Hello (again)! It is Monday, September 2.We entered a new round in the fight between social media platforms and governments as Brazil takes on Musk's X and Telegram CEO faces criminal charges for lack of moderation on the platform.Huge anti-government protests are happening in Israel after 6 hostages found dead. PM Netanyahu's government is criticized for not achieving a deal that would bring back hostages.Headlines&nbsp;from this week's bulletin are:⛴️ Rising tensions in South China Sea🆇 Brazil bans X🇫🇷 France's PM crisis🛩️ Zelensky dismisses head of Ukraine's air forceYou will find the most important developments affecting world politics each week here, at Aposto World.&nbsp;Tunes for the read, and for the rest of the week: <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXbP9O5gwI0xP?si=8b17d69263c54fea" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">This is&nbsp;Oasis</a>.Have a good week, an easy read, and see you next week.&nbsp;Alp

This newsletter offers a comprehensive overview of global events from each continent, curated from diverse international media sources. On Mondays, you will receive Aposto World in your inbox and we will give you only the relevant information on just the important stuff, from an Istanbul perspective.

Global news, every Monday, from an Istanbul perspective.

Aposto World

Israelis protest the government over hostage losses. Polio pause in Gaza. Escalation in South China Sea. US-China diplomacy. War in Ukraine. New Taliban laws. Turkey-Syria normalization attempts.

🪧 Hostage protests, Chinese diplomacy

Hello (again)! It is Tuesday, August 27.War, possibility of war and sanctions made the news this week. Russia launched a massive air attack yesterday, continuing to target Ukraine's power grid. I am currently in Lviv, a major city in the Western Ukraine, where air raid alerts caused a sudden rush to bunkers throughout the city in early Monday. The strikes continued the next day, air raid alerts were heard multiple times across the country. Most of Ukraine suffers blackouts from Russia's attacks on the country's energy infrastructure, and on the streets of Lviv you can hear the constant humming of electric generators supplying this lively city with electricity.An escalation on the Blue Line caused many to think that the much dreaded all-out war was imminent, but Hezbollah called its operation a success and signaled deescalation.Tariffs and sanctions are another aspect of the heating and cooling relations, varieties of which were discussed this week between world leaders concerning China, US, UK, Iran, EU, Russia and third parties.Headlines&nbsp;from this week's bulletin are:💣 Hezbollah and Israel escalation, then calm⚡️ Russia targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure💉 Mpox&nbsp;vaccination efforts🩸 ISIS knife attack in GermanyYou will find the most important developments affecting world politics each week here, at Aposto World.&nbsp;Tunes for the read, and for the rest of the week: <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO018IiD?si=7df8087936dd454d" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">This is Nilüfer Yanya</a>Have a good week, an easy read, and see you next week.&nbsp;Alp

Hezbollah-Israel strikes. Massive Russian air attack. Maduro election affair. Trump fake endorsement. Azerbaijan applies for BRICS membership. UK diplomat quits over Gaza policy. Mpox updates.

🪖 Clash and calm, trade wars

Hello (again)! It is Monday, August 19.Turkey's parliament was pretty busy this week, especially considering that lawmakers were supposed to be on summer break. First, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech. The next day, one member of parliament physically attacked another, causing a fistfight on stage that bloodied the floor. Meanwhile, a lawyer who was elected MP was sitting in his jail cell. Also, someone got arrested for what she said in a street interview about last week's Instagram ban.Middle East have been on the edge of all out war since the assassination of top Hamas and Hezbollah figures, but it seems that for now Iran is waiting to see what happens with the peace talks. On other brewing conflicts in Asia and in Africa, countries are preparing for possible war and hoping for peace.Headlines&nbsp;from this week's bulletin are:💣 Ukraine suspected of pipeline attack💉 Mpox,&nbsp;the new pandemic?⛰️ Lithium mine in Serbia says a lot🤝 Ceasefire&nbsp;attempts in Middle East, AfricaYou will find the most important developments affecting world politics each week here, at Aposto World.&nbsp;Tunes for the read, and for the rest of the week: <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E8Pr4ZlaA2M0f?si=a6446282e5d149d6&nd=1&dlsi=77bd46b5582c4588" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Sisyphus Radio</a>Have a good week, an easy read, and see you next Monday.&nbsp;Alp

MP in jail, blood in the parliament. No major retaliation in Middle East, death toll rises. Nord Stream affair. Ukraine pushes forward, so does Russia. Mpox scare. Thailand's not-so-new PM. Polio in Gaza. Lithium mine in Serbia.

🩸Blood in parliament, deadly calm

Hello (again)! It is Monday, August 12.If the world is feeling extra crazy lately, it's because it actually is: wars, pacts, normalization of fringe politics, cultural tensions that are pointing to a larger eruption in societies around the globe. In such times, having access to a lot of information is not enough, even the well-informed do not seem eye to eye on what has happened, where and when, and why that is significant.Every week on Monday, you will receive Aposto World in your inbox and we will try to give you only the relevant information on just the important stuff, from an&nbsp;Istanbul perspective. What does that mean? Well, as your Istanbulite friends love to tell you, Istanbul is not quite the West and not quite the East. It stands, politically as well as geographically and historically, at the middle, the center. So we will deliver the news from here, removing known biases and commentary from Western and Eastern outlets alike, left and right. Not just in terms how news is covered, but also which news is covered.Now for the news.&nbsp;The most downloaded 8 apps on Turkey's app store are all VPNs, and there is a reason for that: Turkey banned access to Instagram. Access was restored after 8 days, which felt less like a social media detox and more like an absurd chapter where even the most apolitical segments of the society were reminded on whose whims they post holiday pictures.I personally remember when Wikipedia was banned, YouTube and Twitter as well, but this was new and more bans seem to be on horizon.If you haven't checked the news this week at all, you should also know that Kamala Harris picked Tim Walz as her running mate, and Hamas names October 7 architect Yahya Sinwar as next top leader following Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran.Have a good week, an easy read, and see you next Monday.Alp

Anti-racism gatherings in the UK. US presidential race. Turkey's Instagram ban. Ukraine war. Peace in Middle East possible? Russian influence in Africa.

