent loss of life in Myanmar and urged "immediate protection" for all volunteers and health workers. 

"Amid the spiraling violence, the Myanmar Red Cross has confirmed that over recent days, there have been very serious incidents where Red Cross volunteers were injured and wrongfully arrested," IFRC's Asia Pacific Regional Director Alexander Matheou was quoted as saying.

More than 60 people have been killed and an excess of 1,000 have been arrested during anti-coup demonstrations in Myanmar that have denounced military rule following the Feb. 1 putsch.

The IFRC expressed profound sadness that Myanmar Red Cross volunteers were injured while on duty.

They were providing life-saving first aid to those who were injured, in line with humanity's fundamental principles, neutrality and impartiality, according to the IFRC.

"Red Cross volunteers should never be targeted," said Matheou.

The Myanmar Red Cross mounted one of its largest-ever first aid and patient transfer humanitarian operations with more than 1,500 volunteers and 120 ambulances across the country, said the IFRC.

In the past four weeks, it provided first aid services, including life-saving interventions and emergency ambulance transfers. In all, it has helped more than 1,000 people.

"There is escalating violence, and the number of people killed or injured is rising each day," Matheou said. "The IFRC urges restraint and a halt to violence across Myanmar."

The Red Cross is also very concerned that after mass gatherings and violence in recent weeks, there is a risk that the coronavirus may be spreading unabated.

"The IFRC is alarmed about the risks of another deadly wave of COVID-19 in Myanmar as testing and access to hospitals, or other health services is very limited," said Matheou.

He noted that the Red Cross and its partners continue to offer support for humanitarian endeavors at a critical time.

The IFRC is the world's largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies./aa

Turkey rescued 105 asylum seekers off the country’s western coasts, Turkish Coast Guard Command said on Friday. 

A total of 69 asylum seekers traveling in rubber boats were pushed back to Turkish waters in the Aegean Sea by Greek authorities.

Acting on a tip, a rescue vessel was sent and converged on the groups off the Ayvacik district of Canakkale province.

The asylum seekers were later transferred to the provincial repatriation center.

Separately, 36 asylum seekers were trying to reach Greece’s Lesbos Island by a rubber boat but had to request help from Turkish authorities when the boat springs a leak.

A Turkish Coast Guard boat responded to the call and conducted a rescue operation off the coast of Ayvalik in Balikesir province.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

A panel of experts convened on Friday to discuss the future of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar following a military coup there last month. 

The online discussion was hosted by the Centre for British-Turkish Understanding in collaboration with the Justice For Rohingya Minority group and the Burma Human Rights Network and hosted by prominent figures, including Labour MP Rushnara Ali, academics Penny Green, Ronan Lee and activist Kyaw Win.

Panelists noted the lack of concern from the international community regarding the plight of Rohingya Muslims following the military coup on Feb. 1 despite support for the civil disobedience campaign against coup leaders by civilians in major urban centers.

“It is essential now more than ever that we continue raising awareness in the international community of the plight of the Rohingya people in Myanmar now that the military are back in power and are cracking down on pro-democracy groups,” said Kyaw Win, head of the Burma Human Rights Network. “The international community are right to denounce the coup and the violent response to demonstrations by the military and police forces but they shouldn’t forget that the Rohingya are still being persecuted and that this oppression could worsen in the coming months if no serious action is taken.”

The group also mulled possible responses to the coup and what effective action could be taken by the UN and world powers to reign in military leaders of the south-east Asian state before further gross violations of human rights continues.

International sanctions and an arms embargo regime is a tactic that was debated and it was argued that the move would put a strain on the military’s ability to maneuver within domestic and regional circles and could potentially isolate it on the international stage, depriving it of much needed economic investment.

“An arms embargo is imperative if we are to prevent any further deaths at the hands of the Myanmar military but it would also prevent them from elevating their hostile campaign against the Rohingya Muslims who have suffered at their hands for so long. They (the Rohingya) now face an even more uncertain future with the military back at the helm,” according to Labour MP Rushnara Ali.

Asked if the Rohingya situation would improve if the military were to return power to former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD), the prominent activist argued that under NLD rule, atrocities were being carried out by the military against the Rohingya and Suu Kyi defended the military against accusations of genocide.

“We were disappointed that the NLD didn’t denounce the military in its genocidal campaign against the Rohingya, rather on the contrary, they supported them and denied any allegations of ethnic cleansing. But of course we, as human beings in the right conscience, are unhappy with the manner Aung San Suu Kyi has been treated as well as members of her party and wider anti-coup demonstrations,” said Dr. Anita Schug, co-founder of the Rohingya Medics Organisation.

