Latest news with #AbdulkadirUraloglu
Shafaq News
17-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's Development Road +$4B trade corridor finalized
Shafaq News/ Iraq completed the first section of the Development Road project and began the handover process, the General Company for Ports announced on Saturday. Company Director Farhan Al-Fartousi told Shafaq News that the road is being built with three lanes designated for heavy trucks and cargo. 'The first section of the road stretches from Grand Al-Faw Port to the submerged tunnel, covering 51 kilometers, and then continues from the tunnel to the main Safwan road for an additional 11 kilometers, bringing the total length of this segment to 62 km,' he explained. The project includes two major bridges—one measuring 805 meters and the other 300 meters in length. The road will also be equipped with a solar-powered lighting system implemented by Samsung, aimed at providing sustainable energy and advanced technology. Last month, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that Turkiye plans to finalize an agreement with Iraq 'very soon' on the Development Road project. The Grand Al-Faw Port is a strategic megaproject located on Al-Faw Peninsula in Basra province, southern Iraq. It aims to transform the country into a regional trade hub by connecting it to global transport networks. The port project is estimated to cost around $4.6B and spans 54 square km. It is expected to have a capacity of 99M tons annually, positioning it among the largest ports in the Gulf and the tenth largest globally.
Middle East Eye
25-04-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Syria cancels some flights to Turkey amid aviation dispute
The Syrian government abruptly suspended Turkish carrier AJet's first scheduled flight to Damascus earlier this week, triggering an aviation crisis between Turkey and Syria. AJet, a budget airline and subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, had planned to launch its inaugural flight to Damascus on 21 April. However, the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority cancelled the flight, along with subsequent planned flights. Sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye that the Syrian government requested that Ankara allow Syrian airlines to operate flights to Turkey on a reciprocal basis to resolve the crisis. At present, Turkish Airlines operates seven weekly flights to Damascus, while no Syrian airlines are permitted to fly to Turkey. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters A Turkish Transportation Ministry official told MEE that legal and technical limitations prevent Syrian airlines from flying to Turkey unless they lease or purchase new European aircraft. The official noted that the aircraft operated by Syrian Air, the country's flagship national carrier, and private airline Cham Wings fail to meet the technical standards required by Turkish and European aviation authorities. Additionally, some of these aircraft are subject to international sanctions. In February, the European Union lifted transport sanctions on the Syrian government, allowing the purchase of Airbus planes and flights to European destinations. However, US sanctions remain in place, barring certain aircraft from international operations. Tensions Earlier this week, Turkish Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu travelled to Damascus to discuss bilateral transportation issues, including potential Turkish investment in Syrian airports and railways. Uraloglu also explained Turkey's position to his Syrian counterparts and offered a potential solution. 'If they can lease aircraft with the necessary qualifications for long-distance flights that are not subject to US sanctions, we are ready to start the flights as soon as possible,' the Turkish official said. UK lifts sanctions on Syrian ministries and intelligence agencies Read More » While Turkey remains concerned about the potential fallout of international sanctions, Syrian officials argue that their airlines have successfully resumed direct flights to the UAE this week. Syrian carriers also operate flights to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and other regional destinations. A separate source told MEE that the Syrian government, struggling under a severe financial crisis caused by years of sanctions and internal conflict, is seeking to boost revenue by increasing operations of its national airlines. Turkish officials expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved as soon as next week, allowing AJet flights to resume. Despite Turkey's role as a key backer of Syria's new government following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, tensions over reciprocal arrangements have caused friction. Earlier this year, Syria significantly increased import taxes on Turkish goods, angering many Turkish citizens. Critics argue that the move was an unfair response, given Turkey's efforts in hosting nearly four million Syrian refugees since the start of the civil war in 2011.
