Latest news with #Istanbul-based
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Climate
- Qatar Tribune
Earthquake shakes Istanbul
IstanbulcTypeface:> An earthquake near the north-western Turkish city of Bursa was felt strongly across Istanbul on Wednesday, although there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake had a magnitude of 4.4, with its epicentre near the town of Gemlik, about 80 kilometers south of Istanbul, according to Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory. Earlier on Tuesday, two additional moderate quakes also hit near Gemlik. The quakes caused panic in the town, broadcaster Habertürk reported. The tremor was clearly felt on both the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, which has a population of around 16 million. Turkiye sits on an active seismic zone and frequently experiences earthquakes, some of them severe. Experts regularly warn about the likelihood of a major quake striking the densely populated Marmara region which includes Istanbul. Wednesday's quake was not on the major fault line that runs just off the city's coast. (DPA)
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Hakim Ziyech Faces $720,000 Tax Debt in Turkiye After Leaving Galatasaray
Rabat – Moroccan footballer Hakim Ziyech is facing a significant tax debt in Turkiye after ending his time with Galatasaray. Turkish outlet Milliyet reported that, according to a public notice issued by Turkish authorities on June 28, Ziyech owes approximately $720,000 in unpaid taxes. The debt includes $644,000 in main tax and about $76,000 in late payment penalties, all linked to his time playing for the Istanbul-based club. Ziyech left Galatasaray during the winter transfer window for the 2023–2024 season. The Istanbul Tax Office tried to deliver the official notice directly to Ziyech, but he was not found at his registered address, added the report. Because of this, the authorities published the notice online and in four national newspapers. If Ziyech does not respond within one month, the notice will be considered officially delivered under Turkish law. Milliyet reported that Galatasaray officials explained that Ziyech had signed a contract based on a 'net salary' agreement, meaning the club was responsible for paying his taxes. As a result, Galatasaray Sportif AŞ, the club's corporate branch, is expected to cover the full amount. Ziyech, who previously played for Chelsea, had a difficult spell at Galatasaray due to injuries and limited appearances. Though he has moved on from the Turkish league, the financial matters from his time in Istanbul continue to follow him.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Besiktas says 'in talks' to sign Tammy Abraham
AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, seen here while on loan to AC Milan, is in talks to sign with the Istanbul-based Besiktas (Isabella BONOTTO) Turkish giants Besiktas on Tuesday said they were entering talks to sign English striker Tammy Abraham who is currently under contract with Serie A side AS Roma. "Negotiations have begun with the player and his club AS Roma SPA regarding the transfer of professional football player Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham," the Istanbul club said in a statement using his full name. Advertisement The 27-year-old currently has a year left of his contract with the Italian club. Italian media reports said the talks were about a loan. "Hello Black Eagles, I'm coming for you, see you at the airport," Abraham said in a video on board the club's private plane that was posted on its Instagram account. He was expected to arrive in Turkey's largest city later on Tuesday. Abraham signed for Serie A club AS Roma in August 2021 on a five-year contract after a move from Premier League club Chelsea for a fee of 41 million euros (£35 million, $48 million) and was an integral member of the side that won the 2022 Europa Conference League trophy. The former England international recently concluded a stint on loan with Roma's rivals AC Milan for the 2024-25 season, scoring 10 goals in all competitions. cta-hmw/pi
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Turkey: Cartoonist detained for satire on Prophet Muhammad; govt calls it 'ugly humour'
A Turkish cartoonist was detained and his satirical magazine targeted by protesters after publishing a controversial cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad, a move that has reignited a fierce debate over free speech and religious sensitivity in the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrest on Monday, posting a video on X showing the cartoonist, identified only as DP, being handcuffed and escorted by officers down a stairwell. He said the artist was taken into custody for questioning. The cartoon, published by the Istanbul-based Leman magazine, showed the Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses exchanging greetings mid-air while missiles rained down around them. The image quickly triggered outrage, including an attack on the magazine's headquarters, where a group of young men reportedly associated with an Islamist organisation hurled stones at the building. Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation had been opened into the magazine, citing potential charges of 'publicly insulting religious values.' 'Cartoons or drawings depicting the Prophet harmed religious sensitivities and social harmony,' Tunc said. 'No freedom grants the right to make the sacred values of a belief a subject of humour in an ugly way,' he added. The episode drew comparisons to the 2015 attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where gunmen killed 12 people after the outlet published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad -- a tragedy that underscored the risks faced by artists and journalists tackling religious taboos. Two French-born Algerian Muslim brothers Saïd Kouachi and Chérif Kouachi carried out the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack, storming Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris, spraying gunfire on January 7, 2015, nearly a decade after the weekly published cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad. A third attacker, Amedy Coulibaly, killed a police woman and then four Jewish hostages in a kosher supermarket in a Paris suburb. Like the Kouachis, Coulibaly was killed in a shootout with police.
The Star
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
News Analysis: Turkish experts warn of global energy turmoil as Iran-Israel tensions escalate
ISTANBUL, June 18 (Xinhua) -- As tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, Turkish experts are raising alarm over the conflict's potential ripple effects on global energy supplies and vital trade routes. They warn that prolonged instability could trigger soaring oil prices and destabilize energy-dependent economies worldwide, with Türkiye among the most vulnerable. Necdet Pamir, an energy policy expert and academic at Istanbul Topkapi University, emphasized that whether a country is an importer or an exporter, an uncontrollable surge in oil prices would strain all sectors and place immense pressure on the global economy. He pointed out that Brent crude oil, which was trading at around 66 U.S. dollars per barrel before the hostilities, has now climbed to more than 72 dollars -- a sharp rise with wide-reaching consequences. "This trend is particularly alarming for oil-importing countries like Türkiye," Pamir told Xinhua. "In fact, nearly all European nations, as well as many in Asia, are heavily dependent on imported oil, so the impact will be global." Soaring oil prices have already translated into rising fuel costs domestically, the expert noted. Over the past week, Türkiye raised gasoline prices twice and diesel prices three times, underscoring the inflationary impact on consumers. Türkiye's vulnerability is compounded by its near-total dependence on foreign natural gas. The country sources 98 percent of its gas from Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan through five major pipelines. "We have zero control over oil prices and no say in how gas prices are determined," Pamir remarked. "We're watching like spectators at a ping-pong match -- looking one way, then the other, with no ability to intervene." On Wednesday, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the Iran-Israel conflict has already driven up oil prices, warning that the upward trend could soon extend to natural gas. "Global oil prices are rising to levels that can impact all countries, and in parallel, we may see a global increase in natural gas prices too," Bayraktar said before a party meeting in Ankara. "Fortunately, we are currently in the summer season, when gas consumption is relatively low. I hope the situation de-escalates and returns to normal soon." Baris Doster, an international relations expert at Istanbul-based Marmara University, noted that the potential consequences of an expanded war stretch far beyond the Middle East. "Iran is critical not only for its geopolitical location and strategic importance but also for its vast oil and natural gas reserves," Doster told Xinhua. He warned that any disruption to crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows from the Gulf -- especially through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for nearly one-fifth of globally traded oil -- could rattle international markets and push prices even higher. Both experts cautioned that a further escalation could push Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz entirely. "That would mean blocking the passage of 21 million barrels of oil per day," Pamir explained. "Given that global production is around 100 million barrels daily, removing 21 million from the market would be a massive shock." According to Pamir, in such a scenario, keeping oil prices even at 100 dollars per barrel would be nearly impossible, placing a tremendous burden on the energy import bills of dependent countries.
