Author: Daily Sabah With AA

Istanbul’s Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) has approved a 35% increase in public transportation fares. The decision was made during a meeting held at the Çırpıcı Social Facilities on Wednesday, chaired by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Deputy Secretary-General Gürkan Akgün. The meeting discussed the proposal to raise fares for public transportation vehicles, taxis, school buses and employee shuttles by 35%. The proposal, which was accepted by a majority vote, will apply to IETT buses, rail systems, tunnels, nostalgic trams, private-public buses, Ulaşım AŞ, TCDD Taşımacılık AŞ and the Halkalı-Bahçeşehir and Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail lines, all of which use the Istanbulkart electronic ticket…

The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) is providing shelter for 760 children in orphanages across Idlib, Syria, where hundreds of orphans have been left behind by the ongoing Syrian civil war. The children’s needs are being met through a partnership with the Pakistan-based Selam Evi Charity Association, which funds all essential services at the orphanages. In the Beytüselam Orphan Village, 170 children live in a facility equipped with a park, a futsal court, a basketball court and a cultural center that regularly hosts various activities. Muhammet Furkan Topçu, TDV’s regional coordinator for Syria, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that alongside the orphans,…

Ersin Tarhan, a CNC machine operator, spends his days off transforming into Jack Sparrow, the famed antihero from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. Wandering the streets of Ankara in full costume – complete with long hair, beard, makeup and an uncanny resemblance to the character – Tarhan draws crowds wherever he goes. Ankara residents frequently spot Tarhan dressed as the swashbuckling pirate in parks, subway stations, fish markets and bazaars. His detailed costume and spot-on portrayal have made him a local sensation, with many stopping to snap photos with him. Ersin Tarhan walks the streets of Ankara in full…

A group of U.S. lawmakers led by Senator Peter Welch advanced the case of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish American activist killed by Israeli troops, demanding answers from the State Department on her killing. Eygi, 26, was killed by Israeli forces during a protest over illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Sept. 6. Although the U.S. called for a “swift, thorough and transparent investigation” four months ago, no accountability has been achieved. Israel’s preliminary findings claimed she was “highly likely” hit “indirectly and unintentionally” during an operation targeting a “main instigator of violent activity.” But…

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted ambassadors of European Union member states in the capital Ankara on Tuesday. The head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski, and Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister and EU Affairs Director Mehmet Kemal Bozay were also present at the meeting. No official details were given on the content of their discussions. In December, Fidan stressed the need for the EU to reconsider its approach to Türkiye’s membership process, advocating a merit-based system and enhanced regional collaboration. He stressed the importance of Türkiye’s role in Europe’s geostrategic framework, urging closer ties to strengthen the…

The Presidential National Library, which welcomed 1.9 million visitors last year, was inaugurated on Feb. 20, 2020, with a ceremony hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The event was attended by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, along with 2,500 academics, scientists and prominent figures from the culture and arts community. The National Library, with a closed area of 125,000 square meters (1,345,488.8 square feet), 201 kilometers (124.8 miles) of shelf length and a seating capacity of 5,500, is considered “Türkiye’s window to the world” with its architectural design, rich collection, cultural and art spaces and technological capabilities. The National Library has…

The Presidential National Library, which welcomed 1.9 million visitors last year, was inaugurated on Feb. 20, 2020, with a ceremony hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The event was attended by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, along with 2,500 academics, scientists and prominent figures from the culture and arts community. The National Library, with a closed area of 125,000 square meters (1,345,488.8 square feet), 201 kilometers (124.8 miles) of shelf length and a seating capacity of 5,500, is considered “Türkiye’s window to the world” with its architectural design, rich collection, cultural and art spaces and technological capabilities. The National Library has…

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) amphibious soldiers, dubbed “the crocodiles,” constitute a vital force in operations both at home and abroad because they can operate in water and on land. Personnel assigned to the 1st Amphibious Marine Infantry Brigade stationed in western Izmir province’s Foça district within the Naval Forces Command are given comprehensive and challenging training to perform tasks such as implementing force protection measures, boarding ships, searching, combating piracy, force protection during passages through narrow and shallow waters, and evacuating non-combatants. Those who pass the difficult tests such as sergeant shooting, sports, physical ability and fitness successfully among…

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held discussions with Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon in the capital Ankara and his Norwegian counterpart over the phone on Monday. No details of the meeting have been disclosed as yet. In his discussion with Espen Barth Eide, Fidan focused on the situation in Syria and efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza, Foreign Ministry sources said. Additionally, Fajon inaugurated the exhibition “The Marie Curies of the Mediterranean” at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, one of the country’s top state universities. During her two-day visit, Fajon is also scheduled to meet…

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has captured Mohammed Dib Korali, one of the perpetrators of the 2013 terror attack in the southern Hatay province. According to security sources, MIT identified the hideout of Korali in Syria. Korali was among the planners of the terrorist attack in Hatay’s Reyhanlı district and provided the bombs used in the attack. The terrorist has been handed over to Hatay police, the sources added. In a similar operation in Syria in 2018, MIT had caught Yusuf Nazik, another perpetrator and planner of the attack. Mehmet Gezer, the terrorist who ordered the deadly attack, was arrested…