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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · 13d

Thrilled to be shortlisted for the best feature award with my documentary from Saudi Arabia: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Freelancing for Journalists @freelancingfor.bsky.social · 14d

The shortlist for our Freelance Journalism Awards 2025 is out. Check out this week's newsletter everyone open.substack.com/pub/freelanc...

Freelance Journalism Awards 2025 Shortlist!

Let's see who our finalists are

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Longreads @longreads.com · 25d

“‘The first thing that happened when the regime fell is that the mobile phones started working again!’ It was, maybe, a good omen.”

@emilywither.bsky.social for @restofworld.org : restofworld.org/2025/syria-t...

Syria’s quest to build its own Silicon Valley

Tech founders in Damascus are rebooting a war-torn country.

restofworld.org

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Cengiz Yar @cengizyar.com · 27d

"When you’re in Silicon Valley, you never really think of the ordinary. You’re always thinking of the disruptive. Syria will be the ultimate disrupter."

@emilywither.bsky.social @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/syria-t...

Syria’s quest to build its own Silicon Valley

Tech founders in Damascus are rebooting a war-torn country.

restofworld.org

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · 28d

“Take the only fertility clinic in Gaza. They smashed the tanks, killed those embryos.”

Navi Pillay, Chair of the UN commission of inquiry, tells @krishgm.bsky.social they were “thorough” in determining that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Read and watch:
www.channel4.com/news/why-my-...

Why my UN commission concluded Israel committing genocide in Gaza

Channel 4 News speaks to Navi Pillay, a South African jurist who was the Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

www.channel4.com

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Rest of World @restofworld.org · 28d

Assad is out. Startups are in.

Read @emilywither.bsky.social's feature on the new Syria
restofworld.org/2025/syria-t...

Syria’s quest to build its own Silicon Valley

Tech founders in Damascus are rebooting a war-torn country.

restofworld.org

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Turkey recap @turkeyrecap.bsky.social · Sep 7

📰Sunday extras!

"Turkey's 'Year of the Family'" by @emilywither.bsky.social and @zbilginsoy.bsky.social. [1/5]

BBC World Service - Business Daily, Turkey's 'Year of the Family'

President Erdoğan wants women to have at least three children to boost the birth rate

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Sep 1

President Erdogan wants women to have at least three children to boost the country's declining birthrate. Will it work? My programme on Turkey's 'Year of the Family' initiative for BBC World Service 🎧
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - Business Daily, Turkey's 'Year of the Family'

President Erdoğan wants women to have at least three children to boost the birth rate

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Emily Wither

Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · Aug 31

Xi and Modi are ‘partners not rivals’ in attempt to repair China-India ties
www.channel4.com/news/xi-and-...

Xi and Modi are ‘partners not rivals’ in attempt to repair China-India ties

For years the relationship between China and India was characterised by mistrust, with the Indians leaning towards the west for support. But the two countries are being pushed closer by Trump's tariff...

www.channel4.com

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Aug 30

We covered the announcement yesterday on @channel4news.bsky.social on new chickenpox vaccines www.channel4.com/news/nhs-to-... but with vaccine uptake at a 15 year low we spoke to Dr. Okorocha about how social media is fuelling hesitancy.

Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Aug 26

Another five journalists were killed in Gaza in an Israeli double tap strike on a hospital - among them Mariam Dagga who had just told her sister she believed she would be killed ‘today or tomorrow’. Our piece for @channel4news.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=EevA...

Gaza journalist believed she would be killed ‘today or tomorrow’

YouTube video by Channel 4 News

www.youtube.com

Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Aug 19

@rorypecktrust.bsky.social are also raising funds for our brave colleagues in Gaza. Over 200 journalists have now been killed in the Strip, as an industry we have failed to keep them safe.

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Aug 19

Huge thanks to ‪@rorypecktrust.bsky.social‬ for making sure freelance & independent journalists (like we three!) receive the safety training we need to work in high risk envir. Many of us work as freelancers without the security of big newsrooms, this is one org making sure we are looked after.

