International

Nearly 85,000 buildings were destroyed by earthquakes in Turkey

18 février |

Türkiye authorities indicated that more than 84,000 buildings were destroyed or severely structurally damaged by the earthquakes that hit the south of the country and northern Syria on February 6.

The Minister of Environment and Urban Planning of Türkiye, Murat Kurum, stated that 84,726 buildings were affected by the earthquakes that occurred in the country.

He also announced that the government will start planning for the construction of housing for all the people who lost their homes due to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

According to Turkish media, the official stated that they have examined around 684,000 buildings, of which more than 84,700 are totally collapsed, in critical condition or in need of immediate demolition.

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The Urban Planning head noted that more than 7,300 personnel have been deployed to examine the situation, and that in Adana province alone there are 148 buildings in this state.

Murat Kurum urged the population to stay away from severely damaged houses and buildings due to the danger of collapse because of the desire to recover their belongings.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this week that construction work will begin on 30,000 houses in early March.

During a meeting with representatives of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the Turkish president said that the goal is to complete the construction of safe housing and buildings by the end of 2023 in the areas affected by the earthquake.

On the other hand, the Turkish authorities reported that the search for survivors, which is still ongoing twelve days after the powerful earthquake, has not yet ended.

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Turkey’s Interior Minister, Süleyman Soylu, raised on Friday the death toll from the earthquakes registered in the country at the beginning of February to 39,672.

“To date, we have lost 39,672 people as a result of the earthquakes,” the official stated, while more than 108,000 were injured.

In addition, the minister indicated that rescue teams and rescuers have carried out 20,000 search and rescue operations in the rubble of buildings destroyed after the quakes.

International

Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.

During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.

“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.

“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”

Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.

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On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.

International

Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition

he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.

Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.

The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”

International

Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may

The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.

The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”

The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”

Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.

The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.