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Tag: Turkey

  • Indian Americans raise over $300K for Turkey, Syria quake relief

    Indian Americans raise over $300K for Turkey, Syria quake relief

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    Washington: Indian Americans from across the US have raised more than USD 300,000 for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

    A fundraiser organised by several eminent Indian Americans led by Dr Hemant Patel, the former president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the community raised more than USD 230,000.

    The fund raised over the weekend in New Jersey was attended by Turkish Ambassador to the US Murat Mercan, along with Turkish Consul General in New York Reyhan zg r, wherein they profusely thanked the Indian American community for the generous support for the earthquake-hit people of their country.

    “They (the ambassador and the consul general) spoke very highly of what is being done and what the Indian community is doing for the Turkish people,” Patel, a recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honour, told PTI.

    Sewa International Houston’s AmeriCorps team recently organised a donation drive in support of the victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. People from different communities all over Houston came together to donate hundreds of items, including food, clothes, winter coats, hygiene items, outdoor supplies, tents, hand warmers, shoes and baby necessities.

    More than 200 boxes were taken to the warehouse, filling over three pickup trucks, a trailer, an SUV and a big U-Haul truck.

    The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, New Jersey organised a special prayer assembly this week for those affected by the humanitarian crisis. The community members at BAPS offered support for the people of Turkey through prayer and a generous donation of USD 25,000 through its humanitarian relief arm, BAPS Charities, to the Embrace Relief Foundation.

    (Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Turkey forecasted to attract foreign tourists despite deadly quakes

    Turkey forecasted to attract foreign tourists despite deadly quakes

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    Ankara: The annual peak season for Turkish tourism is expected to come in time, as popular resorts are largely far away from regions hit by the massive February 6 earthquakes, local experts have said.

    Turkey is still recovering from earthquakes that have killed tens of thousands of people and toppled countless buildings in the southern and central parts of the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

    The disaster has prompted Turkish authorities to immediately warn tourists not to travel to the affected zone for their safety concerns, despite the region not being an essential part of the country’s popular destinations, except for the Hatay province.

    “Southeastern Turkey is noted for some attractions and regional gastronomy features, but are mainly the domain of cultural visitors,” Esra Bilir, a freelance tour operator from the capital city Ankara, told Xinhua.

    Bilir said that the most welcomed destinations are located in the southern and western parts of the country, along the Aegean and Mediterranean coastline, hundreds of km from the earthquake zone.

    Main airlines and Turkey international airports are operating as normal, and clients are maintaining their reservations, she added.

    “There may be a slight decrease in the number of visitors in March or April, but with the start of the season, in May, we expect full occupancy in most resorts,” Bilir said.

    Turkey annually receives millions of tourists from across the globe. The industry is vital for the Turkish economy by employing about two million people.

    This year, its revenues are all the more important for covering the rebuilding costs estimated to be tens of billions of dollars, Kaan Sahinalp, a representative of foreign tourism companies, told Xinhua.

    In 2022, the country welcomed more than 51 million tourists, said tourism and Culture minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

    That brought in $46 billion in revenues, a 53.4 per cent surge from 2021, according to figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute.

    Earlier this month, Ersoy said foreign arrivals are expected to reach 60 million in 2023, which would translate into 456 billion of income.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Turkey records 5.6 pc GDP growth in 2022

    Turkey records 5.6 pc GDP growth in 2022

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    Ankara: Turkey’s economy grew by 5.6 per cent in 2022, with domestic consumption propping up the better-than-expected performance, according to official statistics released on Tuesday.

    The country’s economy expanded by 3.5 per cent year-on-year in the last quarter of 2022, while the GDP per capita reached $10,655 for the entirety of the year, the Turkish Statistical Institute said.

    Domestic consumption grew by 19.7 per cent in 2022, whereas investments, which had increased by 7.4 per cent in 2020 and 2021, only grew by 2.8 per cent in 2022, Xinhua news agency reported.

