Day: February 12, 2023

Italian member of European Parliament (MEP) Andrea Cozzolino detained on Friday night as part of the ongoing EP corruption investigation, Italian news agency ANSA reported on Saturday.

The detention took place in Naples at the request of the Belgian authorities after the Italian police could not locate Cozzolino in his residence, the report said.

His detention came hours after Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella's detainment on Friday morning as part of the same investigation.

The immunity of both MEPs were lifted in a plenary session last week, paving the way for investigators to detain them.

Corruption scandal

The EU has been shaken by one of the biggest corruption scandals in its history after Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP, was arrested on Dec. 9 by Belgian police on corruption charges.

Kaili, 44, from Greece's center-left PASOK-KINAL party and one of the European Parliament's 14 vice presidents, was arrested after her home was searched on corruption charges allegedly involving Qatar, which was accused of paying Kaili to lobby for the Gulf state's interests.

Also, up to €1.5 million ($1.62 million) in cash was seized by the Belgian police across dozens of home and office searches. In addition, parliamentary computers were also requisitioned to prevent the erasure of important data.

Those detained alongside Kaili also included Italian European Parliament Deputy Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi, who worked as an assistant in the European Parliament, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the director of the non-governmental organization working on the rule of law.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Mohammad Azgar, 55, a rickshaw puller in Bangladesh's remote northern border district of Panchaghar, who occasionally work in the capital Dhaka, was seen riding his rickshaw in a gloomy mood in the upscale Gulshan area.

The long-beared man with a green apron set by the Dhaka City Corporation was speechless for a few moments sitting in his driving seat while asked about catastrophic earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria.

"They (nationals of Turkiye and Syria) are our brothers and sisters. Their pains mean our pains. As I am a poor man, I have no capacity to donate to them. But I prayed to Allah to help them," Azgar told Anadolu with a sad tone.

Standing at a close distance, another Bangladeshi national, Mohammad Kalam, was listening to Azgar carrying a bag at hand.

While asked about his arrival in Dhaka, he told Anadolu that he had come from the central northern district of Mymansing with a big blanket to support Turkish people from the bitter cold.

"I am saddened and stunned when I see through social media that people, including children, are suffering from bitter coldness amid the disaster in Turkiye. With my best capacity, I have bought this heavy blanket to donate to any victim family in Turkiye," Kalam said.

The man later came to Bangladesh's headquarters of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Dhaka's diplomatic zone of Gulshan and handed it over.

Like Kalam, hundreds of Bangladeshi nationals from different distant areas of Bangladesh on Saturday came to Dhaka's TIKA office for the second day to donate necessary items like warm clothes, dry foods to support disastrous Turkish people through the country's state-run agency.

Almost in the same breath, people from all walks of life in Bangladesh have expressed their profound condolences and sympathy to Türkiye after twin quakes shook the region.

"Since the devastating earthquake hit Turkiye last Monday, I can't sleep properly as the scenarios of the destruction and helpless faces of the victims, including tender kids, always appear in my mind. I pray to Allah - please don't test any of us with such catastrophe," Sabina Yasmin, a housewife in Bangladesh's southern coastal district of Chandpur, told Anadolu over the phone.

Overwhelming donation

Speaking to Anadolu, Bangladesh's coordinator of TIKA Sevki Mert Baris said that the first shipment of Bangladeshi donations had already reached Türkiye.

"Our first Turkish Airlines carrying almost 5 tons of necessary items donated by Bangladeshi people reached Turkiye on Saturday morning while we hope that tonight (Saturday) another shipment of nearly 10 tons to be reached," Baris said.

Expressing satisfaction over the overwhelming response of Bangladeshi nationals to the Turkish disaster, he also informed that Cargo Airlines of Turkiye would come to Bangladesh this night and hopefully carry 100 tons of relief items from Bangladesh and fly for Turkiye Sunday morning.

He also thanked the Bangladesh government for donating 10,000 tents which are essential for earthquake-hit Turkish people.

"Already 2,000 of those tents have been sent while the rest are to be sent soon," said the TIKA official, requesting people to prioritize sleeping bags, tents and heavy blankets so that people amid near-freezing temperatures can use them.

Bangladesh dispatches assistance to Syria

Bangladesh has dispatched an assistance mission to earthquake-hit Syria after a similar assistance mission was sent to Türkiye.

A special flight left from Dhaka to Syria Friday night (local time) that included a rescue team of 17 members from Bangladesh Air forces and relief goods and essential medicine said a Bangladesh foreign ministry statement on Saturday.

The humanitarian assistance contained 11 metric tons of relief goods which included dry foods, medicine, blankets, tents and winter clothes, it added. The flight is scheduled to return to Dhaka on 13 February after handing over the relief goods to the local authority in Syria.

Earlier on 08 February 2023, Bangladesh Air Force dispatched a similar special flight with relief goods and two medical teams and a rescue team with a total of 61 members to Türkiye.

The team is contributing to rescue efforts in consonance with Turkish teams.

At least 20,665 people were killed and 80,088 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, the country's disaster agency said on Saturday.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Hundreds of volunteers have worked around the clock in the Brussels expo center since Tuesday to send humanitarian aid to the victims of the major earthquakes that hit Türkiye.

“So far, 20 trucks full of winter clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, canned food, baby diapers, and formula left this place” to bring aid to those in need – with countless quake victims in 10 Turkish provinces in need of aid – Fikriye, a donations coordinator, told Anadolu.

“By Monday, three other trucks will also leave for Türkiye,” she added, explaining that none of the transport companies accepted money for the deliveries even if members of the public and businesspeople wanted to chip in.

A cargo plane and a ship, as well as 10 trucks carrying aid from other parts of Belgium, have also departed over the past week, since the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes hit Türkiye on Monday.

“It’s fantastic what I have seen here over the past week,” Philippe Close, mayor of the city of Brussels, told Anadolu.

He praised the “very dynamic Turkish community” and people who come to give a hand, often after finishing school or work.

In order “to show our solidarity with the people in Turkey,” the city of Brussels shared the expo center, “this wonderful place to welcome all the aid of the citizens” and contacted hospitals for drugs and medical equipment, he explained.

People can bring their donations to collection points all over the town or take boxes directly to the expo, which is located on the outskirts of the city, easily accessible for bigger vehicles, Close stressed.

Blankets, diapers, food and drink

Most of the aid arrives by car but Anadolu also saw people walking from the nearest tram stop and carrying a bag with a brand-new winter coat or big packages of baby diapers.

When a van arrives, a group of young men, often teenagers who just came from school, rush to unload the cargo with impressive harmony and speed.

The containers then go to triage where the volunteers sort out the goods to be sent.

“The boxes are often mixed, so we have to sort them out,” explains Marianne.

Marianne, who is Belgian of Senegalese origin and works for an NGO called Al Nabi, decided to come to help in her free time “to contribute to (alleviating) this sad situation.”

“Only the best items will be sent to Türkiye, the rest will be given to the Belgian Red Cross,” she added.

“Many shop owners contributed too with new blankets, sleeping bags, shoes,” says Fikriye.

Local restaurants and groceries also send drinks and food for the busy volunteers.

Homemade treats can be found as well, with Anadolu’s reporter offered a delicious “pisi,” or fried puff pastry.

Fikriye estimates that over one-third of the country’s Turkish community took part in the relief efforts so far, while “a lot of Moroccan people, as well as local Italian and Belgian businesspeople also contributed.”

The donations center has now amassed so many items that they plan to send cargo to Syria as well.

“We can’t keep everything for ourselves, we’re human and have to share,” said Fikriye, who is already in touch with an organization with relations to Syria.

The quakes, centered in Kahramanmaras, southern Türkiye, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, and killed over 22,300 people, according to the latest figures.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Britain dispatched another rescue mission Saturday to Türkiye that will join search and relief efforts in the wake of two powerful earthquakes.

"A Emergency Medical Team of 11, funded by the UK government left Brize Norton [in Oxfordshire] for Turkey this afternoon," the British Foreign Office wrote on Twitter.

It said the team, equipped with a field clinic, will provide urgent care to victims in quake-hit areas.

A British search and rescue team of 77 specialists arrived Tuesday in Türkiye to take part in the effort.

At least 24,600 people were killed and more than 80,000 injured by the earthquakes that jolted Türkiye on Monday, according to the official figures.

The 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude quakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces.

Source: Anadolu Agency

More than 2.5 million people in France protested pension reform Saturday, according to media reports that cited the General Labor Confederation union.

Workers from all sectors continued to object to reform plans revealed by the government in January.

The CGT counted 2.5 million demonstrators, while the Interior Ministry recorded 963,000 protesters, said the Le Figaro newspaper.

CGT's figures for Saturday are fewer than those from a Jan. 31 protest where it recorded 2.8 million but more than Jan. 19 and Feb. 7 where it said it had around 2 million.

Police in Paris counted 93,000 participants in the capital where fighting broke out between demonstrators and security forces, said Le Figaro.

Police arrested 10 suspects and one officer suffered an eye wound, said the newspaper.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote Friday on Twitter that 10,000 police officers will ensure security during the protests, including 4,500 in Paris.

The reform plans, which have triggered public outrage, include raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 in 2030 and requiring at least 43 years of work to be eligible for full pensions.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said late Saturday that at least More than 29,605 killed in powerful earthquakes in Türkiye people were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye earlier this week.

Oktay said 32,071 search and rescue teams continue to work.

He added the Earthquake Crimes Investigation Departments have been established by the prosecutor's offices on instructions of the Justice Ministry in 10 provinces affected by the quakes in the southeast.

He noted the responsibilities of 131 suspects in buildings that collapsed in the quakes were determined -- one was arrested and arrest warrants have been issued for 113 others.

Earlier, The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said 80,278 people were injured in the earthquakes.

The 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude quakes, centered in Kahramanmaras province, were felt Monday by 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

At least 218,406 search and rescue personnel were working in the field, according to the AFAD statement.

Meanwhile, Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said inspections at 171,882 buildings in 10 provinces were conducted.

"We determined that a total of 120,940 structures in 24,921 buildings collapsed, in need of urgent demolish, or severely damaged," said Kurum.

He added that buildings examined in 10 provinces, 122,279 structures were slightly damaged and undamaged.

After the initial earthquake, an air aid corridor was created by the Turkish Armed Forces to deliver search and rescue teams to the region.

A large number of aircraft for transport, including A-400Ms, carried search and rescue teams and vehicles to the region. Ambulance planes are also using the air aid corridor.

The Turkish parliament approved a three-month state of emergency Thursday to speed up aid efforts.

The country is also observing seven days of national mourning in the wake of the disaster.

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Angelina Jolie appealed Saturday for donating to Türkiye and Syria after devastating earthquakes killed thousands earlier this week.

“My heart goes out to the people of Syria and Turkey. It’s hard to grasp the unimaginable pain so many families are suffering at this time,” she wrote on Instagram.

The Hollywood star said she donated and hopes “others consider giving too,” to allow rescues teams to “continue their lifesaving work.”

She shared images from earthquake zones of both countries and a donation link.

The 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude earthquakes, centered in Turkish Kahramanmaras, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, also including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

Source: Anadolu Agency