World
Powerful Quake Rocks Turkey And Syria, Kills More Than 5,000
ADANA, Turkey: On Monday, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria, killing over 5,000 people and injuring thousands more as it toppled thousands of buildings and trapped residents beneath mounds of rubble.
Authorities were worried that the number of deaths would go up as rescuers searched through twisted metal and concrete for survivors in a region already struggling with Syria’s 12-year civil war and a refugee crisis.
Residents startled awake by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside in the rain and snow to avoid falling debris while those trapped cried out for help. Throughout the day, major aftershocks shook the area, including one nearly as powerful as the initial quake. Workers were still sawing away slabs and pulling bodies after nightfall as desperate families awaited word on trapped loved ones.
“My grandson is one and a half years old. Please, please assist them. We haven’t been able to hear or communicate with them since the morning. Please, they were on the 12th floor,” Imran Bahur sobbed outside her destroyed apartment building in Adana, Turkey. Her daughter and family have yet to be found.
Tens of thousands of people who were left homeless in Turkey and Syria had to spend the night outside in the cold. People in Gaziantep, Turkey, a provincial capital about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the epicenter, took shelter in shopping malls, stadiums, and community centers. Mosques were opened throughout the region to provide shelter.
The Quake Prompted Seven days Or National Mourning.
Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, declared seven days of national mourning.
The earthquake, centered in Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus and Beirut fleeing into the streets and was felt as far away as Cairo.
The quake added to the misery in a region that has suffered greatly over the last decade. On the Syrian side, the area is split between government-held land and the country’s last opposition stronghold, which is surrounded by government forces with help from Russia. Meanwhile, Turkey is home to millions of civil war refugees.
According to the White Helmets, an opposition emergency organization, hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble in the rebel-held enclave. The area is densely populated, with approximately 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country due to the war. Many of them live in buildings that previous bombardments have already destroyed.
According to rescue workers, strained health facilities quickly filled with injured. According to the SAMS medical organization, others, including a maternity hospital, had to be emptied.
According to Orhan Tatar, a disaster management official in Turkey, over 6,400 people were rescued across ten provinces.
Earth Quakes Frequently shake Up the Area.
The area is situated on major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. In 1999, similar powerful earthquakes struck northwest Turkey, killing 18,000 people.
The US Geological Survey assigned a magnitude of 7.8 to Monday’s quake, which occurred at a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles). A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away hours later.
The second jolt in the afternoon caused a multistory apartment building in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa to topple face-forward onto the street. According to a video of the scene, the structure disintegrated into rubble and created a cloud of dust as bystanders screamed.
There were reports that thousands of buildings had fallen down in a large area that went from Aleppo and Hama in Syria to Diyarbakir in Turkey quake, which is more than 330 kilometers (200 miles) to the northeast.
Authorities reported that over 5,600 buildings were destroyed in Turkey alone. Hospitals in the Turkish city of Iskenderun were damaged, and one collapsed.
Dr. Steven Godby, an expert on natural disasters at Nottingham Trent University, thinks that the rescuers may have less time to save trapped people if it is very cold. He said that working in war-torn civil areas would complicate rescue efforts even more.
Countries Around The World Are Offering Their Assistance
Hundreds of countries, the European Union, and NATO all offered help, like search-and-rescue teams, money, and medical supplies. Most of them were going to Turkey. Russia and even Israel had promised to help the Syrian government, but it was not clear if any would make it to the rebel-held pocket in the northwest, which was in ruins.
Syrian Civil Defense, which is part of the opposition, has said that the situation in the enclave is “disastrous.”
The government and Russia have been bombing the area held by the opposition in Idlib province for years. Everything the territory needs, from food to medicine, comes from neighboring Turkey.
Osama Abdel Hamid told a hospital in Idlib that most of his neighbors died. He claimed their four-story shared building collapsed as he, his wife, and three children ran for the exit. A wooden door fell on them, serving as a shield.
“God gave me a fresh start,” he said.
The bodies of several dead children, wrapped in blankets, were brought to a hospital in the small Syrian rebel-held town of Azmarin in the mountains near the Turkish border.
