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After serving as mayor of Istanbul, he stepped onto the national stage as head of the AK Party, which triumphed in 2002 national elections. Western allies initially saw Erdogan's Turkey as a vibrant mix of Islam and democracy which could be a model for Middle East states struggling to shake off autocracy and stagnation. Faced with a struggling economy, a weak currency and a countdown to this year's election, Erdogan sought rapprochement with rivals across the region. Now he must convince voters he is the leader to rebuild Turkey from the rubble after this month's earthquake. That will be, in all likelihood, to the detriment of the ruling AK Party and President Erdogan," said Sinan Ulgen, director of the Istanbul-based Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies.

"With the effect of the earthquake, inflation may now reach somewhere in the range of 40-50%," the government official added, speaking anonymously as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the issue. More than two million people are estimated to have left the quake zone, pushing up rents in other provinces, economists said. ADDITIONAL BUDGETThe quake also gives the government an additional challenge on the budget, long one of the strongest areas of the economy. Net borrowing of up to 661 billion lira ($35 billion) would be possible under the 2023 budget for this year but the official said that now won't be enough. An additional budget will be needed," the official said.

ISTANBUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Turkey's central bank lowered its policy rate by 50 basis points to 8.5% on Thursday, as expected, following a devastating earthquake that killed more than 43,000 people in southern Turkey this month. It said after its monthly monetary policy committee meeting that it will closely monitor earthquake driven supply-demand imbalances on inflation and stressed the importance of supporting economic growth and employment. Last year the bank cut its key rate by 500 basis points in an unorthodox easing cycle designed to counter an economic slowdown, before keeping it steady at 9% in December and January. In a Reuters poll of 17 economists, the median forecast was for a 50-basis-point cut to minimise the economic impact of the earthquake. Nine economists expected a cut in the policy rate of up to 200 basis points, while eight institutions expected the rate to be kept steady.

☆ Erdogan leaning towards holding Turkish elections in June -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Orhan Coskun | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Days after the quake struck on Feb. 6, killing more than 42,000 people in Turkey, an official said it posed "serious difficulties" for holding elections on time. Now those close to the president say the government has turned against the idea of a postponement. Before the disaster, Erdogan's popularity had been eroded by the soaring cost of living and a slump in the lira. A senior AKP official also said the view had gained weight that elections should be held on June 18. Another senior Turkish official also said the idea of postponing the elections had been shelved.

[1/4] A man sits outside after an earthquake in Antakya in Hatay province, Turkey, February 20, 2023. The fear that kept her awake at night for two weeks had now come true. "I will pick you up and we will leave," Havva told her daughter. On Tuesday, Reuters saw Havva with Mehmet and her two daughters just outside Antakya city centre, boarding a bus that would take them to Edirne free of charge. Murat Vural, a 47-year-old blacksmith, who was at the camp on Monday night, likened the earthquake to religious stories about Antakya.

☆ Turkey not exporting items for use in Russia war effort - Foreign Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Turkey is not exporting products that could be used in Russia's war effort, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, after U.S. warnings this month about exports of chemicals, microchips and other items. "It is not true that we have exported to Russia products that can be used in the defence industry," Cavusoglu said. Speaking after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Ankara, Cavusoglu also said Turkey will not allow U.S. and European sanctions to be violated in or via Turkey, and Ankara is taking steps to prevent it. Western nations applied the export controls and sanctions after Moscow's invasion nearly a year ago. Yet supply channels have remained open from Hong Kong, Turkey and other trading hubs.

☆ U.S. will back quake-hit Turkey "as long as it takes", Blinken says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks to board a plane at Incirlik Air Base near Adana, Turkey February 19, 2023. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/PoolANKARA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The United States will support Turkey "for as long as it takes" after its devastating earthquakes, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, while his Turkish counterpart said there was no need to wait for a disaster to improve ties. "The United States and Turkey do not agree on every issue but it is a partnership that has withstood against challenges," Blinken told a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara. Total U.S. humanitarian assistance to support the earthquake response in Turkey and Syria has reached $185 million, the U.S. State Department has said. Standing alongside Blinken, Cavusoglu said it was not possible for Turkey to purchase F-16 warplanes with pre-conditions and that he believed the issue can be overcome if the U.S. administration maintains a decisive stance.

