Erdogan warns US risks losing Turkey as strategic partner
Ankara, Aug 12 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned the US that it risked losing a "strategic partner" due to demands made by the US government that Turkey release an American pastor who was arrested on terrorism charges.
"We only bow before God. It is wrong to try to punish Turkey for a priest who is here. I am addressing the US once again: it is a pity that you chose a pastor over your strategic partner in NATO. We will only do what justice demands," Efe quoted Erdogan as saying during a rally in the northern province of Ordu.
Turkish authorities are seeking a 20-year prison sentence for US pastor Andrew Brunson, who was arrested two years ago and is accused of being linked to the PKK Kurdish guerrilla organization and to cleric Fetullah Gulen, who lives in exile in the US and whom Ankara blames for the failed coup against Erdogan in 2016.
Last week, the US government imposed economic sanctions against two Turkish ministers involved in Brunson's arrest.
In addition, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday he would increase tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum by up to 50 and 20 percent, respectively, at a time when Turkey's lira is at an all-time low.
Ankara has ruled out releasing Brunson, although he was granted house arrest in July.
A delegation from Turkey's Ministry of Foreign affairs travelled this week to the US to attempt, to no avail, to reduce tensions between the two countries.
Regarding the situation of the Turkish currency, Erdogan once again called on his fellow citizens to back the lira, which depreciated 18 percent on Friday, by selling their dollars and euros.
"If you have dollars under your pillow, take them out. If you have euros, do the same. Take them immediately to the banks and convert them into liras. By doing this, we fight for our independence and our future," Erdogan told his supporters.
For his part, the speaker of the Turkish parliament, Binali Yildirim, said Saturday via Twitter that US sanctions "are now turning into a global economic war".
Turkey's presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, also said Saturday that Washington risked losing Ankara as an ally if US policies against Turkey continued.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