📱State vs Social Media, UK Riots

Good morning. It is Friday, March 3rd.20 short stories written by Sir Terry Pratchett <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/03/02/new-terry-pratchett-short-story-collection-discovered" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">were discovered</a>, years after the beloved British author of fantasy novels died in 2015. The "new" short stories were published under the pseudonym Patrick Kearns in the 70s and 80s, and were discovered by a sharp-eyed fan who recognized Pratchett’s distinct style. The collection will be published in October with the title "A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories", adding to the 70 books of the Discworld author.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Today’s album is in memory of Pulp bassist <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3ly9T2L4pqTZijFgQssd3x?si=2t1OKIJdQyiordqZDz67Ig" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Steve Mackey</a>, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 56. Enjoy the music and scroll down for your daily news.</li></ul>—Özlem, with Tanem and Can

Eurozone core inflation reaches record-high, fueling fears price growth is more sticky than feared, US' Blinken and Russia's Lavrov meet amid G20 conference, Tesla Investor Day disappoints with sparse detail on new models

📈 Stick-flation

Good morning. It is Thursday, March 2nd.The situation in Ukraine's eastern city of Bakhmut is becoming tougher in the face of a months-long Russian offensive led by its Wagner mercenaries, with an advisor to Ukraine's president saying the military might pull back in order to prevent more losses. However, the comment was swiftly corrected by the Ukrainian military, stating there were currently no plans to abandon the strategically important city, which has also become a symbol of Ukraine's resistance in the eastern Donetsk region.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Scroll down to find out more, and tune in for some <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX0ZgPbUQ205W" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">calming jazz</a> in the background.</li></ul>—Can and Tanem

German inflation unexpectedly rises to 9.3% in flash reading, China factory activity sees fastest growth in more than a decade, train crash kills at least 43 in Greece

🪖 All questions on the Eastern Front

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, March 1st.Elon Musk regained his status as <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-27/elon-musk-is-world-s-richest-person-again-after-100-tesla-stock-surge" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">the world’s richest person</a> after a brief interruption of losing the top spot to France’s Bernard Arnault. What a relief to all (!). The billionaire’s wealth got hit last year by a 70% loss in Tesla’s stock price but it’s back up about 100% as investors come back with hopes of economic strength and slower interest rate increases by the Fed.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Say hello to your old friend darkness with <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6u4KuddLp926mEZHqCOQwg?si=39b10780ea5248e3" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">this playlist</a>, as we all say hello to the first day of spring, at least on paper.</li></ul>—Özlem, with Tanem and Can

Inflation in France and Spain jump unexpectedly, increasing pressure on ECB, Belarus's Lukashenko lauds Xi ahead of Beijing visit, Microsoft adds new Bing to Windows computers

🇨🇳 Hello old f(r)iend

Good morning. Today is Tuesday, February 28th.Britain and the EU finally seem to have solved their long-lasting row over the Northern Ireland Protocol (now named the "Windsor framework"), potentially a big win for UK PM Rishi Sunak who negotiated a post-Brexit deal that the bloc has repeatedly opposed. Let's see how this "new chapter" will play out in the UK and EU's turbulent relationship.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Here is a <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6hCsQhp0TbeNfZ9qNS6D4j?si=0-Xg37agRr-KjPLeqIhcIg&nd=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">jazzy playlist</a> that will welcome you to the last day of February.</li></ul>—Tanem and Can

EU & UK reach agreement on Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade, Tesla's Germany plant hits 4,000 cars per week ahead of schedule, Twitter lays off 10% of current workforce

📦 NIPped in the bud

Good morning. Today is Monday, February 27th.Over the weekend, Nokia decided to change its logo again, to reinforce the fact that they are still not a telecoms company anymore, I guess. In other news, the German economy had a slow start to the year, even going as far as contracting. Today in 1971, Janis Joplin's posthumous album Pearl started its nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart; while in ’93, Whitney Houston's ‘I Will Always Love You’ scored the spot for the longest-ever US chart-topper after 14 14 weeks at No.1 on the US singles chart.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Let's start the week <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1E4lOclsbTr3z0?si=fe5410ea7b3a4afa" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">with a playlist</a> inspired by the late rock star.</li></ul>—Atilla, with Özlem and Can

Fed's inflation gauge accelerates, adding pressure for more rate hikes, thousands in Berlin attend 'naive' Ukraine peace rally, Meta introduces large language model 'LLaMA' similar to ChatGPT

🤖 Late LLaMA

* Glory to UkraineGood morning. Today is Friday, February 24th.It has been one year since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Putin called it a “special military operation” but it has been a year of war, and countless attacks on Ukraine's territory, causing massive scales of destruction, death, and displacement to the people of the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mourned those who were lost, and said, "We have overcome many ordeals and we will prevail."&nbsp;<a data-type="embed" fr-original-style="" href="https://twitter.com/Paris/status/1628821452597170178" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank"><img src="https://embed.apos.to/assets/2023/1/2023-02-23T19:22:36.376Z.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.69" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"></a><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Today's album is in solidarity with <a fr-original-style="" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/13N5rEdzz4gDxYhckJXxnT?si=eabzKXJWSsKnuIViZ7w_2g" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Ukraine's fight for freedom</a>.</li></ul>– Özlem, with Tanem and Atilla

Today marks the first year anniversary of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Eurozone inflation eases. UK approves plans for independent football regulator.

