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Africa & World

Turkey: Mass protests target Erdogan’s grip on power

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The economic situation has become unbearable for many throughout Turkey. The country has been experiencing an economic crisis for several years now. The population suffers from rising inflation and high rents.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (Tuik), the annual inflation rate stood at 42% in January this year. Additionally, there is a depreciation of the Turkish lira. Many elderly people and pensioners can no longer afford the apartments they live in.

Saturday’s rally had been called for by the opposition party CHP (Republican People’s Party) of which Imamoglu is a member. Demonstrators accused Erdogan of trying to politically eliminate Imamoglu through the judiciary.

Since the beginning of protests following Imamoglu’s detention on March 23, a total of 1,900 people have been arrested according to the Turkish Interior Ministry — mostly students. Journalists were also detained, including Swedish reporter Kaj Joakim Medin from the daily newspaper Dagens ETC, who wanted to report on the protests in Istanbul. Earlier, BBC correspondent Mark Lowen had also been detained.

“This fight is for Turkey,” explained CHP leader Ozgür Ozel at the rally, which he said drew more than two million people. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan however had described the protesters as “marginal groups.”

Despite the end of Ramadan, people flocked to protest. “I am 85 years old and have never experienced such oppression,” one woman told DW. “I’m here for the republic, for Atatürk, for the peace of the people, for improving our times and escaping poverty.”

By singing the Turkish national anthem, protesters wanted to signal their unity. Alongside Turkish flags and CHP banners, there were also flags from supporting political parties, unions, and civil society organizations. University students, pensioners, workers, teachers, and even civil servants took part.

“We are being treated unfairly,” a 17-year-old student who joined the rally with his father and other relatives told DW. “Our future is being taken away, our youth is gone. That’s why I’m here.”

Other political parties also participated in the protests, including the pro-Kurdish DEM Party. “We’re fighting for the freedom of Ekrem Imamoglu, Selahattin Demirtas, Figen Yuksekdag and all political prisoners,” one of its members told DW. “We’re fighting for the freedom of imprisoned students.”

One thing seems certain: The mass demonstrations in Turkey are making 2025 a historic year. Some 22 years after Erdogan took office as Turkish Prime Minister in 2003, the fight for democracy and rule of law in the country has flared up again.

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Africa & World

US Lifts Sanctions In Syria

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

The United States has exempted territories in Syria run by the Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) from wide-ranging sanctions.

This is a decision which neighbouring Turkey has condemned as an attempt to legitimise the group.

The move by the US Treasury Department on Sunday lifted numerous prohibitions from areas primarily under the control of the YPG.

The Middle East Monitor added that it would enable companies to engage in the fields of agriculture, telecommunications, power grid infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, trade, finance, and clean energy.

The ruling also allows some foreign investment into the areas which span from the Aleppo governorate in the northwest to the Hassakeh governorate in the northeast.

Oil from those exempted areas can also now be purchased, on the condition that it does not benefit the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Business with the Assad regime is still generally covered by the sanctions and is officially prohibited, as is the importing of Syrian oil to the US.

Turkey has condemned the move with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telling reporters in Istanbul that the YPG is a terrorist organisation.

Over the past five years, the US has supported and armed the YPG and its umbrella Kurdish partner group the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). That support has over the years angered Turkey, which has accused the US and European nations of essentially supporting terrorism and threatening Turkish national security.

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HeadlinesInvestigation

How Staff of Nigeria High Commissions defraud Nigerians as much as $500 for ‘special’ appointment for passport renewals

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

Nigerians, both at home and overseas are paying the price of leadership without morality and empathy.  While Nigerians at home continue to bemoan untamed perennial corruption by public office holders, those living overseas are not left out from official exploitation by those saddled with the responsibility of protecting and aiding their fellow countrymen in distant shores. LeadingReporters investigation revealed that Nigeria High Commissions overseas compel Nigerians who are desirous of having their international passports renewed to part with as much as N250,000 to secure a not-too-distant date for data capturing.

LeadingReporters, following complaints by some Nigerians living in diaspora, launched an investigation into series of  allegations of exploitation by staff and officers in Nigeria high commission, especially the passport departments. This online media platform uncovered a well-planned-out strategy with which these staff of embassies, especially the diplomatic attaches from Nigeria immigration service hoodwink their fellow countrymen overseas into parting with their hard earned money.

