Turks welcome holy month of Ramadan with mix of joy, worry

STORY: Turks welcome holy month of Ramadan with mix of joy, worry SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage DATELINE: March 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:34 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people on the streets in Türkiye 2. various of people doing Ramadan shopping in Türkiye 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): PELIN OZTURK, Resident 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): AHMET ONCU, Resident 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): FURKAN YUCEASLANTAS, Resident STORYLINE: As the holy month of Ramadan begins, Turks are embracing it with a mixture of joy and worry due to unprecedented economic challenges gripping their nation. Rising costs and soaring inflation have compelled many to tighten their belts, navigating through financial strains that have surged over the past year. Pelin Ozturk, a homemaker, living in Ankara's bustling Kizilay district, said her family, like many others in Türkiye, has to scale back traditional celebrations amid the country's skyrocketing inflation. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): PELIN OZTURK, Resident "Ramadan

High inflation rate tests consumers'patience in Türkiye

STORY: High inflation rate tests consumers' patience in Türkiye DATELINE: Sept. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:42 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Turkish people on the streets and shopping 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): MEHMET NURI SULAT, 70-year-old pensioner 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): SAKINE YELGE, 57-year-old homemaker 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): ISMAIL YIGIT, 67-year-old pensioner STORYLINE: Annual inflation in Türkiye hit 58.9 percent in August, with consumer prices increasing 9.09 percent from the previous month, according to official data released on Monday. Food costs increased significantly to a high of 72.9 percent year-on-year in August, putting an additional burden on struggling households. Türkiye is undergoing an economic overhaul since the appointment of market-friendly figures at key economic posts following the May general elections. More conventional monetary policies have been implemented, and interest rates have been significantly hiked but this has not helped ye

Natto makers battle declining consumption

Natto makers battle declining consumption

MITO, Japan - Homemaker Yasuko Inoue, 39, and her 4-year-old daughter Ai participate in a course to make natto or fermented soybeans by hand in Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Oct. 2.

Emerging economies raise concern over U.S. Fed's rate hikes

STORY: Emerging economies raise concern over U.S. Fed's rate hikes DATELINE: Sept. 27, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:35 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the U.S. Federal Reserve 2. various of the exchange rate related scenes 3. Soundbite 1 (Turkish) MURAT TUFAN, Analyst with Turkish broadcaster Ekoturk 4. various of street views in Türkiye 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): KEREM KECECI, CEO of dog and cat food company Bosphorus 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): TUNCAY YUKSEL, Shop owner in Ankara 7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): FATMA EREN, Homemaker 8. various of street views in Türkiye STORYLINE: U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) has once again lifted interest rates, fueling concerns over spillover effects among emerging economies. Earlier this month, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.75 percentage points to a range of 3.00 to 3.25 percent. Since March, it has lifted interest rates five times, including three consecutive 75-basis-point rate hikes in June, July and September. A Turkish economist has sai

Turks struggle to buy food as poverty increases

STORY: Turks struggle to buy food as poverty increases DATELINE: Aug. 27, 2022 LENGTH: 00:04:41 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people in Turkey 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): TUNCAY YUKSEL, Shop owner in Ankara 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): TUNCAY YUKSEL, Shop owner in Ankara 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): TUNCAY YUKSEL, Shop owner in Ankara 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): FATMA EREN, Homemaker 6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Turkish): NEVIN GUNGOR, Pensioner STORYLINE: The cost of living has skyrocketed in Türkiye as poverty is increasing in the country with near 80-percent inflation. According to a recent survey, some 70 percent of Turks cannot afford the food cost and one in two people are unable to afford their basic necessities. Despite the government's efforts to curb inflation, Turks are feeling the pain as their income shrinks in the face of rising consumer prices. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): TUNCAY YUKSEL, Shop owner in Ankara "The price of everything has gone up and the purchasing power of citizens has dro