🇺🇦 Слава Україні*

Teknoloji hakkında yayımlanmış makaleler ve yayınlar

Teknoloji

Politika hakkında yayımlanan makaleler ve yayınlar

Politika

İş dünyası hakkında yayımlanan makaleler ve yayınlar

İş Dünyası

Ekonomi hakkında yayımlanmış makalaler ve yayınlar

Ekonomi

Çiğdem Öztabak sat down with Elley Cheng, the president of Pantone, the company that interprets the universal language of colors for people and brands worldwide.For the past 60 years, Pantone has created an extensive color archive, preserving the memory and history of colors. Whether we as consumers are aware of it or not, Pantone's influence is behind the consistency of products and brands and the nuanced updates to brand color guidelines.&nbsp;Pantone President Elley Cheng comes from the creative industry, having previously worked for Shutterstock and Adobe. A lifelong believer in the rhetorical power of colors, Cheng joined Pantone to help lead the charge.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2024/4/4/1715879323661.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="1.34" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Çiğdem Öztabak with Elley Cheng<h4 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Given the market’s fluidity and the acceleration of technological change, what is the best way to help brands evolve their identities without relinquishing their core values?</h4>When it comes to branding, it’s a core with several layers. At the center of the core is what your brand represents and the problem it solves. When you create your brand, you give it a name, a color, and a voice, a way it speaks, its identity, how it talks, and what it represents. What keeps those values consistent? Obviously, color, font, and logo create the heritage and story of your brand.This is where Pantone comes in. Our color catalogs help brands and agencies avoid product mistakes, keep consistency, and allow modern colors. So, of course, when things change like today's rapid technological age, you have to adapt. How do you really resonate with different audiences who might be in different places mentally, physically, or emotionally? How do you still connect with that person in that instance? That's when you start thinking about how else you can support your brand while communicating effectively.Similarly, while I can't speak specifically to fonts or images, you can always supplement and build creatively on top of your core identity to express yourself during different times. It's about being true to who you are while adapting to your environment. That's how I see the brand-building process. It’s about adapting to your surroundings and circumstances while staying true to your core identity.&nbsp;How do they stay true to their core values while deciding how to represent themselves on new platforms? For instance, how should they present themselves on TikTok? What tone should they adopt there? Or what visual style should they use on Instagram?The biggest challenge for brands is to remain flexible and adapt to a changing world while never forgetting who they are.<h4 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">The same applies to designers. How can they come up with new and creative ideas while staying true to the brand’s core identity and values?</h4>This is a good question because designers are truly responsible for representing a brand’s identity. It’s all about balance. On one hand, you want to preserve the brand’s identity and values, because that’s what makes it a brand. But on the other hand, you have to recognize that the world is changing and so are people’s expectations.Designers need to be really creative to maintain the brand’s identity while also adapting to these new expectations. It’s a bit of a test and learning process. Sometimes you try something new and it doesn’t work perfectly for that brand, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying. You need to find a balance between preserving the brand’s identity and generating new and creative ideas.<h4 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">How does Pantone assist designers in balancing innovation with brand consistency?</h4>There are several ways we assist designers in achieving this balance. Firstly, our colors and color systems are fundamental. When choosing colors for a brand or product, Pantone colors simplify the process.Additionally, we offer various resources to help designers and brands stay on top of current trends and develop new and creative ideas. For instance, our annual Color Trend Report guides designers on how to utilize the latest trends and colors.In essence, we support designers in maintaining the brand’s identity while also providing tools to inspire new and innovative ideas.<h4 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">From your perspective, what future trends do you foresee in branding and design, particularly with the influence of new technologies and digitalization?</h4>Predicting future trends is always challenging, but I believe we can identify a few key trends in branding and design.Firstly, the rise of digitalization is changing how brands interact and communicate with consumers. It requires brands to offer more personalized experiences than ever before. Brands can no longer rely on a single message to reach all consumers; instead, they must address the specific needs and preferences of each individual. This shift demands greater creativity in design and communication.Another significant trend is sustainability. In recent years, consumer awareness of environmental and social responsibility has increased. As a result, brands have intensified their sustainability efforts. Consumers now evaluate brands not only based on their products but also on their production processes and supply chains. This means brands must use sustainable materials, reduce waste, and invest in social responsibility projects. Designing to meet both consumer expectations and environmental and social responsibilities is now essential.Lastly, the rapid advancement of technology will continue to be a major trend in branding and design. Technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality are transforming how brands interact with consumers and how products are experienced. This requires brands to create designs that are compatible with these new technologies.In essence, personalized experiences, sustainability, and the impact of new technologies will shape the future of branding and design.<h4 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">What are Pantone's strategic objectives for supporting marketing initiatives, designers, and brand evolution in the future?</h4>At Pantone, our future goals are to continue providing solutions that create value for designers and brands. We aim to help them communicate colors accurately and represent their brands correctly. Additionally, supporting their sustainability efforts and helping them adapt to new technologies are among our key objectives. In short, we aim to continue offering valuable solutions for designers and brands, contributing to their success in the future.<h2 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Behind the selection of Peach Fuzz as Pantone's color of the year 2024</h2><img src="https://images.aposto.com/2024/4/4/1715878957372.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="1.88" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Peach FuzzIn 2024, Pantone selected Peach Fuzz as the Color of the Year. But why this particular color? Elley Cheng explains the reason almost poetically:<blockquote fr-original-style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(15, 14, 14); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px;" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); border-color: rgb(15, 14, 14); border-width: 4px; font-style: italic; padding-left: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; border-left-style: solid; box-sizing: border-box;">“At a time of such great unrest, our hunger for sustenance and compassion, for dreams of a peaceful future, has increased. We want to remind everyone that a central element in a good life is a good body — one that is healthy, resilient, strong and well-tended, so that it can be fully activated and beneficially enjoyed. In a world so often obsessed with productivity and achievement, it is important to acknowledge the critical role that nourishment of the inner self plays in our wellbeing, and to carve out moments of rest, creativity, and human connection amid the hurly-burly of everyday existence.The Peach Fuzz color we selected for 2024 had to say that we want people we love near us, to allow us to be who we are, and to enjoy the pleasure of a quiet moment. It had to say that it is warm, kind, empathetic, with a lightness that is elegant and sweet, carrying us forward towards the future.”</blockquote>But after these words, how can one not wonder which Pantone color will be selected for 2025, the year that AI is predicted to become very popular and one of the main productivity drivers?As artificial intelligence, robots, space wars, the consumption culture exacerbated by social media, wars, and climate crisis drag us towards an almost apocalyptic future, may we always remember the importance of resisting the gradual graying of our colors.

We had an inspiring conversation with Elley Cheng, Pantone's president, about colors and creativity in the tech era. 