How do they perpetrate this illegality?  Those in charge of capturing the applicants’ data intentionally lock appointment date for as long as six months, claiming that all the dates have been booked. After paying all necessary official fee for passport renewal, applicants are given a website to book for appointment for data capturing.  The website, upon opening displayed dates that have been booked and locked. This means that the applicants may have to wait for up to six months to be attended to.

For instance, a visit to the passport renewal site of Nigeria Embassy in Abu Dhabi leaves a message that the mission would only attend to passport application on appointment basis ONLY for Tuesdays and Thursdays.  In the site, applicants are asked to select a month then choose a spot for their passports renewal.  A click on the month and date of an applicant choice would reveal that such date has been booked and locked. 

LeadingReporters made an attempt to book a mock-appointment via the Embassy’s sign up site https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/6787879060110/true#/invitation. The site showed that all other months and days have been booked up to September 7th, 2022.

We targeted some countries with high level of complaints by applicants.  Countries like United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and other European and African countries. LeadingReporters Dubai correspondent who was detailed to act as an applicant.  She visited the office and was told that with a whopping $500, she could get an earlier appointment within the next week . 

When she asked the officer how he hoped to do fast track it for her since other applicants have booked up till September 7.  She was told that all she needed to do was to pay the bribe and she would have her capturing done within 7 days.  It was at that point that she was told by the officer who already has developed an emotional feeling for our correspondent that they (the staff in charge of data capturing) intentionally locked those dates and sell them eventually to applications who are willing and able to pay their way through. 

The officer told our correspondent during a lunch date that they could charge as much as $700 and $1000 depending on the level of urgency. “Money makes things happen”.  He told our correspondent.

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Africa & WorldHealth

Nigerian govt to travellers from “South Africa Don’t come”

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

The Chairman of Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 pandemic, and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, on Monday, announced the addition of South Africa to the list of countries from where travellers are banned because of the growing cases of COVID-19 in the country.

Mustapha made the announcement during a media briefing of the Committee in Abuja.

It could be recalled that the Federal Government had in May handed a similar ban on travellers from India, Brazil and Turkey over similar concerns.

He said: “A few weeks ago, we announced additional measures to be met by passengers arriving from Brazil, Turkey and India. This action was due to the prevalence of variants of concern and the dangers associated with the importation of the such virulent strain.

“The PSC has been reviewing these restrictions and is of the opinion that they should remain for another four weeks before it is further reviewed. South Africa, has, however, been added to this category once more.

“In addition to these three countries, the PSC has also shifted its focus on some African countries. South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Namibia and Uganda fall in this category.

“South Africa for example, recorded over 100, 000 cases in the last one week while 20,000 was recorded in the last 24 hours. The four major variants of concern are now classified as Alpha (UK), Beta (SA); Gamma (Brazil) and Delta (India).

“The Delta variant which has wreaked devastating havoc is not yet found in Nigeria hence the need to tighten our borders and be more vigilant.”

Concerning Emirates flights in and out of Nigeria, he noted that: “In all circumstances, however, conditions placed on such flights must conform with international civil aviation standards and must not be discriminatory and must respect our sovereignty.”

While noting that the PSC has escalated surveillance and risk communication, he added that it has similarly paid close attention to the issue of vaccination, especially matters relating to access and acquisition of vaccines.

The SGF urged members of the public not to lower their guards yet because of continued spikes in some countries (including African countries) and the emergence of variants of concern in several jurisdictions where the third wave has occurred.

Speaking on violators of COVID-19 travel protocol, he stated: “About six months ago, following the violation of protocols by some inbound passengers to Nigeria, travel documents were barred for a period of 6 months.

“We have received several appeals from those affected while we counselled on the importance of compliance with rules and regulations.

“The six-month period of ban for the first batch of 100 is almost complete and we use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians that sanctions will be imposed on violators of measures put in place to protect them and safeguard our nation.

“You will recall that Nigeria introduced the first international travel portal in September last year to facilitate the travel protocols. Following observations by users, the PSC took steps to improve the performance of the travel portal so as to ease the bottlenecks experienced by travellers.”

“Additional improvements have been recorded. The vaccination programme has progressed into the second phase for those who took the first jab. However, the sources and access to vaccines constitute major challenges given the developments in India, the attendant scarcity and the rise of vaccines nationalism.

“The PSC through the NPHCDA has continued to intensify efforts to acquire vaccines for the next phase.

“For over six months Federal Government employees on GL 12 and below have been observing work-from-home instructions. This restriction remains in place until further notice in order to avert a third wave.”

By John Chukwu…

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