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrive at a meeting in Ankara, Turkey February 20, 2023. REUTERS/Cagla GurdoganANKARA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday Washington strongly supports Sweden and Finland's quick NATO accession given steps they have already taken, even as his Turkish counterpart stressed the need for more concrete action. The Nordic countries' NATO bids have been stalled because Turkey has refused to ratify them, saying Stockholm in particular has harboured what it calls members of terrorist groups. "If they take steps that convince our parliament and people, there could be a development in this direction," he added. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join the trans-Atlantic defence pact after Russia invaded Ukraine, but faced unexpected objections from Turkey.

☆ Factbox: Key winners at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Peter Baynton, John Agbaje, Hannah Minghella, Jude Coward Nicoll, Charlie Mackesy and Cara Speller pose with their awards for Best British Short Animation for "The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse" during the 2023 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Britain, February 19, 2023. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The annual BAFTA Film Awards, Britain's highest honours for film, were held in London on Sunday. Below is a list of the winners in the main categories:BEST FILM"All Quiet on the Western Front"OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM"The Banshees of Inisherin"DIRECTOREdward Berger, "All Quiet on the Western Front"LEADING ACTRESSCate Blanchett, "Tár"LEADING ACTORAustin Butler, "Elvis"SUPPORTING ACTRESSKerry Condon, "The Banshees of Inisherin"SUPPORTING ACTORBarry Keoghan, "The Banshees of Inisherin"ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"The Banshees of Inisherin"ADAPTED SCREENPLAY"All Quiet on the Western Front"FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE"All Quiet on the Western Front"DOCUMENTARY"Navalny"ANIMATED FILM"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio"ORIGINAL SCORE"All Quiet on the Western Front"EE RISING STAR AWARDEmma MackeyReporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Not so quiet on the BAFTA front as anti-war remake tops the billing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Albrecht Schuch, Edward Berger, and Malte Grunert arrive at the world premiere of "All Quiet on the Western Front" at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 12, 2022. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File PhotoLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A German remake of anti-war classic "All Quiet on the Western Front" leads the contenders at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, the country's highest accolade for the industry. "Banshees", about two feuding friends on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, and "Everything Everywhere" each have received 10 nominations. Bill Nighy ("Living"), Paul Mescal (Aftersun") and Daryl McCormack ("Good Luck to You, Leo Grande") complete the leading actor nominees list. BAFTA Chief Executive Jane Millichip said while Grozev would not attend the ceremony, the film's nominated producers would.

☆ And the winner is... London rolls out red carpet for BAFTA Film Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Banshees", about two feuding friends on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, and "Everything Everywhere" each received 10 nominations. Bill Nighy ("Living"), Paul Mescal (Aftersun") and Daryl McCormack ("Good Luck to You, Leo Grande") complete the leading actor nominees list. "Woman King" director Gina Prince-Bythewood is the only woman in the running for the director award, but the outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer category features all female nominees. They’re one of the only big award shows that actually shares voting members with the Academy," Riley said. "The Screen Actors' Guild... obviously share some overlap... but BAFTAs really are first look at what the Oscars may be thinking."

CNN —The first tool that mechanic trainees at Maryland’s Vehicles for Change program pick up is not a wrench, but a pair of virtual reality goggles. The virtual-first training program is an unconventional solution to a real-world problem: a significant shortage of qualified automotive technicians. Maryland's Vehicles for Change program is using VR to help train more mechanics and address a nationwide mechanics shortage. In the early days of the pandemic, doctors and nurses used VR to train for treating patients with Covid-19. And some schools have used VR to expand the classroom beyond its physical walls, particularly as demand for remote education exploded during the pandemic.