On Colors: An Exclusive Interview with Pantone President Elley Cheng

This Sunday in Turkey, citizens across the nation cast their votes to elect local officials who will serve for the next five years. The preliminary results of the March 31 local elections have heralded a historic shift, with the Republican People's Party (CHP) emerging as the leading party for the first time in 47 years, while the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been relegated to second place for the first time in 22 years.&nbsp;According to unofficial nationwide results, CHP secured 37.74% of the votes, followed by AKP with 35.49%, the New Welfare Party (YRP) with 6.19%, DEM Party with 5.68%, and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) with 4.98%.&nbsp;AKP, which had dominated the previous local elections in 2019, lost over five million votes as well as the control of four metropolitan municipalities and twelve city councils, including Adıyaman, Bursa, Kilis, Şanlıurfa, and Yozgat. Conversely, CHP's management of metropolitan municipalities increased from eleven to fifteen with the addition of Balıkesir, Bursa, Manisa, and Denizli.&nbsp;Furthermore, CHP won in Afyonkarahisar, Amasya, Bartın, Giresun, Kastamonu, Kırıkkale, Kütahya, Uşak, Zonguldak, Ardahan, Artvin, Bilecik, Bolu, Burdur, Çanakkale, Edirne, Kırşehir, Sinop, and Yalova. CHP achieved unprecedented vote percentages in Çorum and Kırklareli, regions traditionally seen as AKP strongholds. CHP lost by a narrow margin, gaining 36% of the votes in Çorum and 40% in Kırklareli.<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Metropolitan cities</h2>Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu of CHP received 51.09% of the votes, establishing a strong lead of 11.5 points between himself and Murat Kurum, the candidate of Cumhur Alliance, the coalition made up of the ruling AKP and its political partner MHP.In Ankara, the incumbent Mansur Yavaş secured 60.35% of the votes, almost twice what Cumhur Alliance candidate Turgut Altınok got. Yavaş increased his share of the votes from previous elections by 10 points, surpassing his predecessor Melih Gökçek's record of 55%. In both cities, the third most-voted candidate belonged to YRP.CHP significantly increased its presence across the country, becoming the leading party in 21 provinces and 329 districts, nearly doubling the number of municipalities it controls compared to the previous elections.In Istanbul, CHP won 25 district municipalities, meanwhile in Ankara, the number of CHP-led municipalities increased from three to sixteen. CHP also had some symbolic victories in districts such as Keçiören—a municipality where CHP hasn’t won since 1989 and AKP candidate Turgut Altınok recently held office.Additionally, actor Erdal Beşikçioğlu won Etimesgut municipality with a 22% lead over the incumbent MHP mayor Enver Demirel. Several districts in Istanbul, including Bayrampaşa, Üsküdar, Beyoğlu, Çatalca, Eyüpsultan, Gaziosmanpaşa, Sancaktepe, Şile, and Tuzla, transitioned from AKP to CHP control, while Silivri shifted from MHP to CHP. CHP received its highest shares of the vote in Kadıköy, Beşiktaş, and Şişli, whereas AKP's stronghold remained in Bağcılar, Güngören, and Esenler. The results in central districts like Beyoğlu, Gaziosmanpaşa (a constituency of former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu), Üsküdar, and Sancaktepe were particularly noteworthy. Despite a drop in votes in Sarıyer and Beşiktaş, CHP candidates Mustafa Oktay Aksu and Rıza Akpolat emerged victorious. In Bakırköy, Ayşegül Özdemir Ovalıoğlu increased CHP's share of the vote from 57% to 65.5%, while in Fatih, CHP candidate Mahir Polat trailed behind AKP candidate Mehmet Ergün Turan with 43.60% of the votes. The Turkish Communist Party (TKP) candidate for Kadıköy, Mehmet Fatih Maçoğlu, received 10.02% of the votes.<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">The dark horse of the elections: New Welfare Party</h2>One of the surprising outcomes of the elections was the rise of the New Welfare Party (YRP), which managed to capture municipalities in Yozgat and Şanlıurfa from AKP, becoming the leading party in 41 districts and three towns. With a total share of the vote of 6.19%, YRP surpassed DEM Party. Compared to the 2023 elections, where YRP had a 2.8% vote share and 1.5 million votes, this marked a significant increase in its electoral strength.DEM Party emerged as the leading party in three metropolitan cities, seven provinces, and 63 districts, increasing its vote share to 5.9%. DEM’s precursor, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which had won in 65 municipalities in the 2019 local elections, saw most of its municipalities placed under trusteeship post-election. In the March 31, 2024 elections, almost all municipalities went under a trusteeship, “Kayyum” in Turkish, except for Kars, which reverted to DEM. Tunceli shifted towards DEM as TKP's candidate for mayor, Mehmet Fatih Maçoğlu, ran in Kadıköy. DEM also led in Ağrı with 51.07% of the vote.MHP witnessed a decline in its vote share, losing several previously won municipalities, including Amasya, Bartın, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kütahya, and Manisa. The party experienced a 3.5% drop in votes compared to the last local elections, marking a significant decrease from its 10.3% share in the general election to 4.2%.<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">What happened to the table-of-six?</h2>The constituent parties of the six-party alliance, dubbed the “table-of-six”, a coalition led by CHP that was formed specifically for the presidential elections last year and lost, saw minimal support, with Gelecek (future) Party at 0.07%, DEVA (remedy) at 0.21%, Saadet (felicity) Party at 0.9%, and the Democrat Party at 0.15%.Anavatan (homeland) and Zafer (victory) received 0.09% and 1.1%, respectively, while İYİ Party saw its share decrease from 9.9% in the 2023 general elections to 3.5%, failing to win any provincial municipalities outside of Nevşehir.The Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) had a nationwide vote share of 0.09%. TİP received the most votes in Hatay, with candidate Gökhan Zan, and in Ankara's Çankaya district with journalist İrfan Değirmenci securing 5.89% of the vote. SOL Party, representing CHP and the Dersim Alliance, won the election in Tunceli's Hozat district with Aydın Kaya, securing 23.51% of the vote and surpassing TİP. In Hatay’s Defne, CHP overtook TKP, but lost Samandağ municipality to TİP. TİP's General President and Istanbul MP Erkan Baş took the third place in Gebze, where AKP has won.

Turkish voters rushed to the ballots on Sunday to elect their mayors and councilmembers. According to the preliminary results, CHP emerged victorious for the first time in 47 years—while AKP has lost its lead for the first time since it was founded 22 years ago.

Election night and the changing tide

On Sunday, Turkey went to the polls for local elections, marking a pivotal moment for the nation’s 61 million 430 thousand 934 registered voters. The participation rate hit 78.53%, with 48 million 153 thousand 788 people casting their votes. This electoral milestone not only altered the political hue of Turkey's map but also signified a notable shift towards female representation in comparison to previous elections. According to preliminary results, women candidates triumphed in 11 of the 81 provinces.<h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">A sharp increase from the 2019 elections</h3>Reflecting the statistics shared by TÜİK on March 6, "Women in Statistics, 2023," women constitute 49.9% of Turkey's population, with the country boasting over 42 million female citizens. This election cycle witnessed a marked preference for female candidates, significantly higher than in past elections. Compared to the 2019 elections, there was a noticeable increase in female candidacy: of the total 15,159 mayoral candidates, 1,668, or 11%, were women, up from 8.1% out of over 8,200 candidates in 2019. That year, 33 women ran for metropolitan mayorships, with three elected, while 38 out of 634 female candidates won other municipal and district mayorships.The 2024 local elections saw a significant rise in female political representation, with&nbsp;twice as many women elected compared to 2019.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Breakdown of women elected by party affiliation</h3>The Republican People's Party (CHP) celebrated the election of six female mayors: Candan Yüceer in Tekirdağ, Filiz Gencan Akın in Edirne, Burcu Köksal in Afyonkarahisar, Ayşe Ünlüce in Eskişehir, Melek Mızrak Subaşı in Bilecik, and Özlem Çerçioğlu in Aydın.From the DEM Party, four women emerged victorious: Ayşe Serra Bucak Küçük in Diyarbakır, Sofya Alağaş in Siirt, Gülüstan Sönük in Batman, and Hazal Aras in Ağrı.Fatma Şahin, the AK Party candidate, was re-elected for a third term as the Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Cities, but districts too</h3>In Istanbul, three of the city's 39 districts will be led by female CHP candidates: Ayşegül Özdemir Ovalıoğlu in Bakırköy, Sinem Dedetaş in Üsküdar, and Esin Köymen in Maltepe.Ankara saw only one female candidate elected, with AK Party's Hilal Ayık winning in Akyurt.In Izmir, CHP's female candidates won in eight of the 30 districts: Lal Denizli in Çeşme, Saniye Fıçı in Foça, Emine Helil İnay Kınay in Karabağlar, İlkay Girgin Erdoğan in Karaburun, Behice Yıldız Ünsal in Karşıyaka, Sema Bodur in Kınık, Nilüfer Çınarlı Mutlu in Konak, and Filiz Ceritoğlu in Selçuk.Çanakkale's Yenice district saw 22-year-old independent candidate Zeynep Çelik become Turkey's youngest mayor in Kalkım.In Manisa, CHP's Gülşah Durbay won in Şehzadeler district.In Adana, one of Turkey's five largest cities, CHP's candidate Oya Tekin was elected in Seyhan district.Antalya saw female candidates win for the first time in Korkuteli, İbradı, and Akseki. CHP's Saniye Caran in Korkuteli, AK Party's Hatice Sekmen in İbradı, and CHP's İlkay Akca in Akseki emerged victorious.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Trailblazers</h3>Notable firsts included Sinem Dedetaş of CHP winning in Üsküdar with 49.90% of the vote, overtaking AK Party's Hilmi Türkmen, making it the first time the district would be led by a woman. Edirne and Tekirdağ also elected their first female mayors in history, with Candan Yüceer and Filiz Gencan Akın winning their respective cities.

Turkey headed to the ballot boxes on Sunday to elect its local representatives. As the effective participation of women, constituting nearly half of the population, in decision-making processes and their equal representation in politics remain integral to the democratic discourse, the electorate, choosing their local leaders, leaned more towards endorsing female candidates. Here is the breakdown of Turkey’s newly elected female mayors.

Turkey’s 2024 local elections: Victory of female mayors

<a fr-original-style="" href="https://theelders.org/profile/ban-ki-moon" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Ban Ki-moon</a>&nbsp;&amp; <a fr-original-style="" href="https://theelders.org/profile/juan-manuel-santos" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Juan Manuel Santos</a>Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine – a blatant attempt to destroy an independent, sovereign state living peacefully within recognized borders – has raised profound questions about the world we want to live in and how international relations should be managed in the future. One year on, the search for answers is even more urgent, and it must involve countries near and far from the war.Failure to defend the core principles of sovereignty and independence anywhere risks opening the door to autocratic and aggressive regimes everywhere. To live in a world where disputes between states are resolved through negotiations rather than force, we must recognize that the war’s challenge to the post-1945 international order affects every country, regardless of political system or alliance. In fact, it is smaller, less powerful countries that will suffer most if the world divides into competing blocs, as it did during the Cold War.As a former secretary-general of the United Nations and a former president of Colombia, we do not view the war in Ukraine from a European or Western perspective. When we <a fr-original-style="" href="https://odessa-journal.com/president-met-with-representatives-of-the-group-of-world-leaders-the-elders-ban-ki-moon-and-juan-manuel-santos-calderon/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">visited Kyiv</a> in August 2022 at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s invitation, we did so as members of <a fr-original-style="" href="https://theelders.org/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">The Elders</a>, the group of independent leaders that Nelson Mandela founded to advocate for peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable future on this planet. As Elders, we are interested in ending wars, not winning them, and we believe it is never too soon to start preparing for future dialogue to achieve a <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">just and sustainable peace</a> in line with the UN Charter.We look at this terrible war and its consequences through a global lens. We understand that for countries experiencing inflation and poverty because of the collapse of grain supplies and soaring energy prices, defending international norms and holding Russia accountable are less urgent issues than a <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/09/30/global-food-crisis-demands-support-for-people-open-trade-bigger-local-harvests" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">food-security crisis</a> that is threatening millions of vulnerable people.Similarly, we understand why, at a time when geopolitical power dynamics have become less predictable, some countries are seeking to balance their political and economic interests in ways they believe will help preserve their future security and prosperity. For many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Western talk about upholding the values of the “international community” rings hollow, given rich countries’ failure to <a fr-original-style="" href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114762" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">distribute vaccines equitably</a> during the COVID-19 pandemic, or to <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/rich-countries-failed-meet-their-climate-funding-goal-2022-07-29/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">deliver long-promised funding</a> to tackle the climate crisis.Still, the response from Asia, Latin America, and other parts of the world beyond Europe and North America must not be to retreat from international law and universal rights, or to remain neutral toward what is happening in Ukraine. Contrary to what some suggest, neutrality does not advance the prospects for peace; it simply emboldens Russian President Vladimir Putin to persist in his goal of destroying Ukraine, and may encourage similar acts of aggression and territorial expansion elsewhere.It has been 80 years since the Moscow Declaration, when the wartime Allies <a fr-original-style="" href="https://cdn.un.org/unyearbook/yun/pdf/1946-47/1946-47_38.pdf" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">committed</a> to “a general international organization, based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all peace-loving states.” Today, we need a renewed commitment by all UN member states to play their part in reinvigorating an equitable rules-based order that protects and works for everyone, including the least powerful.Achieving and sustaining a revitalized international order requires fairer systems of global governance and greater consistency in applying the rules. Rising regional powers have a vital role to play – and important choices to make – in this regard. Last year’s G20 summit in Bali <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/soft-diplomacy-why-g20-bali-summit-went-better-than-expected-by-kishore-mahbubani-2022-12" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">demonstrated</a> how regional powers like Indonesia can help bridge divisions. Political leaders reaffirmed the centrality of the UN Charter and ensured that the Global South’s interests were reflected in the debates and final commitments, such as on <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/setting-the-g20-agenda-for-food-security-experts-and-policymakers-gather-in-bali-to-find-solutions-to-this-urgent-challenge/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">food and energy security</a>.Now, the G20 presidencies of India, Brazil, and South Africa offer an opportunity to build on Indonesia’s achievements over the next three years. The current fault lines must not be allowed to obscure the fundamental goal we all share: a world in which disputes are settled peacefully and in accordance with international law and human rights obligations.Restoring the credibility of the multilateral system demands more than ethical leadership and moral consistency. It also requires ambitious reforms to the global peace and security architecture – a task that must include the thorny issue of <a fr-original-style="" href="https://theelders.org/programmes/strengthening-united-nations" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">reforming</a> the UN Security Council.We need a system that is fairer, more representative, and capable of taking decisive action in response to grave violations of the UN Charter. As we move toward the <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/summit-of-the-future-by-lolwah-al-khater-and-brian-finlay-2022-10" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Summit of the Future</a> that UN Secretary-General <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/columnist/antonio-guterres" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">António Guterres</a> has planned for next year, we owe it not only to the Ukrainian people but to all humanity to reject aggression and end impunity for aggressors. That is how we can live up to the UN Charter’s promise of a world free from the scourge of war.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders, is a former secretary-general of the United Nations and South Korean foreign minister. Juan Manuel Santos, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is a former president of Colombia (2010-18) and a member of The Elders.©&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Project Syndicate</a>&nbsp;1995–2022

To live in a world where disputes between states are resolved without force, all countries must recognize that Russia’s challenge to the post-1945 international order affects them, regardless of their political system or alliance. With core principles of sovereignty and independence at stake, neutrality is not an option.

Unity on Ukraine is unity on peace and justice

Access to clean water and hygiene supplies remains a problem in the areas affected by earthquakes. We learned about the shortcomings and problems in the field from the Flying Broom Foundation's (Uçan Süpürge) Local Women Reporters Network and asked public health expert Assoc. Prof. Aslı Davas what can be done to improve the conditions.<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Fundamental hygiene issues in the field</h2>Flying Broom Foundation’s (Uçan Süpürge) Local Women Reporters Network reported the hygiene problems in the affected zones. According to the information we received from Deniz Yılmaz in Gaziantep, Dilay Bozkurt in Hatay, and an anonymous member of the Reporters Network in Kahramanmaraş, hygiene problems continue intensely. There is a critical shortage of diapers, sanitary pads, clean water, toilet paper, clean underwear, and disinfectants. In Hatay, there are no shrouds or bags, so bodies are left on the streets. The urgent need for shrouds and bags is also expressed by those in Kahramanmaraş. “The streets smell of dead bodies,” says the reporter from Kahramanmaraş.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Toilets</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Field toilets are not widespread in Hatay, and public toilets are unusable because they are full of feces and cannot be cleaned. People try to minimise food and water consumption to avoid the need to go to the toilet.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In Gaziantep, toilets are clogged because the water has been cut off for 3 days. Clogged toilets in public places have overflowed. People are expecting repair efforts and cleaning to begin since the water supply is turned back on, but there is still a stench in the area, with feces everywhere. Men can defecate in fields while women have a harder time finding a place to go to the toilet.</li></ul>There is a lack of mobile toilets in Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, and Kahramanmaraş, and there is a critical shortage of pads and other menstrual products. There has been no running water for three days and the toilets are clogged.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Problems in relief efforts</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A large part of the support that is sent to the area cannot be utilized because they are not hygienic. Most of the second-hand goods sent to the affected zones are unusable. At the same time, most of the blankets and clothes are left on the side of the road to rot, as they get soaked by the rain.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The reporter in Hatay noted that aid could not get through because the excess of vehicles was blocking the roads, rubble was on the roads, and lanes were jammed. Damaged buildings continue to topple because of the aftershocks.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Lack of coordination</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In Hatay, access to medical doctors is scant, and there are paramedics in public gathering areas, but basic health work cannot be carried out because the number of warm and safe spaces is very limited.&nbsp;</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The most common problem reporters in Kahramanmaraş observe is the lack of coordination. It is reported that people are taking what they can without knowing the contents of packages. Some earthquake victims receive no support at all. It gets as cold as -17 degrees Celsius. Electric heaters are sent to the area but they cannot be used since there is no electricity. The need for coal and stoves continues in the region.</li></ul><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Possible risks, past cases</h2>After earthquake disasters, infectious disease outbreaks can occur due to unplanned overcrowding in shelters and limited access to food and clean water. The risk of outbreaks is also heightened by the destruction of water and sewage systems.The World Health Organization (WHO) <a fr-original-style="" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/09/23/who-warns-of-worse-secondary-health-crisis-in-quake-zone" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">warns</a> that diarrheal diseases, cholera, respiratory diseases, and parasitic diseases may occur in Syria, where conditions have already been harsh for years.We asked public health expert Assoc. Dr. Aslı Davas from the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) Academy, about the diseases seen after the earthquake and the measures that can be taken against these diseases. Dr. Davas summarized the diseases with high risk after the earthquake as follows:<blockquote fr-original-style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9);" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); margin: 0px 0px 1em; border-left: 2px solid rgb(94, 53, 177); padding-left: 5px; box-sizing: border-box;">“In the first four days, skin infections may occur in wounds after trauma. After the fourth day, infections start to occur due to crowded environments, lack of clean water and healthy food, poor planning of toilets and garbage collection such as respiratory infections, water-borne and food-borne infections, which are vector-borne diseases. Crowded living increases the risk of scabies and lice. The most common causes of death due to infection after a disaster are diarrhea, acute respiratory infections (pneumonia), and measles.”</blockquote>Post-disaster outbreaks are a global crisis. A major cholera outbreak <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3381400/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">started</a> in Haiti nine months after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 which killed nearly 200,000 people. Scientists <a fr-original-style="" href="https://sci-hub.ru/10.1002/msj.20251" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">suggest&nbsp;</a>that this is due to the living conditions of the approximately 1,5 million displaced people in overcrowded and unhygienic tent cities.Post-disaster diseases are not limited to the case of Haiti. In Indonesia in 2004, diarrheal diseases due to contaminated water <a fr-original-style="" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16091096/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">broke out&nbsp;</a>after the tsunami, in which almost <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/mayhem-of-2004-indian-ocean-tsunami-recalled/1684322#:~:text=An%20estimated%20230%2C000%20people%20%2D%2D,2%20million%20people%20were%20displaced." style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">2 million people</a> were displaced. Influenza and norovirus outbreaks were <a fr-original-style="" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ams2.367" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">detected</a> in Japan following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Skin diseases, upper respiratory diseases, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases were <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5438a6.htm" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">seen</a> in the USA after hurricanes Allison and Katrina in 2001 and 2005. After the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Pakistan in 2005, diarrheal disease cases <a fr-original-style="" href="https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/kashmir-earthquake-october-8-2005-impacts-pakistan" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">increased</a> by 42 percent.<h2 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">What to do?</h2><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Water safety</h3>“Tap water and water from unknown sources should not be used directly,” Dr. Davas said. She listed what needs to be done for water safety as follows:<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bottled water should be used; if this is not possible, water can be boiled and cooled before drinking.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chlorine tablets can be used in domestic water.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Clean water should be quickly transported by tankers and distributed under hygienic conditions, and water tanks should be disinfected frequently.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It should be noted that the most important danger to water safety is the contamination of the water source with human feces.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left; margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Toilets</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Portable toilets should be used during the first stage after the disaster.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Toilets should be built in adequate quantity and quality in collective shelters.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Where it is not possible to connect these toilets to the infrastructure, &nbsp;field toilets must be used and in this case, latrine pits should be covered with soil daily and latrines should be connected to new pits.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Latrines should be disinfected daily with bleaching lime paste or similar products by following the established methods.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Places suitable for hygienic conditions should be built for washing hands at the toilet exit and care should be taken to ensure that these places are not left without water and soap. Liquid soap should be used in the areas, if possible.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Care should be taken to ensure that handwashing water is organized in such a way that it flows without forming puddles.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">For women's safety, toilets should be well-lit and not far from residential areas.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Garbage</h3>Dr. Davas reminds us that in the early days, there may be disruptions in garbage collection as municipality workers have also been affected by the earthquakes. It is important to organize quickly and collect garbage regularly. In order for the garbage system to be hygienically installed, the following is required:<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In cases where transportation is difficult or impossible, wheelbarrows, transportation animals, etc. that can reach alleyways and narrow places should be used.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">If the garbage dumping areas in the region before the disaster are suitable, garbage should be collected and dumped there; if these areas are not accessible or if these areas have been the cause of the disaster themselves, they should be dumped in suitable garbage accumulation areas designated for this purpose.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Garbage collection areas should be set up at appropriate points where the affected population is sheltered. These areas should be disinfected daily with disinfectants, such as lime cream, chlorine solution, and bleach.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Garbage is a breeding ground for vermin and rodents that can carry infectious diseases. In the fight against houseflies, environments such as garbage and manure where the creatures lay eggs, should not be open (healthy garbage collection containers, garbage and manure piles can be covered with 20 cm thick soil).</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The formation and reproduction of pests and rodents should be prevented, and the necessary care should be taken to ensure that the pesticides and insecticides used to combat these pests do not become an element of pollution.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Garbage collection areas should be at least 60 meters away from watercourses and at least 1 kilometer away from the distribution and storage of foodstuffs; in a place where pedestrians and vehicles cannot pass.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Children and animals should not be allowed around garbage collection areas and animal carcasses should not be dumped there.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Leakages from garbage piles must be prevented, and if there is leakage, these places should be washed with bleach or a similar disinfectant.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">For every 200 people, a pit should be dug 2 meters deep and 1.5x1 meter wide. This could last a week for 200 people. The decomposition of organic material in the pit requires 4-6 weeks. Pits must be covered with 40 cm thick compacted soil.</li></ul>

Access to clean water and hygiene supplies remains a problem in the areas affected by earthquakes.

