The focus is on reproductive health and gender-based violence 0SHARES Share Tweet Email Recommended Stories What does Turkey's seizure of Afrin mean for Syria war?Capture of the key city was a major win for Ankara and consolidates its control along its border in northern SyriaUN officials voice frustration over lack of cease-fire in SyriaAirstrikes, shelling, and ground offensive continue in SyriaReligious parties condemn mass killings in SyriaTehreek-e-Labaik and Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba gather outside Lahore Press Club … [Read more...] about Exiled Syrian doctors go back to work helping refugees in Turkey
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51 killed as quake strikes Turkey
Dozens of people were killed in their homes when an earthquake hit villages in eastern Turkey. It caught many as they slept, crumpling buildings into piles of rubble. Panicked survivors fled into the streets as more than 50 aftershocks rattled the region. The 6.0 magnitude quake hit near the village of Basyurt in Elazig province, about 340 miles east of the capital Ankara. The government put the death toll at 51 with more than 30 other people injured. The worst-hit area was the village of Okcular where 17 people were killed. As relatives rushed in for news of their loved ones, authorities blocked off the area so ambulances and rescue teams could manoeuvre on the village's narrow roads. Residents lit fires to keep warm. "The village is totally flattened," village administrator Hasan Demirdag said. Ali Riza Ferhat of Okcular said he was woken up by the jolt. "I tried to get out of the door but it wouldn't open. I came out of the window and started helping my neighbours he said. "We … [Read more...] about 51 killed as quake strikes Turkey
44 shot dead during Turkey ceremony
Eight gunmen suspected of fatally shooting 44 people at an engagement ceremony in south-east Turkey have been arrested. Masked assailants with automatic weapons attacked the celebration on Monday night in the village of Bilge, near the city of Mardin, in what appeared to be the result of a family feud, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said. Blood feuds occasionally happen among families in the region, where tribal ties and rivalries can eclipse the power of the state. On Tuesday morning, four large earth-movers were seen digging graves for the victims in the village. Police allowed friends and relatives to enter Bilge, but journalists were kept out. Authorities also cut telephone communication with the village. The dead included the engaged couple, and six other people were wounded. Two girls survived after the bodies of slain friends fell on top of them. Reports said the gunmen opened fire as men and women prayed in separate rooms in line with tradition in parts of Turkey. Atalay … [Read more...] about 44 shot dead during Turkey ceremony
£600,000 payout for turkey deaths
Bernard Matthews will get nearly £600,000 compensation for healthy birds slaughtered in the bird flu outbreak, the Government has announced. Some 160,000 turkeys were killed at the Suffolk farm to prevent the H5N1 virus spreading. It is most likely the infection came to Britain via imported turkey meat from Hungary, a report published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says. Investigators did not uncover any "proven" source for the bird flu outbreak at the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton, Suffolk. The "most plausible" explanation was that the H5N1 virus came from turkeys imported from Hungary which had been infected by wild birds, according to the National Emergency Epidemiology Group's final findings. Bernard Matthews will get £589,356.89 for healthy birds compulsorily killed, as required by the Animal Health Act 1981. Defra said compensation was offered to the owners of healthy animals destroyed due to disease prevention as an incentive to report … [Read more...] about £600,000 payout for turkey deaths
10 Britons injured in Turkey blasts
Ten Britons have been injured in three explosions at the holiday resort of Marmaris in Turkey, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said. All 10 Britons are in hospital, but none is said to have life-threatening injuries. A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook, which has hundreds of customers staying in the region, said five of its guests were among the injured. Witnesses in Marmaris said at least one of the explosions appeared to be on dolmuses - small vans that act as short-range buses in Turkey. One of the explosions was described as being near a fast-food restaurant and another near an airline office. One British holidaymaker in Marmaris, Danielle Pearson, said she believed at least one of the explosions happened on a bus. She said: "We've seen the remains of what was left. There were ambulances and police cars going everywhere." Jill Thornton, of Consett, Co Durham, said her son Daniel, 19, had witnessed the aftermath of one of the explosions. She said Daniel told her that at least one … [Read more...] about 10 Britons injured in Turkey blasts