More than 105,000 people were injured in the quake, he said, with more than 13,000 still being treated in hospital. Afterwards, Gungor's relatives hugged the rescue team, made up of military personnel and members of the disaster management authority AFAD. Families in both Turkey and Syria said they and their children were dealing with the psychological aftermath of the quake. A first convoy of U.N. aid entered rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey via the newly-opened Bab al-Salam crossing. Russia also said it was wrapping up its search and rescue work in Turkey and Syria and preparing to withdraw.

☆ Tuesday Morning says it wants to close 265 stores as part of its bankruptcy filing. See if your local store is on the list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Camarillo: Camarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste HCamarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste H Roseville: Fairway Commons Shopping Center, 5771A Five Star Blvd. San Diego: Pacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet AvenuePacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet Avenue Woodland Hills: Pride Shopping Center, 22950 Victory Blvd. Winston-Salem: Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947 Matthews: Windsor Square Shopping Center, 9945 E. Independence Blvd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 WestheimerWeslayan Plaza West Shopping Center, 5442‐A Weslayan Street; Westheimer Commons, 12568 Westheimer Rd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 Westheimer El Paso: West Towne Marketplace, 6450 N. Desert Blvd., Ste.

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria has climbed to more than 41,000, and millions are in need of humanitarian aid, with many survivors having been left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures. It asked Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to open more border crossing points with Turkey to allow aid to get through. "I shouted, shouted and shouted. Civil war hostilities have obstructed at least two attempts to send aid to the northwest from elsewhere in Syria, but an aid convoy reached the area overnight. "The children and I, by some miracle, we ended up in this small space that I had left empty."

☆ Three people rescued in Turkey 198 hours after earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Muhammed Cafer Cetin, a 18-year-old earthquake survivor, is rescued from the rubble of a building some 198 hours after last week's devastating earthquake, in Adiyaman, Turkey February 14, 2023. Ihlas News Agency (IHA) via REUTERSISTANBUL, Feb 14 (Reuters) - An 18-year-old named Muhammed Cafer was rescued from the rubble of a building in southern Turkey on Tuesday, the third rescue of the morning some 198 hours after last week's devastating earthquake, broadcaster CNN Turk said. A short while earlier, rescue workers pulled two brothers alive from the ruins of an apartment block in neighbouring Kahramanmaras province. State-owned Anadolu news agency identified them as 17-year-old Muhammed Enes Yeninar and his brother, 21-year-old Baki Yeninar, who was rescued after him. Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Kim Coghill and Jonathan SpicerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Hatay, Turkey February 14, 2023. "I don't think it's time to talk about elections," an AKP official told Reuters, citing the state of emergency. He said the priority was to set an election date and get the High Election Board to start preparations. The AKP official expected the disaster to erode votes for the ruling alliance given the suffering, and the loss of life and property. The constitution sets a two-term limit for presidents, but they can seek another term if parliament calls an early election before the second term expires.

☆ Super Bowl LVII commercials came with some serious star power, starting with Ben and Jen at the Dunkin drive-thru
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Super Bowl's ads are nearly as famous as the game itself, with millions guaranteed to tune in. This game continued the tradition of including dozens of celebrities to make cameos in the ads. Some of the early standouts include Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Serena Williams, and more. Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts staked an early claim as it surprised viewers with a Super Bowl ad that featured Ben Affleck's brief stint as a Dunkin' employee that made headlines last month. The ad featured a variety of scenes from the movie, all with Michelob Ultra added in.

☆ NBC Sports hopes to make an aggressive bid to bring back the NBA, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Discovery own the NBA rights until the end of the 2024-2025 season — more than two more years from now. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. NBC aired its last NBA games during the 2002 finals, when the Los Angeles Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets. Regular season NBA games across ABC, ESPN and TNT are averaging 1.6 million viewers this season.

