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x0x Turkish News for the week ending 11 March 2023
[This is a transcript of the news broadcast on 11 March 2023]
Courtesy of Turkish Radio Hour, producer of the
TURKISH CULTURAL PROGRAM, every Saturday from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M.
on KXSF: kxsf.fm/ or FM 102.5 in San Francisco
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Ahmet Toprak is the editor-in-chief. Your broadcast host is xxx Ahmet Toprak Fuad Tokad.
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NEWS
★ The devastating February 6 earthquakes and aftershocks dominated the news from Turkey last week.
Here is a summary:
On March 9, VOA's Dorian Jones reported that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is pushing back against critical quake response. Rights groups warned that independent Turkish media faced fines and arrests over critical reporting, he added.
See the video report >> here <<
Read a news article on the detainment of a journalist >> here <<
In another VOA news, Henry Ridgwell writes that many are questioning why so many relatively modern buildings collapsed in the 7.8 magnitude tremor.
The damage extends across 11 provinces in Turkey, and thousands of crews are slowly removing millions of metric tons of debris.
But questions over the level of devastation are not going away, Henry Ridgwell writes.
He adds that some engineers point the finger at Turkish government policy.
Hasan Aksungur, chairman of the Chamber of Civil Engineers in the city of Adana on the edge of the earthquake zone, told VOA the following:
"The fact that the buildings next to those [collapsed] exposed to the same impact were not destroyed shows that either the design, or the implementation, or the inspection stages of these were broken."
Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan say his government repeatedly offered amnesties for illegal buildings allowing builders to skip crucial safety regulations. Millions of buildings were certified in this way.
In his 2019 election campaign rallies, Mr. Erdoğan boasted about these amnesties as solutions to people's problems.
Read the details >> here <<
Here is a summary:
On March 9, VOA's Dorian Jones reported that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is pushing back against critical quake response. Rights groups warned that independent Turkish media faced fines and arrests over critical reporting, he added.
See the video report >> here <<
Read a news article on the detainment of a journalist >> here <<
In another VOA news, Henry Ridgwell writes that many are questioning why so many relatively modern buildings collapsed in the 7.8 magnitude tremor.
The damage extends across 11 provinces in Turkey, and thousands of crews are slowly removing millions of metric tons of debris.
But questions over the level of devastation are not going away, Henry Ridgwell writes.
He adds that some engineers point the finger at Turkish government policy.
Hasan Aksungur, chairman of the Chamber of Civil Engineers in the city of Adana on the edge of the earthquake zone, told VOA the following:
"The fact that the buildings next to those [collapsed] exposed to the same impact were not destroyed shows that either the design, or the implementation, or the inspection stages of these were broken."
Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan say his government repeatedly offered amnesties for illegal buildings allowing builders to skip crucial safety regulations. Millions of buildings were certified in this way.
In his 2019 election campaign rallies, Mr. Erdoğan boasted about these amnesties as solutions to people's problems.
Read the details >> here <<
★ Associated Press reports a month after the quakes hit, hundreds of thousands still lack adequate shelter and sanitation.
So far, a United Nations relief appeal to raise $1 billion has collected only 10%.
Read the details >> here <<
So far, a United Nations relief appeal to raise $1 billion has collected only 10%.
Read the details >> here <<
★ The Lifestyle Asia website reports that chefs in Bangkok, Thailand are giving a helping hand to the chefs in Turkey, cooking in relief kitchens. On March 5, they hosted an event dubbed "Hand in Hand Earthquake Relief Gala Dinner."
At the event, fifteen of Bangkok's best restaurants served their delicacies. 100% of the proceeds went to the World Central Kitchen.
Established by Spanish-American chef José Andres in 2010, World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in case of natural disasters.
It opened kitchens throughout the vast earthquake zone in collaboration with Turkish chefs and restaurants.
Read the details >> here <<
At the event, fifteen of Bangkok's best restaurants served their delicacies. 100% of the proceeds went to the World Central Kitchen.
