Welcome to our first 2020 round up of the news from the local area and around Turkey.
NEWS
159 drivers fined during New Year’s Eve spot checks in Fethiye
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159 drivers were fined on New Year’s Eve as a result of spot checks carried out by Fethiye District Police Department.
The control points were in place from 8pm on New Year’s Eve until 6am on New Year’s day during which time 395 vehicles and drivers were checked.
159 penalties were issued amounting to fines of 53,000 TL. Among the penalties, 32 driving licenses were confiscated due to driving under the influence of alcohol and 30 people were driving without a driving license.
Source: ensonhaber.com
Turkey shelves tax hike on alcohol and tobacco in move to curb inflation
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Turkey said on Tuesday it will not implement an automatic tax hike on alcohol and tobacco products in the first half of 2020, in a move expected to curb inflation and raise prospects for a more interest rate cuts.
The fixed tax is generally imposed automatically each year on alcohol and tobacco products in line with producer price inflation. But Turkey’s Official Gazette published a presidential decision saying it would not be implemented in the first half.
Economists said the move would put a further brake on inflation, which tumbled throughout 2019 from multi-year highs logged in the previous year. The overall year-over-year price gauge was 10.6% in November.
Last week Turkey announced another move that could keep more cash in Turks’ pockets: it raised the minimum wage, earned by almost a third of the workforce, by 15.03% for 2020, more than inflation.
The net monthly minimum wage will be 2,325 liras ($392) in 2020, up from 2,021 liras in 2019.
Sources: Reuters/fortune.com
8 killed as migrant boat sinks off the Fethiye coast
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Eight people drowned after a boat carrying around 15 migrants sank off the coast of Turkey, the interior ministry said on Friday. The incident happened on Wednesday night in the Aegean Sea, around eight kilometres from the town of Fethiye in southwest Turkey, it said in a statement. A search-and-rescue mission continued for about seven migrants thought to be missing.
The coast guard dispatched three boats, a team of divers, a plane and a helicopter to the area as soon as it received word of the sinking. The bodies of eight people, three of them women, were recovered, the ministry said.
There was no information on the nationalities of the migrants who were on the boat.
Turkey is a main crossing point for migrants trying to make their way to Europe to escape violent conflicts or economic hardship.
A deal between Turkey and the European Union in 2016 helped stem migration flows, but many asylum-seekers still attempt the dangerous trip across the Aegean Sea to Greek islands. Authorities in both Athens and Ankara have reported an increase in migrant arrivals since the summer.
n 2019, Turkish coast guards prevented 60,802 migrants from embarking for Europe from the Turkish coastline, the Sabah newspaper reported.
Turkey hosts an estimated 3.7 million Syrian refugees, the world’s largest refugee population.
Sources: Associated Press/aa.com.tr
Turkey’s Wikipedia ban ruled unconstitutional by high court
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Good news for Wikipedia users.
A high court in Turkey has ruled that the country’s ban on Wikipedia was unconstitutional, dealing a victory to free speech advocates more than two and a half years after the ban was imposed amid a crackdown on access to information.
The Turkish Constitutional Court — the highest court that could consider the issue — ruled in favor of Wikipedia after the online encyclopedia’s lawyers argued that the ban violated the right to freedom of expression.
A response from Turkey to the court is due in January, The New York Times reported. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales addressed Thursday’s ruling in a tweet: “Welcome back, Turkey!”
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Sources: New York Times/foxnews.com
Cartoon contest to raise awareness on addiction
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The Turkish Green Crescent is organizing a cartoon contest to raise the awareness of young people on addiction.
The theme of the 4th International Green Crescent Cartoon Contest is the Importance of Living Healthy in the 100th Anniversary of the Fight Against Addictions.
The contest is open for Turkish and foreign cartoonists, amateur or professional, around the world. Click here for the full story…
Source: aa.com.tr
SPORT
Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor updates.
Fethiyespor
Fethiyespor may be on a break but they have certainly been keeping busy training in both facilities in Fethiye and Antalya.
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Whilst the team were training, the management were busy signing up two new players.
Fethiyespor signed a contract with Burak Özbakır, a 26-year-old winger from Nazilli.
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The club also reached an agreement with 29-year-old midfielder Kazım Dülger, who returns to Fethiyespor after an injury last season.
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Fethiyespor ended the first half of the season at second place on the league table. We wish them luck for the second half of the season.
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Fethiyespor lost their pre-season friendly away against Muğlaspor on Saturday. The final score was 3-1.
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The next league matches are:
The second half of the season starts on Saturday 11th January when Fethiyespor play away against Erokspor. Kick off is at 13:30. If you would like to go to the match, you can book a place on the Apaçiler supporters bus. Click here for details.
Sunday 19th January at home against Kocaelispor. Kick off is 13:30.
For more information about Fethiyespor please visit Fethiyespor Yabancilar on Facebook
Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor Basketbol
Thank you to Pauline Yılmaz for the Lokman Hekim Fethiyespor Basketbol updates
The stadium was packed for another very exciting match for Fethiye’s basketball team who won their match on Saturday 4th January. The final score was Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor 75 – 72 Akhisar Belediye Basketball.
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This win maintains Fethiye’s position at the top of the league.
Saturday 11th January sees the last match of the first half of the season with a home game against SEMT 77 Yalovaspor. The match will be held at Beşkaza Sports Stadium at 17:00.
There is then a two week mid term break. The second half of the season will start on Saturday 25 th January with a home match against Anadolu Basket at Beskaza Sports Stadium. The match starts at 17:00
Everyone is welcome so go along and support our local team!
You can follow the Team on their Facebook Page – Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor Basketbol
Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates
The British Pound bought 7.81 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 7.78 TL.
The US Dollar bought 5.97 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 5.95 TL.
The Euro bought 6.66 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 6.64 TL.
ISource: FxexchangeRate.com
Weather Forecast
We can safely say that winter has arrived here in Fethiye with snow capped mountains dominating the landscape whichever way you look.
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Here’s your weather forecast for the week ahead.
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Source: Living Earth
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The post Fethiye Times News – Week Ending 05 January 2020 appeared first on Fethiye Times.