Two years after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated southeastern Türkiye, killing over 55,000 people, rebuilding efforts remain incomplete, with hundreds of thousands still living in temporary housing.
On the anniversary of the disaster, residents of Antakya gathered early Wednesday to honor the victims, holding torches and chanting, "No forgetting, no forgiving, no reconciliation." The quake, which struck on February 6, 2023, destroyed entire towns across 11 Turkish provinces and parts of northern Syria.
Despite government pledges to construct 650,000 homes, opposition leaders and aid groups say progress has been slow. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently stated that 201,431 housing units had been delivered, falling short of the 319,000 he initially promised within a year.
Critics, including opposition leader Özgür Özel, argue that only 30% of the pledged reconstruction has been completed, with some areas, like Hatay, seeing just an 18% completion rate. Many survivors remain in container homes, facing poor sanitation, limited healthcare, and economic uncertainty.
Aid organizations, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, warn that reconstruction delays threaten long-term stability, with some areas at risk of depopulation.
The Turkish government insists that recovery efforts remain on track, with Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum announcing plans to deliver 423,000 more homes and workplaces by the end of 2025. Türkiye has allocated $19 billion for ongoing reconstruction.
For many survivors, however, the pain of loss and displacement continues. In Antakya, activist Özgür Tıraş vowed, "We will rebuild this city with our own hands."
President Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to ratify a free trade agreement with Türkiye, calling it a key security partner during talks in Kyiv on reconstruction and drone production.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed his desire for the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Armenia highlighting the "significant" trade and business ties between the two countries.
Turkey's foreign minister, defence minister and the head of the national intelligence agency are in Syria on a working visit.
Türkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation signed a joint venture agreement with U.S. oil giants Continental Resources and TransAtlantic Petroleum, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced.
Türkiye and Egypt have agreed to enhance cooperation in natural gas and mining, focusing on energy security, during talks at the CERAWeek 2025 energy conference.
Nightclub fires have claimed hundreds of lives over the years, often due to poor safety measures. From China to Türkiye, negligence, overcrowding, and lack of emergency exits have been recurring factors in some of the deadliest nightclub tragedies.
The Vatican has released the first image of Pope Francis in hospital since he was admitted for double pneumonia, showing the 88-year-old pontiff seated in a chapel at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
The US has vowed to keep striking Yemen’s Houthis until they stop attacks on shipping, as the Iran-aligned group signalled potential escalation following US airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 31 people.
Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, has expressed optimism that the U.S. president will speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week to discuss ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, following what he described as productive talks in Moscow.
A nationwide blackout in Cuba left 10 million without power. While parts of Havana have electricity, most areas remain dark. The outage, the fourth since October, highlights the country's energy crisis amid fuel shortages and ageing infrastructure.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
BioNTech forecasts a revenue decline for 2025, expecting between 1.7 billion and 2.2 billion euros, down from 2.75 billion euros last year. This drop is due to Pfizer write-downs and stable vaccination rates. BioNTech also plans significant job cuts and new hires.
On March 16, at around 09:45, Armenian armed forces opened fire on Azerbaijani positions located in the direction of the Digh settlement in the Goris region, using firearms, according to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence.
Azerbaijan has officially joined the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation following President Ilham Aliyev’s approval. The move, backed by D-8 leaders at the Cairo Summit, strengthens Azerbaijan’s global economic ties and aligns with the bloc’s mission.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on a finalised draft peace agreement with Azerbaijan in a phone call with Vladimir Putin. Kremlin said on that Friday conversation was initiated by the Armenian side.
The United States has proposed a "bridge" plan to extend the ceasefire in Gaza through April, aiming to facilitate negotiations for a permanent halt to hostilities and ensure the release of U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander.
Nightclub fires have claimed hundreds of lives over the years, often due to poor safety measures. From China to Türkiye, negligence, overcrowding, and lack of emergency exits have been recurring factors in some of the deadliest nightclub tragedies.
The Vatican has released the first image of Pope Francis in hospital since he was admitted for double pneumonia, showing the 88-year-old pontiff seated in a chapel at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
The US has vowed to keep striking Yemen’s Houthis until they stop attacks on shipping, as the Iran-aligned group signalled potential escalation following US airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 31 people.
Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, has expressed optimism that the U.S. president will speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week to discuss ending the ongoing war in Ukraine, following what he described as productive talks in Moscow.
A nationwide blackout in Cuba left 10 million without power. While parts of Havana have electricity, most areas remain dark. The outage, the fourth since October, highlights the country's energy crisis amid fuel shortages and ageing infrastructure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment