Foreign ministers from Ukraine and Russia flew down to Turkey. The first high-level engagement since were since the war broke out and they laid out immediate priorities. They agreed to work together on humanitarian issues but these talks are yet to yield any kind of fruitful outcome.

No breakthrough in resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict after a high-level meeting between Lavrov & Kuleba in Turkey

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Ministers of Russia and Ukraine are all set to hold high-level talks in Turkey in a bid to defuse tensions.

Lavrov, Kuleba to hold high-level talks in Turkey amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

As War continues to rage on in Ukraine it looks like Turkey and Israel are focusing on bilateral relations. They are attempting to renew ties between the two states. These ties have been marked with tensions over the past decades of so, with Turkey criticizing Israel's policy in Palestinian. Israel has been upset with Turkey for supporting Hamas.

Israel-Turkey hope to renew ties; Turkey hopes to revive a troubled economy | Latest World News

Amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, the high level talks are underway between Kuleba and Lavrov. Well, Turkey President Erdogan will be speaking to President Biden today.

First high-level talks between Kuleba & Lavrov underway in Turkey amid the ongoing conflict

The Russian and the Ukrainian foreign Ministers have met their Turkish counterparts just a few moments ago. The leaders are all set for high level meeting since Moscow invaded into Ukraine. The Ankara hopes to marks over the turning point in the raging conflict.

Kuleba, Lavrov arrive in Turkey to hold high-level talks amid Russian invasion of Ukraine

Nepal Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka will be among the foreign leaders attending this year’s Antalya diplomacy forum (ADF). The participants will address a wide range of topics in international relations under the overarching theme of “Recoding Diplomacy”.

A delegation led by Minister Khadka will participate in this year’s forum to be held from March 11 to 13 in Turkey.&nbsp;

At the invitation of Foreign Minister of Turkey H. E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Nepal Foreign Minister Khadka is scheduled to share panels with participating Foreign Ministers in two separate sessions entitled ‘Democratic Governance and Security’ and ‘Asia Anew: For a Sustained Regional Growth’.

Over 50 Foreign Ministers, together with a cross-section of policymakers and experts are attending the event.&nbsp;

Announcing the decision, the Ministry in a statement said, "On March 9, the minister will meet with officials of NRN-Turkey and Nepali entrepreneurs based in Istanbul to discuss business opportunities and challenges as well as problems faced by Nepali diaspora. He is holding interactive sessions with members of economic chambers in Istanbul and Antalya.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/over-500-nepalis-leave-ukraine-others-stranded-in-kyiv-await-rescue-459453">Also read |&nbsp;Over 500 Nepalis leave Ukraine, others stranded in Kyiv await rescue&nbsp;</a>

On the sidelines of the forum, Khadka will hold a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart. He will also meet with foreign ministers from different countries on the sidelines.

The visit is also expected to contribute to the growth of bilateral trade, investment, tourism, foreign employment and people-to-people contacts.

As per the ADF, diplomacy remains the core method of communication among leaders and states. “There is a whole set of other structural and systemic changes in the international environment that the diplomacy profession should respond to.”

Foreign Ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Taliban are also scheduled to participate in the ADF.&nbsp;

Nepal Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka will be among the foreign leaders attending this year’s Antalya diplomacy forum (ADF). The participants will address a wide range of topics in international relations under the overarching theme of “Recoding Diplomacy”.

Nepal Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka will be among the foreign leaders attending this year’s Antalya diplomacy forum (ADF). The participants will address a wide range of topics in international relations under the overarching theme of “Recoding Diplomacy”. A delegation led by Minister Khadka will participate in this year’s forum to be held from March 11 to 13 in Turkey. At the invitation of Foreign Minister of Turkey H. E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Nepal Foreign Minister Khadka is scheduled to share panels with participating Foreign Ministers in two separate sessions entitled ‘Democratic Governance and Security’ and ‘Asia Anew: For a Sustained Regional Growth’. Over 50 Foreign Ministers, together with a cross-section of policymakers and experts are attending the event. Announcing the decision, the Ministry in a statement said, "On March 9, the minister will meet with officials of NRN-Turkey and Nepali entrepreneurs based in Istanbul to discuss business opportunities and challenges as well as problems faced by Nepali diaspora. He is holding interactive sessions with members of economic chambers in Istanbul and Antalya.” Also read | Over 500 Nepalis leave Ukraine, others stranded in Kyiv await rescue On the sidelines of the forum, Khadka will hold a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart. He will also meet with foreign ministers from different countries on the sidelines. The visit is also expected to contribute to the growth of bilateral trade, investment, tourism, foreign employment and people-to-people contacts. As per the ADF, diplomacy remains the core method of communication among leaders and states. “There is a whole set of other structural and systemic changes in the international environment that the diplomacy profession should respond to.” Foreign Ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Taliban are also scheduled to participate in the ADF.

Nepal FM Narayan Khadka to participate in Turkey’s Antalya diplomacy forum

In the&nbsp;breakaway&nbsp;statelet of northern&nbsp;Cyprus, people are grappling with a perfect economic storm -- spiking global commodity prices, hobbled tourism and, above all, the fallout&nbsp;from&nbsp;Turkey's financial crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Everything has become more expensive -- bread, milk, water, electricity bills," sighed Mehmet Cobe, a tailor in the self-declared&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;Republic of Northern&nbsp;Cyprus&nbsp;(TRNC).&nbsp;

Covering the northern third of the Mediterranean island, the tiny territory declared itself a state in 1983, nine years after Turkey invaded in response to a coup engineered by Athens that sought to annex the island to Greece.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkeys-opposition-leader-looks-to-emerge-from-tayyip-erdogans-shadow-454971">Turkey's opposition leader looks to emerge from Tayyip Erdogan's shadow</a>

The so-called TRNC remains recognised only by Turkey, leaving the 300,000 residents highly dependent on the largesse -- and fortunes -- of Ankara.&nbsp;

On top of that, coronavirus restrictions have hit the crucial tourism industry which lures visitors with seaside resorts and casinos.

Turkey itself has been battered by a currency crisis that saw the&nbsp;lira&nbsp;lose nearly half its value against the dollar last year, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded interest rate cuts to spur growth, even while inflation shot up.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;lira's slide, alongside surging global energy and food prices, sent inflation in northern&nbsp;Cyprus&nbsp;skyrocketing to 46 percent last year.

"Two days after receiving my salary, I'm left with nothing," said a hotel worker who asked not to be named.

Despite holding down jobs at two separate hotels, the 6,000&nbsp;lira&nbsp;she brings home each month is now equivalent to barely 430 dollars, the worker said, leaving her dependent financially on her grown-up children.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-turkey-continuing-positive-dialogue-with-saudi-arabia-media-453778">Erdogan says Turkey continuing 'positive dialogue' with Saudi Arabia</a>

Aid-dependent

TRNC prime minister Faiz Sucuoglu said last week the economy was a "priority" for his government, a coalition of right-wing nationalists who want outright secession&nbsp;from&nbsp;Cyprus. &nbsp;

The plunging&nbsp;lira, soaring inflation and an unemployment rate of 10 percent have all fed into a disastrous economic performance, said Turgay Deniz, head of the TRNC's chamber of trade and industry.

After the economy contracted by 16.2 percent in 2020, output last year "continued to fall," Deniz said, drawing on estimates for 2021 that are yet to be finalised.&nbsp;

The dependence of northern&nbsp;Cyprus&nbsp;on Turkey is stark, because no other country recognises the&nbsp;breakaway&nbsp;entity.

"The TRNC can only sign agreements with Turkey," which funds 15 percent of the budget, said Deniz.&nbsp;Other sources indicate that the statelet depends on Ankara for up to a third of its spending.

Northern&nbsp;Cyprus&nbsp;is an "aid-dependent economy," said Mustafa Besim, an economist at the publicly funded Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta.&nbsp;

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"The only source of external funding for&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;Cypriots is financial support&nbsp;from&nbsp;Turkey," which provides an annual package, he added.

But only half of the amount promised for 2021 was delivered, owing to "the economic problems in Turkey", leaving infrastructure projects and businesses short of money they had counted on, Besim said.

Eyes on tourism

The TRNC has watched on powerlessly&nbsp;from&nbsp;the sidelines as Turkey's central bank has taken policy decisions that put the&nbsp;lira&nbsp;into freefall.

The&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;currency "is a parameter that we can't control," said Vargin Varer, managing director of freight transport company Armen Shipping.&nbsp;

It "is controlled by the&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;government -- or even the&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;president, we should say," he said.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Amid Omicron surge, Deltacron discovered in Cyprus

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-amid-omicron-surge-deltacron-discovered-in-cyprus-443727/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The plunge in the value of the&nbsp;lira&nbsp;has made imports, upon which the TRNC is enormously dependent, much more expensive. &nbsp;

Looking to the future, Varer pointed at one potential bright spot: the tourism industry, which accounted for more than a fifth of northern&nbsp;Cyprus's economic output before the pandemic.&nbsp;

The rising plausibility of "free travel this summer", if the pandemic eases off, should pull in foreign tourists looking for cheap holidays, he said.