☆ Super Bowl LVII commercials came with serious star power from Steve Martin, Jack Harlow, and Ben and Jen at Dunkin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts staked an early claim, surprising viewers with a Super Bowl ad featuring Ben Affleck in a brief stint as a Dunkin' employee. T-MobileT-Mobile opted for a more low-key approach, recruiting movie star Bradley Cooper and his mother to pitch viewers on the benefits of the mobile carrier. At least, that's what the plan was when Cooper was signed to do the commercial, the ad says. DoritosDoritos has become one of the most notable Super Bowl advertisers in recent years, and the chip brand continued its run, calling on music star Jack Harlow for most of its triangle-themed ad. In the ad, Harlow decides he is going to quit rapping in order to pursue his new passion: the triangle.

☆ Turkey orders arrests over collapsed buildings in earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Daren Butler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] Rescuers carry survivor Muzeyyen Ofkeli in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Hatay, Turkey February 12, 2023. Environment Minister Murat Kurum said that 24,921 buildings across the region had collapsed or were heavily damaged in the quake, based on assessments of more than 170,000 buildings. Rescuers were still looking for survivors in the earthquake rubble six days after the disaster, which hit parts of Syria and Turkey. The upmarket 12-storey residential complex was completed a decade ago and contained 249 apartments. The arrested man told prosecutors he did not know why the complex collapsed and that his desire to go to Montenegro was unrelated, Anadolu reported.

☆ Antakya businesses empty their shops to avoid looters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Ali Kucukgocmen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ANTAKYA, Turkey, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Business owners in a central district of Turkey's Antakya city were emptying their shops on Sunday to prevent their merchandise from being stolen by looters in the wake of Monday's devastating earthquakes. In Antakya, residents and aid workers who came from other cities have cited worsening security conditions, with widespread accounts of businesses and collapsed homes being looted. President Tayyip Erdogan has said the government would deal firmly with looters, noting that a state of emergency had been declared. "For the first few days, everybody looted supermarkets because they needed to. Our other shop collapsed completely.

[1/8] Seho Uyan, who survived a deadly earthquake, but lost his four relatives, sits in front of a collapsed building in Adiyaman, Turkey February 11, 2023. Turkey said about 80,000 people were in hospital, with more than 1 million in temporary shelters. U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths described the earthquake as the region's worst event in 100 years, predicting the death toll would at least double. He praised Turkey's response, saying his experience was that disaster victims were always disappointed by early relief efforts. It has killed 24,617 inside Turkey, and more than 3,500 in Syria, where tolls have not been updated since Friday.

☆ NBA roundup: Kings spoil Mavs' Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Kevin Huerter scored all 15 of his points in the second half, Trey Lyles added 14 points and Harrison Barnes had 13 for the Kings. Mikal Bridges scored 23 points in his Nets debut after being obtained from the Phoenix Suns on Thursday for Kevin Durant. The Hornets' losing streak reached seven games despite LaMelo Ball coming within a rebound of a triple-double. Jokic, who pulled in seven offensive rebounds, scored 40 points in a mid-December home victory against the Hornets. DeMar DeRozan followed with 16 points, and Nikola Vucevic notched a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.

☆ Ceyhan loadings of BTC pipeline oil could begin within two days, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Summary Manual loadings while BTC control room repaired -officialKirkuk loadings resumed on TuesdayISTANBUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Turkey's Ceyhan port could resume loading oil from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline in one or two days using "manual" procedures, a Turkish official and a shipping source said on Saturday. It is the storage and loading point for the BTC pipeline which carries oil from Azerbaijan as well as the Kirkuk pipeline from Iraq. The Kirkuk pipeline resumed flows on Tuesday evening and a tanker docked at Ceyhan to load that day. The control room for BTC pipeline loadings there was damaged, the Turkish official said, but added loadings were expected to resume "manually" while the control room is repaired. Loadings could begin within a day or two days, a shipping source said, quoting information received from the terminal.

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