Established by Spanish-American chef José Andres in 2010, World Central Kitchen is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in case of natural disasters.
It opened kitchens throughout the vast earthquake zone in collaboration with Turkish chefs and restaurants.
Read the details >> here <<
★ Developments on the political front were on the headlines, also.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the elections would be early on May 14.
Also, Meral Akşener, the leader of the center-right Good Party, returned to the main opposition alliance form for elections.
As we told you last week, objecting to Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's presidential candidacy, Ms. Akşener quit the alliance. She said that Istanbul and Ankara mayors from the Republican People's Party would be better candidates since they did well in public opinion surveys.
The two mayors, Messrs. İmamoğlu and Yavaş, met with her. She said she would return to the alliance if the two would be vice presidents in the cabinet.
However, if they are in the cabinet, Messrs. İmamoğlu and Yavaş have to relinquish their posts as mayors and allow the Justice and Development Party to grab these posts.
To prevent it, mayors said they would step in as presidential advisers. That convinced Ms. Akşener to go back to the alliance and support Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu as the presidential candidate.
In the meantime, the daily Duvar reported that Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu started getting death threats after announcing his candidacy for the president of Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the elections would be early on May 14.
Also, Meral Akşener, the leader of the center-right Good Party, returned to the main opposition alliance form for elections.
As we told you last week, objecting to Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's presidential candidacy, Ms. Akşener quit the alliance. She said that Istanbul and Ankara mayors from the Republican People's Party would be better candidates since they did well in public opinion surveys.
The two mayors, Messrs. İmamoğlu and Yavaş, met with her. She said she would return to the alliance if the two would be vice presidents in the cabinet.
However, if they are in the cabinet, Messrs. İmamoğlu and Yavaş have to relinquish their posts as mayors and allow the Justice and Development Party to grab these posts.
To prevent it, mayors said they would step in as presidential advisers. That convinced Ms. Akşener to go back to the alliance and support Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu as the presidential candidate.
In the meantime, the daily Duvar reported that Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu started getting death threats after announcing his candidacy for the president of Turkey.
★ In another development, Ms. Akşener said that she approves of Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's potential dialogue with the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party. However, she ruled out the possibility of the People's Democratic Party getting ministerial positions in exchange for its support for Kılıçdaroğlu.
Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the People's Democratic Party, openly advocates that his party support Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.
On March 9, he said that now the goal is to ensure the main opposition alliance's presidential candidate Kılıçdaroğlu becomes the joint candidate of all of Turkey.
Demirtaş said he expects Kılıçdaroğlu to openly negotiate with the People's Democratic Party and show how the Republican People's Party leader approaches the party's democratic demands because "People's Democratic Party supporters do not want to vote for Kılıçdaroğlu hesitantly, and nothing like that will happen anyway."
On March 10, according to Bianet, People's Democratic Party Co-Chairperson Mithat Sancar said in a TV interview that the party would be deciding whether or not to run with a candidate in the presidential elections after Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu visits the party.
Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the People's Democratic Party, openly advocates that his party support Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.
On March 9, he said that now the goal is to ensure the main opposition alliance's presidential candidate Kılıçdaroğlu becomes the joint candidate of all of Turkey.
Demirtaş said he expects Kılıçdaroğlu to openly negotiate with the People's Democratic Party and show how the Republican People's Party leader approaches the party's democratic demands because "People's Democratic Party supporters do not want to vote for Kılıçdaroğlu hesitantly, and nothing like that will happen anyway."
On March 10, according to Bianet, People's Democratic Party Co-Chairperson Mithat Sancar said in a TV interview that the party would be deciding whether or not to run with a candidate in the presidential elections after Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu visits the party.
★ Speaking of the People's Democratic Party, on March 9, Turkey's constitutional court lifted its previous ruling to block the party's bank accounts holding Treasury aid, state-run
Anatolia News Agency reported.
On the same day, the court also postponed the date of the People's Democratic Party defense for the case from March 14 to April 11 upon the party's request.
On January 5, the court ruled to block the bank accounts as it continued hearing a case seeking the party's closure over alleged ties to the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party militants.
According to the daily Duvar, on March 10, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Turkish far-right Nationalist Action Party, commenting on the constitutional court's ruling, referred to the constitutional court as the backyard of the separatist terrorist organization. Mr. Bahçeli's party is in the ruling coalition with the Justice and Development Party.
Read about Mr. Bahçeli's remarks >> here <<
On the same day, the court also postponed the date of the People's Democratic Party defense for the case from March 14 to April 11 upon the party's request.
On January 5, the court ruled to block the bank accounts as it continued hearing a case seeking the party's closure over alleged ties to the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party militants.
According to the daily Duvar, on March 10, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Turkish far-right Nationalist Action Party, commenting on the constitutional court's ruling, referred to the constitutional court as the backyard of the separatist terrorist organization. Mr. Bahçeli's party is in the ruling coalition with the Justice and Development Party.
Read about Mr. Bahçeli's remarks >> here <<
★ On March 5, in a match in Turkey's North Western province of Bursa, fans of Bursaspor threw objects, some explosive, at Amedspor players. They also furled banners implying the approval of state violence in Turkey's southeast.
Amedspor is from Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
On March 7, Nationalist Action Party leader Mr. Bahçeli praised the racist attacks, according to the characterization of the daily Duvar. Read the daily Duvar article for details >> here <<
The disciplinary board of the Turkish Football Federation has imposed an eight-game fan ban and a $17,200 fine on Bursaspor after racist attacks.
Amedspor is from Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
On March 7, Nationalist Action Party leader Mr. Bahçeli praised the racist attacks, according to the characterization of the daily Duvar. Read the daily Duvar article for details >> here <<
The disciplinary board of the Turkish Football Federation has imposed an eight-game fan ban and a $17,200 fine on Bursaspor after racist attacks.
★ According to Bianet, thousands of Turkish women and LGBTI+ gathered near Istanbul's Taksim
Square for the March 8 International Women's Day.
Gathering in the nearby neighborhood of Cihangir, women and LGBTI+ people commemorated the women killed, protested the government policies, sent messages to the world, and had fun. The night march ended at 21:00 after reading out the press statement.
After the statement, using tear gas, the police intervened with the women who wanted to march to Taksim Square and took many of them into custody.
Police also allowed people from other parts of Istanbul only after determining and recording their identities.
Gathering in the nearby neighborhood of Cihangir, women and LGBTI+ people commemorated the women killed, protested the government policies, sent messages to the world, and had fun. The night march ended at 21:00 after reading out the press statement.
After the statement, using tear gas, the police intervened with the women who wanted to march to Taksim Square and took many of them into custody.
Police also allowed people from other parts of Istanbul only after determining and recording their identities.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Edited by Saadet Ejder
(Click to see a larger view)
★ On March 16, Duygu Demir, Assistant Professor of Visual Arts & Visual Communication Design, Sabancı University
will have a talk at U. C. Berkeley on the paintings in the late Ottoman Empire and
early Republican Turkey.
Focusing on two generations of artists, Ms. Demir will explain how these artists rose up to what they defined as the academicism of their teachers, formed generational alliances, opened exhibitions, served as missionaries of the new nation, attempted to find perpetual principles for Turkish art, struggled to find their artistic identities, and got labeled as European imitators. Pressed between divergent expectations from the outside as well as the inside, they oscillated between the search for the universal and striving for the local.
The talk will be at the 308A Dole library at 3:30 PM.
Focusing on two generations of artists, Ms. Demir will explain how these artists rose up to what they defined as the academicism of their teachers, formed generational alliances, opened exhibitions, served as missionaries of the new nation, attempted to find perpetual principles for Turkish art, struggled to find their artistic identities, and got labeled as European imitators. Pressed between divergent expectations from the outside as well as the inside, they oscillated between the search for the universal and striving for the local.
The talk will be at the 308A Dole library at 3:30 PM.
(Click to see a larger view)
★ The Turkish philanthropy funds announced that the last day to apply for Sena Eken Schieber Economics Award is March 15 at 5 PM EST.
The Turkish Philanthropy Funds gives the award to women pursuing education in economics to follow in the footsteps of Sena Eken Schieber.
Sena Eken Schieber was a prominent economist. She had a long and distinguished career in the International Monetary Fund, during which she took a leave of absence to be an Advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Turkey in 1987.
She is the author of numerous publications, including the recently published DEIK, Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board, study entitled "Turkey 2000-2010: A Decade of Transition."
For more information, go to http://www.tpfund.org/sena-eken-schieber-scholarship-award/ >> here <<
The Turkish Philanthropy Funds gives the award to women pursuing education in economics to follow in the footsteps of Sena Eken Schieber.
Sena Eken Schieber was a prominent economist. She had a long and distinguished career in the International Monetary Fund, during which she took a leave of absence to be an Advisor to the Governor of the Central Bank of Turkey in 1987.
She is the author of numerous publications, including the recently published DEIK, Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board, study entitled "Turkey 2000-2010: A Decade of Transition."
For more information, go to http://www.tpfund.org/sena-eken-schieber-scholarship-award/ >> here <<
★ Late in February, in operations carried out in various districts of Istanbul, Turkish police recovered 773 historical objects stolen from the Yıldız Palace.
The objects are from the Ottoman, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine era , including several books and postcards written and signed by Prince Mehmet Burhanettin, son of Sultan Abdülhamid II.
Police took into custody five people.
The objects are from the Ottoman, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine era , including several books and postcards written and signed by Prince Mehmet Burhanettin, son of Sultan Abdülhamid II.
Police took into custody five people.
(Click to open a larger view)
Copyright by Dick Osseman. Published with his permission.
See the original and more photos of the statues >> here <<
★ The statues of deities on top of 6500-foot Mount Nemrut in the recent earthquake zone and a Roman bridge survived the strong tremors.
The giant statues are 2000 years old. The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Although the statues are intact, the earthquakes damaged some structures, such as stairs to the top of the mountain.
Also, one side of the mountain collapsed, raining huge rocks into the valley below.
The nearby city of Adıyaman suffered heavily from the earthquake, and many hotels collapsed. Therefore, there will be a shortage of beds for tourists.
The giant statues are 2000 years old. The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Although the statues are intact, the earthquakes damaged some structures, such as stairs to the top of the mountain.
Also, one side of the mountain collapsed, raining huge rocks into the valley below.
The nearby city of Adıyaman suffered heavily from the earthquake, and many hotels collapsed. Therefore, there will be a shortage of beds for tourists.
EXCHANGE RATE
EXCHANGE RATE for the U.S. dollar in Turkish Liras: 18.96
WEATHER
Ankara, in central Turkey : 48/45 Thunderstorms Antalya, on the Mediterranean : 63/57 Showers Erzurum, in Eastern Turkey : 52/30 Mostly Cloudy Istanbul, in northwestern Turkey : 50/48 Showers Izmir, on the Aegean : 64/54 Showers Trabzon, on the Black Sea : 72/55 Mostly CloudySnow depths at skiing locations:
Erciyes in Kayseri, Central Turkey : 11 inches Ilgaz in Kastamonu, North Central Turkey: 4 inches Kartalkaya in Bolu, Western Turkey : 28 inches Palandöken in Erzurum, Eastern Turkey : 51 inches Uludağ in Bursa, Western Turkey : 22 inches Sarıkamış in Kars, Eastern Turkey : 19 inches