In the breakaway statelet of northern Cyprus, people are grappling with a perfect economic storm -- spiking global commodity prices, hobbled tourism and, above all, the fallout from Turkey's financial crisis.

In the breakaway statelet of northern Cyprus, people are grappling with a perfect economic storm -- spiking global commodity prices, hobbled tourism and, above all, the fallout from Turkey's financial crisis. "Everything has become more expensive -- bread, milk, water, electricity bills," sighed Mehmet Cobe, a tailor in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Covering the northern third of the Mediterranean island, the tiny territory declared itself a state in 1983, nine years after Turkey invaded in response to a coup engineered by Athens that sought to annex the island to Greece. Also read | Turkey's opposition leader looks to emerge from Tayyip Erdogan's shadow The so-called TRNC remains recognised only by Turkey, leaving the 300,000 residents highly dependent on the largesse -- and fortunes -- of Ankara. On top of that, coronavirus restrictions have hit the crucial tourism industry which lures visitors with seaside resorts and casinos. Turkey itself has been battered by a currency crisis that saw the lira lose nearly half its value against the dollar last year, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded interest rate cuts to spur growth, even while inflation shot up. The lira's slide, alongside surging global energy and food prices, sent inflation in northern Cyprus skyrocketing to 46 percent last year. "Two days after receiving my salary, I'm left with nothing," said a hotel worker who asked not to be named. Despite holding down jobs at two separate hotels, the 6,000 lira she brings home each month is now equivalent to barely 430 dollars, the worker said, leaving her dependent financially on her grown-up children. Also read | Erdogan says Turkey continuing 'positive dialogue' with Saudi Arabia Aid-dependent TRNC prime minister Faiz Sucuoglu said last week the economy was a "priority" for his government, a coalition of right-wing nationalists who want outright secession from Cyprus. The plunging lira, soaring inflation and an unemployment rate of 10 percent have all fed into a disastrous economic performance, said Turgay Deniz, head of the TRNC's chamber of trade and industry. After the economy contracted by 16.2 percent in 2020, output last year "continued to fall," Deniz said, drawing on estimates for 2021 that are yet to be finalised. The dependence of northern Cyprus on Turkey is stark, because no other country recognises the breakaway entity. "The TRNC can only sign agreements with Turkey," which funds 15 percent of the budget, said Deniz. Other sources indicate that the statelet depends on Ankara for up to a third of its spending. Northern Cyprus is an "aid-dependent economy," said Mustafa Besim, an economist at the publicly funded Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta. Also read | Leukemia patient from Turkey tests Covid positive 78 times in over a year "The only source of external funding for Turkish Cypriots is financial support from Turkey," which provides an annual package, he added. But only half of the amount promised for 2021 was delivered, owing to "the economic problems in Turkey", leaving infrastructure projects and businesses short of money they had counted on, Besim said. Eyes on tourism The TRNC has watched on powerlessly from the sidelines as Turkey's central bank has taken policy decisions that put the lira into freefall. The Turkish currency "is a parameter that we can't control," said Vargin Varer, managing director of freight transport company Armen Shipping. It "is controlled by the Turkish government -- or even the Turkish president, we should say," he said. Watch | Gravitas: Amid Omicron surge, Deltacron discovered in Cyprus The plunge in the value of the lira has made imports, upon which the TRNC is enormously dependent, much more expensive. Looking to the future, Varer pointed at one potential bright spot: the tourism industry, which accounted for more than a fifth of northern Cyprus's economic output before the pandemic. The rising plausibility of "free travel this summer", if the pandemic eases off, should pull in foreign tourists looking for cheap holidays, he said.

Breakaway north Cyprus reels from Turkish lira collapse

A veteran Turkish political&nbsp;leader&nbsp;who has struggled for years to have President Tayyip Erdogan voted out of office says it is "very clear" that his dream is drawing nearer, even as doubts remain about whether he will be the main&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;candidate at presidential elections set for 2023.

In an interview, Kemal Kilicdaroglu,&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of the main&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;Republican People's Party (CHP), confidently predicted victory at the polls as Turkey suffers economic hardships brought on by&nbsp;Erdogan's&nbsp;unorthodox monetary policies.

The comments reinforce expectations Kilicdaroglu, 73, will be the presidential candidate of a six-party alliance in elections due by June 2023, though polls show several other&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;figures winning more support.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-turkey-continuing-positive-dialogue-with-saudi-arabia-media-453778">Erdogan says Turkey continuing 'positive dialogue' with Saudi Arabia</a>

"Of course, five party&nbsp;leaders pronouncing me as candidate would be an honour. It also means they have trust," he told Reuters in his office on the 12th floor of the CHP's headquarters on the outskirts of Ankara.

The six anti-Erdogan party&nbsp;leaders would discuss their candidate later, but first need to agree on economic, social and other policies for their joint platform. It is "very obvious and very clear" that whoever they choose will become president, he said.

Kilicdaroglu said he saw no reason for&nbsp;Turkey's&nbsp;purchase of Russian S-400 missiles that caused a rift with Washington. He also said he would overhaul the central bank's&nbsp;leadership if elected.

A former economist and civil servant who lacks the president's fiery charisma, Kilicdaroglu has lingered in&nbsp;Erdogan's&nbsp;shadow&nbsp;as the CHP, which he has chaired since 2010, suffered repeated defeats.&nbsp;

Erdogan's&nbsp;favourite target, he has stoically absorbed near-daily criticism and even scorns&nbsp;from&nbsp;the man who has dominated the country for nearly two decades.

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Yet Kilicdaroglu and other critics of the country's authoritarian and Islamist drift sense their time may have come.

Erdogan's&nbsp;polls have slid to multi-year lows after his unorthodox interest rate cuts sparked a currency crisis late last year, which in turn sent living costs soaring and deepened poverty, especially among the president's working-class base.

The&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;bloc includes nationalists, liberals and conservatives - though not parliament's third-biggest party, the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party.

Can Selcuki of Istanbul-based pollster Turkiye Raporu said Kilicdaroglu has grown "bolder and more aggressive", showing his determination to be the bloc's candidate.

But he remains the "weakest nominee" of the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;hopefuls and unless his support grows, Selcuki predicted he could still pull out before the vote.

Bespectacled and low-key, Kilicdaroglu earned the nickname "Gandhi Kemal" for his style, and for strategies such as his vow this month not to pay electricity bills in protest at price hikes in the face of near 50% inflation.

CHP parliamentarian Utku Cakirozer said Kilicdaroglu's ability to build alliances was key to broadening the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;platform. "He is open to building bridges with different parts of society," he said.

Though the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;bloc has not named a presidential candidate, surveys by Metropoll show Kilicdaroglu is far less popular, at 28.5%, than three other possible names and than Erdogan himself, who 37.9% said they preferred in December.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-reiterates-turkeys-determination-to-support-ukraines-territorial-integrity-450943">Erdogan reiterates Turkey's determination to support Ukraine's territorial integrity</a>

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, both of the CHP, had popularity of 60.4% and 50.7% respectively, while IYI Party&nbsp;leader&nbsp;and alliance bloc member Meral Aksener had 38.5%. A previous Metropoll survey showed Kilicdaroglu was the only potential candidate whom Erdogan would beat.

"These surveys are of no importance for today," Kilicdaroglu said, adding that Yavas and Imamoglu would continue running the country's two biggest cities.

Soaring prices recently - including 50% increases for electricity and 55% for food - have pushed more Turks into poverty.

The central bank is widely seen to have bowed to Erdogan after he replaced its monetary policy committee with like-minded members. Asked whether he would replace the committee to give it independence, Kilicdaroglu said: "We would do exactly that."

RUSSIAN S-400S, SYRIA

Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 land-to-air defences badly strained U.S. relations, prompting Washington to sanction&nbsp;Turkey's&nbsp;defence industries and oust it&nbsp;from&nbsp;an F-35 production scheme.

"Who will we use the S-400s for? We haven't received the answer to this question yet," Kilicdaroglu said. "A large amount of money was paid, and they are currently waiting in storage."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: How Erdogan is pushing Turkey towards an implosion

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-erdogan-is-pushing-turkey-towards-an-implosion-423981/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Erdogan has said Turkey is keeping the missiles despite U.S. objections and the possibility of selling them.

Turkey will send home the millions of Syrian refugees it hosts and re-establish diplomatic ties with President Bashar al-Assad if the&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;alliance wins the elections, Kilicdaroglu said.

"If needed the United Nations needs to get involved, a 100% guarantee should be received&nbsp;from&nbsp;Assad. That guarantee needs to be tied to international accords, that he will not attack them, that their material and life security will be preserved," he said.

A veteran Turkish political leader who has struggled for years to have President Tayyip Erdogan voted out of office says it is "very clear" that his dream is drawing nearer, even as doubts remain about whether he will be the main opposition candidate at presidential elections set for 2023.

