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.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-seeks-chinese-debt-reschedule-amid-economic-crisis-443443" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka seeks Chinese debt reschedule amid economic crisis</a>

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

In an attempt to seek justice, 19 Uyghurs living in Turkey have filed a criminal complaint with a Turkish prosecutor against Chinese officials. The community has accused them of committing genocide, torture, rape and crimes against humanity.&nbsp; 
Gulden Sonmez, the lawyer representing the Uyghurs, is now building a case based on witness statements, photographs, videos, documents, and reports. The complaint was filed on Tuesday with the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office.

In a report by Middle East Eye, Sonmez said, "In the criminal case, the crimes of genocide, torture and rape were covered extensively in evidence. Incidents of rape and systematic sexual assault in the concentration camps were identified in the testimonies and forensic medical examinations of witnesses who had somehow escaped from the camps recently."

As per estimated by several UN experts and rights groups, more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a vast system of camps in China's far western region of Xinjiang.

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Some foreign lawmakers and parliaments have labelled the treatment of Uyghurs as genocide, citing evidence of forced sterilisations and deaths inside the camps.&nbsp;

China denies this, saying Uyghur population growth exceeds the national average.

Meanwhile, earlier in December, the US blacklisted Chinese biotech firms for trying to seek surveillance on the Uyghur minority.

According to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, "The scientific pursuit of biotechnology and medical innovation can save lives. Unfortunately, the PRC is choosing to use these technologies to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups."

(With inputs from agencies)

In an attempt to seek justice, 19 Uyghurs living in Turkey have filed a criminal complaint with a Turkish prosecutor against Chinese officials. The community has accused them of committing genocide, torture, rape and crimes against humanity.

In an attempt to seek justice, 19 Uyghurs living in Turkey have filed a criminal complaint with a Turkish prosecutor against Chinese officials. The community has accused them of committing genocide, torture, rape and crimes against humanity. Gulden Sonmez, the lawyer representing the Uyghurs, is now building a case based on witness statements, photographs, videos, documents, and reports. The complaint was filed on Tuesday with the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office. In a report by Middle East Eye, Sonmez said, "In the criminal case, the crimes of genocide, torture and rape were covered extensively in evidence. Incidents of rape and systematic sexual assault in the concentration camps were identified in the testimonies and forensic medical examinations of witnesses who had somehow escaped from the camps recently." As per estimated by several UN experts and rights groups, more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a vast system of camps in China's far western region of Xinjiang. Also read | ‘Deeply ashamed’: Chinese vice-premier says no patient should be turned away over COVID-19 restrictions Some foreign lawmakers and parliaments have labelled the treatment of Uyghurs as genocide, citing evidence of forced sterilisations and deaths inside the camps. China denies this, saying Uyghur population growth exceeds the national average. Meanwhile, earlier in December, the US blacklisted Chinese biotech firms for trying to seek surveillance on the Uyghur minority. According to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, "The scientific pursuit of biotechnology and medical innovation can save lives. Unfortunately, the PRC is choosing to use these technologies to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups." (With inputs from agencies)

'Crimes of genocide': Uyghurs in Turkey target Chinese officials by filing a criminal case

Turkey's annual&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;rate surged to its&nbsp;highest&nbsp;level&nbsp;since&nbsp;2002&nbsp;in December, official data showed Monday, after a currency crisis sparked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's unconventional economic policies.

Consumer prices jumped to 36.1 percent last month from the same period in 2020, up from 21.3 percent in November, according to the&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;statistics office.

The figure is the&nbsp;highest&nbsp;since&nbsp;October&nbsp;2002&nbsp;when&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;reached 33.45 percent, before the party of Erdogan came to power.

It is also more than seven times the official government target.

Erdogan's enduring success has often been attributed to the development and prosperity his government enabled after a financial crisis in 2001.

His Islamic-rooted party rose to power the following year, and he has dominated&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;politics for the past two decades as both prime minister and president.

But he faces an increasingly difficult path to re-election in polls due to be held by mid-2023.

