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Tag: Turkey

  • Archeologists in Turkey Discover ‘World’s Oldest Bread’

    *Dates Back 8,600 Years

    Archaeologists in Turkey say they have discovered the world’s oldest known bread, dating back to 6600 BC.

    A largely destroyed oven structure was found in an area called “Mekan 66,” where there are adjoining mudbrick houses, at the archaeological site of Çatalhöyük in the southern Turkish province of Konya, according to Turkey’s Necmettin Erbakan University Science and Technology Research and Application Center (BİTAM).

    Around the oven, archaeologists found wheat, barley, pea seeds and a palm-sized, round, “spongy” residue, it said in a press release Wednesday.

    Analyses determined that the organic residue was 8,600-year-old, uncooked, fermented bread.

    “We can say that this find at Çatalhöyük is the oldest bread in the world,” archaeologist Ali Umut Türkcan, head of the Excavation Delegation and an associate professor at Anadolu University in Turkey, told Turkish state news outlet Anadolu Agency Wednesday.

    “It is a smaller version of a loaf of bread. It has a finger pressed in the center, it has not been baked, but it has been fermented and has survived to the present day with the starches inside. There is no similar example of something like this to date,” he added.

    Scanning electron microscope images showed air spaces in the sample, with the sighting of starch grains “eliminating our suspicions,” biologist Salih Kavak, a lecturer at Gaziantep University in Turkey, said in the release.

    He added that analyses uncovered chemicals found in plants and indicators of fermentation. Flour and water had been mixed in, with the bread having been prepared next to the oven and kept for a while.

    “It is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world,” Kavak said.

    The organic matter – both wood and bread – was preserved by thin clay that covered the structure, according to Türkcan.

    Çatalhöyük, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, was home to approximately 8,000 people during the Neolithic period, between around 10,000 BC to 2,000 BC, and is one of the world’s first places of urbanization, according to BITAM.

    Research at the well-preserved site has revealed distinctive housing layouts and extensive features such as wall paintings and reliefs – causing it to be considered “the most significant human settlement documenting early settled agricultural life of a Neolithic community,” according to the UNESCO website.

    “Çatalhöyük was already the center of many firsts. The world’s first weavings were already in Çatalhöyük when it was excavated. Wooden artifacts were also in Çatalhöyük. Wall paints and paintings were added to this. Konya and Turkey are very lucky in this sense,” Türkcan said.

    CNN/Simeon Ugbodovon

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  • Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu Slug it out in Turkey’s Presidential Run-off

    Turks are voting in a momentous presidential run-off to decide whether or not Recep Tayyip Erdogan should remain in power after 20 years.

    His challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, backed by a broad opposition alliance, has billed the vote as a referendum on Turkey’s future direction.

    The president, who is favourite to win, promises a new era uniting the country around a “Turkish century”.

    But the more pressing issue is rampant inflation and a cost-of-living crisis.

    Polling stations close at 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT). Turkish expats in Europe and the US have already cast their vote.

    Turnout in the first round was an impressive 88.8%, and Mr Erdogan’s lead was 2.5 million votes. That is why both candidates have their eye on the eight million who did not vote – but could this time.

    One of President Erdogan’s final acts before the vote was to lay carnations at a mausoleum

    Ahead of the run-off Mr Kilicdaroglu accused his rival of foul play, by blocking his text messages to voters while the president’s messages went through.

    Opposition parties are deploying an army of volunteers in a bid to ensure no vote-rigging takes place.

    International observers spoke of an uneven playing field after the first round. But there was no suggestion that any irregularities in voting would have changed the result.

    Mr Kilicdaroglu promised a very different style of presidency on his final day of campaigning: “I have no interest in living in palaces. I will live like you, modestly… and solve your problems.”

    A boy takes a picture of his grandmother, 59, with Kemal Kilicdaroglu

    It was a swipe at Mr Erdogan’s enormous palatial complex on the edge of Ankara which he moved to when he switched from prime minister to president in 2014. After surviving a failed coup in 2016 he took on extensive powers, detained tens of thousands of people and took control of the media.

    So it was laden with symbolism when he paid a campaign visit on Saturday to the mausoleum of a prime minister executed by the military after a coup in 1960.

    “The era of coups and juntas is over,” he declared, linking Turkey’s current stability to his own authoritarian rule.

    Turkey, however, is deeply polarised, with the president reliant on a support base of religious conservatives and nationalists, while his opposite number’s supporters are mainly secular – but many of them are nationalist too.

    For days the two men traded insults. Mr Kilicdaroglu accused the president of cowardice and hiding from a fair election; Mr Erdogan said his rival was on the side of “terrorists”, referring to Kurdish militants.

    But after days of inflammatory rhetoric about sending millions of Syrian refugees home, the opposition candidate returned to Turkey’s number-one issue – the economic crisis, and in particular its effect on poorer households.

    BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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  • Ghanaian Footballer, Christian Atsu Found Dead in Turkey Quake Rubble

    Footballer Christian Atsu has been found dead under the rubble of his home almost two weeks after the Turkey earthquake, his agent has confirmed.

