Author: Daily Sabah With AA

Türkiye aims to increase the number of licensed pilots, which reached 15,530 by the end of last year, to over 16,000 by 2025, further strengthening the country’s position in aviation. According to data compiled by the Anadolu Agency (AA) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the aviation sector is now seen not only as a means of transportation but also as a bridge that brings countries closer and facilitates cultural integration. The aviation sector plays a significant role in economic growth, tourism development and the revival of global trade. As part of the “National Technology Initiative,” steps are being…

First lady Emine Erdoğan, who is also the chair of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Council on Zero Waste, has emphasized the significant environmental impact of the fashion and textile industries and called for collective action toward “slow and sustainable fashion.” “Implementing slow and sustainable fashion has become a necessity for all of us,” she said at a special event on Friday, marking the International Day of Zero Waste. Erdoğan’s remarks were made during an event held at the U.N. General Assembly, organized by Türkiye’s Permanent Mission to the U.N., the Zero Waste Foundation, the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), and…

As it has for many years, the Haseki Sultan Lodge continues to provide iftar meals to the needy during this Ramadan. The charitable foundation, established 473 years ago by the Ottoman Empire in Jerusalem, has been offering hot meals to those in need, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. The lodge was founded by Hurrem Sultan, the wife of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, in 1552, just 100 meters from the Gate of the Assembly at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Despite the passage of time, it remains a vital source of support for Jerusalem’s poor. Described by Palestinian historian Arif al-Arif…

The Association for the Protection of Marine Life (DYKD) from Türkiye has partnered with the local eyewear manufacturer Billur Optik to transform ghost nets retrieved from the Marmara Sea into raw material for sunglasses frames. The initiative, launched over the past two years, has resulted in the recovery of 1,500 square meters of ghost nets from the sea. These nets are now being processed into granules for sunglasses frame production, which began earlier this month. In the initial stage of the production process, the recovered nets are cleaned and turned into granules, which are then transported to an eyewear manufacturing…

Restoration work has begun on an 800-year-old wooden mosque built during the Danishmend era in the Terme district of Samsun in northern Türkiye, preserving one of the region’s significant cultural landmarks. The mosque, located in the Yenicamii neighborhood, is undergoing structural reinforcement and restoration to safeguard its original character while ensuring its preservation for future generations. Among the oldest mosques in the district, the nail-free wooden structure has long served the community, particularly for Friday and holiday prayers. The restoration project, led by the Samsun Governor’s Office and the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, aims to maintain the mosque’s architectural integrity, which…

A baby rhesus monkey found abandoned in a package at Antalya’s intercity bus terminal has been successfully integrated into a new family at the Antalya Natural Life Park, officials said Thursday. The monkey, named “Fıstık” (“Peanut”), was seized by authorities on Dec. 26 at the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Intercity Bus Terminal in southern Türkiye, said Aygül Arsun, director of the Antalya Natural Life Park. After undergoing health checks, the monkey was transferred to the wildlife park, where it was placed in quarantine and rehabilitation, Arsun told reporters. Following the completion of these procedures, the baby monkey was gradually introduced to…

Türkiye is introducing a support program to make domestic cars more accessible for families with three or more children, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s automotive industry infrastructure. According to information from the Anadolu Agency (AA), the Ministry of Industry and Technology is implementing measures to bolster the country’s domestic automotive sector. As part of this initiative, a new vehicle purchase assistance program is being prepared for larger families. The “My First Car: Domestic Automobile Family Support Program” aims to provide long-term financing options tailored to low-income households, enabling them to buy locally produced vehicles. The program is…

First lady Emine Erdoğan, chairperson of the U.N. High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, visited the “Zero Waste Installation Exhibition” at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Erdoğan, who traveled to New York to deliver a speech at the U.N.’s special event for International Zero Waste Day on March 30, toured the exhibition held in the U.N. garden. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Zero Waste Foundation, U.N.-Habitat and the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), was attended by Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, U.N. High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small…

A fire broke out at a hotel in the Uludağ ski resort area in Türkiye’s Bursa early Thursday, killing two people and injuring another, officials said. The hotel had been shut down in January due to the expiration of its tourism license. Authorities said the fire started for unknown reasons in the hotel, which had lost its basic accommodation permit and was no longer licensed by the municipality. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the fire at 5:29 a.m. Twelve people, including staff working at the hotel and ski center, were inside the building when…

A construction worker in Türkiye has turned his mini excavator into a pink, cartoon-covered machine at his 8-year-old daughter’s request, despite initial concerns about being ridiculed. Bedir Çakmak, 33, who lives in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Didim in western Aydın, decided to repaint his mini excavator after its original paint became worn out. When his daughter, Elif Zümra Çakmak, heard about the repainting, she asked her father to paint it pink. At first, Çakmak hesitated, worried about what others might say. But his daughter’s happiness outweighed his concerns. He not only painted the excavator pink but also decorated it with…