Schug explained in great detail how Suu Kyi’s silence, as well as inaction on the NLD’s behalf, contributed to the mass expulsion of hundreds of thousands to Bangladesh who now reside in camps that are inadequate and unsafe. The Rohingya who remain in Myanmar are “severely persecuted and restricted” by authorities but also by extremist Buddhist groups.

The Myanmar military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD government, jailing the former state counsellor as well as other prominent party members. In response to the coup, civilian groups across the country launched a civil disobedience campaign with mass demonstrations and sit-ins.

In response, police forces loyal to the military launched a deadly crackdown, killing more than 50 people, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office, and have injured and arrested many more. The military’s violence has been well documented on social media where soldiers have been filmed firing indiscriminately into crowds of protesters and demonstrators.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly children and women, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community.

The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

The UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity./aa

Artificial vein valves developed by Turkish researchers and engineers are becoming a new horizon to treat cardiovascular diseases, especially venous diseases. 

Millions of patients are faced with chronic venous insufficiency, which is one of the most common vascular diseases in the world, according to a statement by RD Global INVAMED,

The disease, which occurs in the veins, is caused by the breakdown of valves that prevent the backflow of blood. These fail to function when the valves break down for an unknown reason or when a clot forms in the veins.

The company said it leads to an increase in pressure in the veins and develops venous insufficiency over years, so the backflow of blood to the heart is disrupted and a condition called venous insufficiency occurs.

With the developed invention, the function of the damaged vein is restored.

The vascular implant, which is produced from high-tech polymers and smart materials, performs the remodeling process with a prosthesis that protects the structure with smart materials.

Although the procedure does not take long as it is performed with minimally invasive methods, RD Global & INVAMED said patient hospitalization times are short compared to current treatment methods./aa

The World Bank Group (WBG) on Friday expressed “great concern” about unrest in Ethiopia, saying the situation would undermine economic and social development outcomes achieved in the African nation in recent years.

“Ethiopia is currently facing challenging times and the World Bank Group is keenly following the latest developments in the country. The unrest in Ethiopia is unfortunate and of great concern,” it said in a statement. “The World Bank does not have the mandate to get involved in the internal governance issues of its member states. However, human rights principles are prominently embedded in our Environmental and Social Framework through explicit requirements for nondiscrimination, meaningful consultation, effective public participation, property rights, accountability, transparency and good governance.”

It said as a member of the Development Assistance Group, it would keep engaging in dialogue with relevant Ethiopian authorities “to safeguard the rights and interests of all Ethiopians.”

The Tigray region has been the scene of fighting since November when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced military operations against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), who he accused of attacking federal army camps.

Government troops took control of the regional capital, Mekele, in late November, but the TPLF vowed to fight, and clashes have persisted in the Horn of Africa country, hampering efforts to deliver humanitarian aid.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Thursday that her office received information about ongoing fighting across the region, particularly in the center of Tigray region, as well as incidents of looting by "various armed actors."

Bachelet's office said it has information about the killing of eight protestors by security forces on Feb. 9-10 in Adigrat, Mekelle, Shire and Wukro.

More than 136 cases of rape have also been reported in hospitals in Mekelle, Ayder, Adigrat and Wukro in the eastern Tigray region between December and January, said the office.

Washington’s United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Thursday that the US has deployed a disaster assistance response team to Ethiopia to bolster the humanitarian response, "and our hope is that others will join us in this urgent, necessary life-saving effort."/aa

Latin America and the Caribbean face a bumpy road to economic recovery from the deep scars left by the coronavirus pandemic.  

The labor markets in the region regressed at least 10 years, according to the International Labour Organization, reaching unemployment levels as high as 14.6% or 15.9% in countries with previously strong economies, such as Brazil and Colombia.

Unemployment rose 2.5% compared to the previous year, going from 8.1% to 10.6%, meaning that the number unemployed reached 30 million.

Poverty reached levels unseen in years in the region, with more than 16 million people having fallen into conditions of extreme poverty in 2020 due to the pandemic, totaling more than 83 million people, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

Although the IMF forecasts that Latin America’s economy will grow 4.1% in 2021 - higher than the 3.6% it predicted last October - it does not compensate for the 9.4% that the region's economy shrank during 2020 due to the pandemic, compared to the 3% contraction projected for emerging economies by the organization. It is estimated that the region will return to previous income levels around the year 2023.

Latin America is one of the worst-affected regions due to the pandemic. With only 8% of the world population, the region accounts for 19% of the COVID-19 cases and about 27% of deaths, based on Johns Hopkins University data. Economic growth has been strongly impacted by lockdowns implemented by all countries, from Mexico to Argentina.