Opinion polls show him losing in a second-round runoff against most major rivals, and his ruling alliance ceding control of parliament to an increasingly popular group of opposition parties.

But Erdogan has stuck fast to his policies, opposing interest rate hikes -- which he calls "the mother and father of all evil" -- to combat&nbsp;inflation.

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High interest rates are a drag on activity and slow down economic growth.

But central banks raise their policy rates out of necessity when&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;gets out of hand.

Erdogan on Monday accused "the elites" of profiting from "unearned interest income", sticking by his pledge not to raise borrowing costs.

Lira collapse

The&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;lira lost 44 percent of its value against the dollar in 2021, with the losses accelerating at the end of last year, when Erdogan orchestrated a series of sharp interest rate reductions.

The dollar soared to a historic high of nearly 18.4 liras by the time Erdogan announced new currency support measures last month that were backed by reportedly heavy indirect interest rate interventions.

The exchange rate has&nbsp;since&nbsp;slipped back down to around 13 liras to the dollar, although the&nbsp;Turkish&nbsp;currency lost a further two percent after the latest&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;reading was announced.

A dollar was worth 7.4 liras at the start of 2021.

The monthly&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;reading has turned into an politically-sensitive issue in Turkey, with opposition leaders claiming that the government is putting pressure on the statistics agency to underreport price jumps.

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They point to separate readings prepared to independent economic institutes such as the&nbsp;Inflation&nbsp;Research Group (ENAG), which calculated last month's annual&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;rate at 82.8 percent.

The official readings show prices for most food staples raising substantially above the annual&nbsp;inflation&nbsp;rate.

The price of milk, yogurt and sunflower oil all jumped by roughly 75 percent on the year, while that of chicken rose by 86 percent.

Erdogan has raised the take-home monthly minimum rage by 50 percent, raising it to 4,250 liras (about $310, 275 liras), which economists worry will further feed&nbsp;inflation.

His government has also raised sharply raised utility costs, including those of heat, gas and electricity.

Turkey's annual inflation rate surged to its highest level since 2002 in December, official data showed Monday, after a currency crisis sparked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's unconventional economic policies.

Turkey's annual inflation rate surged to its highest level since 2002 in December, official data showed Monday, after a currency crisis sparked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's unconventional economic policies. Consumer prices jumped to 36.1 percent last month from the same period in 2020, up from 21.3 percent in November, according to the Turkish statistics office. The figure is the highest since October 2002 when inflation reached 33.45 percent, before the party of Erdogan came to power. It is also more than seven times the official government target. Erdogan's enduring success has often been attributed to the development and prosperity his government enabled after a financial crisis in 2001. His Islamic-rooted party rose to power the following year, and he has dominated Turkish politics for the past two decades as both prime minister and president. But he faces an increasingly difficult path to re-election in polls due to be held by mid-2023. Opinion polls show him losing in a second-round runoff against most major rivals, and his ruling alliance ceding control of parliament to an increasingly popular group of opposition parties. But Erdogan has stuck fast to his policies, opposing interest rate hikes -- which he calls "the mother and father of all evil" -- to combat inflation. Also read | Watch: Thousands protest in Amsterdam against Covid restrictions High interest rates are a drag on activity and slow down economic growth. But central banks raise their policy rates out of necessity when inflation gets out of hand. Erdogan on Monday accused "the elites" of profiting from "unearned interest income", sticking by his pledge not to raise borrowing costs. Lira collapse The Turkish lira lost 44 percent of its value against the dollar in 2021, with the losses accelerating at the end of last year, when Erdogan orchestrated a series of sharp interest rate reductions. The dollar soared to a historic high of nearly 18.4 liras by the time Erdogan announced new currency support measures last month that were backed by reportedly heavy indirect interest rate interventions. The exchange rate has since slipped back down to around 13 liras to the dollar, although the Turkish currency lost a further two percent after the latest inflation reading was announced. A dollar was worth 7.4 liras at the start of 2021. The monthly inflation reading has turned into an politically-sensitive issue in Turkey, with opposition leaders claiming that the government is putting pressure on the statistics agency to underreport price jumps. Also read | Technology giants spy on staff to prevent unionising, report says They point to separate readings prepared to independent economic institutes such as the Inflation Research Group (ENAG), which calculated last month's annual inflation rate at 82.8 percent. The official readings show prices for most food staples raising substantially above the annual inflation rate. The price of milk, yogurt and sunflower oil all jumped by roughly 75 percent on the year, while that of chicken rose by 86 percent. Erdogan has raised the take-home monthly minimum rage by 50 percent, raising it to 4,250 liras (about $310, 275 liras), which economists worry will further feed inflation. His government has also raised sharply raised utility costs, including those of heat, gas and electricity.