A veteran Turkish political leader who has struggled for years to have President Tayyip Erdogan voted out of office says it is "very clear" that his dream is drawing nearer, even as doubts remain about whether he will be the main opposition candidate at presidential elections set for 2023. In an interview, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), confidently predicted victory at the polls as Turkey suffers economic hardships brought on by Erdogan's unorthodox monetary policies. The comments reinforce expectations Kilicdaroglu, 73, will be the presidential candidate of a six-party alliance in elections due by June 2023, though polls show several other opposition figures winning more support. Also read | Erdogan says Turkey continuing 'positive dialogue' with Saudi Arabia "Of course, five party leaders pronouncing me as candidate would be an honour. It also means they have trust," he told Reuters in his office on the 12th floor of the CHP's headquarters on the outskirts of Ankara. The six anti-Erdogan party leaders would discuss their candidate later, but first need to agree on economic, social and other policies for their joint platform. It is "very obvious and very clear" that whoever they choose will become president, he said. Kilicdaroglu said he saw no reason for Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missiles that caused a rift with Washington. He also said he would overhaul the central bank's leadership if elected. A former economist and civil servant who lacks the president's fiery charisma, Kilicdaroglu has lingered in Erdogan's shadow as the CHP, which he has chaired since 2010, suffered repeated defeats. Erdogan's favourite target, he has stoically absorbed near-daily criticism and even scorns from the man who has dominated the country for nearly two decades. Also read | Leukemia patient from Turkey tests Covid positive 78 times in over a year Yet Kilicdaroglu and other critics of the country's authoritarian and Islamist drift sense their time may have come. Erdogan's polls have slid to multi-year lows after his unorthodox interest rate cuts sparked a currency crisis late last year, which in turn sent living costs soaring and deepened poverty, especially among the president's working-class base. The opposition bloc includes nationalists, liberals and conservatives - though not parliament's third-biggest party, the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party. Can Selcuki of Istanbul-based pollster Turkiye Raporu said Kilicdaroglu has grown "bolder and more aggressive", showing his determination to be the bloc's candidate. But he remains the "weakest nominee" of the opposition hopefuls and unless his support grows, Selcuki predicted he could still pull out before the vote. Bespectacled and low-key, Kilicdaroglu earned the nickname "Gandhi Kemal" for his style, and for strategies such as his vow this month not to pay electricity bills in protest at price hikes in the face of near 50% inflation. CHP parliamentarian Utku Cakirozer said Kilicdaroglu's ability to build alliances was key to broadening the opposition platform. "He is open to building bridges with different parts of society," he said. Though the opposition bloc has not named a presidential candidate, surveys by Metropoll show Kilicdaroglu is far less popular, at 28.5%, than three other possible names and than Erdogan himself, who 37.9% said they preferred in December. Also read | Erdogan reiterates Turkey's determination to support Ukraine's territorial integrity Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, both of the CHP, had popularity of 60.4% and 50.7% respectively, while IYI Party leader and alliance bloc member Meral Aksener had 38.5%. A previous Metropoll survey showed Kilicdaroglu was the only potential candidate whom Erdogan would beat. "These surveys are of no importance for today," Kilicdaroglu said, adding that Yavas and Imamoglu would continue running the country's two biggest cities. Soaring prices recently - including 50% increases for electricity and 55% for food - have pushed more Turks into poverty. The central bank is widely seen to have bowed to Erdogan after he replaced its monetary policy committee with like-minded members. Asked whether he would replace the committee to give it independence, Kilicdaroglu said: "We would do exactly that." RUSSIAN S-400S, SYRIA Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 land-to-air defences badly strained U.S. relations, prompting Washington to sanction Turkey's defence industries and oust it from an F-35 production scheme. "Who will we use the S-400s for? We haven't received the answer to this question yet," Kilicdaroglu said. "A large amount of money was paid, and they are currently waiting in storage." Watch | Gravitas: How Erdogan is pushing Turkey towards an implosion Erdogan has said Turkey is keeping the missiles despite U.S. objections and the possibility of selling them. Turkey will send home the millions of Syrian refugees it hosts and re-establish diplomatic ties with President Bashar al-Assad if the opposition alliance wins the elections, Kilicdaroglu said. "If needed the United Nations needs to get involved, a 100% guarantee should be received from Assad. That guarantee needs to be tied to international accords, that he will not attack them, that their material and life security will be preserved," he said.

Turkey's opposition leader looks to emerge from Tayyip Erdogan's shadow

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the UAE, signalling the end of a bitter rivalry. Why is Erdogan courting the Arab world? What's in it for the UAE? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Erdogan in the UAE, first visit since 2013

Lake Cildir freezes over during the winter months and it's a delight for both the locals and tourists!

Visitors enjoy sleigh rides on frozen Turkish lake

Turkey&nbsp;is&nbsp;continuing&nbsp;a "positive dialogue" with&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;and wants to take concrete steps in the coming days to improve ties, President Tayyip&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;was cited as saying on Wednesday, amid a regional charm offensive by&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;to mend strained relations.

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Ties between Ankara and Riyadh have been troubled since the 2018 killing of&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;hit squad at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. Following Turkish demands for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials to be prosecuted, Riyadh imposed an unofficial boycott on goods from&nbsp;Turkey.

In 2020,&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;jailed eight people for between seven and 20 years for Khashoggi's murder. At the time Ankara said the verdict fell short of expectations, but has since softened its tone as part of a broader attempt to repair ties with the Gulf, even going as far as saying it has no problems with Riyadh.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Erdogan in the UAE, first visit since 2013

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-erdogan-in-the-uae-first-visit-since-2013-453596/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are&nbsp;continuing&nbsp;our&nbsp;positive dialogue&nbsp;with&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia. We want to continue by taking concrete steps in the coming period. We want to develop the process in a positive direction,"&nbsp;Erdogan&nbsp;told reporters on a flight back from the United Arab Emirates.

Turkey is continuing a "positive dialogue" with Saudi Arabia and wants to take concrete steps in the coming days to improve ties, President Tayyip Erdogan was cited as saying on Wednesday, amid a regional charm offensive by Turkey to mend strained relations.

Turkey is continuing a "positive dialogue" with Saudi Arabia and wants to take concrete steps in the coming days to improve ties, President Tayyip Erdogan was cited as saying on Wednesday, amid a regional charm offensive by Turkey to mend strained relations. Also read | Leukemia patient from Turkey tests Covid positive 78 times in over a year Ties between Ankara and Riyadh have been troubled since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi hit squad at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. Following Turkish demands for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials to be prosecuted, Riyadh imposed an unofficial boycott on goods from Turkey. In 2020, Saudi Arabia jailed eight people for between seven and 20 years for Khashoggi's murder. At the time Ankara said the verdict fell short of expectations, but has since softened its tone as part of a broader attempt to repair ties with the Gulf, even going as far as saying it has no problems with Riyadh. Watch | Gravitas: Erdogan in the UAE, first visit since 2013 "We are continuing our positive dialogue with Saudi Arabia. We want to continue by taking concrete steps in the coming period. We want to develop the process in a positive direction," Erdogan told reporters on a flight back from the United Arab Emirates.

Erdogan says Turkey continuing 'positive dialogue' with Saudi Arabia

When Turkish finance minister Nureddin Nebati this week announced plans to encourage households to convert their gold holdings into Turkish liras in a bid to shore up Turkish central bank reserves, he was targeting people like Esra G.

Ms. G., whose last name has been abbreviated to preserve her anonymity, has had a life-long troubled relationship with gold. When she was barely three years old, her distaste for it as an adornment was already so strong that she dumped all her gold rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings into the Bosporus.

Nonetheless, Ms. G. grew up to be an avid collector of gold, including an assortment of five- and 10-gram Credit Suisse coins. As a young woman, Ms. G. preferred antique silver jewelry and wouldn’t wear gold but kept her gold collection under her pillow.

"Gold is a tradition. It grows out of a deep-seated distrust of governments and currencies and has been handed down from generation to generation. They didn't take money. They took gold," she said. "I'm a child of that system. ... I want the gold where I can touch it and feel it."

It is the many people like Ms. G. that Mr. Nebati is targeting. The minister told investors in London this week that he hoped his scheme would convert 10 percent of the estimated US$250-300 billion worth of gold squirreled away in the homes and back yards of Turkey, much of it by women.

Ayse Esen, head of a leading Turkish gold refinery, shared Mr. Nebati's estimate. "We are aware of the fact that there is around 3,000-5,000 tonnes of gold saved under mattresses, which amounts to an informal economy with a size of $200-300 billion," Ms. Esen, CEO of Istanbul Gold Refinery (IAR), said.

According to the World Gold Council, official Turkish gold reserves dropped from a high of 583 tonnes in July 2020 to 392 tonnes a year later.

Speaking to Sabah, a pro-government daily, Ms. Esen, probably unwittingly, suggested that convincing Turks to convert their gold could prove to be an uphill battle. She noted that a program launched ten years ago by the refinery and commercial banks had so far netted a mere 100 tonnes of hidden gold.

