Shares surged past $70 in early trade, giving the firm a market value of more than $9bn. They ended the day at about $58, still up more than 16%.

The long-awaited moment will inject more than $200m into Trump Media & Technology Group and hands the former president a stake worth more than $4bn.

Analysts say that is far more than the firm’s performance warrants.

Trump Media’s Truth Social, a Twitter-like service, brought in just $3.3m in revenue in the first nine months of last year and lost nearly $50m.

It says 8.9 million accounts have been created since the platform launched to the general public in 2022 as an alternative to mainstream sites such as Facebook, but it is not clear how many are active.

By comparison, the recently-listed Reddit currently has a market value of about $11bn. It boasts more than 70 million users and brought in $800m in revenue last year.

Kristi Marvin, chief executive of SPACInsider, compared Trump Media – which trades under the ticker DJT for Mr Trump’s initials – to a meme stock, in which prices are untethered from the business prospects.

Interest in Trump Media has also been fuelled by individual investors, as opposed to Wall Street firms, many of them apparently Trump supporters.

“Everybody expected to trade a little bit crazy today, which it has,” she said. “The real question is how does it trade a week from now, two weeks from now and nobody really knows.”

The deal to list Trump Media was first announced in 2021.

The move was accomplished via what is known as a SPAC, a merger with a publicly listed shell company, Digital World Acquisition Corp, which was expressly created to buy a company and take it public.

The deal was delayed by government investigations and other hurdles, but regulators cleared it earlier this year and Digital World shareholders voted in favour last week.

Ahead of the listing on the Nasdaq exchange, Trump Media officials called it a “pivotal moment” for the firm – and the wider media landscape.

“As a public company, we will passionately pursue our vision to build a movement to reclaim the Internet from Big Tech censors,” said Trump Media chief executive Devin Nunes, a former congressman.

“We will continue to fulfil our commitment to Americans to serve as a safe harbour for free expression and to stand up to the ever-growing army of speech suppressors.”

The debut comes at a critical moment for Mr Trump, who has been scrambling for cash to pay legal penalties and owns more than half of the firm’s shares.

He is currently barred from selling his holdings for about six months, making it difficult for him to tap the windfall immediately.

The company’s board, which is stocked with allies including one of his sons, could potentially change that rule, but analysts have said they think that would be unlikely to happen immediately.

If Mr Trump were to sell a significant chunk of his shares, it could hurt the share price.

Investors face other risks as well, tied to Mr Trump’s political fortunes and his 2024 presidential campaign.

A loss might be expected to hurt the share price, but a win could have the opposite effect, especially if it generated further demand from buyers hoping to curry favour with Mr Trump, said Michael Ohlrogge, a law professor at New York University.

However, Prof Ohlrogge said the current share price is “far, far elevated above what anyone would consider its fundamental value”.

Source: BBC

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Venture capital investment funds, particularly in Türkiye and the surrounding region, persist in directing investments despite challenging economic conditions worldwide

Türkiye’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to gain momentum with the initiation of new investment funds despite the global inflationary environment. Venture capital investment funds, particularly in Türkiye and the surrounding region, persist in directing investments amid challenging economic conditions worldwide.

Türkiye’s first corporate venture capital fund, 212, has established its third fund to reach 70 million euros ($75.46 million). Focused on the Turkish market, 212 seeks to sustain investments in ventures operating in Türkiye, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, the fund will extend support to entrepreneurs who have established companies in advanced markets but maintain links with their home countries.

Numan Numan, co-founder of 212, expressed their commitment to replicating the success of the first two funds.

“The criteria, which we refer to as ‘dragon,’ emphasizing the return on investment at exit, remains a vital benchmark. With this fund, we broaden our focus to a more extensive geography, perceiving stronger and more abundant opportunities than ever before,” said Numan.

“We will especially focus more on entrepreneurs who have founded companies in advanced markets, the so-called diaspora, and who maintained ties with their home countries. Additionally, our venture capital investment fund, Simya VC, which was initiated last year to invest in early-stage ventures, will also support our new fund, providing greater access to entrepreneurs. Moreover, we will persist in our investments with Türkiye’s first vertical deep technology fund, 212 NexT, which was launched in collaboration with Akkök Holding recently.”

New horizon for game ventures

Meanwhile, Hedef Portföy and WePlay Ventures have jointly established the WePlay venture capital investment fund, which received a green light from the Capital Markets Board (SPK).