Turkish inflation hits new record high after currency crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the tensions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey's lira weakened by as much as 2% on Tuesday, extending sharp losses seen a day earlier and eroding massive gains made last week, as worries about the country's monetary policy weighed on sentiment. Lira surged more than 50 per cent last week.

Turkey's lira weakened by as much as 2%

There's a street market in turkey which only has women vendors, it was started to help victims of violence and has enjoyed a buoyant trade for a long time but this market is now facing a consumer crisis our next report tells you why.

Turkey's women-only street market at standstill

Taliban has rejected reports of a deal with Turkey and Qatar. The denial comes hours after reports claiming that Qatar and Turkey have breached an agreement with Taliban to manage five airports.

Taliban rejects reports of a deal with Turkey, Qatar

Turkey and Qatar agreed to jointly operate the Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan.

Turkey, Qatar Ink Deal To Jointly Operate Kabul Airport

A person identified as an American diplomat has been accused of providing a fake passport to a Syrian national. He has now been arrested. As per reports by Turkey's news agency, the man was detained at Istanbul Airport on November 11. Later, he was formally arrested for selling a forged passport for $10,000.&nbsp;

A state department spokesperson, in a statement, said, "We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Turkey. The individual is not a US diplomat. We are providing appropriate consular services."

The Syrian was detained and questioned. However, he was released later after there were proceedings for forging the documents.

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The American man has been identified as having the initials D.J.K. and working at the US embassy in Beirut. The Syrian was trying to fly to Germany using the passport in D.J.K.'s name.

The US embassy in Ankara has not made any comments so far. There was also no response from the US embassy in Beirut.

After an examination of the security camera, it was concluded that D.J.K. handed over the passport to the Syrian national at the airport and the two also exchanged clothes.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A person identified as an American diplomat has been accused of providing a fake passport to a Syrian national. He has now been arrested. As per reports by Turkey's news agency, the man was detained at Istanbul Airport on November 11.

A person identified as an American diplomat has been accused of providing a fake passport to a Syrian national. He has now been arrested. As per reports by Turkey's news agency, the man was detained at Istanbul Airport on November 11. Later, he was formally arrested for selling a forged passport for $10,000. A state department spokesperson, in a statement, said, "We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Turkey. The individual is not a US diplomat. We are providing appropriate consular services." The Syrian was detained and questioned. However, he was released later after there were proceedings for forging the documents. Also read | ‘Boycott Intel’ grows louder in China for raising concern over Xinjiang forced labour The American man has been identified as having the initials D.J.K. and working at the US embassy in Beirut. The Syrian was trying to fly to Germany using the passport in D.J.K.'s name. The US embassy in Ankara has not made any comments so far. There was also no response from the US embassy in Beirut. After an examination of the security camera, it was concluded that D.J.K. handed over the passport to the Syrian national at the airport and the two also exchanged clothes. (With inputs from agencies)

US diplomat arrested for allegedly selling fake passport to Syrian national in Turkey

Turkish currency remains volatile. Turkey's Finance Ministry said on Tuesday a new protection scheme meant to boost confidence in the currency will be applied to lira deposits with maturities of three to 12 months.

Turkey introduces new measures to guard local currency

After witnessing a rapid fall, Turkish currency Lira bounces back owing to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's economic measures.

After a series of economic measures by Turkish President Erdogan, currency Lira rallies

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