    The country’s export growth plummet to 9.1 per cent in 2022, compared with 24.9 per cent in the previous year.

    In 2021, the Turkish economy bounced back strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic to expand by 11.4 per cent, its highest rate in a decade.

    The country’s economic growth was overshadowed by its annual inflation rate which reached a 20-year high of 85.5 per cent last year, along with the impact of the global economic slowdown.

    Turkey’s annual inflation dipped to 57.68 per cent in January and is predicted to continue to fall throughout the year. Yet the country was hit by massive earthquakes on February 6 which will result in a hefty reconstruction expense and slower economic growth.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Video: Besiktas fans throw toys on field for children in quake-hit Turkey

    Video: Besiktas fans throw toys on field for children in quake-hit Turkey

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    In a wonderful humanitarian gesture, fans of the Turkish football club Besiktas threw thousands of toys onto the field on Sunday in a symbol of solidarity with the children affected by the devastating February 6 earthquakes in Turkey.

    The shower of giant teddy bears and other toys came during a Turkish Super League match between Besiktas and Antalyaspor on Sunday at the city’s Vodafone Park stadium.

    The Turkish Super League match was stopped after 4 minutes and 17 seconds, the time the first earthquake struck was 4:17 am local time on February 6, and toys showered from the stands.

    Pink dolls, shiny unicorns, fluffy bunnies, monkeys, elephants and fish were among the toys thrown on the field. Some people threw scarves and hats – they hoped the donations would keep those displaced by the disaster warm amid the harsh winter conditions.

    In a club statement, Besiktas said its fans organized a meaningful event to help children affected by the recent earthquakes and threw gifts on the field.

    “Our fans organized a meaningful event called ‘This toy is my friend’ during the match in order to give morale to the children affected by the earthquake. The fans threw scarves, berets and plush toys to be given as a gift to the children in the earthquake region,” read Besiktas’ statement.

    Watch the videos below

    Images show piles of toys stacked on the side of the field after being tossed onto the field.

    Toys
    Photo: Anadolu Agency
    Turkey football fans
    Photo: Anadolu Agency
    Huge teady bear
    Photo: Anadolu Agency
    Teddy bear
    Photo: Anadolu Agency
    Turkey Stadium toys
    Photo: AP

    The country has been hit by three total earthquakes — two on February 6 and one on February 20 — and the current death toll has reached 43,556 in Turkey alone and 47,244 Syrians dead among them, according to the Associated Press.



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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Earthquakes | Finland delivered more tents, blankets and dry food to the earthquake areas in Turkey and Syria

    Earthquakes | Finland delivered more tents, blankets and dry food to the earthquake areas in Turkey and Syria

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    Foreign countries|Earthquakes

    Previously, Finland provided Turkey with expert assistance and emergency accommodation capacity for around 3,000 people.

    Finland at the turn of the week, delivered more material aid to the earthquake areas of Turkey, says the Ministry of the Interior.

    Part of the aid is delivered from Turkey to Syria.

    Material transports included, among other things, tents, blankets, heaters and dry food.

    Previously, Finland provided Turkey with expert assistance and emergency accommodation capacity for around 3,000 people. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has donated one million euros to Turkey and Syria.

    Destructive earthquakes ravaged Turkey and Syria at the beginning of February. As a result of the earthquake, a total of more than 50,000 people have died in the countries.

    #Earthquakes #Finland #delivered #tents #blankets #dry #food #earthquake #areas #Turkey #Syria

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • Economy – World Bank: earthquakes in Turkey caused damages of 34.2 billion dollars

    Economy – World Bank: earthquakes in Turkey caused damages of 34.2 billion dollars

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    First modification:

    The World Bank estimated the economic cost of the damage caused in Turkey by the strong earthquakes that affected the southeast of the country at the beginning of the month at more than 34,000 million dollars, while warning that reconstruction could cost twice that amount.