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Aug 4

Once bustling Syrian neighbourhoods in Turkey are now noticeably quieter. As 100s of thousands of Syrians head home after Assad's fall - I take a look at the implications for Turkey's economy, and for Syrians that want to remain 🎧 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

Reposted by Emily Wither

Turkey recap @turkeyrecap.bsky.social · Aug 3

"The Syrian businesses leaving Turkey" by @emilywither.bsky.social. [3/5]

BBC World Service - Business Daily, The Syrian businesses leaving Turkey

We’re in Istanbul, where many refugee-owned shops are closing down as Syrians return home

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Jun 12

Syria’s Alawites were once feared because of their long standing connection to the brutal Assad regime. Now the minority Shia sect are fearing for their lives. I’m in Lebanon speaking to Alawites, after 1000s fled sectarian violence, about their faith and future 🎧 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, The future of the Alawites

Emily Wither meets Syrian Alawites that have fled to Lebanon

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Apr 23

Scientists have long been predicting a powerful earthquake could strike Istanbul. Last year we made a documentary about how hundreds of thousands of the buildings in the city are unsafe and the complexities of trying to replace them: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

BBC World Service - The Documentary Podcast, Assignment: Tempting fate - Istanbul's earthquake dilemma

Emily Wither reports from Istanbul on the threat of an earthquake striking the city

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Apr 23

Reports of magnitude 6 earthquake in the Marmara region. Felt strong shaking in Istanbul followed by several tremors. Many have left their homes and come out on to the streets. People are understandably worried and wondering if it’s safe to stay indoors.

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · Apr 18

Gaza: Hamas rejects latest Israeli ceasefire plan
www.channel4.com/news/gaza-ha...

Gaza: Hamas rejects latest Israeli ceasefire plan

Negotiations for a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza are still going on, according to Israeli sources - although Hamas officials have rejected Israel's latest proposal to free ten hostages in return ...

www.channel4.com

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Apr 18

Important investigation from @alexcrawfreports.bsky.social & team laying out evidence that contradicts Israel's official account of the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza: t.co/QZcYnehWCY

https://news.sky.com/story/two-hours-of-terror-sky-news-investigation-reveals-how-israels-deadly-attack-on-aid-workers-unfolded-13348776

t.co

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Foreign Media Association @fma-turkey.bsky.social · Apr 10

Well-known investigative journalists Timur Soykan & Murat Ağırel were detained this morning in Turkey after a complaint by suspects in a money laundering case. Their homes were searched & their digital devices confiscated. FMA calls for their release because #JournalismIsNotACrime

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Mar 31

On BBC Radio 4 I take you back to 2019 when a teenager coined a campaign slogan for Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, telling him: 'Everything will be fine'. Now they are both in jail; the boy a symbol of a movement which worries that everything is far from fine: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

From Our Own Correspondent - Turkey's clampdown - BBC Sounds

The arrest of Istanbul's mayor sparked mass protests and a heavy response by authorities.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Emily Wither

Jackie Leonard @jackieleonard.bsky.social · Mar 25

We're live 19gmt #TheNewsroom here ---> www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... - 📻 Group chat row with @nomiaiqbal.bsky.social; @sebusher.bsky.social on anti-Hamas protest in Gaza; @emilywither.bsky.social in #Istanbul

World Service - Listen Live - BBC Sounds

Listen live to BBC World Service on BBC Sounds

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Mar 25

Great to join BBC Woman's Hour for a discussion w/ feminist activist Feride Erlap about women protesting in Turkey - femicides rising here, tough economy hits women harder, women's rights being eroded & there are few female politicians: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Woman's Hour - Protests in Turkey, Adolescence, Women in Revolt! exhibition - BBC Sounds

We hear more about the protests in Turkey and the women involved in them.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Mar 24

As 5th night of demonstrations took place in Istanbul after the Mayor of the city Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed pending trial... protesters told us this wasn't about politics but a fight for the future of the country's democracy. For BBC News At Ten: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmqj...

Thousands protest in Turkey as leading political rival of President Erdogan is jailed | BBC News

YouTube video by BBC News

www.youtube.com

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Emily Wither @emilywither.bsky.social · Mar 23

The hastily erected polling station that we’ve come to is outside the local pastry shop. People are signing their names and placing one name in the symbolic ballot box:

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