Lack of confidence in the government is only part of the problem. As important is the fact that much of Turkey's gold hoard is non-negotiable because it is held in the form of jewelry. Turkey's 40,000 jewelers turn approximately 150 tonnes of gold into jewelry a year.

Mr. Nebati reportedly told investors that some 30,000 gold shops would purchase privately held jewelry as part of his scheme and sell it to one of five government-contracted refineries that are believed to include IAR. The refineries would convert the jewelry into bullion that could be added to the central bank’s reserves.

It's not clear why Mr. Nebati believes his scheme would work this time around when earlier attempts failed. One such effort involved creating a facility that allowed holders of gold to deposit it with banks in exchange for gold certificates that would have been negotiable on a gold exchange.

Ms. G., the woman who doesn't like gold jewelry, vowed already decades ago that she would never trust a bank with her gold, even though she doesn't hesitate to deposit money in a bank.

She, like many Turks, is historically suspicious of authority, and many of them see hoarding gold not only as a safe investment but also as a reserve that can't be taken away from them. It also doesn't violate the Islamic ban on interest.

In the early 19th century, Turks hoarded gold to evade Ottoman taxes, which were based on what taxpayers physically possessed when the tax collector came around. As a result, Ottoman subjects bought gold and buried it not to be counted and taxed. Despite the Ottomans' later introduction of paper money, Ottoman subjects continued to view gold as their most secure form of investment because of inflation.

"People did not trust it,” said a gold trader. "The certificate had no relationship to the gold. It was devalued by inflation, and people have distrusted paper money ever since. . . . Gold has become a symbol of distrust of the state."

"I've been in this business for decades and have seen a lot of change. One thing never changes, and that is gold. Our money is worthless; gold is much better. Besides that, gold is part of our history," added a jewelry repair shop owner.

Trust as much as tradition may prove to be Mr. Nebati’s Achilles heel.

By attracting hidden gold, Mr. Nebati aims to help the government stop the freefall of the Turkish lira, which lost more than 40 percent of its value last year and halt the spiralling out of control of inflation that last month hit 36.1 per cent.

Many blame the crisis on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s idiosyncratic push to cut interest rates based on his unorthodox belief that this would lower consumer prices.

As a result, a whopping 75 per cent of respondents in a survey in December by Metropoll, a Turkish polling company Metropoll, said their trust in the government’s economic policies had decreased. More than half of those polled said they disapproved of Mr. Erdogan’s performance.

Mr. Erdogan has undermined the independence of the Central Bank, fired three of its governors and other officials opposed to his interest cuts in the last two years, changed finance ministers four times since 2018, and spun conspiracy theories by blaming a mysterious foreign interest cabal for Turkey’s economic plight.

Public distrust recently manifested itself further in a wave of protests over massive electricity price hikes as millions struggle to pay ballooning bills and inflation threatens to force businesses into bankruptcy.

Mr. Erdogan has recently suggested that he would halt or slow down the lowering of interest rates as a series of emergency measures helped the lira recover some of its value against the dollar.

The measures pushed Mr. Erdogan’s approval rating up by two points to 40.7 per cent in January, still far behind the 54.4 per cent who evaluate the president’s performance negatively.

Polls show that Mr. Erdogan would lose to Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - both from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party Chairwoman Meral Aksener, at the next elections.

Mr. Erdogan’s numbers hardly project the degree of confidence that Mr. Nebati is likely to need to persuade his intrinsically skeptical compatriots from parting with their precious gold.

Said a former Istanbul banker: “People are unlikely to put their holdings at risk for a scheme that does not guarantee their ability to preserve whatever wealth they have. Certainly not at a time of economic turmoil and a widening gap in trust.”

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

When Turkish finance minister Nureddin Nebati this week announced plans to encourage households to convert their gold holdings into Turkish liras in a bid to shore up Turkish central bank reserves, he was targeting people like Esra G.

When Turkish finance minister Nureddin Nebati this week announced plans to encourage households to convert their gold holdings into Turkish liras in a bid to shore up Turkish central bank reserves, he was targeting people like Esra G. Ms. G., whose last name has been abbreviated to preserve her anonymity, has had a life-long troubled relationship with gold. When she was barely three years old, her distaste for it as an adornment was already so strong that she dumped all her gold rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings into the Bosporus. Nonetheless, Ms. G. grew up to be an avid collector of gold, including an assortment of five- and 10-gram Credit Suisse coins. As a young woman, Ms. G. preferred antique silver jewelry and wouldn’t wear gold but kept her gold collection under her pillow. "Gold is a tradition. It grows out of a deep-seated distrust of governments and currencies and has been handed down from generation to generation. They didn't take money. They took gold," she said. "I'm a child of that system. ... I want the gold where I can touch it and feel it." It is the many people like Ms. G. that Mr. Nebati is targeting. The minister told investors in London this week that he hoped his scheme would convert 10 percent of the estimated US$250-300 billion worth of gold squirreled away in the homes and back yards of Turkey, much of it by women. Ayse Esen, head of a leading Turkish gold refinery, shared Mr. Nebati's estimate. "We are aware of the fact that there is around 3,000-5,000 tonnes of gold saved under mattresses, which amounts to an informal economy with a size of $200-300 billion," Ms. Esen, CEO of Istanbul Gold Refinery (IAR), said. According to the World Gold Council, official Turkish gold reserves dropped from a high of 583 tonnes in July 2020 to 392 tonnes a year later. Speaking to Sabah, a pro-government daily, Ms. Esen, probably unwittingly, suggested that convincing Turks to convert their gold could prove to be an uphill battle. She noted that a program launched ten years ago by the refinery and commercial banks had so far netted a mere 100 tonnes of hidden gold. Lack of confidence in the government is only part of the problem. As important is the fact that much of Turkey's gold hoard is non-negotiable because it is held in the form of jewelry. Turkey's 40,000 jewelers turn approximately 150 tonnes of gold into jewelry a year. Mr. Nebati reportedly told investors that some 30,000 gold shops would purchase privately held jewelry as part of his scheme and sell it to one of five government-contracted refineries that are believed to include IAR. The refineries would convert the jewelry into bullion that could be added to the central bank’s reserves. It's not clear why Mr. Nebati believes his scheme would work this time around when earlier attempts failed. One such effort involved creating a facility that allowed holders of gold to deposit it with banks in exchange for gold certificates that would have been negotiable on a gold exchange. Ms. G., the woman who doesn't like gold jewelry, vowed already decades ago that she would never trust a bank with her gold, even though she doesn't hesitate to deposit money in a bank. She, like many Turks, is historically suspicious of authority, and many of them see hoarding gold not only as a safe investment but also as a reserve that can't be taken away from them. It also doesn't violate the Islamic ban on interest. In the early 19th century, Turks hoarded gold to evade Ottoman taxes, which were based on what taxpayers physically possessed when the tax collector came around. As a result, Ottoman subjects bought gold and buried it not to be counted and taxed. Despite the Ottomans' later introduction of paper money, Ottoman subjects continued to view gold as their most secure form of investment because of inflation. "People did not trust it,” said a gold trader. "The certificate had no relationship to the gold. It was devalued by inflation, and people have distrusted paper money ever since. . . . Gold has become a symbol of distrust of the state." "I've been in this business for decades and have seen a lot of change. One thing never changes, and that is gold. Our money is worthless; gold is much better. Besides that, gold is part of our history," added a jewelry repair shop owner. Trust as much as tradition may prove to be Mr. Nebati’s Achilles heel. By attracting hidden gold, Mr. Nebati aims to help the government stop the freefall of the Turkish lira, which lost more than 40 percent of its value last year and halt the spiralling out of control of inflation that last month hit 36.1 per cent. Many blame the crisis on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s idiosyncratic push to cut interest rates based on his unorthodox belief that this would lower consumer prices. As a result, a whopping 75 per cent of respondents in a survey in December by Metropoll, a Turkish polling company Metropoll, said their trust in the government’s economic policies had decreased. More than half of those polled said they disapproved of Mr. Erdogan’s performance. Mr. Erdogan has undermined the independence of the Central Bank, fired three of its governors and other officials opposed to his interest cuts in the last two years, changed finance ministers four times since 2018, and spun conspiracy theories by blaming a mysterious foreign interest cabal for Turkey’s economic plight. Public distrust recently manifested itself further in a wave of protests over massive electricity price hikes as millions struggle to pay ballooning bills and inflation threatens to force businesses into bankruptcy. Mr. Erdogan has recently suggested that he would halt or slow down the lowering of interest rates as a series of emergency measures helped the lira recover some of its value against the dollar. The measures pushed Mr. Erdogan’s approval rating up by two points to 40.7 per cent in January, still far behind the 54.4 per cent who evaluate the president’s performance negatively. Polls show that Mr. Erdogan would lose to Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - both from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party Chairwoman Meral Aksener, at the next elections. Mr. Erdogan’s numbers hardly project the degree of confidence that Mr. Nebati is likely to need to persuade his intrinsically skeptical compatriots from parting with their precious gold. Said a former Istanbul banker: “People are unlikely to put their holdings at risk for a scheme that does not guarantee their ability to preserve whatever wealth they have. Certainly not at a time of economic turmoil and a widening gap in trust.” (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

Turkish gold conversion plan likely to falter on lack of public trust

It's a double whammy for bars struggling post-pandemic as Turkey hikes tax on liquor by 42% while the lira struggles amid high inflation. The liquor tax has now triggered bootlegging of alcohol.