    The number could double. The World Bank estimated the economic costs of the February 6 earthquakes in Turkey at $34 billion, mainly affecting the southeast of the country.

    “The report acknowledges that the costs of salvage and reconstruction will be much higher (than those caused by the damage), potentially twice as large, and that the associated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) losses will add to this cost,” the report explained. institution in a statement.

    Humberto López, director of the World Bank for Turkey, declared that the earthquakes discounted at least half a percentage point in the expected GDP growth of Turkey, which would be between 3.5% and 4% for this year.

    Of the cataloged damages, some 18,000 million dollars, more than half were in damages caused to residential buildings. The World Bank estimates that around 1.25 million people were temporarily left homeless due to damage to their homes.

    The institution already announced on February 9 an initial aid package of 1,780 million dollars for the reconstruction and rescue efforts.

    People look at the debris left behind by flooding in the town of Bozkurt, in Kastamonu province, Turkey. August 13, 2021. © Can Erok / Demiroren Visual Media via Reuters

    On the other hand, the situation in Syria was “really catastrophic,” said Anna Bjerde, World Bank Group vice president for Europe and Central Asia. The Bank will publish a separate estimate of the damage in Syria on Tuesday.

    The earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 7.6, caused more than 44,000 deaths in Turkey alone. In Syria, almost 6,000 deaths have been registered. According to the World Bank report, more than 7,500 aftershocks occurred after the movements, which is the largest catastrophe of its kind in Turkey in more than 80 years.

    with Reuters

    #Economy #World #Bank #earthquakes #Turkey #caused #damages #billion #dollars

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • Turkey: Erdogan’s ‘mea culpa’ for delays in rescue efforts

    Turkey: Erdogan’s ‘mea culpa’ for delays in rescue efforts

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    The Turkish president expressed his disagreement with the State’s response to the emergency generated by the strong earthquakes that affected the country. The streets and sporting events have been the scenarios in which citizens have expressed their discontent and have even called for the resignation of the Government.

    A ‘mea culpa’ expected. “In the first days, we were not able to carry out the work as efficiently as we wanted in Adiyaman,” the Turkish head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on February 27, amid a complex panorama.

    “The destructive impact of the tremors, the adverse weather and the challenges due to damaged infrastructure” are some of the reasons outlined by the Turkish leader as justification.

    But this apology may also have been prompted by the growing number of deaths, the accusations that weigh on the Executive for the supposed minimum requirements to the contractors of the hundreds of thousands of buildings destroyed and a prompt appointment with the polls.

    The president also required the understanding of the inhabitants of the affected areas in the midst of difficulties and also stressed his commitment to a rapid reconstruction.

    However, nature does not seem to help. A new earthquake in the southwest of the country killed at least 100 people, adding to the most recent government figures: 44,374 fatalities in total.

    A man walks past a patch of rubble, after a deadly earthquake, in Antakya, Hatay province, Turkey, on February 21, 2023. © Reuters – Clodagh Kilcoyne

    Some 30 buildings did not resist the new tremor of this February 27, located at 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale.

    An unknown number of people were left under the rubble, but several were rescued. These survivors were collecting their belongings, abandoned after the first earthquakes that shook the nation three weeks ago, when they were surprised by the new telluric movement.

    Official figures date the damaged buildings to hundreds of thousands. In this photo, a man rides a motorcycle through the rubble of destroyed buildings in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
    Official figures date the damaged buildings to hundreds of thousands. In this photo, a man rides a motorcycle through the rubble of destroyed buildings in Samandag, southern Turkey, Wednesday, February 22, 2023. © AP – Emrah Gurel

    “This is an extraordinary activity,” said Orhan Tatar, director general of earthquake and risk reduction at the Turkish Emergency and Disaster Management Authority. According to the official, four new earthquakes have been reported in the region (included in the province of Malatya) in recent weeks, accompanied by some 45 aftershocks with magnitudes between 5 and 6 degrees.

