Thursday, April 30, 2020

Internet commerce grows in Turkey – Middle East Monitor

Internet commerce grows in Turkey
April 30, 2020 at 3:02 pm | Published in: Coronavirus, Europe & Russia, News, Turkey

April 30, 2020 at 3:02 pm
The volume of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in Turkey has grown 39 per cent in 2019, according to a report published by Turkey’s Informatics Industry Association (TÜBİSAD) yesterday.

More:Internet commerce grows in Turkey – Middle East Monitor

Turkish journalist Fatih Portakal charged for tweet about president’s speech - Committee to Protect Journalists

Turkish journalist Fatih Portakal charged for tweet about president’s speech
April 30, 2020 3:50 PM ET

Istanbul, April 30, 2020 – Turkish authorities should drop the charges against journalist Fatih Portakal and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

More:Turkish journalist Fatih Portakal charged for tweet about president’s speech - Committee to Protect Journalists

Turkey says virus outbreak at peak as government weighs easing restrictions

Turkey says virus outbreak at peak as government weighs easing restrictions

The country’s health minister credits new therapies and contact tracing for a recent decline in new cases, but warns it is still too soon to loosen restrictions on mobility to mitigate the outbreak.

More:Turkey says virus outbreak at peak as government weighs easing restrictions

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Ghostly and melancholic: A portrait of Istanbul

‘Ghostly and melancholic’: Bustling Istanbul is muted by quarantine
Normally buzzing with activity, Turkey’s timeless city is now a harbor of resilience.
Seagulls fill the sky above Istanbul, Turkey, seen here from the Karakoy neighborhood.
PHOTOGRAPH BY EMIN OZMEN, MAGNUM PHOTOS
5 MINUTE READ
BY ONUR UYGUN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY EMIN ÖZMEN

PUBLISHED APRIL 29, 2020

The Bosporus, the narrow strait running through the heart of Istanbul, flows at the intersection of Europe and Asia. It’s both a watery highway and a metaphor, uniting social life in this city of 15 million people. On a typical spring day, Istanbullus— from sweatshirt-wearing students to grandmothers in headscarves—pack the city’s waterside parks, sunning themselves to a soundtrack of seabirds. At rush hour, a cacophony of car horns resonates from the sahil yolu (seaside road).

More:Ghostly and melancholic: A portrait of Istanbul

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Turkey's new medical center to trace COVID-19 patients after recovery - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Turkey's new medical center to trace COVID-19 patients after recovery

Source: Xinhua| 2020-04-29 01:15:14|Editor: huaxia
ISTANBUL, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A state hospital in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul opened a new center on Tuesday to track the health conditions of the recovered COVID-19 patients.

More:Turkey's new medical center to trace COVID-19 patients after recovery - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Fuel truck bomb kills at least 40 people in Turkish area of northern Syria | Thomas Seibert | AW

Fuel truck bomb kills at least 40 people in Turkish area of northern Syria

The Turkish Defence Ministry blamed Kurdish militants for the blast in a crowded area of downtown Afrin.

MoreFuel truck bomb kills at least 40 people in Turkish area of northern Syria | Thomas Seibert | AW

Monday, April 27, 2020

World Bank approves $100 mln loan to support Turkey's health system amid pandemic

World Bank approves $100 mln loan to support Turkey's health system amid pandemic
AuthorDragana Petrushevska
PublishedApr 27, 2020 13:44 EEST
Source: minsvyaz.ru
ANKARA (Turkey), April 27 (SeeNews) - The World Bank said it has approved a $100 million (92.2 million euro) loan to Turkey to support the country's health system amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the funds, Turkey's ministry of health will implement a project aimed at helping the government to slow the spread of the infection and reinforce the overall health system to detect and treat cases, the World Bank said in a statement on Friday.

More:World Bank approves $100 mln loan to support Turkey's health system amid pandemic

UPDATE 1-Turkish cenbank makes big one-day bond buy, yields tumble - Reuters

Turkish cenbank makes big one-day bond buy, yields tumble

ISTANBUL, April 27 (Reuters) - Turkey’s central bank bought 5 billion lira ($715 million) in debt from the Unemployment Insurance Fund on Monday, continuing its economic stimulus and pushing bond yields lower in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, according to two bankers.

More:UPDATE 1-Turkish cenbank makes big one-day bond buy, yields tumble - Reuters

Turkey Seeks to Restart Economy With Domestic Flights in May - Bloomberg

Turkey Seeks to Restart Economy With Domestic Flights in May
By Firat Kozok
April 27, 2020, 7:50 AM EDT Updated on April 27, 2020, 1:46 PM EDT
Officials mull gradual resumption of trains, reopening schools
On Monday Turkey reported fewest new cases in almost 3 weeks

Turkey is deliberating whether to start reopening its economy with the resumption of some domestic flights as early as mid-May, officials with direct knowledge of the plans said.

More:Turkey Seeks to Restart Economy With Domestic Flights in May - Bloomberg

Press freedom in Turkey: Erdogan's crusade against "all media and political viruses" - Qantara.de

Erdogan's crusade against "all media and political viruses"

Is the Turkish president Erdogan using the fight against coronavirus to silence the few remaining critical press voices in the country? Opposition and journalists fear a new wave of censorship. By Daniel Derya Bellut

More:Press freedom in Turkey: Erdogan's crusade against "all media and political viruses" - Qantara.de

COVID-19 crisis stokes fear of food insecurity in Turkey

COVID-19 crisis stokes fear of food insecurity in Turkey

The novel coronavirus is threatening to inflate food prices in Turkey, whose agricultural sector was already in dire straits and overly reliant on imports before the pandemic.