42% hike in Turkey's alcohol tax amid inflation

The wave of inflation-fuelled discontent has spread across Turkey. The surge in energy prices has raised the cost of living for citizens, who are already struggling to make ends meet due to a currency crash in December led by President Tayyip Erdogan's low-interest rates policy.

Inflation jumps 50% as Turkey protests against hiked energy prices

Anxiety rose after an assistant doctor died last fall when she plowed her car into the back of a truck after a long shift.

Then there were the growing cases of violence. An assistant doctor abandoned his career after a patient stabbed him in the stomach and hand. A pregnant nurse was hospitalised after being kicked in the belly.

The worsening economy and soaring inflation, which has reduced some doctors’ salaries close to the level of the minimum wage, has brought many to a tipping point, driving them in growing numbers to search for better opportunities abroad.

Their departures are a sad indictment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who burnished his own reputation by expanding universal health care over his 18 years in power. It was one of his signature achievements. For many of his supporters, that action alone remains their main reason to support him.

But the strains of those overhauls wrought by Erdogan, in addition to those brought by the pandemic — and now galloping inflation — have undermined the very professionals on whom the health system depends.

Doctors complain of a grinding workload, diminishing returns for their work, a drastic loss of respect for the profession under Erdogan, and an increase in physical violence from their own patients.

More than 1,400 Turkish doctors left their posts to work abroad last year, and 4,000 over the past decade, according to the Turkish Medical Association, the largest association of medical professionals in the country. Many more are preparing applications and have requested certificates of good standing from the organisation, officials said.

“This is a result of long-accumulating issues,” said Bulent Kilic, a professor of public health at Dokuz Eylul University in the western city of Izmir. “In the last 20 years, there have been serious changes in the name of reform, and I think the heavy workload in the pandemic was the final straw.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dumping-plastic-in-waterways-is-criminal-claims-pope-francis-451322">Also read |&nbsp;Dumping plastic in waterways is 'criminal', claims Pope Francis</a>

For a long time, the changes that Erdogan introduced bore fruit. Turkey has long prided itself on the quality of its medical schools and its medical professionals, and in recent years, it has developed a thriving private health industry catering to thousands of international as well as Turkish patients. Fifteen new large city hospitals were built to expand the health service while access was broadened for the public.

The health minister recently praised the president’s foresight, saying the system held up well during the worst days of the pandemic and facilities were never overwhelmed.

But the system is no doubt stressed, leaving doctors feeling overburdened and underpaid. The steady erosion of their income and status has been too much for many doctors to bear.

“Three years ago, I would have said the salary was fair, but now it is not,” said Dr. Furkan Cagri Koral, 26, a junior doctor who left Turkey only two years after graduating. “Doctors in Turkey are working at the level of slave labor considering the workload and the risks they are taking.”

He went to Germany, where, after 11 months of language training, he found a job as an assistant doctor in the town of Chemnitz and is preparing to take an equivalency exam that will allow him to practice. Koral said he was already encouraging colleagues and his sister, a medical student, to follow suit.

“It is not only low salaries” driving health professionals away, said Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, the chairwoman of the Turkish Medical Association. “It is the devaluation of the profession, over many years, since the beginning of the rule of the AKP,” she said, referring to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

The opening up of access to all hospitals on demand, without a referral system, overloaded them, while hospitals were encouraged to raise patient numbers and financial returns. At the same time, Fincanci said, Erdogan embraced a policy of privatisation of health care and a performance pay system that has led to a focus on quantity rather than quality.

“There were too many appointments, too many operations, some not necessary,” she said. Patients were happy at first, but the open-access system was not sustainable. Hospitals began raising their prices and shortening appointments. A centralized system allows only 10 minutes for appointments, and in some cases only 5 minutes, which creates tensions all around.

Violence against medical professionals has risen sharply in the past two years — mostly in emergency departments — often in an explosion of anger at the system. More than 13,000 health professionals lodged complaints that they had been subjected to violence at work in 2020, according to the Turkish Medical Association.

“People are not tolerant enough,” Fincanci said.

“Since they are unhappy in their workplace and houses, and values are deteriorating, violence becomes a problem,” she added.

Other issues, including gender discrimination, nepotism and cronyism in management and an increase in lawsuits against medical practitioners, have made doctors lose hope, she said.

“They do not think the situation will change,” Fincanci said. “It is not only the health system, but the general environment.”

There are ways to remedy the health system, Kilic, of Dokuz Eylul University, said, including raising budgetary expenditure on health and increasing the proportion of spending on preventive care. Turks also need to be weaned off their high level of visits to hospitals and use of tests, he added.

But retaining doctors and other medical personnel is equally vital, he said, because Turkey has a far lower level of trained professionals in proportion to its population than most European countries.

Erdogan and Dr. Fahrettin Koca, Turkey’s health minister, have both acknowledged the problem of Turkey’s brain drain but have offered little practical respite. “Don’t forget, our physicians are the best-trained physicians, and the richest countries have their eyes on them,” Koca told Parliament in a speech in December.

Parliament recently raised the penalties for violence committed against health workers, and Koca appealed to the assembly in December to consider salaries and other rights of health sector workers.

For Dr. Dogan Can Celik, 29, who works at a public hospital in Istanbul, it is not enough. He is planning to leave for Britain as soon as he completes his residency in about six months.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-ukraine-defence-chief-says-russia-could-seize-any-city-in-ukraine-but-will-it-plan-full-scale-invasion-451199">Also read |&nbsp;Ex-Ukraine defence chief says Russia could seize any city in Ukraine. But will it plan full-scale invasion?</a>

“I love my country, and especially Istanbul, but in the last four years, it really changed,” he said. He said the working hours and poor remuneration were his main reasons for leaving. “When I see our professors and mentors, I think I don’t want to be in their situation because after 40 years as a professor, they get really low salaries.”

Unlike previous waves of Turkish workers heading to Europe, those emigrating these days have little intention of returning and are leaving to give their children better opportunities, according to several people working in the business of relocating doctors.

Ekin Ay set up a business teaching medical German to Turkish doctors five years ago and has seen demand double in the past two years. One-fifth of her students are over 40, and some are over 50, she said. “They are not leaving for economic reasons but because of their families,” she said.

Dr. Cemal Altuntas moved to Germany three years ago and plans to start working full time as a consultant for relocating doctors. He said there had been a huge increase in requests from doctors in the past six months.

“It’s not a luxurious life that we want,” he said. “We want the normal life that we deserve.”

Anxiety rose after an assistant doctor died last fall when she plowed her car into the back of a truck after a long shift. Then there were the growing cases of violence.