Four or five TV screens in Turkey showed live coverage of rescue efforts in the provinces that were hit the hardest.
Rescuers pulled two children alive from the rubble in Kahramanmaras, and one could be seen lying on a stretcher on the snowy ground. CNN Turk says that a rescue dog found a woman who was still alive and brought her to safety in Gaziantep.
Over 12.000 Injured In Ten Different Turkish Provinces
In Adana, about 20 people, some wearing emergency rescue jackets, used power saws to saw out space for survivors to climb out or be rescued from a collapsed building’s cement mountain.
“I don’t have the strength anymore,” one survivor could be heard saying from beneath the rubble of another building in Adana earlier in the day as rescue workers tried to reach him, according to a resident, Muhammet Fatih Yavuz, a journalism student.
Hundreds of rescue workers and civilians formed lines across a mountain of wreckage in Diyarbakir. They passed down pieces of broken concrete, household items, and other debris as they looked for people who were trapped under the wreckage.
According to Turkish authorities, at least 1,762 people were killed, and over 12,000 were injured in ten Turkish provinces. According to the Health Ministry, the death toll in government-held areas of Syria has risen to 593, with 1,400 injured. At least 450 people have died and hundreds have been hurt, according to groups that work in the rebel-held northwest of the country.
Huseyin Yayman, a legislator from Turkey’s Hatay province, said several family members were trapped beneath the rubble of their collapsed homes.
“There are so many other people trapped,” he told Haber Turk television over the phone. “So many buildings have been damaged. There are people on the streets. It’s winter; it’s raining.”
SOURCE – (AP)
World
Felipe VI of Spain Pelted with Mud By Angry Protesters
Angry protesters pelted Felipe VI of Spain with mud and other objects during a visit to flood-hit Valencia. Spain’s national broadcaster reported that two bodyguards were treated for injuries.
Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia, Spain’s prime minister, and other leaders were met with shouts of “murderer” and “shame” as they traversed the town of Paiporta, which is one of the most severely afflicted in the region.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia were later observed offering comfort to individuals in the throng despite being covered in mud on their faces and clothing.
The floods, which were the most severe in Spain in decades, resulted in the deaths of over 200 individuals. In the hopes of locating survivors and recovering corpses, emergency personnel are still working to search underground car parks and tunnels.
In response to the floods, there has been a wave of resentment toward the authorities for their perceived failure to provide adequate support and warning.
The king was observed walking down a pedestrian street when a sudden surge of demonstrators who hurled insults and screamed, causing his bodyguards and police to be immediately overwhelmed.
Some of the demonstrators threw mud and objects, which made it difficult for them to maintain a protective ring around the monarch.
Felipe VI of Spain Greets Mob
Images depicted the king, queen, and entourage, who held canopies over the monarch as they departed, with mud on their faces and clothing.
During the visit, the royal couple was accompanied by Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the president of the Valencian regional government, Carlos Mazón. However, they were promptly evacuated as the crowd became increasingly hostile.
The BBC has verified footage that appears to depict stones being thrown at Sánchez’s vehicle as he was driven away, while Spanish media reports that objects were hurled at him.
The audience chanted, “Where is Sánchez?” after he departed.
“I am only 16,” Pau said, his eyes welling with tears. “We are assisting, but the leaders are not acting.” People are still dying. I am unable to endure this any longer.
Another woman stated, “They abandoned us to our deaths.” We have forfeited everything: our homes, enterprises, and aspirations.
A subsequent observation revealed that the civil guard and mounted officers endeavored to disperse the irate throng.
Severe Flooding in Valencia province
The royal entourage intended to continue their journey to Chiva, another community in the Valencia province severely affected by the flooding. However, this visit has been postponed.
In a subsequent video on the royal household’s Instagram account, the monarch expressed his comprehension of the protestors’ “angry and frustration.”
Maribel Albalat, the mayor of Paiporta, said that she was astonished by the violence but also acknowledged the “frustration and desperation of the people.”
Juan Bordera, a Valencian parliamentarian, characterized the king’s visit as “an extremely poor decision.”
Mr. Bordera told the BBC authorities “didn’t heed any warnings.”