The VCIF established with the single asset model will become a partner with the gaming investment company WePlay Ventures, which has 38 different gaming ventures in its portfolio from eight countries in Türkiye, Europe and Central Asia.

Operational since 2020 with offices in eight countries, WePlay Ventures is among the most active game investment companies in Europe and Central Asia. The company attracted attention last year with a successful exit from Udo Games after an 11-month investment.

Focusing on early-stage gaming companies in mobile, PC, console and Web3 areas, WePlay Ventures boasts a portfolio of 38 game ventures from eight countries. Through its acceleration program, WePlay HUB, introduced last year, the company has started to provide very serious support for early-stage game ventures in technical and management areas and rapidly expanded its portfolio.

New success stories

212, which shares its global and local experiences in the areas that ventures need alongside investment support, will continue to invest in globally growing technology companies in the B2B field in Türkiye, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa Region with the new fund.

It will also continue to support entrepreneurs who have established their companies in developed markets and have ties to their own countries.

“Since our inception, we have made significant contributions to the entrepreneurship ecosystem with our first two funds and set several milestones. With 29 investments to date, our managed assets have exceeded 100 million euros. We take pride in being the institutional investor in Türkiye’s first and biggest fintech exit, Iyzico and the first unicorn in the software field, Insider,” said Numan.

“Our commitment goes beyond providing funding; we also contribute to the transition of ventures to the next stage. Our expanding network over the past 12 years has brought significant benefits to the ventures in our portfolio. With our third fund, we are determined to create success stories just like we did with the first two funds. Approximately 60% of our new fund comes from investors who have been with us in previous funds, which is highly valuable to us,” he noted.

Continued opportunities

Ali Karabey, co-founder of 212, emphasized that with their 12 years of experience, they offer dynamic funds tailored to investors by understanding market needs.

“In addition to the traditional fund management model, we also provide new investment opportunities for investors seeking high returns by taking risks. We establish special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to provide more support to successful portfolio companies and enable investors to make follow-on investments,” said Karabey.

“Thanks to the flexibility we demonstrate in responding to market conditions, our investors have the opportunity to have a higher stake in the growth potential of successful companies. We will continue to provide opportunities not only for ventures but also for our investors,” he noted.

Investing in gaming ventures

WePlay VCIF is aimed at reaching a size of 10 million euros. The single-asset VCIF model, garnering significant interest in recent years, offers investors the opportunity to join WePlay Ventures’ existing portfolio.

WePlay Ventures, with WePlay VCIF, aims to expand its operations in Europe and Central Asia to 18 countries and add more than 350 gaming ventures to its portfolio within four years, aspiring to become the most active gaming investment company in the region.

Bora Koçyiğit, managing partner of WePlay Ventures, highlighted the company’s contributions to the gaming ecosystem.

“Since 2020, WePlay Ventures has made significant contributions to the development of the gaming ecosystem in Türkiye and the region, adding 38 game ventures to our portfolio. Besides financial support, we provide strategic support to ventures, enabling them to scale much faster. With WePlay VCIF, we aim to reach early-stage gaming ventures not only in Türkiye but also in Europe and Central Asia, targeting over 350 investments,” said Koçyiğit.

Ercan Güner, general manager of Hedef Portfolio, expressed confidence in the joint venture with WePlay.

“Within the framework of our vision to support the entrepreneurship ecosystem, we have decided to collaborate with WePlay Ventures, which makes a significant contribution to the gaming world. We believe that with the joint initiative of WePlay and Hedef Portfolio, WePlay VCIF will be a game-changer in the global gaming sector, said Güner.

“The gaming industry is one of the world’s largest sectors with a massive market size of $200 billion. It is also the fastest-growing sector in the world, with 3.2 billion active gamers and a 248% growth trend. We are pleased to invest in a promising and innovative sector presenting WePlay GSYF to all investors under the 0% tax and 0% withholding tax regime.”

Entrepreneurial marathon gathers 150 innovators from quake region

Entrepreneurship is crucial in addressing local challenges in 11 Turkish provinces devastated by the earthquakes earlier this year.

The Sabancı Hatay Incubation Center, established in collaboration with the Habitat Association and Sabancı Group companies, including Brisa, Kordsa, Temsa and Teknosa, continues to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in the quake-affected areas.