More:COVID-19 crisis stokes fear of food insecurity in Turkey

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Turkey’s Erdogan Tangled In His Own Web Of Deceit | News Ghana

Turkey’s Erdogan Tangled In His Own Web Of Deceit
By Ahmed Al-Khaled -Apr 25, 2020

Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkey’s foreign policy centered around Recep Erdogan’s ambitions has been devised as a giant web weaved all across Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe. Now the Turkish leader may fall prey to his own schemes.
“Zero problems with neighbors” – this was the catchy motto selected by then Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Erdogan for his country’s foreign policy not so long ago. These days, when the relations of Turkey with neighbors and more distant states alike appear to be made of problems almost entirely, the motto looks like a dark joke – a one that didn’t age well (or did, depending on the point of view) – and gives grounds for re-evaluation of the Turkish leadership’s actions and decisions that led the country to its current state.

More:Turkey’s Erdogan Tangled In His Own Web Of Deceit | News Ghana

LETTER FROM ISTANBUL: Building for the Apocalypse | Lost Coast Outpost | Humboldt County

LETTER FROM ISTANBUL: Building for the Apocalypse

We go out every couple of days, just to get groceries from the supermarket. But even that is becoming an ordeal, since the government imposed a four-day lockdown every week, from Thursday to Sunday.

More:LETTER FROM ISTANBUL: Building for the Apocalypse | Lost Coast Outpost | Humboldt County

Friday, April 24, 2020

Turkey's Erdogan has found a cure for coronavirus - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com

Opinion Turkey's Erdogan Has Found a Cure for Coronavirus

The Turkish president is writing the playbook for how to reframe a disastrous coronavirus death toll as a glorious success for the supreme leader

More:Turkey's Erdogan has found a cure for coronavirus - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com

Erdoğan Fights Turkey's Mayors, Not COVID-19 :: Middle East Forum

Erdoğan Fights Turkey's Mayors, Not COVID-19
by Burak Bekdil
BESA Center Perspectives
April 23, 2020

Excerpt of article originally published under the title "Turkey and Coronavirus: Divided We Stand."

... The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has forcefully reminded Turks of their deep underlying divisions. Those divisions are making it impossible for them to come together to fight a potential catastrophe that is national, not ideological.

More:Erdoğan Fights Turkey's Mayors, Not COVID-19 :: Middle East Forum

Refugees and migration in the Aegean: The EU and Turkey need each other – and a new refugee deal - Qantara.de

The EU and Turkey need each other – and a new refugee deal

The refugee crisis on Turkey's borders can only be resolved with a new EU deal. It should build on the current plan, but avoid its flaws, writes Ozgur Unluhisarcikli of the German Marshall Fund of the United States

More:Refugees and migration in the Aegean: The EU and Turkey need each other – and a new refugee deal - Qantara.de

COVID-19 pandemic: Coronavirus breeds domestic violence in Turkey - Qantara.de

Coronavirus breeds domestic violence in Turkey

Countries under coronavirus lockdown have seen a marked rise in domestic violence. Women's rights activists in Turkey criticise that existing laws are not being applied and the government is not doing enough to protect victims. By Pelin Unker and Daniel Derya Bellut
More:
COVID-19 pandemic: Coronavirus breeds domestic violence in Turkey - Qantara.de

bne IntelliNews - Lira left further exposed as Turkish central bank gives imperilled economy shot in arm with another rate cut

Lira left further exposed as Turkish central bank gives imperilled economy shot in arm with another rate cut

By bne IntelIiNews April 23, 2020
Turkey’s central bank on April 22 cut its benchmark interest rate by 100bp—twice as much as the market consensus anticipated—to 8.75% in a bid to keep credit flowing despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) upheaval and the risk of further undermining the embattled Turkish lira and financial stability.

More:bne IntelliNews - Lira left further exposed as Turkish central bank gives imperilled economy shot in arm with another rate cut

3,000 tonnes of 'hidden gold' stashed under people's mattresses to help Turkey's economy during pandemic

3,000 tonnes of 'hidden gold' stashed under people's mattresses to help Turkey's economy during pandemic
By Gani Mohamed Waseem
April 23, 2020 22:15 +08

Turkey seems to have found a treasure trove of "hidden gold" to give its economy a much needed fillip during these trying times.

100 tonnes of "hidden gold" put back into Turkish economy

According to a report in Turkey's Daily Sabah news, Turkish banks and gold refineries have helped put over "100 tonnes of gold hidden in people's homes" back into the country's financial system. But there is still around 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of gold "stashed under people's mattresses," the report cites a leading gold refinery in Turkey as saying.

More:3,000 tonnes of 'hidden gold' stashed under people's mattresses to help Turkey's economy during pandemic

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Turks mark major holiday under virus lockdown

Turks mark major holiday under virus lockdown

A four-day curfew has Turkey locked down as health workers battle an outbreak that has now exceeded 100,000 cases.

More:Turks mark major holiday under virus lockdown

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Larger than expected rate cut raises pressure on Turkish lira

Larger than expected rate cut raises pressure on Turkish lira

Turkey’s central bank surprised market watchers Wednesday with a significant interest rate cut to bolster the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, though analysts say the move poses inflationary risks.

More:Larger than expected rate cut raises pressure on Turkish lira

8 Policy Recommendations for Dealing With the ‘New’ Turkey | The National Interest

8 Policy Recommendations for Dealing With the ‘New’ Turkey

The world is witnessing in slow-motion a second Iran in the making, less violent and dramatic, more sophisticated and potentially more enduring.

