Türkiye detains 42 organizers of immigrant smuggling, 333 irregular immigrants

STORY: Türkiye detains 42 organizers of immigrant smuggling, 333 irregular immigrants SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 28, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:00 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: LAW SHOTLIST: 1. various of the operations (courtesy of Turkish Interior Ministry) STORYLINE: Turkish authorities have detained 42 organizers allegedly involved in immigrant smuggling and 333 irregular immigrants in operations against suspects attempting to bring irregular immigrants to Türkiye via Iran, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday. "We will never give an opportunity to immigrant smugglers who try to make our country a destination and transit route for irregular migration," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X. An investigation led by the anti-immigrant smuggling police department and Border Gates Branch Directorate of the southeastern Diyarbakir province uncovered a money transaction totaling 10 million Turkish lira (about 320,600 U.S. dollars) by some suspects engaged in human traffickin

Iraqi PM visits Syria for 1st time since 2011

STORY: Iraqi PM visits Syria for 1st time since 2011 DATELINE: July 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:23 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad receiving Iraq Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani 2. various of the meeting between Syrian President and Iraqi Prime Minister STORYLINE: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani arrived in Syria's capital Damascus on Sunday, marking the first visit by an Iraqi prime minister since the beginning of the Syrian crisis 12 years ago. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received al-Sudani at the presidential palace, followed by a joint press briefing, where the two leaders highlighted several points of their discussion, such as the new Arab "positive" position toward Syria. Touching upon the economic situation in both countries, al-Sudani stressed that the key to regional stability is confronting economic challenges. The two leaders also agreed to establish coordination mechanisms to address drug traffickin