    Atsu, 31, had played for Chelsea and Newcastle in the Premier League.

    The Ghana international had not been seen since the quake that caused the collapse of the apartment in the city of Hatay in which he was staying.

    His club Hatayspor initially reported he was rescued “with injuries” but a day later that position changed.”

    It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning,” his agent Nana Sechere tweeted on Saturday.

    “My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.”

    BBC/Olaolu Fawole

  • Earthquake: Rescue Operations Ongoing as WHO Predicts Alarming Casualty Rate

    The death toll from a strong earthquake in south-eastern Turkey, near Syria’s border, could rise eight-fold, the World Health Organisation has warned.

    The toll, which currently stands at more than 3,400 people, has increased rapidly since the first earthquake struck early on Monday morning.

    About 12 hours later, a second powerful tremor hit further north.

    Rescuers have been combing through mountains of rubble in freezing and snowy conditions to find survivors.

    Countries around the world are sending support to help the rescue efforts, including specialist teams, sniffer dogs and equipment.

    The US Geological Survey said the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep.

    Seismologists said the first quake was one of the largest ever recorded in Turkey. Survivors said it took two minutes for the shaking to stop.

    The second quake – triggered by the first – had a magnitude of 7.5, and its epicentre was in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province.

    Many aftershocks are still being felt across the region.

    The number of dead and injured from both Turkey and Syria has increased rapidly throughout Monday.

    WHO has warned that those numbers are likely to increase as much as eight times, as rescuers find more victims in the rubble.

    “We always see the same thing with earthquakes, unfortunately, which is that the initial reports of the numbers of people who have died or who have been injured will increase quite significantly in the week that follows,” the WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, told AFP.

    Ms Smallwood added that the snowy conditions will leave many people without shelter, adding to the dangers.

    BBC / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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  • Mine Blast Leaves 28 Dead, Many Trapped in Turkey

    Forty people are now thought to have died following an explosion in a coal mine in northern Turkey, the country’s interior minister says,

    Suleyman Soylu earlier said 58 people had been rescued from the mine and over a dozen remained trapped.

    Around 110 people were in the mine at the time of the blast on Friday, almost half of them at over 300 metres deep.

    Emergency crews worked through the night, digging through rocks to try to reach more survivors.

    Video footage shows miners emerging blackened and bleary-eyed accompanied by rescuers at the facility in Amasra, on the Black Sea coast.

    The family and friends of the missing could also be seen at the mine, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.

    “Fifty-eight of our miners were able to come out unharmed. We estimate that 15 of our miners are [trapped] below and we are trying to rescue them,” Mr Soylu told reporters at the scene.

    The explosion is believed to have occurred at around 300m deep. Some 49 people had been working in the “risky” zone between 300 and 350m (985 to 1,150ft) underground, Mr Soylu said.

    The cause of the blast is not yet known, and the local prosecutor’s office has begun an investigation.

    Turkey’s energy minister said there were initial indications that the blast was caused by firedamp, which is methane forming an explosive mixture in coal mines.

    “We are facing a truly regretful situation”, he said.

    There were partial collapses inside the mine, he said, adding that there were no ongoing fires, and that ventilation was working properly.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to visit the site on Saturday.

    Amasra’s mayor Recai Cakir said many of those who survived had suffered “serious injuries”.

    One worker who managed to escape on his own said: “There was dust and smoke and we don’t know exactly what happened.”

    The mine belongs to the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises.

    Turkey witnessed its deadliest coal mining disaster in 2014, when 301 people died after a blast in the western town of Soma.

    BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

  • A journey to Turkish Custom

    Are you visiting Türkiye for the first time? Do you plan to spend this summer in any of the beautiful cities of Türkiye?

    Then, you need this information about the customary acts of Turkish people.  

    First, let’s talk about greetings. Do you know how to greet a Turkish man or woman? Turkish people make salutations by saying “Selam” or “Merhaba.”  These terms translate to “Hi” or “Hello.”

    There is also the customary greeting. Men shake hands when they meet or do head greetings, that is touching one’s head against another. Otherwise, you could do the half hug when you greet a friend. 

    A Turkish invite should be honoured. This is an important aspect that you take note of. When a Turkish man or woman invites you over for tea or coffee, it is only proper to reply in the affirmative.  Except, of course, you have a very earnest reason why you would not be able to. You should also never refuse Turkish tea or coffee. It is considered rude to do so. 

    This third point is basic etiquette but it has to be included on this list. If a Turk invites you for a dinner or meet-up, lateness is disrespectful. Do not keep the person waiting for hours. You get there minutes before the meeting starts. 

    Another salient aspect of Turkish culture is the language.  If you are visiting for the first time, try to learn the basic greetings and phrases in the language. You are bound to impress the average Turk when you do so. You say “Günaydın” for “Good morning,” “Nasılsın” for “How are you?”, “Geçmiş olsun” for “Get well soon”

    Take charge of your next trip to Türkiye by keeping these points in mind.

    You will definitely have a splendid time.