More:8 Policy Recommendations for Dealing With the ‘New’ Turkey | The National Interest

Resilience in Turkey

RESILIENCE
IN TURKEY

Don’t Write off Turkey’s Democracy

There was a time when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — whether you liked him or not — represented change. He stood for a forward-looking vision for the country, suggesting that he could navigate the most pressing challenges, from the Kurdish issue to corruption, to economic mismanagement, and he did. The people loved him for this reason and supported him at the ballot box.

More:Resilience in Turkey

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Turkish economy to shrink for first time in a decade this year: Reuters poll - Reuters

Turkish economy to shrink for first time in a decade this year: Reuters poll
Ezgi Erkoyun
4 MIN READ

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s economy is expected to contract this year for the first time in over a decade as the coronavirus pandemic slashes output through mid-year, and it’s unlikely to grow again until 2021, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.

More:Turkish economy to shrink for first time in a decade this year: Reuters poll - Reuters

Erdogan’s dream airport in dire straits amid pandemic

Erdogan’s dream airport in dire straits amid pandemic

The company operating Istanbul’s new mega airport appears unlikely to hold on for even a few months without assistance, as the COVID-19 pandemic hits Turkey’s aviation industry.

More:Erdogan’s dream airport in dire straits amid pandemic

Monday, April 20, 2020

Owners abandon dogs in Turkey amid virus fears - Republic World

Owners Abandon Dogs In Turkey Amid Virus Fears
REST OF THE WORLD NEWS
Pets in Turkey are being abandoned in increasing numbers as Turkey's coronavirus crisis deepens, activists say.

More:Owners abandon dogs in Turkey amid virus fears - Republic World

121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows - The New York Times

121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows
By The Associated Press
April 18, 2020

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s health minister said Saturday that 121 more people have died of COVID-19, with total deaths standing at 1,890.

Fahrettin Koca shared the figures on Twitter, saying 3,783 more people were infected with the coronavirus. The total number of confirmed infections is 82,329.

More:121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows - The New York Times

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Marc Pierini: The ripple effects of the coronavirus in Turkey | KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice

Marc Pierini: The ripple effects of the coronavirus in Turkey
By Marc Pierini. Published April 18. Updated April 18 at 1:57 pm

A staff member of Ankara Cankaya Municipality, feeds pigeons in Ankara, on April 11, 2020, during the 48-hour curfew imposed by the government to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Photo by AFP
The way autocratic regimes make use of the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting democracy and governance worldwide. Turkey is no exception.

More:Marc Pierini: The ripple effects of the coronavirus in Turkey | KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice

Saturday, April 18, 2020

121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows - The New York Times

121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows
By The Associated Press
April 18, 2020
Updated 1:36 p.m. ET

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s health minister said Saturday that 121 more people have died of COVID-19, with total deaths standing at 1,890.

Fahrettin Koca shared the figures on Twitter, saying 3,783 more people were infected with the coronavirus. The total number of confirmed infections is 82,329.

More:121 New Virus Deaths in Turkey as Infection Rate Slows - The New York Times

Friday, April 17, 2020

Coronavirus Has Opposite Effects on Turkish Policy in Syria and Libya - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Coronavirus Has Opposite Effects on Turkish Policy in Syria and Libya
Soner Cagaptay with Deniz Yuksel

April 17, 2020

Ceasefire agreements and contagion concerns will likely limit Turkish operations in Syria for the time being, but Ankara has no such constraints in its Libya proxy war.

As of April 16, Turkey’s government had reported over 74,000 cases of coronavirus and 1,643 deaths. Thanks to the advancement of healthcare services under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s mortality rate stands relatively low at around 2 percent, comparable to Germany’s. Although the overall health impact of COVID-19 is yet to be seen, Turkey seems to be doing better than many other countries at the moment (e.g., Italy’s mortality rate is around 12 percent).

More:Coronavirus Has Opposite Effects on Turkish Policy in Syria and Libya - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Turkey Releases Refugees from Quarantine Amid Coronavirus Lockdown  | Voice of America - English

Turkey Releases Refugees from Quarantine Amid Coronavirus Lockdown 
By Heather Murdock, Shadi Turk
April 16, 2020 10:21 AM

Families crowd together in the streets despite coronavirus fears, in Izmir, Turkey, April 13, 2020. (Photo courtesy of refugees)
ISTANBUL - After more than two weeks of forced quarantine, hundreds of refugees in Turkey have been released haphazardly in recent days, with many being left on the streets in locked down coastal areas.

More:Turkey Releases Refugees from Quarantine Amid Coronavirus Lockdown  | Voice of America - English

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Turkish study shows full lockdown would limit economic damage

Turkish study shows full lockdown would limit economic damage
ReutersApril 16, 2020

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey could sharply limit damage to its economy if it were to impose a nationwide stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and faces a 17% economic contraction if it maintains its current course, research showed on Thursday.

More:Turkish study shows full lockdown would limit economic damage

Turkey passes bill to cushion COVID-19 fallout, protect economic, social life | Daily Sabah

Turkey passes bill to cushion COVID-19 fallout, protect economic, social life
BY DAILY SABAH WITH AA
ISTANBUL ECONOMY APR 16, 2020 12:57 PM GMT+3

People wear face masks as they walk down İstiklal Avenue in Istanbul, Turkey, April 14, 2020. (AFP Photo)
The Turkish Parliament on Thursday ratified a bill to alleviate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on economic and social life, further guaranteeing a series of economic measures to help the country’s economy to survive, while shielding businesses and the public from an overall fallout.