Aiming to integrate local entrepreneurs into the Turkish and global entrepreneurship ecosystem, the center hosted a major event between Nov. 24-26.

The Entrepreneurship Marathon, with nearly 150 applicants from Hatay and Adana, was organized in collaboration with the Habitat Association, supported by Sabancı Volunteers and Viveka. Teams participating in the marathon received training on sustainable entrepreneurship, design thinking, customer profiling, user scenario creation, business model canvas, storytelling, brand creation and presentation techniques from expert mentors.

5 teams advance to finals

Themed “Solutions for Local Issues After Disasters,” the Sabancı Hatay Incubation Center Entrepreneurship Marathon lasted 48 hours.

Throughout the event, 23 teams designed various projects using the power of technology in disaster management to create a safer, more resilient, and inclusive society. The teams “Guideverse,” “Hatay’ı Yaşat,” “Circular Trade,” “Makarnaapp,” and “Koza” successfully advanced to the second stage and earned the right to attend an acceleration program.

Grants of $3,450

Apart from the five teams advancing to the second stage, all other entrepreneurs continue to develop their business ideas in the shared workspace at the Sabancı Hatay Incubation Center. The finalist teams, however, will have the opportunity to further enhance and commercialize their ideas during a three-week online acceleration program.

Under the program, teams will receive training and mentorship from Sabancı Group executives, Sabancı Volunteers and the Habitat Association, covering various aspects from marketing and product development to legal processes.

Following the program, during the Demo Day, the teams will present their projects for evaluation by the jury. Two successful teams with the most innovative ideas will be rewarded with TL 100,000 ($3,450) in grant support.

TT Ventures spotlights startup investment strategy

In a bid to drive innovation, Türk Telekom, the company behind Türkiye’s first startup acceleration program, PILOT, continues to bolster its investments through its venture capital arm.

TT Ventures is strategically investing in startups that align with its vision, leveraging its diverse portfolio and support mechanisms to contribute to the growth and success of innovative enterprises in Türkiye and beyond.

The firm recently disclosed the focal points and evaluation criteria that guide its investments in startups.

The venture capital firm emphasized four critical criteria in its evaluation process: team, product, market, and business model. TT Ventures underscores the importance of experienced teams with strong communication skills, bold objectives and a passion for their work.

According to TT Ventures, its primary investment focus lies in startups that can synergize with the Türk Telekom Group, aiming to scale their businesses rapidly and possessing high growth potential. The firm employs flexible methods to invest in such ventures, with the overarching goal of providing sustainable shareholder value.

Broad investment portfolio

TT Ventures has, until now, invested in startups across various sectors, including education, health care and software. Yet, its expansive investment focus extends beyond these realms to cover 21 different areas.

The firm is particularly interested in 5G technologies, “gamification” technologies, artificial intelligence, retail technologies, digital products and services, regulatory technologies, gaming and esports, and health technologies.

Apart from direct investment in startups, TT Ventures offers support in expanding to global markets, providing marketing communication assistance, and aiding in rapid business growth. This multifaceted approach underscores the firm’s commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable development within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Source: Daily Sabah

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he Interior Ministry, in its ongoing efforts to combat gambling and illegal betting, conducted a simultaneous nationwide operation named “mengene” in 77 cities on Monday.

Thirty-three suspects were taken into custody during the operation, with 118 individuals facing legal actions, Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, announced.

The crackdown imposed monetary fines totaling over TL 2.3 million ($80,800) on 517 people.

Yerlikaya took to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce the operation, which involved coordinating 28,314 personnel from the General Directorate of Security, the Gendarmerie General Command and the Coast Guard Command.

The nationwide sweep targeted various forms of illegal gambling, including card games and bingo, as well as unlawful betting.

Operation Mengene, named after a traditional Turkish tool used to crack nuts, initiated legal proceedings against 118 suspects involved in the illegal acts.

In addition to the arrests and fines, the operation resulted in the apprehension of 650 individuals with previous criminal records related to illegal gambling and betting activities. Some 13 establishments were shut down.

Additionally, law enforcement confiscated 10 gaming machines, four bingo machines, 12 unregistered pistols, four shotguns, five blank-firing guns, various quantities of narcotics and a significant number of illegal betting slips.