    Mercy Bamigbola

  • Turkey Officially Changes Name to ‘Turkiye’

    Turkey has told the United Nations that, at the behest of its president, it wishes from now on to be called “Turkiye” in all languages, the UN announced Thursday.

    “The change is immediate,” Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief’s spokesperson, told AFP by email.

    He noted that Ankara’s official letter requesting the change had been received at the UN’s New York headquarters on Wednesday.

    The day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavasoglu had tweeted a photo of himself signing the letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

    “With the letter I sent to the UN Secretary General today, we are registering our country’s name in foreign languages at the UN as ‘Turkiye,’” he wrote, including an umlaut over the “u”.He added that the change would bring to an end the process of “increasing the brand value of our country,” an initiative started by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led the country for almost two decades.

    Over the past few years, the country has sought to change the branding on its products from “made in Turkey” to “made in Turkiye.”

    In addition to making the UN’s nomenclature match how the nation is spelled in Turkish, the update would also help distinguish the country from the bird of the same name in English.“The name change may seem silly to some but it puts Erdogan in the role of protector, of safeguarding international respect for the country,” Georgetown University professor Mustafa Aksakal was quoted as saying in The New York Times.

    The newspaper also noted that the move comes ahead of next year’s presidential election as well as the centenary of the nation’s founding after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.

    AFP/Olaolu Fawole

  • Turkey Launches International Hunt for Cryptocurrency Boss

    Turkey has issued an international arrest warrant for the founder of a cryptocurrency trading platform.

    State media report that Faruk Fatih Ozer fled to Albania with an alleged $2bn from 391,000 investors.

    Police also arrested 62 people in simultaneous dawn raids in eight Turkish cities over alleged connections to Mr Ozer’s company, Thodex.

    Mr Ozer called the allegations against him “baseless” and said he is in Albania for work meetings.

    The Turkish justice ministry has begun legal proceedings to seek the arrest and extradition of Mr Ozer from the Albanian capital Tirana, Andalou reported, adding that Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had spoken to his Albanian counterpart on the phone.

    Interpol issued a red notice for Mr Ozer on Friday after receiving a request from Ankara.

    https://buy.tinypass.com/checkout/template/cacheableShow?aid=tYOkq7qlAI&templateId=OTBYI8Q89QWC&templateVariantId=OTV94JNS34IRH&offerId=fakeOfferId&experienceId=EXAWX60BX4NU&iframeId=offer_d775c974438729982894-0&displayMode=inline Increasing numbers of Turkish people are opting to use cryptocurrencies in an attempt to protect their savings from a sharp decline in the value of the local currency, the lira. But the Turkish cryptocurrency market is unregulated.

    Last week, Turkey said it would ban the use of cryptocurrencies to pay for goods and services from 30 April.

    What happened to Thodex?

    Things started to look amiss on Wednesday when Thodex posted a mysterious message saying it needed five days to handle an unspecified outside investment. It then suspended trading.

    Investors started to contact the authorities, with complaints against Thodex up by more than 1,160% compared to the previous week.

    On Thursday, Turkish security officials released a photo of Mr Ozer, believed to be 27 years old, at Istanbul Airport travelling to an undisclosed location.

    It was later confirmed by security sources that he had been in Albania since Tuesday.

    In a message posted to Thodex’s official Twitter account that day, Mr Ozer denied the allegations.

    He said he was abroad for meetings with foreign investors, and that he would return to Turkey “in a few days and cooperate with judicial authorities so that the truth can come out”.

    Then at 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Friday, the police launched raids in eight different Turkish cities, including Istanbul, where they searched the company’s headquarters and seized computers and digital materials.

    They had warrants to arrest 78 suspects in total, and have detained 62 so far.

    Officials have also frozen Mr Ozer’s bank accounts.

    BBC

  • Covid-19: Explosion Kills Nine Coronavirus Patients in Turkey

    Nine people have been killed after an oxygen ventilator exploded at a hospital treating coronavirus patients in southern Turkey, officials say.

    The blast caused a fire in the intensive care unit of the private Sanko University Hospital in Gaziantep, the local governor’s office said.

    At least one of the patients died while being transferred to another hospital.

    Turkey has recorded nearly two million coronavirus cases and 17,610 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    No injuries were reported in relation to the fire, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning and was quickly put out.

    The victims were aged between 56 and 85, the hospital said in a statement.

    An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the explosion.

    Several other patients being treated at the same ward were transferred to receive treatment at nearby hospitals, the Gaziantep governor’s office said.

    “Authorities have taken the necessary measures,” the statement said, while offering condolences to the families of the victims.

    Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tweeted to wish “urgent healing to the wounded”, adding: “Get well soon, Gaziantep.”

    Last month, a fire at a hospital in Romania killed 10 patients receiving treatment for Covid-19. Reports suggested that a medical appliance caught fire, igniting a nearby oxygen cylinder.

    In October, more than 150 patients at a makeshift coronavirus hospital in the Russian region of Chelyabinsk had to be evacuated when an explosion in an “oxygen booth” caused a fire, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.

    BBC