Riot police called to Istanbul airport as tourists stranded by snow stage protest


Andrew Wilks
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Tourists stranded by icy weather at Istanbul Airport on Tuesday staged a protest demanding hotel accommodation, leading to police being called to the terminal.

Scores of passengers, many of whom had to sleep on floors and benches the previous night, chanted “we need hotels” as they milled around the concourse.

“The riot police were called to prevent the protests at Istanbul Airport becoming excessive,” said Ali Kidik, a member of the Istanbul municipal assembly who filmed the scene. Turkish media carried pictures of about 60 police officers standing next to a large group of passengers.

“They dispatched police to tourists who wanted a hotel. Are you going to gas [them] and show us up even more to the world?” tweeted opposition MP Tuncay Ozkan.

Local passengers also criticised operations at the airport, which was fully opened less than three years ago amid concerns that its site left it vulnerable to turbulent weather from the Black Sea.

“You know, this airport is world-class,” one Turkish traveller told the Cumhuriyet newspaper. “It snowed and there are no flights for two days.”

Others flying from Istanbul decided to give up and return home when bus services to the city resumed. “We have been at the airport since two o’clock yesterday afternoon,” said Fiden Bilek, who was travelling to the southern city of Diyarbakir.

“Everything was gradually cancelled but we were told too late. We changed our ticket and the flight was cancelled again. There was no place to sleep or sit. We spent the night in the terminal with zero sleep. Now we are waiting for the bus. After that, we’ll take a taxi if we can find one.”

Some flights resumed on Tuesday, with the first flight since Monday afternoon, landing from Venezuela at 12.30pm but Turkish Airlines said it would not operate planes from the airport until at least midnight.

Another form of air transport was enlisted when a heart attack victim had to be taken to hospital. A military helicopter ferried the patient across the city.

Istanbul blanketed with snow

Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul airport. AFP
Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul airport. AFP

Across the city of 16 million, others took the opportunity to enjoy the weather.

In Beyoglu, the European district that includes tourism spots such as Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue, one man was pictured riding a white horse through the snow and slush, to the delight and cheers of pedestrians.

Further west, PE teacher Fatih Isik dug out his skis and posted footage of himself off-piste on the streets of Avcilar. “Thank you to the authorities who turned Istanbul into Uludag,” he wrote, referring to the Turkish ski resort.

As many roads remained hazardous to traffic, there were instances of community spirit across Istanbul.

When a local bus became stuck on an icy road in Uskudar, one motorist attaching a tow rope and other passers-by, perhaps a little optimistically, lent a hand by getting behind the flailing bus to give it a shove.

Meanwhile, the meteorology authority announced heavy snow was expected late Tuesday around Kocaeli and Yalova to the south of Istanbul.

The effects of Monday’s severe storm remained in evidence, with cars abandoned on highways as snow of up to a metre deep was reported in remote parts of Istanbul province.

Governor Ali Yerlikaya announced that major roads from the north and south were reopened, although bus services remained suspended until Wednesday. Public ferries across the Bosphorus were also cancelled.

Hundreds of cars and trucks remained stranded on a main road in Istanbul on Tuesday. AP
Hundreds of cars and trucks remained stranded on a main road in Istanbul on Tuesday. AP

He said more than 5,000 people stranded on the roads had been rescued and nearly 3,200 placed in hotels and other accommodation. More than 18,000 personnel and 5,000 vehicles were involved in tackling some of the problems caused by the weather, such as repairing energy infrastructure and co-ordinating traffic.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality announced that about 48,000 travellers stranded on major roads had been supplied with water, tea and soup while more than 55,000 tonnes of salt had been scattered to help the city get moving again.

Municipal veterinary teams distributed two tonnes of food for street cats and dogs across the city.

Nurseries and daycare centres were shut and many public-sector employees were given administrative leave until Thursday. Istanbul universities were suspended until Monday and most postponed exams due to be held this week.

In southern Turkey, snow covered the Mediterranean beaches of Antalya for the first time in 29 years.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.

Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.

Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.

match details

Wales v Hungary

Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm

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The biog

Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns

Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Food of choice: Sushi  

Favourite colour: Orange

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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

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How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed

Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.

Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.

The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.

One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.

That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.

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Scoreline

Syria 1-1 Australia

Syria Al Somah 85'

Australia Kruse 40'

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Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

Updated: January 26, 2022, 2:41 PM`