More:Turkey passes bill to cushion COVID-19 fallout, protect economic, social life | Daily Sabah

Opinion: EU, Turkey need each other and a new refugee deal | Opinion | DW | 16.04.2020

Opinion: EU, Turkey need each other and a new refugee deal

The refugee crisis on Turkey's borders can only be resolved with a new EU deal. It should build on the current plan but avoid its flaws, writes Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

More:Opinion: EU, Turkey need each other and a new refugee deal | Opinion | DW | 16.04.2020

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Turkey says rate of coronavirus infection stabilizes

Turkey says rate of coronavirus infection stabilizes
Ayla Jean Yackley April 15, 2020

ARTICLE SUMMARY
The health minister sees signs the fast-spreading contagion is coming under control as the number of new cases remains steady. But an independent physicians’ group warns the government may be undercounting.

More:Turkey says rate of coronavirus infection stabilizes

Turkey completes first phase of vaccine efforts - Turkey News

Turkey completes first phase of vaccine efforts
İZMİR

Scientists in western Turkey commenced the lab tests of an antigen they designed for a vaccine against the novel coronavirus.     

Research is ongoing with the collaboration of the Ege University Drug Development and Pharmacokinetic Research Application Center (ARGEFAR) in Izmir province and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

More:Turkey completes first phase of vaccine efforts - Turkey News

Turkish lira slides to 6.9 vs dollar as outbreak hits budget | Nasdaq

Turkish lira slides to 6.9 vs dollar as outbreak hits budget
CONTRIBUTORS
Ali Kucukgocmen Reuters
Ceyda Caglayan Reuters
Ebru Tuncay Reuters
PUBLISHED
APR 15, 2020 8:48AM EDT

ISTANBUL, April 15 (Reuters) - Turkey's lira slid more than 1% on Wednesday to its lowest level since the height of the 2018 currency crisis, as the coronavirus fallout took a deep bite out of the government's budget and data showed corporate deals fizzled last month.

More:Turkish lira slides to 6.9 vs dollar as outbreak hits budget | Nasdaq

Locking up dissidents, Turkish style: the saga of Osman Kavala | openDemocracy

Locking up dissidents, Turkish style: the saga of Osman Kavala

The accusation that Osman Kavala supported both the Gülen movement and the Gezi movement was outlandish from the outset.

More:Locking up dissidents, Turkish style: the saga of Osman Kavala | openDemocracy

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Turkey emerges as key player in global COVID-19 fight | TheHill

Turkey emerges as key player in global COVID-19 fight
BY SASHA TOPERICH, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 04/14/20 01:30 PM EDT 23THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkey has proven itself as a key supporter of world efforts. State-run media say Turkey acted promptly and efficiently to curb spread of the coronavirus, and it’s true the government closed schools and universities only one day after the first positive case was identified in the country, among other measures. This response was by far faster than that of some key European countries.

More:Turkey emerges as key player in global COVID-19 fight | TheHill

Turkish Airlines Extends Flight Cancellations Until May 20 - The New York Times

Turkish Airlines Extends Flight Cancellations Until May 20
By Reuters
April 14, 2020, 6:42 a.m. ET

ANKARA — Turkish Airlines has extended the cancellation of international flights to May 20 from May 1 over the coronavirus outbreak, the airline said on Tuesday, adding that domestic flights would remain suspended until April 20.

More:Turkish Airlines Extends Flight Cancellations Until May 20 - The New York Times

Erdogan’s weekend lockdowns not enough to fight coronavirus | MEO

Erdogan’s weekend lockdowns not enough to fight coronavirus

Turkish parliament approves release of thousands of prisoners as safety measure against coronavirus outbreak.

More:Erdogan’s weekend lockdowns not enough to fight coronavirus | MEO

Monday, April 13, 2020

Turkish parliament passes bill to release thousands from prison amid coronavirus - Reuters

Turkish parliament passes bill to release thousands from prison amid coronavirus
3 MIN READ

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday passed a law that will allow the release of tens of thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding in jails and protect detainees from the coronavirus, but which critics slam for excluding those jailed on terrorism charges.

More:Turkish parliament passes bill to release thousands from prison amid coronavirus - Reuters

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Turkey's Erdogan blocks pandemic funds for cities run by opposition - The Jerusalem Post

Turkey's Erdogan blocks pandemic funds for cities run by opposition

As chaos spills onto Turkish streets due to coronavirus, critics say move is meant to undermine mayors

More:Turkey's Erdogan blocks pandemic funds for cities run by opposition - The Jerusalem Post

Turkish Interior Minister Resigns After Decision to Introduce Curfew Amid COVID-19 Outbreak - Sputnik International

Turkish Interior Minister Resigns After Decision to Introduce Curfew Amid COVID-19 Outbreak© REUTERS / Ahmet Bolat
MIDDLE EAST
18:46 GMT 12.04.2020(updated 19:32 GMT 12.04.2020)Get short URL154
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Turkish authorities imposed a snap 48-hour curfew across major cities on Saturday, providing little warning to citizens, leading to crowds of people flooding the streets Friday night to stock up on food and emergency supplies.

More:Turkish Interior Minister Resigns After Decision to Introduce Curfew Amid COVID-19 Outbreak - Sputnik International

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Cases in Turkey are rising rapidly: Corona-Ignorant Erdogan with the decree for Chaos | KXan 36 Daily News

Cases in Turkey are rising rapidly: Corona-Ignorant Erdogan with the decree for Chaos
April 12, 2020

The Turkish government has imposed because of the Corona-crisis for this weekend in the short term, output restrictions in 31 cities. This also applies to the country’s largest city, the metropolis of Istanbul, such as provincial Governor Ali Yerlikaya confirmed late on Friday evening in a Tweet.