Hygiene crisis in earthquake zones

2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquakes

How to join the earthquake relief now

The 7.7 and 7.6-magnitude earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş have become one of the biggest natural disasters in the history of the Republic of Turkey. We, the people of Turkey, stand in solidarity to repair the damage caused by the earthquakes that have affected 10 provinces and more than 13 million people.<h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Kahramanmaraş</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kahramanmaraş, a city of 1,15 million inhabitants, suffered significant destruction, especially in Elbistan and Pazarcık, the epicenters of the two earthquakes. Among the damaged areas are Trabzon Street, Azerbaijan Boulevard, and Mufti Square.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In a statement around noon today, Vice President Fuat Oktay announced that in Kahramanmaraş, 530 people have died, and 2 thousand 900 people have been injured.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It has been later stated that over 4,060 search-and-rescue personnel have been deployed to the city.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Elbistan-Nurhak and Nurhak-Kapıdere Station-Gölbaşı roads have been closed.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Citizens in Elbistan, the epicenter of the second 7.6-magnitude earthquake, have expressed that the relief efforts have not reached them yet.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Hatay</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hatay, with a population of 1,7 million, is one of the cities heavily affected by the earthquake. It has been announced that many buildings in the city center, including the İskenderun State Hospital annex building, have collapsed, and thousands of people have been trapped under the rubble.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A fire broke out in the Iskenderun harbor because of a container that was tipped over during the earthquake.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">State hospitals in the districts of İskenderun and Antakya have collapsed.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nearly 2 thousand buildings collapsed in the city.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It is reported that the airport in the region has become unusable and people trying to reach the city have been advised to enter via Adana or Gaziantep. It is also reported that part of the Hatay-Reyhanlı road has been destroyed due to the earthquake.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It has been noted that an emergency response ship has departed from Istanbul to Iskenderun as of 09.30 am today.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Malatya</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Located 200 kilometers northeast of Kahramanmaraş with a population of 809,000, the city was severely damaged by the Elazığ earthquake back in 2020.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Malatya is one of the four provinces, along with Hatay, Adıyaman and Kahramanmaraş, where search and rescue efforts have been concentrated most intensely. There is currently 1,912 search-and-rescue personnel in the region.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">More than 500 buildings collapsed in the earthquake, and most of the buildings in the city are in an uninhabitable state.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Electricity has been supplied to the region in a controlled manner, the airport is functioning and flights are taking off from the city to different provinces. Citizens have been staying in areas such as sports halls, cultural centers, and dormitories.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Adıyaman</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city of 632 thousand inhabitants, 162 km from Kahramanmaraş, there is debris in Alitaşı, Yenimahalle, Sümerevler, Yunus Emre, Çarşı and Fatih neighborhoods.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Although it has been reported that there is 1,721 search-and-rescue personnel in Adıyaman, people in the region state that the efforts are not sufficient.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Çelikhan road has been closed and the Balıkburnu bridge on Çelikhan-Sürgü road collapsed.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Adana</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city of Adana with a population of 2,2 million, 11 buildings collapsed. It has been reported that devastation occurred in the Çukurova district and Turgut Özal Boulevard.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Adana Airport has become a regional base for logistics. Volunteers from Turkey and abroad, as well as planes carrying supplies and search-and-rescue teams, are using the airport to reach the earthquake zones.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Repair work on the Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep (TAG) Motorway has been largely completed, and the motorway is currently open to traffic.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It has been announced that 119 search-and-rescue teams are on duty in the city.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Şanlıurfa</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city with a population of 2.1 million, 201 buildings collapsed, and the destruction in the Halliliye district has been extensive. Search and rescue operations are continuing on İpekyol Street.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Beyazgül said in a statement today that some houses have been destroyed, but there is no significant destruction in rural areas with single-story houses.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Turkish Jockey Club (TJK) has opened the hippodrome in Şanlıurfa to the citizens affected by the earthquake.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Gaziantep</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city of Gaziantep with a population of 2.1 million, Islahiye and Nurdağı districts are the major destruction areas.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The historical Gaziantep Castle, one of the symbols of the city built on a hill in the city center, has been partially destroyed in the earthquake.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It is reported that there is a natural gas outage in the city where 1,314 personnel are on duty; therefore, the bakeries cannot operate.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fractures and rubble occurred on the highways, and the entrances to the city are made through a single open lane.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mayor Fatma Şahin stated: "80 percent of Islahiye and Nurdağı is paralyzed. More than half of the district is missing right now. This is a complete disaster."</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Diyarbakır</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">With a population of 1,8 million, Diyarbakır has also suffered great destruction. It has been reported that 21 buildings collapsed in Kayapınar district, Bağlar district, Emek Street, İskan Evleri Street, Yenişehir district, and Elazığ Street.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Temporary shelter areas have been established in the indoor sports halls of 10 schools in Bağlar, Kayapınar and Yenişehir districts, and tents have been set up in Selahattin Eyyubi Square.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">It has also been stated that there is 562 search-and-rescue personnel in the city, and the efforts are ongoing.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Osmaniye</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city with a population of 557 thousand, 85 buildings collapsed. Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Turkish Armed Forces, The Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Site Management, Manisa Fire Brigade and Kuşadası Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) are continuing search-and-rescue operations.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Kurum said, "We ask our citizens not to take this road unless they have to and to give priority to our aid teams."</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Kilis</h3><ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">In the city with a population of 150 thousand, 13 people have been reported dead. It has been announced that there is no one trapped under the rubble.</li><li dir="ltr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A building has been reported to have collapsed in the central district of the city.</li></ul>