“It is logical that the people are angry, and it is logical that the people did not comprehend the urgency of this visit,” he continued.
Sánchez directed the deployment of 10,000 additional police officers, civil guards, and soldiers to the region on Saturday.
He stated that the deployment was the highest in Spain’s history during peacetime. However, he also acknowledged that the response was “insufficient” and that there were “severe issues and shortages.”
Over 200 Killed in Flooding
The inundation began on Tuesday following a period of heavy rainfall. Floodwaters caused bridges to collapse and cities to be engulfed in a thick layer of mud. Numerous communities lacked water, electricity, food, and other fundamental services.
The mortality toll from the flooding reached 217 on Sunday, and it is believed that many more individuals are still missing.
The Valencia region on the Mediterranean coast has been the site of nearly all of the confirmed fatalities thus far.
Certain regions have been particularly devastated. Today, the royal delegation visited Paiporta, a municipality where authorities have reported a minimum of 62 fatalities.
On Sunday, the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET issued the maximum alert level for certain areas of southern Valencia, including Alzira, Cullera, and Gandia.
The agency warned that the intensity of the cyclones expected to pass through the region will not be comparable to Tuesday’s. It anticipates a total of 90mm (3.45 inches) of precipitation.
Trending News:
At Least 95 People Die In Flash Floods In Spain
World
Oil Prices Fall As Reality Of Weak Global Demand Overtakes Risk Of Wider War In Middle East
Global oil prices are plummeting after Israel launched a retaliatory strike over the weekend that targeted Iranian military locations rather than its energy infrastructure, as had been anticipated.
Crude oil prices rose globally on October 2 after Iran launched roughly 200 missiles into Israel as part of a series of fast-increasing attacks between Israel, Iran, and its Arab allies that threatened to bring the Middle East closer to a regional war.
Iran is the world’s seventh-largest oil producer, but a bigger crisis in the Middle East may have an impact on the region’s largest energy producers.
Oil Prices Fall As Reality Of Weak Global Demand Overtakes Risk Of Wider War In Middle East
With many believing that the threat is receding in the short term, the price of benchmark U.S. crude and Brent crude, the worldwide benchmark, fell 6% on Monday. U.S. crude oil plunged well below $70 per barrel.
The Israeli military stated that its aircraft targeted Iranian facilities used to manufacture missiles fired at Israel, as well as surface-to-air missile installations.
Here’s a look at the current status and prospects for oil and gas prices:
The price of U.S. benchmark petroleum fell 6% Monday after Israel’s weekend retaliation strike on Iran targeted military targets rather than oilfields in the world’s seventh largest producer of crude.
This brings the price of a barrel of U.S. crude well below $70 after it rose above $77 earlier this month. Oil and gasoline prices have fallen dramatically since their yearly highs in April. According to energy specialists, more than half of the pumps in the United States sell a gallon of petrol for less than $3.
The focus has shifted back to the fundamentals of global energy markets, which have seen plentiful supply and falling demand this year. Slowing economic growth in China, the world’s largest energy consumer is a major cause.
Beijing announced that China’s economy grew at a 4.6% annual rate in the July-September quarter, down from 4.7% the previous quarter and falling short of the official aim of “about 5%” growth in 2024.
The Middle East war continues to roil energy markets, albeit not as dramatically.
Prices spiked momentarily this month after Iran launched missiles into Israel, but many experts believe Israel’s response over the weekend was moderate, potentially ending a cycle of retaliatory strikes from both sides, at least for now.
The OPEC+ coalition, which includes members of the producer’s cartel as well as ally countries such as Russia, wields less control over world pricing than in the 1970s when an oil embargo following the start of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 doubled crude oil prices.
Since then, the global oil supply has shifted dramatically, with the United States emerging as the world’s top producer. Months of conflict between Israel and two Iranian proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, did little to raise oil prices for OPEC and its 12 member countries. Only the prospect of a direct conflict between Israel and Iran shifted the needle.
It is the fundamentals.
The long-term expectation is that oil prices will fall rather than rise. This is due to a shift in the supply-demand balance, which normally causes oil prices to fall.