Yerlikaya concluded his social media post with the hashtag “Türkiye’nin huzuru” (peace in Türkiye), emphasizing that the government’s commitment to combating illegal betting and gambling activities would continue to grow, with further operations expected to take place across the country.

Operation Mengene stands as a clear demonstration of Türkiye’s determination to eradicate illegal betting and gambling, promoting a safer and more controlled environment for its citizens and visitors alike.

Source: Daily Sabah

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Türkiye aims to complete all processes in the first spacecraft developed with the Lunar Research Program (AYAP) within the scope of its National Space Program in 2026 and launch the vehicle into space.

According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA) from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK), the country’s 10-year plans and targets were determined within the scope of the National Space Program prepared with the contributions of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and various institutions in the country.

The AYAP, as one of the first of the 10 programs announced, aims to make Türkiye one of the few countries with a presence on the moon.

The first phase of the AYAP aims to explore the moon from orbit and make first contact with the lunar surface, while the second phase aims to land a rover on the surface using the soft landing method.

Within the scope of the first phase of the AYAP, mission operations will be carried out by developing a spacecraft that will reach the lunar orbit from Earth, collect data from there and then contact the lunar surface.

In addition, with the success of the technologies, products, software and equipment to be developed with national resources, the country’s international reputation for system development and the ability to carry out challenging mission operations will be increased.

Within the scope of the AYAP, it is aimed to carry out Türkiye’s first moon and deep space missions and gain operational experience.

It is planned to develop a spacecraft that can operate in lunar orbit (400,000 kilometers or around 249,000 miles from Earth) and is suitable for a soft landing.

In addition, the Hybrid Propulsion System developed with domestic facilities is planned to gain space history, and high-resolution images and scientific data related to the origin of water on the moon, mini-magnetosphere formations, surface components, surface temperature and reflection maps and radiation from the lunar surface will be translated into information by scientists in Türkiye.

Although the project is currently being carried out under the AYAP within the National Space Program, many stakeholders from industry and academia in the country have direct input.

For this reason, it will also contribute to strengthening the country’s space ecosystem.

Another contribution will be to increase Türkiye’s competence in space sciences and the level of international cooperation with the information to be obtained through the data to be collected by the scientific payloads developed by domestic and international partners on the spacecraft.

With this project, which will open the door to deep space for the country, the interest of young people in space science and technology will be strengthened.

What are phases?

Within the scope of the spacecraft, the system-level design phase has been completed and a detailed design (equipment/module/component development) phase is being carried out.

The qualifications of all equipment to be used on the spacecraft for the mission have been reviewed and the production of qualification models for some equipment has been initiated.

After this equipment passes the qualification test, flight models will be produced and integrated into the spacecraft.

Within the scope of the spacecraft, contracts were signed for equipment and components with long delivery times, and the planning of all equipment to be used on the spacecraft flight model was completed.

After the production of flight models of the subsystems and equipment that make up the spacecraft, system-level integration will be carried out, followed by environmental (vibration, thermal-vacuum and electromagnetic compatibility) and functional tests.

All processes are planned to be completed in 2026, and the vehicle will be launched the same year.

Since it is Türkiye’s first lunar mission, the success of the mission was prioritized above all else and plans were made.

In this context, while deciding on domestically developed equipment, it was taken into consideration to be at least at the prototype level and qualification model plans were realized.

Although there were collaborations for the procurement of some components and equipment from abroad, the moon mission and the spacecraft were designed indigenously.

The integration, tests and operations of the vehicle will also be carried out by Turkish human capital using its infrastructure.

The spacecraft developed within the scope of the first mission is being designed by taking into account the requirements of the soft landing mission.

In addition, concept design studies are also being carried out for the reconnaissance vehicle within the scope of the AYAP’s second phase, together with some of the equipment (such as landing gear) and technologies (such as image-assisted navigation) required for soft landing.

While focusing on projects that will provide Türkiye with strategic capabilities, extensive and intensive work is being carried out on Earth observation and communication satellites, small satellites and the Internet of Things, launch systems, ground segmentation, remote sensing, space observation systems and their components, as well as deep space and manned space missions with the recent National Space Program in order to be more effective in space.

Source: Daily Sabah

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Ferrets are becoming increasingly popular as pets in Türkiye after Europe – reflecting the negative impact of technology on human life and the growing number of people living alone in the modern age.

Influenced by factors such as technology’s effects on human life and changing habits brought by the new era, pet ownership has increased significantly, especially since the pandemic, with over 2 million pets now residing in Türkiye.

So far, 1,231,313 cats and 833,168 dogs have been identified as pets in the country. The number of identified ferrets is also on the rise, with the highest populations in Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara, Izmir, Karabük, Kayseri, Muğla and Bursa.

Ferret owners, like Özlem Altuntaş, are enthusiastic about their pets and enjoy sharing their experiences. Altuntaş stated that she decided to adopt “Jojo,” her pet ferret, after researching the topic and discovering that it was legal to keep ferrets in Türkiye.

Jojo, a playful and social ferret, has been living with Altuntaş for three years. She described Jojo’s daily routine and debunked some misconceptions about ferrets.

Sharing one of the false myths regarding ferrets, she said that most people think that they are creatures that have a sense of revenge, harm people and can strangle them to death.

Altuntaş explained that people who visit her and meet Jojo are initially concerned due to certain prejudices, but their attitudes change once they get to know him.

While ferrets have a different daily routine compared to cats and dogs, Altuntaş finds their care to be easier. Ferrets typically sleep for up to 20 hours a day, and they are most active during the night.

It’s essential to provide an environment that suits the specific needs and behaviors of a ferret, such as a quiet and safe place for them to sleep during the day, as well as a consistent feeding schedule. Altuntaş emphasized that Jojo’s care is relatively easy, and he has been identified and chipped as required by Turkish law.

A citizen told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he did not know if it was legal to keep ferrets at home and that he heard this for the first time. She said that animals such as cats, dogs and birds are kept at home as those are human-friendly.

While another citizen simply refused to entertain the idea of keeping a ferret as a pet. In his opinion, ferrets are wild animals so he thinks it is better for them to stay in their own environment.

Ferrets are relatively new as pets in Türkiye, and there are still misconceptions about them, but they are finding acceptance among those who appreciate their unique qualities.

Source: Daily Sabah

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Dubai is calling for a united front to spur the development of generative artificial intelligence to maximise its potential and reap economic benefits, the chief executive of the Dubai Future Foundation has said.

Countries need to come together to prepare society for the innovation and to help bridge the gap between policies and the advancement of the emerging technology, which has a reported business opportunity of as much as $4.4 trillion, Khalfan Belhoul said at the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI conference on Wednesday.

Mr Khalfan Belhoul, chief executive of the Dubai Future Foundation, called for a united front as the foundation launched the Dubai Generative AI Alliance of global technology companies.

The industries with highest AI potential include banking, software and platforms, energy, communications and media, and health, according to the DFF.

Mr Belhoul made his remarks as the foundation launched the Dubai Generative AI Alliance of global technology companies, which aims to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies and build one of the world’s most advanced and effective tech-enabled governments in line with Dubai’s digital ambitions.

The collaborative effort should bring together key segments of society, which include policymakers, the private sector, entrepreneurs and students, Mr Belhoul said.

“Regulation is extremely important. We need to understand how can we regulate something as big as generative AI. But we need to get started now and look at the challenges [and] understand the risks,” he said.

“The idea is to come up with some kind of an alliance with different partners from all over the world with clear, tangible outcomes of what needs to be done. Our intention is to continue those conversations, but come up with an alliance that also produces tangible results.”

AI has long been used by businesses in their operations, but it has gained momentum with the advent of generative AI, made popular by Microsoft-backed Open AI’s ChatGPT, which became a sensation as it is capable of producing various kinds of data, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, 3D objects and videos.

Generative AI’s potential in regional economies has already been flagged. GCC countries, for instance, are expected to reap about $23.5 billion in economic benefits by 2030 as investments in generative AI continue to grow, PwC unit Strategy& Middle East said in a report last month.

For businesses, the potential is immense. Generative AI could generate value equivalent to anywhere between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in global corporate profits annually in 63 use cases where the technology could raise productivity, a recent study from the McKinsey Global Institute said.

Verticals involved in this include interactions with customers, the generation of creative content for marketing and sales, and drafting software code based on natural-language prompts, among many other tasks, it said.

That would increase the value of productivity from AI and analytics by 15 per cent to 40 per cent compared to previous generations of the technology – an amount that would roughly double as generative AI spreads “more diffusely” across the global workplace, the global consultancy said.