    The investigations into the high number of collapses are not stopping either: there are already 184 detainees for alleged complicity in the collapses, confirming that the focus is now on the construction companies.

    Signs of discontent in sports days

    In a country where dissenting voices from the ‘establishment’ are viewed with particular suspicion, the Turks have not been silent in the face of the difficult conditions created by the earthquakes and the state’s response.

    In football matches held this weekend by the local league, calls for the resignation of the Government were heard loudly.

    Fans of the Besiktas football team throw toys on the field for children affected by the earthquake. The event happened during a Turkish Super League match at Vodafone Park, Istanbul, Turkey, on February 26, 2023.
    Fans of the Besiktas football team throw toys on the field for children affected by the earthquake. The event happened during a Turkish Super League match at Vodafone Park, Istanbul, Turkey, on February 26, 2023. © Reuters – Stringer

    As reported by the Reuters agency, fans of Besiktas, one of the main teams in the Turkish league, threw thousands of stuffed animals onto the playing field to be donated to the affected children. This action was accompanied by demands to resign from the ministerial train.

    The followers of another of the Turkish clubs, Fenerbahce, were not far behind in their discontent either. From the stands the motto “twenty years of lies and cheats, resign” was heard.

    The harsh response to anti-government protests

    The response, both political and sporting, was not long in coming. “The Nationalist Movement Party strongly condemns the use of sport in dirty politics during such sensitive and painful days for our country,” said Devlet Bahceli, leader of that political party, a member of the AK Parti (Justice and Development Party) of Erdoğan.

    For its part, the club Caykur Rizespor, from Erdogan’s hometown, described the fans’ grievance towards the state leadership as “provocative acts” and called the protesters “sewer rats”.

    The Minister of the Interior, Suleyman Soylu, also defended the Government: “If someone wants to do politics, there will be elections in the next few days (…) But those who want to turn sport into a political arena must pay attention to the efforts of the State, the nation and civil society”, he highlighted on Twitter.

    Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Oya Ersoy reacts when riot police prevent her from joining the demonstrations. In recent days, protesters have shown their discontent with the Government's actions in the context of the earthquakes that have occurred since February 6, 2023.
    Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Oya Ersoy reacts when riot police prevent her from joining the demonstrations. In recent days, protesters have shown their discontent with the Government’s actions in the context of the earthquakes that have occurred since February 6, 2023. © Reuters – Dilara Senkaya

    Finally, the Minister of Sports also made his vision known. Mehmet Kasapoglu followed the line of message used by the defenders of the Government, and pointed directly to certain groups of generating “targeted provocations” with the aim of fracturing the unity of the country.

    In other reports of protests, riot police intervened in several outbreaks. In downtown Istanbul, dozens of supporters and members of the far-left Turkish Workers’ Party were arrested as they demonstrated against the government.

    with Reuters

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • New 5.6 magnitude earthquake hits Turkey: several buildings collapsed

    New 5.6 magnitude earthquake hits Turkey: several buildings collapsed

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    earthquake in turkey

    earthquake in turkey

    earthquake in turkey

    Aftershock leaves 29 buildings destroyed, 69 injured and one person dead.

    In Malatya province, eastern Turkey, A magnitude 5.6 earthquake was recorded. according to that nation’s disaster management agency, AFAD.

    According to the agency’s social media post, the epicenter of the aftershock would be Yesiliurt, with a depth of 7 kilometers.

    Although the damage assessments continue, it is already known that there is a great impact in the area, with new buildings that have collapsed in the province due to their already weakened foundations due to the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, the which has left more than 40,000 dead.

    The authorities speak of 29 buildings destroyed, 69 injured and one person dead.

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • Turkey University Offers Scholarship, Details Here

    Turkey University Offers Scholarship, Details Here

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    Bilkent University, Turkey invites admission on scholarship for various undergraduate, master and doctoral courses. Students can apply before July 12, 2023, for admission. There is no separate application for scholarship.

    The University offers scholarships in the fields of Art, design, and architecture, Business administration, Economics, administrative and social sciences, Engineering, Humanities and letters, Science, Music and performing arts, and Applied technology and management.

    The scholarship covers full tuition fee, monthly stipend, private health insurance, meal card and travel support. Citizens of all the nationalities are eligible. Students who apply for Masters or PhD should have a CGPA of 2.80/4.00. International students should have GRE 153 and TOEFL IBT should be at least 87 or IELTS should be 6.5 and 5.5 from each section or Bilkent COPE should be at least C.

    The documents required for the application are CV, Degree certificates, Official transcripts, Statement of purpose, and two letters of recommendation.

    For further details, click here

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    ( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

  • Sameh Shoukry in Turkey for the first time since 2013.. What is the fate of the “Brotherhood” file?

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    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced the start of a new path with Egypt and cooperation that begins with ministers and ends with the normalization of full relations.

    A Turkish analyst who spoke to “Sky News Arabia” hopes that these steps will result in removing all differences, and that the Turkish government will respond to Cairo’s demands to stop its support for the terrorist Brotherhood.

    Shukri’s visit

    On Sunday morning, a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Minister Sameh Shoukry, announced that he would go Monday morning to both Syria and Turkey, on a visit “in order to convey a message of solidarity from Egypt with the two countries and their peoples, following the February 6 earthquake, which left heavy losses.”

    The statement indicated that “the foreign minister is expected to affirm, in his meetings with both Syria and Turkey, Egypt’s permanent readiness to provide aid and assistance to those affected in the affected areas of the two countries, and that Egypt, the government and people, cannot be late for a day in supporting its brothers.”

    important visit

    Turkish political analyst, Javad Gok, describes the Egyptian minister’s visit as “very important, not only for Egypt and Turkey, but for the entire region,” after 10 years of deadlock.

    Gok notes that Shoukry’s visit comes after the phone call he had with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, which is “the first tangible step in the framework of restoring relations between the two countries,” calling for the return of the ambassadors to Cairo and Ankara “because it is very important.”

    After agreeing to restore relations between the two countries, the Egyptian side will put forward requests regarding extremist groups, including the Brotherhood, and the Turkish government must take the necessary steps to prevent them from sabotaging relations between the two sides again, according to the Turkish analyst.

    Regarding the Turkish government’s position on the visit, he said it was “very happy” with it, especially in these difficult times for the Turkish people, “and they will appreciate Egypt’s efforts to help those affected by the earthquake and its sending of aid.”

    Egyptian aid

    Last Thursday, Egypt sent two relief aid planes to Turkey in solidarity with those affected by the earthquake, and as a contribution to mitigating its effects.

    The two planes come the day after the docking of the Egyptian Navy ship “Halayeb” in the international port of Mersin, southern Turkey, loaded with 650 tons of humanitarian aid.

    After the earthquake, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi made a phone call to Erdogan, during which he expressed condolences and solidarity over the disaster.

    On February 8, the Egyptian army announced the flight of 5 military transport planes loaded with large quantities of medicines and medical supplies to Syria and Turkey.

    previous talks

    Turkey is seeking to restore relations with Egypt, which have witnessed sharp differences since the Egyptian June 30 revolution in 2013, regarding Egyptian and regional issues, most notably Egypt’s anger at Turkish support for the terrorist Brotherhood in Egypt, and terrorist groups and militias in Libya.

    In the last two years, the two countries held two rounds of exploratory talks that began in 2021, headed by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Sedat Onal and his Egyptian counterpart Hamdi Loza. At the end of the second round, which was held in Ankara last September, the two sides agreed to continue consultations, and affirmed their desire to make progress on issues. Discussed, and the normalization of relations between them.

    The highest level of communication before the earthquake was a handshake between Sisi and Erdogan during their attendance at the opening of the FIFA World Cup, which was held in Qatar last November.



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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )