The Latest: Turkey sees highest daily death toll in months

ANKARA, Turkey — The number of daily confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Turkey topped 50 — the highest single-day fatality in the country since mid-May.

Health Ministry figures released Friday showed that 53 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 6,564.

There were 1,610 new confirmed cases of the virus within the last 24 hours, as the number of infected people also continued to hover around levels previously seen in May.

Authorities have imposed nationwide restrictions on weddings, engagement parties and other large social gatherings.


Turkey has recorded more than 276,000 infections since March.

Associated Press

Turkish lira hits another historic low amid pandemic

LONDON (AP) — Turkey’s currency tumbled further Friday, hitting another record low.

The Turkish lira dropped to 7.3677 against the dollar before making a recovery. The lira is down about 19% versus the U.S. currency since the beginning of the year. It was trading around 7.17 on Friday afternoon.

The drop is fueled by high inflation, a wide current account deficit and the Turkish government’s push for cheap credit to drive an economy that was already fragile before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Analysts have expressed concerns over the level of Turkey’s reserves and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s aversion to high interest rates.

Turkey had been hoping for an influx of foreign currency through exports and tourism revenues, but the pandemic has sharply undermined the tourism industry and disrupted global commerce.

Speaking after Friday prayers at the recently reconverted Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Erdogan said “there are serious zigzags in the global economy after the pandemic.”

He added: “I believe the Turkish lira will fall into place ... these are temporary fluctuations.”

AP

2 bombers blow themselves up after police stop in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey—Two suicide bombers blew themselves up after refusing to surrender to police during an operation in the outskirts of the capital Ankara Saturday, a senior official said. No one else was killed or hurt.

Governor Erkan Topaca said police, acting on a tip, launched an operation to catch a man and a woman who were suspected of planning a suicide car bombing in Ankara. They were hiding inside a hut at a horse farm in the district of Haymana, just outside of the capital.

“Police called on them to surrender. They did not respond in a positive way. They blew themselves up before we could intervene,” Topaca told reporters at the scene.

Topaca said it was “highly likely” that the one of them was linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has carried out a series of suicide car bombings over the past year.

“The organization they are connected to is not clear yet but according to information we have received, it is highly likely that (the man) is linked to the PKK. The way the incident was carried out and planned points at the PKK,” he said.

Topaca said the pair would have carried out a suicide car bomb attack although their target was not known. The assailants had hung a Turkish flag on their car, in an apparent attempt to disguise themselves, he said.

Turkey has been rocked by a wave of bomb attacks since last summer that have killed hundreds of people and been blamed on either the PKK or the Islamic State group.

Fighting between the PKK and the state security forces resumed last year after the collapse of a fragile 2 ½-year cease-fire. Since then, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed in clashes, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also been killed in the clashes.

On Thursday, 10 people were slightly wounded by a bomb mounted on a motorcycle which exploded near a police station in Istanbul. On Friday the militant Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, considered an offshoot of the PKK, claimed responsibility. Six people have been detained in connection with that attack.

The deadliest attack took place in Ankara on Oct. 10, 2015, killing 103 people attending a peace rally—including many Kurdish activists. Authorities blamed that attack on the Islamic State group.

Ankara police on Friday announced a ban on all public assemblies city-wide on Monday, the anniversary of the attack.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Amy Perez, 11 other Pinoys affected by Turkey suicide bombing

At least 12 Filipinos were stranded in Turkey after the triple suicide bombing and gun attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport Tuesday night at about 10 p.m. (3 a.m. Wednesday in Manila).

TV host and actress Amy Perez was among the stranded Filipinos onboard Turkish Airlines Flight 1860.

In an Instagram post, Perez, who was with her husband Carlo Castillo, recounted her experience.

Perez said their flight was diverted to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport in Turkey after the triple suicide bombing at the Ataturk Airport.

After landing at Izmir around 12 midnight, Perez said they were told to stay put for safety reasons. She said they said stayed inside the plane for about two hours.

“May dumating na security but we were advised to stay inside the plane mas safe na daw dito,” she said in an Instagram post.

Perez got the names of the stranded Filipinos on their flight.