Investors put more than $4.2 billion into generative AI start-ups in 2021 and 2022 through 215 deals after interest surged in 2019, recent data from CB Insights showed.

Globally, AI investments are projected to hit $200 billion by 2025 and could possibly have a bigger impact on gross domestic product, a recent study from Goldman Sachs Economic Research showed.

That study also indicated that AI investments will possibly take a few years to have a major impact on the economy, rising from a relatively slow starting point.

The technology could also raise global labour productivity growth by more than 1 percentage point per year in the next decade, according to Goldman Sachs.

The assembly also aims to support companies involved in generative AI, including by connecting them with investors and venture capitalists, as well as helping them work with government agencies, Mr Belhoul said.

“How can we accelerate their ideas so they can become something positive for AI? This is something maybe easier said than done, but entrepreneurs are very ambitious; they need to move fast,” he said.

“They have very high burn rates. They need investment and we need all those components to be the catalyst for them.”

Source

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Turkish defense firm Baykar has unveiled a drone-launched autonomous mini cruise missile.

Baykar developed the Bayraktar Kemankes to arm its Bayraktar Akinci, TB2, and TB3 combat drones, the company wrote in a statement.

The missile features an artificial intelligence-supported autopilot system and has an endurance of one hour.

AI-Aided Accuracy

The missile’s Artificial Intelligence Assisted Optical Guidance System helps it “identify and engage targets with pinpoint accuracy, even under challenging conditions,” according to the company.

The all-weather missile can operate day and night and has robust anti-jamming capability, the company claimed.

The missile’s first flight test is planned within two months and serial production by the end of this year, according to Defense Express.

Features

The missile can travel at a maximum speed of 0.7 Mach (720 kilometers/447 miles per hour) and cruise speed of 0.3 Mach (360 kilometers/224 miles per hour).

The 1.73 meters (5.67 feet), 30 kilograms (66 pounds) missile features a 6 kilograms (13 pounds) warhead, a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles), and a communication range of 50 kilometers (31 miles). 

The developer is reportedly planning to expand its communication range to up to 100 kilometers (62 miles).

In comparison, the Turkish SOM cruise missile can weigh 500 to 620 kilograms (1,102 to 1,367 pounds), featuring a warhead of 230 kilograms (507 pounds). It has a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

Source: The Defense Post

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UK-based solar energy firm Hive Energy has shared plans to build 4GW of solar and battery storage capacity in Turkey.

The company intends to build the projects in 30 locations across the country with an investment of around $4bn.

It has applied for clearance to develop co-located solar and battery storage projects with capacities ranging from 11MW to 230MW.

The projects have been proposed across 19 cities in Turkey, from Gaziantep in the country’s south-east to Balıkesir in the west.

Hive said that the grid capacities are expected to be given pre-licence by the first quarter of this year.

Following this, the company will begin discussions with international funds and financial institutions to attract foreign direct investment to Turkey.

Hive Energy Turkey general manager Tolga Metin said: “At Hive, we are implementing forward-thinking processes related to the projects.

“When the process advances to a certain point, we start negotiating with several funding and financial institutions.

“The UK is home to various proficient funding agencies, and as Hive Energy has ties to these funding institutions for years, we hope to quickly find suitable partners for the funding of these projects.

“Once licenses are granted in the coming months, the building process of the projects will commence.

“The capacity of current applications corresponds to 350 times more than our current installed capacity in the country.”

Hive Energy has been present in Turkey since 2015 and has completed one project in the country.

The company currently has a 26GW development pipeline across 20 countries, which includes solar, battery, wind, green hydrogen and green ammonia projects.

In January last year, it signed a co-development agreement with Public Power Solutions (PPS) and Ethical Power to develop a solar and battery asset pipeline.

The three companies aim to fund, build and manage 250MW of energy capacity over the next two years

Source : Power Technology

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More than three weeks after the catastrophic earthquakes that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria, desperate barks and meows can still be heard coming from abandoned and collapsed buildings.

“What we saw when we arrived… was a really, really sad picture. Devastating. Almost all buildings are collapsed – 80 per cent of them,” says Felipe Marquez, a program manager for Humane Society International (HSI).

Marquez is on the ground in Antakya, Turkey responding to requests from locals to find their missing pets.

“Every day here our team is heading out to search for animals in the worst affected areas,” says Kelly Donithan, HSI’s director of animal disaster response. “Thousands of rescued dogs and cats are in urgent need of veterinary care as they cope with injuries, shock, dehydration and malnutrition.”