Because the measure was only announced just two hours in advance, set in Istanbul, immediately panic purchases. In super markets, bakeries and neighborhood shops and queues formed. She had not expected such a measure, said the Istanbulerin Simona Hayrabe to the AFP news Agency. “But it came so suddenly.”

More:Cases in Turkey are rising rapidly: Corona-Ignorant Erdogan with the decree for Chaos | KXan 36 Daily News

Istanbul’s baskets become a lifeline for older people under COVID-19 curfew | Ahval

Istanbul’s baskets become a lifeline for older people under COVID-19 curfew
Apr 11 2020 12:36 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 11 2020 12:43 Gmt+3
Istanbul’s tradition of dangling baskets from windows to collect groceries has become a lifeline for older people during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jenna Scatena writing in Conde Nast Traveler.

Scatena first learned about about the custom when she was accidentally hit on the head by a basket dangled on the end of long rope by an elderly lady from an upper storey window. A grocery store clerk nudged her aside and placed groceries in the basket, before the lady hoisted it back up.

More:Istanbul’s baskets become a lifeline for older people under COVID-19 curfew | Ahval

Friday, April 10, 2020

Carpark employee becomes chairman of Turkish clothing company | Ahval

Carpark employee becomes chairman of Turkish clothing company
Apr 11 2020 12:01 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 11 2020 12:04 Gmt+3
Turkish clothing brand Koton appointed one of its parking lot employees as the chairman of the firm’s board of directors, Gazete Duvar reported on Thursday.

Lütfü Çağkaya, who was in charge of Koton’s parking lot in Istanbul, stepped up to his new position on April 1, as the coronavirus pandemic took its toll on the Turkish textile industry, the news site said, citing sources close to the company.

More:Carpark employee becomes chairman of Turkish clothing company | Ahval

Turkey orders partial curfew as COVID-19 deaths climb to 1,006 | Ahval

Turkey orders partial curfew as COVID-19 deaths climb to 1,006

Turkish Interior Ministry has ordered a two-day curfew in 31 provinces, between midnight April 10 and midnight April 12, while Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Friday evening announced 98 new deaths and 4,747 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the country. More than 30,800 tests were carried out since the minister’s announcement on Thursday, and 281 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

More:Turkey orders partial curfew as COVID-19 deaths climb to 1,006 | Ahval

Turkey's COVID-19 infection rate is the fastest rising in the world. Here's why it got so many cases so quickly. | Business Insider

Turkey's COVID-19 infection rate is the fastest rising in the world. Here's why it got so many cases so quickly.
JAMES PASLEY
APR 10, 2020, 3:36 PM

Turkey, a nation of 80 million, had the fastest growing number of coronavirus cases in the world.
Less than a month ago, it didn’t have a single case. As of April 10, it had 42,282 confirmed cases with 908 deaths.
Here’s what happened in between.

More:Turkey's COVID-19 infection rate is the fastest rising in the world. Here's why it got so many cases so quickly. | Business Insider

EU - Coronavirus Debt: Netherlands refuses to 'Go Dutch' on EU coronavirus debt - Reuters

As the European Union spars over an emergency economic package for countries reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dutch have revived their image of thriftiness by refusing to support a plea by southern members to take on collective debt.

Read more at:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-netherlands/netherlands-refuses-to-go-dutch-on-eu-coronavirus-debt-idUSKCN21R31J

World Bank expects Turkey's economy to expand by 0.5% in 2020

World Bank expects Turkey's economy to expand by 0.5% in 2020

ANKARA (Turkey), April 9 (SeeNews) - Turkey's economy is expected to grow by 0.5% in 2020, over 3 percentage points lower than the previous estimate, due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the World Bank said.

More:World Bank expects Turkey's economy to expand by 0.5% in 2020

Thursday, April 09, 2020

Turkey's Fight Against Coronavirus Fails to Heal Divisions, Opponents Say - The New York Times

Turkey's Fight Against Coronavirus Fails to Heal Divisions, Opponents Say
By Reuters
April 9, 2020, 10:30 a.m. ET

ISTANBUL — President Tayyip Erdogan has evoked Turkey's war of independence in calls for unity against the coronavirus, but opposition parties say their exclusion from fund-raising efforts and the detention of government critics is instead fuelling division.

More:Turkey's Fight Against Coronavirus Fails to Heal Divisions, Opponents Say - The New York Times

Desperate for medical supplies, US asks to buy from Turkey | Daily Sabah

Desperate for medical supplies, US asks to buy from Turkey
BY DAILY SABAH WITH AGENCIES
ISTANBUL POLITICS APR 09, 2020 2:56 PM GMT+3

Medics and hospital workers tend to a COVID-19 patient outside the Montefiore Medical Center Moses Campus in the Bronx borough of New York City, Tuesday, April 07, 2020. (AFP)
The United States has submitted a list of medical supplies they would like to purchase from Turkey, seeking Ankara’s help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic that has inflicted a major blow to the country’s already fragile health care system and depleted the Strategic National Stockpile.

More:Desperate for medical supplies, US asks to buy from Turkey | Daily Sabah

Millions left out of Turkey's coronavirus economic package - opposition leader | Ahval

Millions left out of Turkey's coronavirus economic package - opposition leader
Apr 09 2020 07:29 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 09 2020 07:31 Gmt+3
Ali Babacan, a former heavyweight from Turkey’s ruling party who founded the rival Deva Party last month, said the Turkish government’s stimulus package to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic had failed to provide for millions of people employed in informal work.  