Anxiety rose after an assistant doctor died last fall when she plowed her car into the back of a truck after a long shift. Then there were the growing cases of violence. An assistant doctor abandoned his career after a patient stabbed him in the stomach and hand. A pregnant nurse was hospitalised after being kicked in the belly. The worsening economy and soaring inflation, which has reduced some doctors’ salaries close to the level of the minimum wage, has brought many to a tipping point, driving them in growing numbers to search for better opportunities abroad. Their departures are a sad indictment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who burnished his own reputation by expanding universal health care over his 18 years in power. It was one of his signature achievements. For many of his supporters, that action alone remains their main reason to support him. But the strains of those overhauls wrought by Erdogan, in addition to those brought by the pandemic — and now galloping inflation — have undermined the very professionals on whom the health system depends. Doctors complain of a grinding workload, diminishing returns for their work, a drastic loss of respect for the profession under Erdogan, and an increase in physical violence from their own patients. More than 1,400 Turkish doctors left their posts to work abroad last year, and 4,000 over the past decade, according to the Turkish Medical Association, the largest association of medical professionals in the country. Many more are preparing applications and have requested certificates of good standing from the organisation, officials said. “This is a result of long-accumulating issues,” said Bulent Kilic, a professor of public health at Dokuz Eylul University in the western city of Izmir. “In the last 20 years, there have been serious changes in the name of reform, and I think the heavy workload in the pandemic was the final straw.” Also read | Dumping plastic in waterways is 'criminal', claims Pope Francis For a long time, the changes that Erdogan introduced bore fruit. Turkey has long prided itself on the quality of its medical schools and its medical professionals, and in recent years, it has developed a thriving private health industry catering to thousands of international as well as Turkish patients. Fifteen new large city hospitals were built to expand the health service while access was broadened for the public. The health minister recently praised the president’s foresight, saying the system held up well during the worst days of the pandemic and facilities were never overwhelmed. But the system is no doubt stressed, leaving doctors feeling overburdened and underpaid. The steady erosion of their income and status has been too much for many doctors to bear. “Three years ago, I would have said the salary was fair, but now it is not,” said Dr. Furkan Cagri Koral, 26, a junior doctor who left Turkey only two years after graduating. “Doctors in Turkey are working at the level of slave labor considering the workload and the risks they are taking.” He went to Germany, where, after 11 months of language training, he found a job as an assistant doctor in the town of Chemnitz and is preparing to take an equivalency exam that will allow him to practice. Koral said he was already encouraging colleagues and his sister, a medical student, to follow suit. “It is not only low salaries” driving health professionals away, said Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, the chairwoman of the Turkish Medical Association. “It is the devaluation of the profession, over many years, since the beginning of the rule of the AKP,” she said, referring to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party. The opening up of access to all hospitals on demand, without a referral system, overloaded them, while hospitals were encouraged to raise patient numbers and financial returns. At the same time, Fincanci said, Erdogan embraced a policy of privatisation of health care and a performance pay system that has led to a focus on quantity rather than quality. “There were too many appointments, too many operations, some not necessary,” she said. Patients were happy at first, but the open-access system was not sustainable. Hospitals began raising their prices and shortening appointments. A centralized system allows only 10 minutes for appointments, and in some cases only 5 minutes, which creates tensions all around. Violence against medical professionals has risen sharply in the past two years — mostly in emergency departments — often in an explosion of anger at the system. More than 13,000 health professionals lodged complaints that they had been subjected to violence at work in 2020, according to the Turkish Medical Association. “People are not tolerant enough,” Fincanci said. “Since they are unhappy in their workplace and houses, and values are deteriorating, violence becomes a problem,” she added. Other issues, including gender discrimination, nepotism and cronyism in management and an increase in lawsuits against medical practitioners, have made doctors lose hope, she said. “They do not think the situation will change,” Fincanci said. “It is not only the health system, but the general environment.” There are ways to remedy the health system, Kilic, of Dokuz Eylul University, said, including raising budgetary expenditure on health and increasing the proportion of spending on preventive care. Turks also need to be weaned off their high level of visits to hospitals and use of tests, he added. But retaining doctors and other medical personnel is equally vital, he said, because Turkey has a far lower level of trained professionals in proportion to its population than most European countries. Erdogan and Dr. Fahrettin Koca, Turkey’s health minister, have both acknowledged the problem of Turkey’s brain drain but have offered little practical respite. “Don’t forget, our physicians are the best-trained physicians, and the richest countries have their eyes on them,” Koca told Parliament in a speech in December. Parliament recently raised the penalties for violence committed against health workers, and Koca appealed to the assembly in December to consider salaries and other rights of health sector workers. For Dr. Dogan Can Celik, 29, who works at a public hospital in Istanbul, it is not enough. He is planning to leave for Britain as soon as he completes his residency in about six months. Also read | Ex-Ukraine defence chief says Russia could seize any city in Ukraine. But will it plan full-scale invasion? “I love my country, and especially Istanbul, but in the last four years, it really changed,” he said. He said the working hours and poor remuneration were his main reasons for leaving. “When I see our professors and mentors, I think I don’t want to be in their situation because after 40 years as a professor, they get really low salaries.” Unlike previous waves of Turkish workers heading to Europe, those emigrating these days have little intention of returning and are leaving to give their children better opportunities, according to several people working in the business of relocating doctors. Ekin Ay set up a business teaching medical German to Turkish doctors five years ago and has seen demand double in the past two years. One-fifth of her students are over 40, and some are over 50, she said. “They are not leaving for economic reasons but because of their families,” she said. Dr. Cemal Altuntas moved to Germany three years ago and plans to start working full time as a consultant for relocating doctors. He said there had been a huge increase in requests from doctors in the past six months. “It’s not a luxurious life that we want,” he said. “We want the normal life that we deserve.”

Turkey’s doctors are leaving, the latest casualty of spiralling inflation

At least 19 irregular migrants were found frozen to death in Greek-Turkish border after they were pushed back from Greece. Turkey accuses Greece's border policy for the deaths.

Turkey accuses Greece's border policy for the death of 19 migrants

Amid tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, all to help diffuse the crisis. Erdogan has reaffirmed his offer to host a Russia-Ukraine peace summit.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiates mediation between Russia and Ukraine

President Erdogan sacks chief statistician as Turkey's economic crisis worsens. Erdogan has been receiving flak for currency Lira's free fall.

Erdogan sacks chief statistician as Turkey's economic crisis worsens

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked country's chief statistician after records and calculations revealed that tyhe country experienced record inflation rate last year. The inflation hit a 19-year high of 36.1 per cent.

The decree sacking head of state statistics agency was published on Saturday.

Sait Erdal Dincer was just the latest in a series of economic dismissals by Erdogan, who has sacked three central bank governors since July 2019.

Erdogan has railed against high interest rates, which he believes cause inflation -- the exact opposition of conventional economic thinking.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-warns-media-of-action-over-harmful-content-448731">Erdogan warns media of action over 'harmful' content</a>

The 2021 inflation figure released by Dincer angered both the pro-government and opposition camps. 
The opposition said it was underreported, claiming that the real cost of living increases were at least twice as high.

Erdogan meanwhile reportedly criticised the statistics agency in private for publishing data that he felt overstated the scale of Turkey's economic malaise.

Dincer seemed to sense his impending fate.

"I sit in this office now, tomorrow it will be someone else," he said in an interview with the business newspaper Dunya earlier this month.&nbsp;

"Never mind who is the chairman. Can you imagine that hundreds of my colleagues could stomach or remain quiet about publishing an inflation rate very different from what they had established?"&nbsp;

"I have a responsibility to 84 million people," he added.&nbsp;

Erdogan did not explain his decision to appoint Erhan Cetinkaya, who had served as vice-chair of Turkey's banking regulator, as the new state statistics chief.

"This will just increase concern about the reliability of the data, in addition to major concerns about economic policy settings," Timothy Ash of BlueBay Asset Management said in a note to clients.&nbsp;

The agency is due to publish January's inflation data on February 3.

(With inputs from agencies)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked country's chief statistician after records and calculations revealed that tyhe country experienced record inflation rate last year.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sacked country's chief statistician after records and calculations revealed that tyhe country experienced record inflation rate last year. The inflation hit a 19-year high of 36.1 per cent. The decree sacking head of state statistics agency was published on Saturday. Sait Erdal Dincer was just the latest in a series of economic dismissals by Erdogan, who has sacked three central bank governors since July 2019. Erdogan has railed against high interest rates, which he believes cause inflation -- the exact opposition of conventional economic thinking. Also Read | Erdogan warns media of action over 'harmful' content The 2021 inflation figure released by Dincer angered both the pro-government and opposition camps. The opposition said it was underreported, claiming that the real cost of living increases were at least twice as high. Erdogan meanwhile reportedly criticised the statistics agency in private for publishing data that he felt overstated the scale of Turkey's economic malaise. Dincer seemed to sense his impending fate. "I sit in this office now, tomorrow it will be someone else," he said in an interview with the business newspaper Dunya earlier this month. "Never mind who is the chairman. Can you imagine that hundreds of my colleagues could stomach or remain quiet about publishing an inflation rate very different from what they had established?" "I have a responsibility to 84 million people," he added. Erdogan did not explain his decision to appoint Erhan Cetinkaya, who had served as vice-chair of Turkey's banking regulator, as the new state statistics chief. "This will just increase concern about the reliability of the data, in addition to major concerns about economic policy settings," Timothy Ash of BlueBay Asset Management said in a note to clients. The agency is due to publish January's inflation data on February 3. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkey: Calculations reveal record inflation, Erdogan sacks statistician

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Turkish media of action if content damaging Turkey's core values was disseminated. This is being viewed as a prelude to media censorship.

In a notice published in the Official Gazette, he said measures were needed to protect Turkey's "national culture" and prevent its children's development "from being adversely affected as a result of exposure to harmful content on all written, verbal and visual media."

Erdogan did not specify what such content was, but said legal action would be taken against "overt or covert activities through the media aimed at undermining our national and moral values ​​and disrupting our family and social structure."

Erdogan, in power for 20 years, has often lashed out at media content that is deemed to be out of step with conservative Islamic values espoused by his AK Party.

Turkey has in recent years also moved to increase media oversight, with around 90% of major media now owned by the state or close to the government.

Its western allies and critics have said Erdogan has been using a 2016 failed coup attempt to muzzle dissent and erode social rights and tolerance.

The government has denied this, saying the measures are necessary due to the gravity of the threats Turkey faces and that freedom of religious expression has been restored in a once strongly secular republic.

The RTUK radio and television watchdog has sweeping oversight over all online content, which it also has the power to remove.

It has fined TV stations over footage it says violates Turkish values, such as music videos it has labelled "erotic", LGBTQ references or content it deems to have insulted the president.

Tens of thousands have been prosecuted under the latter law including Sedef Kabas, a well-known journalist jailed last week pending trial after posting a proverb about Erdogan's palace on her Twitter account and repeating it on opposition television channel.