Arlene Meyer

Jonalyn Viray

Rio Aldene Frani

Jessie Rey Alquitran

Edwin Flores

Armil Jay Cacayurin

Querubin Red Jr.

Antonio Zafra

Henry Yamongan

May Pioquinto

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source:  globalnation.inquirer.net

Thanksgiving: Turkey, parades and shopping deals

NEW YORK — Turkey, stuffing and a helium-filled Thomas the Tank Engine were on the menu as friends and families gathered across the United States to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Here's a look at how Americans prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving.

GIANTS IN THE SKY

The nationally televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will include six new giant balloons including Thomas the Tank Engine, Paddington bear and the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. The annual event brings out throngs of people along its midtown Manhattan parade route, ending in front of the store's flagship location.

On Wednesday, passers-by on the Upper West Side got a sneak preview, as the giant balloons were inflated with helium in the neighborhood around the American Museum of Natural History.

"It's really cool, they're huge," said San Francisco resident Ella Missan. Daisy Elliot of Boston, who said she's been coming to see the balloons since she was little, agreed. "It's really exciting for me to see the balloons year after year," she said.

The parade's executive producer, Amy Kule, said organizers were glad wintry weather that made sidewalks slick and travel treacherous on Wednesday was expected to be gone by Thursday.

"We're suffering through a little bit of this now but the end result is really going to be a beautiful parade," she said.

• • •

TRAVEL TROUBLES

Rain and snow on Wednesday made getting around on one of the busiest travel days of the year a chaotic experience for some. The sloppy mixture caused hundreds of flights to be grounded in the Northeast.

Some travelers tried to beat the storm by flying out earlier, and airlines tried to be helpful by waiving re-booking fees. But many flights already were filled, leaving travelers with few options.

The roads weren't much better. By midafternoon, the line between rain and snow went along Interstate 95, the major roadway connecting Boston to Washington, and accidents abounded. Snowfall totals were expected to be as much as 6 to 12 inches in the higher elevations west of I-95.

The AAA estimated that 41.3 million travelers would be on the road between Wednesday and Sunday. That's up 4.3 percent from last year.

• • •

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

To the delight of some and consternation of others, it's increasingly become commonplace to see stores open on Thanksgiving, as retailers try to entice shoppers inside and kick off the holiday shopping season a day earlier than the traditional Black Friday. Some of the stores open for at least part of the day on the holiday include Kmart, Target, Sears, Macy's and Wal-Mart. Other stores, like Neiman-Marcus, Nordstrom and Costco, are closed.

source: lassvegassun.com

Business Opportunities In Turkey Eyed

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is exploring more business opportunities in Turkey to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.

Turkish businessmen could also participate in the public private partnership (PPP) program particularly in the construction of airports, roads and bridges, according to Ernesto Chua, chairman of the Philippine-Turkish Business Council of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Chua said Turkish investors could tie up either with the Philippine government or the private sector to undertake these priority projects.

"Financially, I think they are capable of doing. Turkey has the second biggest construction industry in the world," he said.

Chua said improvement in transport and logistics infrastructure is imperative to boosting Philippine trade with other countries.

The administration has lined up 16 projects under PPP this year with an estimated cost of P142 billion.

"We have doubled the bilateral trade from $100 million in 2010 to $200 million in 2011. There are a lot of business possibilities our two countries will be potentially inclined to undertake," he said.

Chua said that aside from food and agriculture products which Turkey also produces, the Philippines needs to export other goods there.

"We have to really identify these products. And the only way is to invite Turkish businessmen to come to Manila and hopefully, we can sustain the visitations," he said.

Beyond the traditional markets of the Philippines, the Philippine-Turkish business council also promoted lucrative business opportunities to the Latin American countries, the Middle East countries, Russia and Turkey.

Potential areas are in food and agriculture-related industries, organic chemicals, electronics, motor vehicle parts and accessories, construction, education, finance and health services.

Turkey is seen to become the 15th largest economy in the world from 2011-2017. It is the sixth largest economy among the 27 European Union countries. (EHL)

source: mb.com.ph