Dubai Eye
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Istanbul earthquake leaves more than 150 injured
More than 150 people were injured in Istanbul after they jumped from buildings in panic as one of the strongest quakes in years hit the city on Wednesday. Many people gathered in parks and others sat on doorsteps, or stood outside their homes in the centre of Istanbul as aftershocks from the magnitude 6.2 quake on the European side of the city continued to be felt. "It started with a big tremor all of a sudden and we felt it very strongly," said Istanbul resident Neslisah Aygoren, sitting in a park. "I ran straight to my dog in fear, hugged it and we waited for it to end, lying on the ground. After that, we took our belongings and went straight to the street." A total of 151 people were hurt and received hospital treatment after leaping from buildings in panic during the tremor but none were in a critical condition, the Istanbul governor's office said. It said one abandoned building collapsed in central Istanbul, but nobody was hurt there, while there was no damage to energy or water infrastructure in the city of 16 million on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait. Some shops closed. Two years ago Turkey suffered the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in its modern history. That 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 55,000 people and injured more than 107,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing as a result of that quake. The epicentre of Wednesday's quake, which hit at 12:49 pm (0949 GMT), was in the area of Silivri, some 80 km to the west of Istanbul. It was at a depth of 6.92 km, Turkey's AFAD disaster agency said. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said inspections did not reveal any damage to highways, airports, trains or subways. President Tayyip Erdogan said on X he was monitoring the situation and his office issued advice on what people should do in the case of further quakes.
AsiaOne
24-04-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Powerful earthquake shakes Istanbul, dozens hurt jumping from buildings, World News
ISTANBUL - More than 150 people were injured when they jumped from buildings in Istanbul on Wednesday (April 23) as one of the strongest quakes in years hit the city. Many people gathered in parks and others sat on doorsteps, or stood outside their homes in the centre of Istanbul as aftershocks from the magnitude 6.2 quake on the European side of the city continued to be felt. "It started with a big tremor all of a sudden and we felt it very strongly," said Istanbul resident Neslisah Aygoren, sitting in a park. "I ran straight to my dog in fear, hugged it and we waited for it to end, lying on the ground. After that, we took our belongings and went straight to the street." A total of 151 people were hurt and received hospital treatment after leaping from buildings in panic during the tremor but none were in a critical condition, the Istanbul governor's office said. It said one abandoned building collapsed in central Istanbul, but nobody was hurt there, while there was no damage to energy or water infrastructure in the city of 16 million on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait. Some shops closed. Two years ago Turkey suffered the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in its modern history. That 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 55,000 people and injured more than 107,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing as a result of that quake. The latest tremor also revived memories of a 1999 earthquake near Istanbul that killed 17,000. The epicentre of Wednesday's quake, which hit at 12:49 p.m. (5pm Singapore time), was in the area of Silivri, some 80 km (50 miles) to the west of Istanbul. It was at a depth of 6.92 km (4.3 miles), Turkey's Afad disaster agency said. [[nid:717153]] Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said inspections did not reveal any damage to highways, airports, trains or subways. President Tayyip Erdogan said on X he was monitoring the situation and his office issued advice on what people should do in the case of further quakes.
Perth Now
23-04-2025
- Climate
- Perth Now
Dozens hurt jumping from buildings after Turkey quake
More than 150 people have been injured after they jumped from buildings in Istanbul as one of the strongest quakes in years hit the city. Many people gathered in parks and others sat on doorsteps, or stood outside their homes in the centre of Istanbul as aftershocks from the magnitude 6.2 quake on the European side of the city continued to be felt. "It started with a big tremor all of a sudden and we felt it very strongly," said Istanbul resident Neslisah Aygoren, sitting in a park. "I ran straight to my dog in fear, hugged it and we waited for it to end, lying on the ground. After that, we took our belongings and went straight to the street." A total of 151 people were hurt and received hospital treatment after leaping from buildings in panic during the tremor but none were in a critical condition, the Istanbul governor's office said. It said one abandoned building collapsed in central Istanbul but nobody was hurt there while there was no damage to energy or water infrastructure in the city of 16 million on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus Strait. Some shops closed. Two years ago Turkey suffered the deadliest and most destructive earthquake in its modern history. That 7.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 killed more than 55,000 people and injured more than 107,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced, with many still living in temporary housing as a result of that quake. The latest tremor also revived memories of a 1999 earthquake near Istanbul that killed 17,000. The epicentre of Wednesday's quake, which hit at 12.49pm, was in the area of Silivri, 80km to the west of Istanbul. It was at a depth of 6.92km, Turkey's AFAD disaster agency said. Just 13 minutes later, the earth shook again, this time with a magnitude of 5.3 south of the Turkish capital, about 40km away. Phone and internet services were temporarily disrupted while long traffic jams formed on major highways. Public parks and open spaces quickly filled with residents choosing to remain outdoors as a precaution. Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said inspections did not reveal any damage to highways, airports, trains or subways. President Tayyip Erdogan said on X he was monitoring the situation and his office issued advice on what people should do in the case of further quakes. with DPA
