Turkey

A sudden rise in pet food prices and high value-added tax has forced pet owners to unite on social platforms to demand that authorities abolish value-added tax on pet food

The Social Security Institute spent a total of 6.9 billion Turkish liras (about US$700 million) last year to meet the needs of people with diabetes, a disease more and more recurrent

The Ottoman-era animal hospital Gurabahane-I Laklakan, the world’s first hospital for storks, was built in Bursa province in the 1800s to treat migratory birds en route and is now playing a key role in response to difficulties caused by climate change

The Turkish lira has fallen hitting a new low; analysts do not expect any short-term respite, given rumors of an "irrational" interest rate cut later this week

The Grand National Assembly has adopted a bill to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change - thus leaving only four countries outside the treaty - but the government has challenged its classification as a developed nation and officially refused it

The shelter created by Arzu Akkoç, an animal lover living in the capital Ankara, has become home to 170 dogs; the philanthropist is asking for help, from financial support to pet supplies or simply spending time with the dogs

Istanbul's dams are seeing their lowest levels in eight months, with an average occupancy rate of 52%; there is great concern about future water shortages in the country's most populated city

Industrial production rose 8.7% in July year on year, said the Turkish Statistical Institute; the manufacturing, mining and mining index and the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply index also increased

Lake Akşehir, the country's fifth largest lake, is threatened by drought and has almost dried up due to years of low rainfall and the misuse of its water for agricultural purposes

Ayşe Başoğlu, a woman who learned to read and write at the age of 70, wrote a book in one year describing her life experiences: she wants people to read the book and learn the lessons she learned, with less effort than her hard years

Renewable energy capacity, excluding hydropower, is expected to more than double by 2030, with around 25 onshore wind power projects under construction and another 99 projects in the process of receiving government permits

Erdogan announced that no construction will be allowed in burned forest areas, promising to focus on replanting after the current fires are defeated