(With inputs from agencies)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Turkish media of action if content damaging Turkey's core values was disseminated. This is being viewed as a prelude to media censorship.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Turkish media of action if content damaging Turkey's core values was disseminated. This is being viewed as a prelude to media censorship. In a notice published in the Official Gazette, he said measures were needed to protect Turkey's "national culture" and prevent its children's development "from being adversely affected as a result of exposure to harmful content on all written, verbal and visual media." Erdogan did not specify what such content was, but said legal action would be taken against "overt or covert activities through the media aimed at undermining our national and moral values and disrupting our family and social structure." Erdogan, in power for 20 years, has often lashed out at media content that is deemed to be out of step with conservative Islamic values espoused by his AK Party. Turkey has in recent years also moved to increase media oversight, with around 90% of major media now owned by the state or close to the government. Its western allies and critics have said Erdogan has been using a 2016 failed coup attempt to muzzle dissent and erode social rights and tolerance. The government has denied this, saying the measures are necessary due to the gravity of the threats Turkey faces and that freedom of religious expression has been restored in a once strongly secular republic. The RTUK radio and television watchdog has sweeping oversight over all online content, which it also has the power to remove. It has fined TV stations over footage it says violates Turkish values, such as music videos it has labelled "erotic", LGBTQ references or content it deems to have insulted the president. Tens of thousands have been prosecuted under the latter law including Sedef Kabas, a well-known journalist jailed last week pending trial after posting a proverb about Erdogan's palace on her Twitter account and repeating it on opposition television channel. (With inputs from agencies)

Erdogan warns media of action over 'harmful' content

Israel's president is all set to visit Turkey in February after years of frosty relations between the two countries. Why is Erdogan reaching out to Israel? How should Isreal see his overtures? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Israel's President to visit Turkey

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday promised that a well-known television journalist would not go "unpunished" after she was arrested for allegedly insulting him.

Police detained Sedef Kabas at her home at 2:00 am on Saturday, just hours after she aired the comments and then posted them on Twitter to her 900,000 followers.

She was formally arrested after appearing in court.

"This offence will not go unpunished," Erdogan said in an interview aired on private television channel NTV.

"It is our duty to protect the respect of my function, of the presidency," he said.

"It has nothing to do with freedom of expression."

He slammed a suggestion by the opposition Republican People's Party that the crime of insulting the president, which carries a jail sentence of one to four years, should be scrapped.

The Turkish journalists' union has called Kabas' arrest a "serious attack on freedom of expression".

Rights groups routinely accuse Turkey of undermining media freedom by arresting journalists and shutting down critical media outlets, especially since Erdogan survived a failed coup in July 2016.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 153rd out of 180 in its 2021 press freedom index.

(With inputs from agencies)

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday promised that a well-known television journalist would not go "unpunished" after she was arrested for allegedly insulting him.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday promised that a well-known television journalist would not go "unpunished" after she was arrested for allegedly insulting him. Police detained Sedef Kabas at her home at 2:00 am on Saturday, just hours after she aired the comments and then posted them on Twitter to her 900,000 followers. She was formally arrested after appearing in court. "This offence will not go unpunished," Erdogan said in an interview aired on private television channel NTV. "It is our duty to protect the respect of my function, of the presidency," he said. "It has nothing to do with freedom of expression." He slammed a suggestion by the opposition Republican People's Party that the crime of insulting the president, which carries a jail sentence of one to four years, should be scrapped. The Turkish journalists' union has called Kabas' arrest a "serious attack on freedom of expression". Rights groups routinely accuse Turkey of undermining media freedom by arresting journalists and shutting down critical media outlets, especially since Erdogan survived a failed coup in July 2016. Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 153rd out of 180 in its 2021 press freedom index. (With inputs from agencies)

Erdogan promises punishment for journalist over alleged insult

The Istanbul airport welcomed its first flight in almost 24 hours as snow continues to pummel Turkey and its western Mediterranean neighbor Greece. In turkey heavy snowfall clogged roads and stranded thousands of people, this snowfall which began late last week has picked up over the past days. The winter's first snow created a jovial atmosphere across the squares where children built snowmen and tourists posed for pictures.

Snowstorm traps thousands in Greece and Turkey, some flights resume at Istanbul airport

Europe's busiest airport shut as rare snow wraps Mediterranean region - see pics and videos

Reports suggest that Turkey is going to register its new name Türkiye at the United Nations in the coming weeks. The foreign ministry and other state agencies have already made the change, though not everyone is happy with it. Ghadi Francis tells you more in this report in The West Asia Post.

The West Asia Post: Turkey announces a name change

Prominent Turkish TV journalist, Sedef Kabas, has been detained for "insulting" the nation's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could face imprisonment for the same. According to Turkey's state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television, TRT Haber, Kabas was arrested at her home in Istanbul at 2am.

This happened after a live interview on opposition TV channel Tele1 where the journalist used traditional Turkish proverbs to make references to Erdogan. She did not directly use his name.&nbsp;

"A crowned head gets wiser, but we see that it is not true," she said.&nbsp;

Fahrettin Altun, head of Turkey’s communications directorate and Erdoğan’s chief spokesman, in a report by The Guardian, "The honour of the presidency’s office is the honour of our country ... I condemn the vulgar insults made against our president and his office."

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Kabas was first taken to the police station and then to the prosecutor's office.&nbsp;

Accoridng to report by CNN, the cameras were already rolling when she was brought to the courthouse. She then appeared in front of the judge in Istanbul court after which she was immediately arrested.

Merdan Yanardağ, the chief editor of the Tele 1 channel criticised her arrest. &nbsp;He said, "Her detention overnight at 2am because of a proverb is unacceptable. This stance is an attempt to intimidate journalists, the media and society.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Prominent Turkish TV journalist, Sedef Kabas, has been detained for "insulting" the nation's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could face imprisonment for the same.

Prominent Turkish TV journalist, Sedef Kabas, has been detained for "insulting" the nation's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could face imprisonment for the same. According to Turkey's state broadcaster Turkish Radio and Television, TRT Haber, Kabas was arrested at her home in Istanbul at 2am. This happened after a live interview on opposition TV channel Tele1 where the journalist used traditional Turkish proverbs to make references to Erdogan. She did not directly use his name. "A crowned head gets wiser, but we see that it is not true," she said. Fahrettin Altun, head of Turkey’s communications directorate and Erdoğan’s chief spokesman, in a report by The Guardian, "The honour of the presidency’s office is the honour of our country ... I condemn the vulgar insults made against our president and his office." Also read | MP Nusrat Ghani alleges she was sacked job in PM Boris Johnson's government for being Muslim Kabas was first taken to the police station and then to the prosecutor's office. Accoridng to report by CNN, the cameras were already rolling when she was brought to the courthouse. She then appeared in front of the judge in Istanbul court after which she was immediately arrested. Merdan Yanardağ, the chief editor of the Tele 1 channel criticised her arrest. He said, "Her detention overnight at 2am because of a proverb is unacceptable. This stance is an attempt to intimidate journalists, the media and society.” (With inputs from agencies)

Turkish journalist detained after 'insulting' Erdogan in TV interview

Snowfall and Blizzard have wreaked havoc in most of Turkey's 81 provinces, thousands of people were stranded on a highway nearly 3,000 people were trapped in their cars as traffic came to a standstill due to the blizzard. Cars were seen sliding dangerously on icy roads as drivers struggled to maintain control.

Heavy snowfall wreaks havoc in Turkey, 2,800 people trapped in cars

Turkey is famous for its camel running festival that attracts thousands of people from all across the globe every year but this international camel running festival is now facing criticism. Animal rights groups are of the opinion that the animals are abused and injured during the event.

Turkey's camel wrestling event 2,4000 years old, draws criticism from activists

In Turkey, the owner of a cattle farm has experimented with virtual reality headsets on some of his cows to see if they can produce more milk. The virtual reality headsets create the illusion for the cows that they are outside in a sunny field.&nbsp;

Developed in cooperation with veterinarians to ensure cow safety, these VR headsets were first tested in Moscow, Russia.

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The hardware is a standard human VR set, but it has been moulded to fit a cow's head. Once this was done, experts altered the colour palette in the software to make the VR headset more suitable for cows' eyes. The colours had to be tweaked since cows cannot see red or green.

A cattle breeder and rancher in Aksaray, Turkey, Izzet Koçak claims his cows' milk output has increased from 22 litres to 27 litres a day after using the VR devices on two of them.

According to Koçak, previous studies have shown that environmental conditions affect the health and milk production of cows.

In addition to walking his animals around the large pasture, Koçak allows them to listen to relaxing music with these VR glasses.&nbsp;

A Russian company produces these VR headsets.&nbsp;

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The rancher hopes to order glasses from Russia for all of his cows if all ten of the cows he's currently experimenting on show progress and the attempt prove successful.