‘Knowing that their pet companions are safe means a lot’

HSI is working with a team of local vets to treat injured animals in a field hospital tent, distributing emergency supplies and leaving water bowls on street corners for roaming animals.

“People who evacuated are worried for their pets left behind, so wherever possible we locate their apartments and find them,” says Kelly. “It’s clear that for the people here who have lost everything, to know that their pet companions are safe means a lot”

HSI’s efforts have been rewarded with some miraculous reunions.

Turkey earthquakes: A voicenote brought this cat back to its owner

A grey cat named Leyla was left behind after her injured owner, Rumi, was transferred to a hospital in Istanbul. Leyla had woken Rumi shortly before the quake, giving her time to jump out the window and likely saving her life. 

Desperate to know if her pet was safe, Rumi placed an advert on Facebook.

This was passed on to HSI, who went to the site of her house – about an hour outside Antakya – which had completely collapsed. There was no sign of Leyla.

In a final attempt to find the missing cat, Kelly asked Rumi to record a voice message calling her pet’s name. The rescuers played the message to try and lure her out after dusk and, after a lot of patience, Leyla finally emerged.

Delighted, Rumi flew back to Antakya with both legs in casts for a tearful reunion. 

Turkey earthquakes: Facebook helped rescuers track down this cat’s family

Fluffy – a cream-grey cat who truly lives up to her name – was spotted by the military in a third-floor apartment window.

After using a drone to see inside the building, HSI was able to get inside and rescue Fluffy. She was found to have impaired kidneys due to dehydration. Her rescuers believe she had been trapped inside for 2.5 weeks.

Unfortunately she is not microchipped, but one of HSI’s team was able to locate her owner on Facebook using a name spotted on the apartment. As well as messaging them, HSI featured Fluffy on a Facebook Live stream in the hopes she would be recognised.

Her owner responded and is thrilled she is safe.

Turkey animal rescues: A microchip paid off for this cat

When a cat named Muffin was spotted by local police in a crumbling fourth floor apartment, HSI had to use a crane to reach the balcony and rescue her.

After a lot of patience and coaxing with cat treats, Kelly managed to bring Muffin down safely, much to the delight of the police who stayed throughout the entire rescue. 

Muffin was scanned which revealed she was microchipped. As a result, rescuers were able to track down her family and reunite them with their beloved pet. They confirmed they had not seen Muffin for more than two weeks.

How can you help those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria?

Charities and NGOs have set up emergency appeals to help victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Disasters Emergency Committee, the Red Cross, Save the Children, and Islamic Relief are just a few.

To help animals, too in need of food, supplies, refuge and medical aid, you can donate to HSI’s Animal Rescue Fund.

If your pet is missing in Antakya, you can contact the Turkish Veterinary Union Earthquake Coordination Center on 054 3903 7413. If your pet is missing in other parts of the country, HSI may still be able to advise – email them at [email protected] with as much information as possible.

Source: Euronews

The post How Facebook Posts, Microchips and Voicenotes Are Reuniting Pets With Their Owners in Turkey appeared first on Ankara Haftalik.

Kenes Rakishev is one of the most influential people in Kazakhstan. Kenes is also a respected advisor to the government of Kazakhstan. Both he and his wife, Aselle Tasmagambetova are involved in philanthropy work and investments in the tech sectors. Kenes distinguished himself to help develop innovative projects.

His investments included Solarin, the new handphone developed by Sirin Labs, which was founded by Rakishev and his business partners. It integrates data encryption systems for calls. Rakishev also invested in Mobli and NetElement.

This tech-savvy serial investor was born on July 14, 1979, in the city of Almaty to a working-class family. His father, Hamit Koshanovich Rakishev was a prominent statesman of Kazakhstan. Kenes is a lawyer and economist by training and studied business in Oxford and London.

Besides his interests in mining, finance and IT, Rakishev also invested in defence industry start-ups.

He is reportedly the main investor in General Robotics Ltd. General Robotics recently announced the update of combat robot systems. New technological solutions will enable effective resistance against unmanned combat aerial vehicles.

In 2019 at the annual DSEI exhibition in the United Kingdom, representatives of the company pointed out that the anti-drone system developed by General Robotics dramatically displayed a higher performance in protecting key objects.

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