SPORTS
Edited by Ertuğrul Korkmaz
Premier League
* Results for week: 24
Alanya - Başakşehir 1 - 0 Kayseri - Fenerbahçe 1 - 2 K.gümrük - Sivas 4 - 3 Trabzon - Ümrani̇ye 1 - 2 Konya - Giresun 0 - 0 Beşiktaş - Ankaragücü 2 - 1 Adana - Hatay 3 - 0 G. Antep - G. Saray 0 - 3 Kasımpaşa - Antalya 3 - 1* In games played so far this weekend:
Giresun - K.gümrük 2 - 2 G. Saray - Kasımpaşa 1 - 0 Antalya - Kayseri 4 - 0 Hatay - Konya - Trabzon - Adana - Ankaragücü - Alanya - Başakşehir - Beşiktaş - Ümrani̇ye - G. Antep - Istanbul - Sivas -* Standing in the league as of week ending 23
1 - G. Saray 57 2 - Fenerbahçe 51 3 - Beşiktaş 43 4 - Adana 42 5 - Başakşehir 40 6 - Trabzon 38 7 - Kayseri 35 8 - K.gümrük 29 9 - Konya 28 10 - Alanya 28 11 - G. Antep 25 12 - Antalya 25 13 - Kasımpaşa 25 14 - Sivas 24 15 - Hatay 23 16 - Ankaragücü 22 17 - Giresun 22 18 - Istanbul 21 19 - Ümrani̇ye 18
★ Turkish athlete Tuğba Danışmaz broke a Turkish record in the triple jump and also received a gold medal in the European Indoors Athletics Championships in Istanbul.
After receiving the medal, she said: "I competed for the earthquake survivors. I am giving my medal to all earthquake survivors and all Turkish people."
After receiving the medal, she said: "I competed for the earthquake survivors. I am giving my medal to all earthquake survivors and all Turkish people."
ANNOUNCEMENTS
[Saat 14:30 and 15:30 'da iki kez okuyun]
*** Turkish American Association of California
is a non-profit
charitable organization established to promote better
understanding between Americans and Turks.
if you have any questions about Turks and Turkey,
e-mail them at taac@taaca.org
*** Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California
Organizes many events throughout the year. Follow their activities through
their web pages, or subscribe to their e-mail list by sending an email to:
secretary@acsnc.org
acsnc.org/
Location:
secretary@acsnc.org
acsnc.org/
Location:
Azerbaijan Cultural Society of Northern California
16400 Lark Ave., Suite 260
Los Gatos, CA 95032
16400 Lark Ave., Suite 260
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*** Turkish schools in the Bay Area are starting:
There are currently three schools:
Los Altos, San Ramon and Berkeley
For more information on these schools, drop an email to trh@turkradio.us.
HELLO THERE!
Our online school is starting in September. There are some innovations in our new term program, which we will start in September 2022.
We have prepared more enjoyable posts with your happy feedbacks from you.
> By the principles of language learning; listening, speaking, reading, writing activities
> Kitchen Workshop
> Anatolian Civilizations
> Interactive Games
> Periodic Projects
> Skill Workshops
> Our Holidays
> Bodily Activities
> Traditional Music
> About This Day
See you in September, love...
There are currently three schools:
Los Altos, San Ramon and Berkeley
For more information on these schools, drop an email to trh@turkradio.us.
HELLO THERE!
Our online school is starting in September. There are some innovations in our new term program, which we will start in September 2022.
We have prepared more enjoyable posts with your happy feedbacks from you.
> By the principles of language learning; listening, speaking, reading, writing activities
> Kitchen Workshop
> Anatolian Civilizations
> Interactive Games
> Periodic Projects
> Skill Workshops
> Our Holidays
> Bodily Activities
> Traditional Music
> About This Day
See you in September, love...
*** Turkish Folk Dancing with TUFOD in the South Bay
Join TUFOD as a family! For more information on the venue and hours drop us
an email, we'll put you in touch with them:
trh@turkradio.us
Or visit their web pages at https://www.tufod.org/
Or visit their web pages at https://www.tufod.org/
*** Heart to Heart Anatolia
Providing scholarships and bringing people together while promoting Anatolian cultural values
Visit their pages at h2ha.org/
Visit their pages at h2ha.org/
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