The virtual reality glasses make the cows feel like they are in the middle of a field on a summer day, says Koçak.&nbsp;

He said that in his business, the cows on average provide them with 22 litres of milk every day. However, when the cows wear virtual reality glasses, they can view a vast green pasture, and the milk average of two cows wearing virtual reality glasses is up to 27 litres.&nbsp;

In Koçak's view, these glasses (VR headsets) are also emotionally beneficial for animals. He noted that they were less stressed when wearing them, and this is reflected in the milk yield, which is increasing in both quality and quantity.&nbsp;

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A Russian business tried this, and the rancher came across it by chance on social media. In hopes of positive results, he decided to start with two cows. At the moment, they are in the trial phase, and they have ordered 10 more virtual reality glasses for the next phase. If they're successful, we will order glasses for all our herds.

In Moscow, VR headsets covered both eyes of the animals, but Koçak experimented by showing an image on one eye.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In Turkey, the owner of a cattle farm has experimented with virtual reality headsets on some of his cows to see if they can produce more milk. The virtual reality headsets create the illusion for the cows that they are outside in a sunny field.

In Turkey, the owner of a cattle farm has experimented with virtual reality headsets on some of his cows to see if they can produce more milk. The virtual reality headsets create the illusion for the cows that they are outside in a sunny field. Developed in cooperation with veterinarians to ensure cow safety, these VR headsets were first tested in Moscow, Russia. Also read | No more tears: People in UK to get tearless onions The hardware is a standard human VR set, but it has been moulded to fit a cow's head. Once this was done, experts altered the colour palette in the software to make the VR headset more suitable for cows' eyes. The colours had to be tweaked since cows cannot see red or green. A cattle breeder and rancher in Aksaray, Turkey, Izzet Koçak claims his cows' milk output has increased from 22 litres to 27 litres a day after using the VR devices on two of them. According to Koçak, previous studies have shown that environmental conditions affect the health and milk production of cows. In addition to walking his animals around the large pasture, Koçak allows them to listen to relaxing music with these VR glasses. A Russian company produces these VR headsets. Also read | US Mint rolls out quarters featuring a black author, activist Maya Angelou; 1st coin to feature a black woman The rancher hopes to order glasses from Russia for all of his cows if all ten of the cows he's currently experimenting on show progress and the attempt prove successful. The virtual reality glasses make the cows feel like they are in the middle of a field on a summer day, says Koçak. He said that in his business, the cows on average provide them with 22 litres of milk every day. However, when the cows wear virtual reality glasses, they can view a vast green pasture, and the milk average of two cows wearing virtual reality glasses is up to 27 litres. In Koçak's view, these glasses (VR headsets) are also emotionally beneficial for animals. He noted that they were less stressed when wearing them, and this is reflected in the milk yield, which is increasing in both quality and quantity. Also read | First ever on-site detection of water on Moon points to many future possibilities A Russian business tried this, and the rancher came across it by chance on social media. In hopes of positive results, he decided to start with two cows. At the moment, they are in the trial phase, and they have ordered 10 more virtual reality glasses for the next phase. If they're successful, we will order glasses for all our herds. In Moscow, VR headsets covered both eyes of the animals, but Koçak experimented by showing an image on one eye.

Cows in Turkey enjoy VR headsets; owner reports they are more relaxed, milk yield increased

Foreign ministers from the Gulf, Iran, and Turkey were separately heading to China this week for talks, China's foreign ministry said, while discussions were underway in Vienna on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council were visiting China between Monday and Friday.

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Turkey's foreign minister was set to visit on Wednesday and Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday, the ministry said.

"China and Iran resolutely support each other on the core issues," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press conference on Tuesday.

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Amirabdollahian will discuss a 25-year cooperation agreement signed by the two countries, Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday. China became a lifeline for Iran's economy after the United States withdrew in 2018 from a nuclear agreement agreed between major powers and Tehran.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the Bahraini and Saudi ministers on Monday and Tuesday and exchanged views on the Iran nuclear talks, the ministry said.

Although not part of the Vienna talks, Gulf countries including Saudi have expressed concern about Iran's nuclear ambitions, its missiles programme and regional proxies.

Wang Yi told his Saudi counterpart that while the global non-proliferation system must be safeguarded, the "just and reasonable concerns" of countries in the region should also be considered.

Economic matters were also discussed, and a Chinese statement said Beijing was willing to cooperate with Riyadh on new energy, e-commerce, law enforcement and archaeological projects. 
&nbsp;

Foreign ministers from the Gulf, Iran, and Turkey were separately heading to China this week for talks, China's foreign ministry said, while discussions were underway in Vienna on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Foreign ministers from the Gulf, Iran, and Turkey were separately heading to China this week for talks, China's foreign ministry said, while discussions were underway in Vienna on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council were visiting China between Monday and Friday. Also read | Amid rise in Omicron cases, China imposes travel restrictions in Tianjin Turkey's foreign minister was set to visit on Wednesday and Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday, the ministry said. "China and Iran resolutely support each other on the core issues," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press conference on Tuesday. Also read | Sri Lanka seeks Chinese debt reschedule amid economic crisis Amirabdollahian will discuss a 25-year cooperation agreement signed by the two countries, Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday. China became a lifeline for Iran's economy after the United States withdrew in 2018 from a nuclear agreement agreed between major powers and Tehran. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the Bahraini and Saudi ministers on Monday and Tuesday and exchanged views on the Iran nuclear talks, the ministry said. Although not part of the Vienna talks, Gulf countries including Saudi have expressed concern about Iran's nuclear ambitions, its missiles programme and regional proxies. Wang Yi told his Saudi counterpart that while the global non-proliferation system must be safeguarded, the "just and reasonable concerns" of countries in the region should also be considered. Economic matters were also discussed, and a Chinese statement said Beijing was willing to cooperate with Riyadh on new energy, e-commerce, law enforcement and archaeological projects.

China meeting Gulf, Iran, Turkey foreign ministers in quick order

Turkish international footballer Ahmet Calik has died in a car accident at the age of 27 on Tuesday.Calik played eight times for the Turkish national team between 2015 and 2017. The defender began his career at Genclerbirligi after progressing through the club`s youth ranks in 2011 and joined Konyaspor after a three-year stint at Galatasaray in 2020.He made 51 appearances for the Super Lig club, Konyaspor, prior to his passing.

After learning of Calik`s death, the Turkish FA said in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that we learned that Ahmet Calik, football player of Ittifak Holding Konyaspor, who also played in our national team, passed away as a result of a traffic accident. May Allah have mercy on the deceased. Our condolences to his family, relatives, Ittifak Holding Konyaspor Club and the Turkish football community."Muharrem Kasapoglu, Turkey`s minister for sport as per goal.com, said: "I have learned with deep regret that our national football player Ahmet Calik, who plays for Konyaspor, passed away in a traffic accident on the Ankara - Nigde highway."

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"May God have mercy on the late Ahmet Calik, who also served in our national team. My condolences to his family, Konyaspor and the entire football community."Calik made his international debut for Turkey against Greece back in 2015 and was named in their Euro 2016 squad. Konyaspor on Twitter said: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our football player Ahmet Calik, who has won the love of our fans and our city since the first day he came to our Konyaspor. Condolences to all of us, especially to the family of our football player Ahmet Calik."Galatasaray said: "It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of our former football player Ahmet Calik. May God have mercy on the deceased, we express our condolences to his grieving family, loved ones and Turkish sports community."

Turkish international footballer Ahmet Calik has died in a car accident at the age of 27 on Tuesday.Calik played eight times for the Turkish national team between 2015 and 2017.

Turkish international footballer Ahmet Calik has died in a car accident at the age of 27 on Tuesday.Calik played eight times for the Turkish national team between 2015 and 2017. The defender began his career at Genclerbirligi after progressing through the club`s youth ranks in 2011 and joined Konyaspor after a three-year stint at Galatasaray in 2020.He made 51 appearances for the Super Lig club, Konyaspor, prior to his passing. After learning of Calik`s death, the Turkish FA said in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that we learned that Ahmet Calik, football player of Ittifak Holding Konyaspor, who also played in our national team, passed away as a result of a traffic accident. May Allah have mercy on the deceased. Our condolences to his family, relatives, Ittifak Holding Konyaspor Club and the Turkish football community."Muharrem Kasapoglu, Turkey`s minister for sport as per goal.com, said: "I have learned with deep regret that our national football player Ahmet Calik, who plays for Konyaspor, passed away in a traffic accident on the Ankara - Nigde highway." ALSO READ | Scott McTominay seals narrow FA Cup win for Manchester United over Aston Villa "May God have mercy on the late Ahmet Calik, who also served in our national team. My condolences to his family, Konyaspor and the entire football community."Calik made his international debut for Turkey against Greece back in 2015 and was named in their Euro 2016 squad. Konyaspor on Twitter said: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our football player Ahmet Calik, who has won the love of our fans and our city since the first day he came to our Konyaspor. Condolences to all of us, especially to the family of our football player Ahmet Calik."Galatasaray said: "It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of our former football player Ahmet Calik. May God have mercy on the deceased, we express our condolences to his grieving family, loved ones and Turkish sports community."

Turkish international footballer Ahmet Calik passes away at 27 in a car crash

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