On March 18, Turkey unveiled a relief package worth 100 billion Turkish liras ($15.4 billion) which includes debt payment delays and tax cuts across various sectors to limit the economic fallout from coronavirus.

More:Millions left out of Turkey's coronavirus economic package - opposition leader | Ahval

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Erdogan's Response to the Coronavirus Will Destroy Turkey’s Economy

The Coronavirus Will Destroy Turkey’s Economy

Ankara’s finances were weak before the pandemic—but the combination of external debt, a public health crisis, and a president who chooses to protect his reputation rather than his people could spell disaster.

More:Erdogan's Response to the Coronavirus Will Destroy Turkey’s Economy

Turkey's Covid-19 infection rate rising fastest in the world | World news | The Guardian

Turkey's Covid-19 infection rate rising fastest in the world

More than 3,000 new cases reported daily but Erdoğan insists normal work must go on

More:Turkey's Covid-19 infection rate rising fastest in the world | World news | The Guardian

Coronavirus spreading fast in Istanbul shanty towns, mayor says, demanding lockdown | Ahval

Coronavirus spreading fast in Istanbul shanty towns, mayor says, demanding lockdown
Apr 08 2020 03:23 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 08 2020 03:26 Gmt+3
Istanbul districts which are densely packed with housing like Bağcılar, Esenler and Bayrampaşa have shown the largest rise in cases of COVID-19, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu said during a televised interview with Fox TV on Wednesday.

More:Coronavirus spreading fast in Istanbul shanty towns, mayor says, demanding lockdown | Ahval

Turkey’s Roma cry for help as coronavirus claims more lives

Turkey’s Roma cry for help as coronavirus claims more lives
Amberin Zaman April 8, 2020

ARTICLE SUMMARY
On International Romani Day, a group of Turkish Roma associations protested that the community still faces “deep discrimination” and risks starvation from the loss of work and state neglect that have compounded the harm of COVID-19.

More:Turkey’s Roma cry for help as coronavirus claims more lives

Erdogan under pressure as coronavirus cases spike in Turkey

Erdogan under pressure as coronavirus cases spike in Turkey

by Gokan GUNES

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stepped up measures to stem rapidly growing coronavirus cases in Turkey but his refusal to impose a full lockdown to keep the economy afloat is drawing criticism.

With gatherings banned, restrictions on intercity trips, and the obligation to wear masks almost anywhere, Erdogan has imposed a series of tough measures but thus far resisted calls for a complete confinement.

More:Erdogan under pressure as coronavirus cases spike in Turkey

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

BBC - Travel - Turkey’s unique hand-sanitising method

Turkey’s unique hand-sanitising method

For hundreds of years, this Ottoman-era cologne has been synonymous with Turkish hospitality. Now, it’s being used to fight coronavirus.

More:BBC - Travel - Turkey’s unique hand-sanitising method

Opinion: Coronavirus: A timeline of Turkey's ... | Taiwan News

Opinion: Coronavirus: A timeline of Turkey's missteps

By  Deutsche Welle
2020/04/07 00:02

Containing the spread of the novel coronavirus and saving lives requires governments to be transparent. This includes letting journalists and medical professionals do their jobs without being intimidated. We rely on a free press to hold governments accountable, but this is not possible in countries with intransigent leaders who regularly imprison journalists for their reporting. This is especially true in Turkey, which has one of the highest incarceration rates for journalists worldwide. Without transparency and freedom of the press, the true scale of the epidemic remains obscured, and increases the threat to public health.

More:Opinion: Coronavirus: A timeline of Turkey's ... | Taiwan News

Turkish firms say H&M, M&S cancel billions of dollars of orders, exports slump | Ahval

Turkish firms say H&M, M&S cancel billions of dollars of orders, exports slump
Apr 07 2020 10:36 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 07 2020 10:38 Gmt+3
Turkish clothing makers say exports may slump 80 percent as customers abroad cancel billions of dollars of orders.

The companies are in talks with global brands such as H&M, Marks & Spencer and Primark over payments and orders placed, according to Mustafa Gültepe, head of the Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association. Hundreds of billions of dollars of clothing are now in storage awaiting shipment, he said.

More:Turkish firms say H&M, M&S cancel billions of dollars of orders, exports slump | Ahval

Monday, April 06, 2020

Pandemic, regional geopolitics and the Istanbul canal

Pandemic, regional geopolitics and the Istanbul canal

Cem Gürdeniz
The Covid-19 pandemic has proven not only to be an earthquake cracking open political fault lines around the world, it has turned out to be nothing short of a revolution, the aftershocks of which will change the world in nearly every aspect. Given the severity of the changes within such a short period of time, it would be fair to describe the epidemic as akin to a World War without gunpowder. Wars are like fighting arenas for national powers. The nation’s power is reliant on the will of the people, a factor which significantly determines the course of a war. How has German Chancellor Merkel responded to this “war”? She described the outbreak saying: “Since German unification, no, since the Second World War, there has been no challenge to our nation that has demanded such a degree of common and united action,”

More:Pandemic, regional geopolitics and the Istanbul canal

Turkish government sees municipal authorities as enemies in virus reaction | Ahval

Turkish government sees municipal authorities as enemies in virus reaction

The Turkish government’s own actions give a lie to its call for a national response to the coronavirus pandemic because it is treating major opposition-controlled municipalities like enemies, Istanbul University academic Gürkan Güven Öztan wrote in his column for BirGün daily.