Turkey's Greatest Natural Disaster

2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes

<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Joseph E. Stiglitz</a>Central banks’ unwavering determination to increase interest rates is truly remarkable. In the name of taming inflation, they have deliberately set themselves on a path to cause a recession – or to worsen it if it comes anyway. Moreover, they openly acknowledge the pain their policies will cause, even if they don’t emphasize that it is the poor and marginalized, not their friends on Wall Street, who will bear the brunt of it. And in the United States, this pain will disproportionately befall people of color.As a new Roosevelt Institute report that I co-authored shows, any benefits from the extra interest-rate-driven reduction in inflation will be minimal, compared to what would have happened anyway. Inflation already appears to be easing. It may be moderating more slowly than optimists hoped a year ago – before Russia’s war in Ukraine – but it is moderating nonetheless, and for the same reasons that optimists had outlined. For example, high auto prices, caused by a shortage of computer chips, would come down as the bottlenecks were resolved. That has been happening, and car inventories have indeed been rising.Optimists also expected oil prices to decrease, rather than continue to increase; that, too, is precisely what has happened. In fact, the declining cost of renewables implies that the long-run price of oil will fall even lower than today’s price. It is a shame that we didn’t move to renewables earlier. We would have been much better insulated from the vagaries of fossil-fuel prices, and far less vulnerable to the whims of petrostate dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s own war-mongering, journalist-murdering leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (widely known as MBS). We should be thankful that both men failed in their apparent attempt to influence the US 2022 midterm election by sharply cutting oil production in early October.Yet another reason for optimism has to do with mark-ups – the amount by which prices exceed costs. While markups have risen slowly with the increased monopolization of the US economy, they have soared since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis. As the economy emerges more fully from the pandemic (and, one hopes, from the war) they should decrease, thereby moderating inflation. Yes, wages have been temporarily rising faster than in the pre-pandemic period, but that is a good thing. There has been a huge secular increase in inequality, which the recent decrease in workers’ real (inflation-adjusted) wages has only made worse.The Roosevelt report also dispenses with the argument that today’s inflation is due to excessive pandemic spending, and that bringing it back down requires a long period of high unemployment. Demand-driven inflation occurs when aggregate demand exceeds potential aggregate supply. But that, for the most part, has not been happening. Instead, the pandemic gave rise to numerous sectoral&nbsp;supply constraints and demand shifts that – together with adjustment asymmetries – became the primary drivers of price growth.Consider, for example, that there are fewer Americans today than there were expected to be before the pandemic. Not only did Trump-era Covid-19 policies contribute to the loss of more than a million people in the US (and that is just the official figure), but immigration also declined, owing to new restrictions and a generally less welcoming, more xenophobic environment. The driver of the increase in rents was thus not a large increase in the need for housing, but rather the widespread shift to remote work, which changed where people (particularly knowledge workers) wanted to live. As many professionals moved, rents and housing costs increased in some areas and fell in others. But rents, where demand increased, rose more than those where demand fell decreased; thus, the demand shift&nbsp;contributed to overall inflation.Let us return to the big policy question at hand. Will higher interest rates increase the supply of chips for cars, or the supply of oil (somehow persuading MBS to supply more)? Will they lower the price of food, other than by reducing global incomes so much that people pare their diets? Of course not. On the contrary, higher interest rates make it even more difficult to mobilize investments that could alleviate supply shortages. And as both the Roosevelt report and my earlier Brookings Institution report with Anton Korinek show, there are many other ways that higher interest rates may exacerbate inflationary pressures.Well-directed fiscal policies and other, more finely tuned measures have a better chance of taming today’s inflation than do blunt, potentially counterproductive monetary policies. The appropriate response to high food prices, for example, is to reverse a decades-old agricultural price-support policy that pays farmers not&nbsp;to produce, when they should be encouraged to produce more.Likewise, the appropriate response to increased prices resulting from undue market power is better antitrust enforcement, and the way to respond to poor households’ higher rents is to encourage investment in new housing, whereas higher interest rates do the opposite. If there was a labor shortage (the standard sign of which is increased real wages – the opposite of what we are currently seeing), the response should involve the increased provision of childcare, pro-immigration policies, and measures to boost wages and improve working conditions.After more than a decade of ultra-low interest rates, it makes sense to “normalize” them. But raising interest rates beyond that, in a quixotic attempt to tame inflation rapidly, will not only be painful now; it will leave long-lasting scars, especially on those who are least able to bear the brunt of these ill-conceived policies. By contrast, most of the fiscal and other responses described here would yield long-term social benefits, even if inflation turned out to be more muted than anticipated.&nbsp;The psychologist Abraham Maslow famously said, “To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Just because the US Federal Reserve has a hammer, it shouldn’t go around smashing the economy.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics, is a University Professor at Columbia University and a member of the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation.© <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Project Syndicate</a> 1995–2022

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Croatia allowed in Schengen zone with unanimous backing, ex-Wirecard chief's trial begins in Munich, WNBA star Griner freed in prisoner swap with Russia

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–Unconventional Economic Wisdom

All pain and no gain from higher interest rates

We are witnessing an unprecedented confluence of major and minor crises. From the COVID-19 pandemic, surging energy prices, and the return of inflation in developed and developing economies, to fractured supply chains, Russia’s criminal war in Ukraine, and climate change, many of these crises are signs not just of decay but of a new world order being born.As the remnants of the twentieth century’s bipolar order finally disappear, a new global pentarchy is coming to the fore. The United States and China – this century’s two military, technological, and economic superpowers – will be the dominant players, but Europe, Japan, and India will exercise meaningful influence over large swaths of the planet.A big question mark hangs over Russia, because its future status, capacities, and strategic posture will depend on the outcome of its reckless war of aggression. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has clung desperately to the past, seeking to recreate the twentieth or even the late nineteenth century. But with its catastrophically misguided effort to destroy Ukraine, it ultimately is destroying itself.A Russian military defeat in Ukraine is already a certainty – a matter of when, not if. But it is still far too early to foretell the likely consequences. Will Putin’s regime survive, or will Russia’s defeat usher in another phase of internal decay and disintegration. Until that question is resolved, we cannot yet know whether Russia will try to maintain its old claim to hegemony in Eastern Europe and much of Eurasia.If the Kremlin is forced to abandon that claim, its role as a world power would probably be over. To be sure, even a decrepit, humiliated Russia, rather than going into geopolitical hibernation, would most likely remain a major source of instability in the new world order, and especially on the European continent. But it is now clear that Russia’s massive nuclear arsenal is no longer sufficient to secure its geopolitical status in the twenty-first century. Its economy is being decisively weakened as the rest of the world moves to phase out fossil fuels – the backbone of the Russian economy.Whereas Russia poses new risks because of its fragility and decay, China will do so by dint of its increasing wealth and might. Owing to the massive wave of globalization that began in the early 2000s, China managed to lift itself out of poverty and position itself to achieve high-income status. And with the 2008 financial crisis partly discrediting the West, China has been able to expand its own global leadership role and present itself as a global superpower alongside the US.Unlike the Soviet Union during the Cold War, however, China has not made the mistake of focusing solely on its military power. On the contrary, its global rise reflects its embrace of integration into US- and Western-dominated world markets by serving as the world’s “extended workbench,” while investing heavily in competing with the West on the technological and scientific frontiers. The Chinese certainly have not held back on military investment, but they have not allowed spending on defense and security to crowd out everything else. The defining difference between China and Russia today is that, unlike Putin, the Chinese leadership has been living in the twenty-first century for quite some time.The recent G20 summit in Bali laid bare this fundamental difference of outlook and purpose. Whereas Russia found itself diplomatically isolated, China was central to all the discussions and the shaping of the final communiqué. Though they have not adopted the Western line on the Ukraine crisis, large countries such as China and India used the occasion to distance themselves noticeably from the Kremlin, decrying its war policy and nuclear threats. If the in-person talks between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping help to deflate Sino-American tensions, the Bali summit will have opened the door to reshaping international relations in the twenty-first century.The outcome of the US midterm election offers yet another reason for hope, as the widely anticipated Republican “red wave” failed to materialize. The GOP failed to take the Senate and only barely secured a majority in the House of Representatives. As in 2018 and 2020, former President Donald Trump once again held his party back. Most Americans do not want a return to his “America first” isolationist policies.Together, the US midterms and the Bali summit offer cause for optimism at an otherwise fraught moment. But we will need much more progress toward global cooperation. Ultimately, our two biggest crises – Russia’s retrograde war in Ukraine and climate change – can be overcome only if the world’s key powers find a way to work together.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Joschka Fischer, Germany’s foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader of the German Green Party for almost 20 years.©&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Project Syndicate</a>, 2022.