However, as countries began to loosen the measures during the second half of 2020, the economy has started to partially recover.

“The economies of Latin America and the Caribbean began to reverse the initial economic devastation left by the impacts of COVID-19, especially in the second quarter of 2020,” said Alejandro Werner, the IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department director, during a press conference on the fund’s economic outlook for the region in February.

However, the IMF emphasized that Latin America and Caribbean economies will only bounce back from devastation caused by COVID-19 if there is a major reduction in coronavirus infections.

“The resurgence of the pandemic at the end of last year and at the beginning of 2021 threatens to frustrate an already uneven recovery and to aggravate the enormous social and human costs that are being experienced,” Werner added.

An example of the uneven recovery can be seen in the split by country of the average 4.1% growth that the IMF expects for the region for 2021. In fact, the World Bank's projections show ten countries with an above average expected growth and 16 with an expected growth below the 4.1% average growth of the region.

The first group includes nations such as Peru, which will grow 7.6% after a 12.0% contraction in 2020, Argentina will grow 4.9% after a 10.6% contraction in 2020 and Colombia, which will grow 4.9% after a 7.5 percent contraction last year.

The countries that are expected to grow below the 4.1% average growth include Bolivia, which will grow 3.9% after a 6.7% contraction in 2020, Mexico will grow 3.7% after a 9% contraction, and Brazil will grow 3% after a 4.5% contraction in 2020. Other countries are forecasted to continue the negative trend of growth during 2021, such as Nicaragua and Surinam.

The recovery will depend, to a large extent, on how efficient countries are in distributing and administering the vaccine, Werner said. And so far, vaccination in Latin American has not taken real impulse./aa

The World Health Organization chief and two of his top team members issued a mental health warning Friday as he said the planet must prepare for mass mental trauma affecting communities for years to come resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"As the world may remember…after the Second World War, the world experienced mass trauma because the Second World War affected many, many lives," said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus at a biweekly press webinar on the novel coronavirus.

He said that with the pandemic having a colossal magnitude, almost the whole world is affected with "and every individual" is impacted.

"That means mass trauma, which is beyond proportion, even bigger than what the world experienced after the Second World War," said Tedros.

"Countries have to see it as such and prepare for that, and the WHO will support in any way possible to address mental health… which is the mass trauma."

Mike Ryan, head of the health body's emergencies program, said that beyond the impacts of COVID-19 on people and families, there is the mental health strain of not seeing families in the hospital.

There is "the terror and the tragedy associated with that mental stress that frontline workers and health workers have been under in communities, and so many others."

"We need to measure the mental health impact and understand truly what's happening."

He noted: "It just becomes unethical to continue to call something out as an issue, but not be focused on solutions for people and communities.

"In the work that we do in humanitarian settings, mental health and psychosocial support, it is a huge part of humanitarian intervention."

Ryan said if individuals and communities are not physically and mentally healthy, it is tough to absorb an epidemic's strain and stress.

"There is one thing this virus seems to love, and that's the despondency and incapacitation of our ability or willingness to stop the virus, and sometimes wonder whether it is that impact that is the most profound," said Ryan.

He said mental health and psychosocial support must be central to all recovery plans and must be costed into those plans.

Maria Van Kerkhove, one of WHO's leading infectious diseases experts, said there must be a lot more emphasis by governments, communities, families, and individuals to look "at our well-being."

She offered some personal advice, "For anyone out there, who's feeling the pressure of this, and all of us are feeling that too; if you need help, please reach out.

"And those of you who have friends and loved ones who you know are struggling, also reach out to them every day, you know, you should make a phone call, make a connection with individuals to reach out and make sure people are okay."/aa

Arrested on March 3, Senegal's opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was taken back to gendarmerie’s research section after he appeared before a court Friday without his lawyers, his party confirmed.

Accused of rape by a young girl, Sonko has lost his parliamentary immunity and is being prosecuted by the Senegalese judiciary. He was arrested on his way to a judicial court and his lawyers were unable to reach him after his arrest.

They were also denied access to the hearing room Friday morning. Sonko will be produced again on March 8.

He is back to the gendarmerie's research section and is now being prosecuted for insurrection and disturbing public order because "the rape file is empty,” Malick Ndiaye, his party spokesman, told Anadolu Agency.

“They are trying him for breaching state security. On Thursday, the investigating judge in charge of his case received a lot of pressure and dropped the case. The new judge is President Macky Sall’s former classmate,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sonko's supporters continue to express their anger in various Senegalese cities. On Thursday, a young demonstrator lost his life after being shot./aa