More:Turkish government sees municipal authorities as enemies in virus reaction | Ahval

The Turkish Trump: How Erdogan Emulates U.S. Posture Toward Coronavirus | The National Interest

The Turkish Trump: How Erdogan Emulates U.S. Posture Toward Coronavirus
Erdogan sees this as an opportunity for Turkish manufacturers. 

by Bulent Gökay
Turkey confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus on March 11, but since then the speed of its infection rate has surpassed that of many other countries with cases doubling every two days. On April 2, Turkey had more than 15,000 confirmed cases and 277 deaths from complications related to the coronavirus, according to data collated by John Hopkins University.

More:The Turkish Trump: How Erdogan Emulates U.S. Posture Toward Coronavirus | The National Interest

Sunday, April 05, 2020

Coronavirus: Turkey exempts young workers from confinement order

Coronavirus: Turkey exempts young workers from confinement order
Associated Press of Pakistan07:27 PM | 5 Apr, 2020

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ISTANBUL – Turkey on Sunday said working youth, including seasonal agricultural labour, will be exempted from a confinement order imposed as part of tougher measures against the coronavirus outbreak.

More:Coronavirus: Turkey exempts young workers from confinement order

Turkey's Deadly Anka-S Combat Drones Are Earning Their Wings In Syria | The National Interest

Turkey's Deadly Anka-S Combat Drones Are Earning Their Wings In Syria
Where will they go next?

by Charlie Gao
Key point: The success of the Anka-S and the development of the Anka-2 could position Turkey as a major player on the drone market

More:Turkey's Deadly Anka-S Combat Drones Are Earning Their Wings In Syria | The National Interest

Saturday, April 04, 2020

Spotlight: Turkish currency dwindles amid grim economic outlook - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Spotlight: Turkish currency dwindles amid grim economic outlook

ISTANBUL, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish currency is sliding at crisis levels despite powerful interventions the central bank has carried out in markets amid bleak prospects for the country's economy hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic, experts said.

More:Spotlight: Turkish currency dwindles amid grim economic outlook - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Coronavirus: Turkey's Erdogan juggles economic and health concerns - The National

Coronavirus: Turkey's Erdogan juggles economic and health concerns
With the economy in a fragile state, the president is resisting a total lockdown despite soaring infections

As the coronavirus pandemic sparks a global economic downturn, Turkey is trying to keep its faltering economy on track while introducing measures to curb one of the world’s fastest-growing outbreaks.

More:Coronavirus: Turkey's Erdogan juggles economic and health concerns - The National

Turkey Quarantines Largest Cities to Slow Coronavirus Outbreak - Bloomberg

Turkey Quarantines Largest Cities to Slow Coronavirus Outbreak
By Firat Kozok and Constantine Courcoulas
April 3, 2020, 5:31 AM EDT Updated on April 3, 2020, 2:10 PM EDT

Turkey imposed stricter measures to slow the spread of the country’s coronavirus outbreak by placing 31 cities under quarantine and banning people under the age of 20 from leaving their homes nationwide.

More:Turkey Quarantines Largest Cities to Slow Coronavirus Outbreak - Bloomberg

Friday, April 03, 2020

Virus spreading via different routes in Turkey - Turkey News

Virus spreading via different routes in Turkey
Fevzi Kızılkoyun-ISTANBUL

Studies are increasingly establishing how the coronavirus is spreading across Turkey by following different point of contacts and routes.

Officials try to keep track of how people got the virus by documenting their interactions and their stories.

More:Virus spreading via different routes in Turkey - Turkey News

Member of Turkish Band Dies on 288th Day of Hunger Strike - The New York Times

Member of Turkish Band Dies on 288th Day of Hunger Strike
By The Associated Press
April 3, 2020
Updated 12:45 p.m. ET

ANKARA, Turkey — A member of a popular folk music group that is banned in Turkey died on the 288th day of a hunger strike she and a colleague started while imprisoned to protest the government's treatment of their band, according to a post on the group's Twitter account.

More:Member of Turkish Band Dies on 288th Day of Hunger Strike - The New York Times

Turkeyʹs Middle East exiles: Istanbul – the Arab worldʹs beacon on the Bosphorus - Qantara.de

Turkeyʹs Middle East exiles

Istanbul – the Arab worldʹs beacon on the Bosphorus
Istanbul has become a refuge for many Arab communities – including the Muslim Brotherhood – but its cosmopolitan ways are also changing them. By Mohanad Hage Ali

More:Turkeyʹs Middle East exiles: Istanbul – the Arab worldʹs beacon on the Bosphorus - Qantara.de

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Why Turkey is facing a steep curve of new coronavirus cases | Turkey News | Al Jazeera

Why Turkey is facing a steep curve of new coronavirus cases

With more than 18,000 infections reported, Turkey surpasses other G20 nations that discovered the virus weeks earlier.

More:Why Turkey is facing a steep curve of new coronavirus cases | Turkey News | Al Jazeera

Turkey finally releases epidemic figures: coronavirus epicenter in Istanbul

Turkey finally releases epidemic figures: coronavirus epicenter in Istanbul
Ayla Jean Yackley April 2, 2020

ARTICLE SUMMARY
Turkey’s death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak has hit 356 as political sparring has broken out over rival assistance programs for the poor and the government’s efforts to keep the economy afloat.

More:Turkey finally releases epidemic figures: coronavirus epicenter in Istanbul

Istanbul mayor says time running out to halt coronavirus spread - Reuters

Istanbul mayor says time running out to halt coronavirus spread
Daren Butler
4 MIN READ

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Europe’s largest city, Istanbul, is running out of time to impose a lockdown and stop a surge in coronavirus cases as around two million people are still going out into the streets every day, its mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Thursday.

