Bird man in Turkiye vows to tend to flock after quake

Sun, 2023-02-19 00:08

Murat Guzel scatters bird feed on the roof as the sun sets over the Antakya restaurant at which he used to work before the earthquake that destroyed the southern Turkish city.
Birds, mostly pigeons, some motley and scruffy, others pristine and plump, scrabble for the feed as Guzel, 40, calls to them.
“We take care of our birds the way we take care of our children — and will continue to look after them,” he says.

Murat Guzel scatters bird food on the roof of a restaurant where he worked before the earthquake in Antakya. (AFP)
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Tunisia’s Saied expels European trade union chief for taking part in protest

Sat, 2023-02-18 23:08

TUNIS: Tunisian President Kais Saied ordered the expulsion Saturday of Europe’s top trade union official for “blatant interference” in the country’s affairs, the latest escalation in a quickening showdown with labor activists.
“On the orders of President Kais Saied, Tunisian authorities ordered the departure of Esther Lynch,” head of the European Trade Union Confederation, the presidency said in a statement.

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Turkiye’s deadly quake renews alarm for Istanbul

Fri, 2023-02-17 23:30

ISTANBUL: The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed tens of thousands across Turkiye’s southeast has reignited fears of an even more catastrophic death toll if a long-feared one hits Istanbul.
Seismologists warn that a massive earthquake is likely to strike Turkiye’s biggest city — officially home to 16 million people but estimated to hold up to 20 million — by 2030.
The city lies on the northern edge of one of Turkiye’s main fault lines and is densely packed.

A man walks next to a demolition site with a mosque in the background in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, February 17, 2023. (REUTERS)
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‘Armed robbery’: Israeli seizure of Palestinian prisoner funds condemned

Fri, 2023-02-17 22:04

RAMALLAH: Israel’s right-wing government on Friday was accused of stepping up its unprecedented campaign against Palestinian prisoners and their families in occupied Jerusalem.
Qadura Faris, chief of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, described the persecution as a “renewed catastrophe,” highlighting the Israeli confiscation of tens of thousands of dollars under the pretext of prisoners receiving undue funding from the Palestinian Authority.
Faris warned that the occupation had found “innovative ways” to expand its repression of Palestinians.

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Survey of Lebanon offshore gas field promises ‘positive results’

Fri, 2023-02-17 21:54

BEIRUT: The outlook for Lebanon’s Qana gas field project appears promising, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad said on Friday as authorities race against time to resume exploration work after demarcating the maritime borders with Israel in October.

Fayyad visited the Janus 2 ship at Beirut port, brought by TotalEnergies and its partners Eni and QatarEnergy to complete environmental surveys of the offshore Block 9 in the exclusive economic zone in preparation for oil and gas exploration.

Lebanese caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad (2nd L) and caretaker Minister of Public Works and Environment Ali Hamieh (3rd L), prepare to get onboard maritime research vessel Janus II, on February 17, 2023 at Beirut Port, after it completed environmental scanning operations in Block 9 ahead of the offshore gas exploration activities. (AFP)
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