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The ratio of the country's public debt to its GDP is 30.6%. Thus, Turkey took 7th place in the list of countries with the lowest national debt/GDP values. 1st place - Kuwait - 3.4%2nd place - Russia - 21.2%3rd place - Kazakhstan - 23.4%4th place - Saudi Arabia - 24.1%5th place - Taiwan - 26.6%6th place - USA - 29.4%7th place - Turkey - 30.6%8th place - Peru - 33.9%9th place - Vietnam - 34%10th place - Oman - 38.2%

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced new rules for visiting Hagia Sophia. The entrance for tourists has become paid. Entrance to the main hall remains free for all Muslims who wish to make prayer. For tourists, there is a separate entrance and the cost of visiting is 25 euros (including for Turkish citizens and for those who have a museum card). Admission is free for children under 8 years old. Women can only enter with their heads covered. An audio guide in 23 languages is available in the tourist part of the cathedral. All you need is a smartphone and headphones. The Hagia Sophia was built in 537. In 1453, after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire, it became a mosque. From 1934 until 2020, it was in the status of a museum. Now it's a mosque again.

According to the department, the number of foreigners living in Turkey with residence permits decreased by 247.062 people and amounted to 1 million 107 thousand. In 2022, this number was 1 million 354 thousand 94 people. The provinces of Turkey, according to the number of foreigners registered in them, were distributed as follows: Istanbul - 556.578 peopleAntalya - 117.052 peopleAnkara - 70,098 peopleBursa - 51.537 peopleMersin - 43 .944 peopleIzmir - 25.576 peopleMugla - 20,453 people

Starting January 1, 2024, a 12-digit QR code will be present on vehicle license plates in Turkey. In fact, the system will be integrated into notary offices in March 2024. However, from now on, when citizens apply for license plates, they will already be given a QR code. Owners of registered vehicles can continue to use the numbers they have already received - they urgently need to change old numbers to new ones. Gradually, QR codes will be assigned to all numbers, which will be included in the general database. Not only police officers, but also ordinary citizens will have access to the database. It is reported that this innovation is aimed at combating fake numbers. A 15x15 mm square code will be engraved between the province code and the letters. The fine for using a fake license plate is 32,170 liras, and for forgery of official documents - imprisonment for a period of 2 to 5 years.

The Turkish Official Gazette published a presidential decree on the employment of 27,000 medical staff on a contractual basis. Doctors of narrow specialization are mainly required - it will be necessary to hire 23,434 specialists and general practitioners - 3,498 specialists.

The world-famous immersive art museum Arte Museum, whose works are exhibited in Seoul, Hong Kong and Las Vegas, will open its doors to visitors in February this year on the 2nd floor of the Dubai Mall next door to Galeries Lafayette. The first exhibition, which will feature 14 works of media art, is called "Eternal Nature". The area of the grandiose digital space is 17 thousand m2. Unique expositions will be accompanied by light, sound effects and even aromas.

An accident involving a passenger bus occurred today on the D400 Mersin-Antalya highway in the Aydincik area, known for its winding roads. As a result of the tragedy, 9 people were killed, 30 more were injured and are in hospital (14 people are in serious condition). One of the victims says that the driver was driving the bus very quickly and carelessly. The victim even wanted to get off the bus in Serik, but, unfortunately, there were no other flights and he was forced to continue on the bus, which later got into an accident. There is no information that there were foreign citizens on the bus.

On March 10, 2024, according to tradition, the "Ataturk Half Marathon and People's race" will be held in Alanya, registration for which is already underway. Interested persons (over 18 years old) they can apply on the website https://alanyaataturkyarimaratonu.com /. Participants in the 14-18 age group can participate in the race with permission from their parents/guardians. The issue of breast plates will take place on March 9 from 10:00 to 17:00. The race for a distance of 2 km will begin at 12:00, for a distance of 5 km - at 12:30. The starting point is the Ataturk Monument in the center of Alanya.

The American magazine Forbes recommended that US citizens consider investing in real estate in Northern Cyprus, calling it the leader of the TOP 5 available places to buy real estate in 2024 outside the United States. The publication is guided by the advice of the publisher of Live And Invest Overseas magazine, an expert in investing in foreign real estate with 30 years of experience. "The average cost of an apartment with an area of about 100 m2 is 118,000 dollars, which is 47% lower than buying a similar home in the United States," the expert notes. Northern Cyprus is known for its long sandy shores, magnificent sunny weather, delicious cuisine and hospitable locals. As a result of the softening of relations with the southern part of the island, investors and people who want to buy an apartment by the sea are increasingly looking at Northern Cyprus, which has the same wonderful territories as Southern Cyprus, but is much more affordable in terms of prices for real estate, food, medicine, etc.

On January 11, 2024, at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, the Turkish police handed over Natalia Garbul, accused of fraud on a particularly large scale, to Interpol officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The World Business Consulting company, whose director Garbul represented, was not registered either in Russia or in Kazakhstan, where the fraudster fled with her son, who is also a defendant in the criminal case. It is reported that she deceived gullible "depositors" in the amount of 11 million rubles in the period from 2015 to 2016. Garbul and her son came from Kazakhstan to Turkey, where she had already bought real estate. The competent authorities of Turkey, having learned that these citizens of the Russian Federation are on the international wanted list, decided to deport them to Russia.

Mehmet Akif Akinci, who lives in the town of Saryidris Egirdir from the Isparta district, produces 20 tons of oyster mushrooms per year, growing them in greenhouses with a total area of 600 m2. But in 2016, he started with only 5 small greenhouses! The farmer works hard at all stages, from growing mushrooms to exporting them. He sends the resulting harvest to the markets of Istanbul and Isparta. Mehmet sells mushrooms for 70-80 liras per kilogram, earning 1 million 400 thousand liras per year, and is going to increase production in the near future due to new greenhouses.

Sunday evening is the best time to watch a good movie. If you love Turkish cinema, be sure to pay attention to the interesting pictures of 2023. Film critic Ugur Vardan published in his column in the newspaper H rriyet the TOP 5 Turkish films, which, in his opinion, are the best in 2023: Hayat (Life)Directed by Zeki Demirkubuz. Melodrama. Starring Mirai Daner and Burak Dadak. Kuru Otlar Üst ne (Over dry herbs)Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Starring Merv Dizdar, who won the award for Best Actress in this film at the Cannes Film Festival. Karanlık Gece (Dark Night)Directed by Ozjan Alper. Melodrama. He received several awards from Turkish film festivals in the nominations "The best film", "Special Jury Award", etc. Atat rk 1881-1919The film tells about the biography of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Starring Aras Bulut Iynemli. Bursa B lb l (The Nightingale of Bursa)Directed by Hakan Algul. A comedy about singer Cengiz from Bursa. Starring Ata Demirer.