More:Istanbul mayor says time running out to halt coronavirus spread - Reuters

Turkey offers fresh money to companies, seeks donations for the poor amid coronavirus crisis

Turkey offers fresh money to companies, seeks donations for the poor amid coronavirus crisis
READ IN:    Türkçe
Mustafa Sonmez April 2, 2020

ARTICLE SUMMARY
While enhancing monetary expansion measures to prop up companies and banks against the coronavirus crisis, Ankara is calling for donations from the public to support the poor.

More:Turkey offers fresh money to companies, seeks donations for the poor amid coronavirus crisis

Turkish central bank donates $15 million to Turkish coronavirus fundraiser - Reuters

Turkish central bank donates $15 million to Turkish coronavirus fundraiser
1 MIN READ

ISTANBUL, April 2 (Reuters) - Turkey’s central bank said on Thursday that it had donated 100 million lira ($15 million) to a central government fundraising campaign initiated by President Tayyip Erdogan to support people with low income affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

More:Turkish central bank donates $15 million to Turkish coronavirus fundraiser - Reuters

Turkish lira may weaken to 8 per dollar, says Japan’s largest bank | Ahval

Turkish lira may weaken to 8 per dollar, says Japan’s largest bank
Apr 02 2020 10:23 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 02 2020 10:29 Gmt+3
Turkey’s lira may drop to 8 against the U.S. dollar in a year as the spread of the coronavirus causes a “sudden stop” in emerging markets and record capital outflows, said analysts at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Japan’s largest bank.

More:Turkish lira may weaken to 8 per dollar, says Japan’s largest bank | Ahval

The Turkish Sonderweg: The New Turkey’s role in the global order | European Council on Foreign Relations

The Turkish Sonderweg: The New Turkey’s role in the global order
Commentary
Asli Aydıntaşbaş

The overarching features of Turkey’s neo-nationalism are the cult of state worship, an evergreen suspicion of foreign enemies, and an emphasis on the central role of a strong leader.

More:The Turkish Sonderweg: The New Turkey’s role in the global order | European Council on Foreign Relations

Turkey’s foreign sales choked by pandemic as exports drop nearly 18% in March | Daily Sabah

Turkey’s foreign sales choked by pandemic as exports drop nearly 18% in March
BY DAILY SABAH WITH AA
ISTANBUL ECONOMY APR 02, 2020 1:21 PM GMT+3

Turkish exporters felt the initial impact of the coronavirus pandemic after seeing a rise in the first two months as foreign sales dropped by nearly 18% in March, official data showed Thursday.

More:Turkey’s foreign sales choked by pandemic as exports drop nearly 18% in March | Daily Sabah

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Turkey: $82.4 million donated to combat COVID-19

Turkey: $82.4 million donated to combat COVID-19

President launches National Solidarity Campaign to aid fight against coronavirus

More:Turkey: $82.4 million donated to combat COVID-19

Turkish political prisoners left out of plan to reduce jail population

Turkish political prisoners left out of plan to reduce jail population
Diego Cupolo April 1, 2020

ARTICLE SUMMARY
As fear of the novel coronavirus grow, Ankara lawmakers are weighing reforms that would release up to 90,000 inmates from overcrowded Turkish jails, drawing criticism for excluding political prisoners.

More:Turkish political prisoners left out of plan to reduce jail population

Turkey operates new advanced hospital in Istanbul to fight coronavirus epidemic: physician - China.org.cn

Turkey operates new advanced hospital in Istanbul to fight coronavirus epidemic: physician
Xinhua, March 31, 2020

ISTANBUL, March 31 (Xinhua) -- A state-run hospital in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul started to admit patients in its brand new building on Monday, carrying high expectations that it would significantly contribute to the country's fight against COVID-19, a physician said Tuesday.

More:Turkey operates new advanced hospital in Istanbul to fight coronavirus epidemic: physician - China.org.cn

Free cologne and mask distribution starts for 65 and over in Istanbul and Ankara - Cryptodictation

Free cologne and mask distribution starts for 65 and over in Istanbul and Ankara

By admin -April 1, 202040 0
For the measures and economic measures to be taken against the rapidly spreading coronavirus epidemic worldwide After the summit held in Çankaya Pavilion on March 18, there was a new development in the distribution of free masks and cologne announced by President Erdoğan.

More:Free cologne and mask distribution starts for 65 and over in Istanbul and Ankara - Cryptodictation

Turkey’s central bank to cut rates amid virus concerns | Foreign Brief

Turkey’s central bank to cut rates amid virus concerns
In Daily BriefApril 1, 2020Ali Slimi

Photo: IHA

Turkey’s central bank will revise its monthly interest rate down to nearly 1% as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will enable Turkish citizens to borrow and spend more in an attempt to shield the Middle East’s largest economy against the recessive effects of the pandemic.

More:Turkey’s central bank to cut rates amid virus concerns | Foreign Brief

Turks find unusual ways to prevent being infected with coronavirus - Turkey News

Turks find unusual ways to prevent being infected with coronavirus
ISTANBUL

İHA Photo

Some Turks are in no way laid-back when it comes to preventing getting infected with the novel coronavirus, which has ravaged the whole world, wreaking havoc on many economies.

A tradesman in the Black Sea province of Ordu’s Altınordu district has found a novel “solution” to prevent coronavirus contamination through banknotes.

More:Turks find unusual ways to prevent being infected with coronavirus - Turkey News