According to the International Energy Agency’s most recent energy market assessment, oil demand in the first half of this year increased by the least amount since 2020. Meanwhile, supplies have continued to rise, and the OPEC+ alliance has announced intentions to release more oil into the market beginning in December.
What’s happening with energy prices this year?
Oil futures soared sharply to start the year, reaching $85 per barrel in April, but it’s been mostly downhill since then, and gas prices have followed suit.
Because oil costs half of a gallon of gasoline in the United States, gas prices are loosely correlated. Between Friday and Monday, when Israel conducted a measured counterstrike against Iran, the price of a barrel of oil fell $4.
OPEC has failed to build a floor for oil prices this year.
Oil Prices Fall As Reality Of Weak Global Demand Overtakes Risk Of Wider War In Middle East
Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries extended output cutbacks until June next year, seeking to preserve low oil prices that have yet to recover despite Middle Eastern turbulence and this year’s summer travel season.
At the same time, the United States is pumping an unprecedented amount of petroleum. The United States Energy Information Administration predicts that the average daily crude oil output in the United States will be 13.2 million barrels annually, with production only expected to increase in 2025.
What’s next for oil and gas prices?
Several energy experts believe that oil prices have peaked this year and will continue to fall, implying that motorists will benefit from additional discounts.
“Limited nature of Israeli strikes against Iran should diminish fears of wider war and shave some of the geopolitical premium on crude oil,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service, in a social media post this weekend. “Today’s U.S. retail gas avg is $3.13/gal with 55% of sites priced at less than $3/gal.”
SOURCE | AP
World
2024 | “Pink Cocaine” What Is It?
A recreational substance termed “pink cocaine” is gaining popularity and causing misunderstanding because it does not normally include cocaine.
The pink powder, which is actually a mix of other narcotics tinted pink, has been discovered in drug seizures, forcing law authorities to issue warnings.
Pink cocaine is also known as “tusi,” however both nicknames are based on marketing rather than fact. According to experts, it rarely contains cocaine and is more likely to contain ketamine, which has quite distinct effects.
What Is The Recreational Drug ‘Pink Cocaine’?
Why is it pink?
Pink cocaine gets its pink tint from food coloring or dye, according to Joseph Palamar, a drug trends researcher at NYU Langone Health in New York.
“Sometimes it has cocaine in the mix, but it’s typically more of a ketamine concoction,” says Palamar. Studies have discovered batches containing methamphetamine, MDMA, bath salts, caffeine, and opiates.
“It’s a concoction that anyone can make if they have a couple of drugs and a pink dye,” Palamar told reporters.
According to research released last year by Palamar, the term “tusi” may have been coined to emulate 2C-B, a recreational drug popular on the rave scene in the 1990s and noted for its euphoric effects. The drug analyses that Palamar evaluated revealed that tusi did not often include 2C-B.
According to him, young people nowadays may be unaware of the history of the name tusi and may be confused by the name pink cocaine.
“It’s just some beautiful powder that their pals are using. “They probably have no idea what it is supposed to be,” he explained.
Why is pink cocaine dangerous?
The threat stems from the unknown contents. Users may have undesirable side effects or take more than their previous experience indicates they can handle. Ketamine is a potent anesthetic that has been licensed for surgical usage, but it has also been used recreationally and to treat depression, anxiety, and pain in recent years. It has the potential to produce hallucinations as well as interfere with breathing and cardiac function.
What Is The Recreational Drug ‘Pink Cocaine’?
“Ketamine is not a fun drug to most people,” Palamar stated. “It kind of puts you in your own little world and things tend to feel very alien when you’re on it, especially in large doses.”
Someone who is drunk at a party and believes cocaine may counteract the effects of alcohol will be unpleasantly startled with pink cocaine, which is primarily ketamine, he added.
Where does pink cocaine come from?
In May, the United States Coast Guard reported seizing pink cocaine and other drugs off the shores of Mexico, Central and South America.
“That was the first time that I heard of large batches being imported into the U.S. as tusi,” Palamar told me. It might just as easily be created by drug dealers in the United States who mix their own, he claimed.
SOURCE | AP
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