LEADIN

Gold is the star attraction at the Istanbul Jewellery Show.

Jewellers say more people are buying it as a safe investment at a time of political and economic turmoil in Turkey.

STORYLINE

The most expensive piece at the Istanbul Jewellery Show dazzles under the show's lights.

This 12.5 kg ingot made of 24 carat gold by the Istanbul Gold Refinery is valued at 500,000 US Dollars.

Jewellers here say gold buying is on the up as people see it as a safe investment at a time of political and economic turmoil in Turkey.

It comes as recent terror attacks have damaged the value of the Turkish Lira and the wider jewellery sector, in a country which has long been the main exporter of jewellery in the Middle East.

Kaan Gozum, Sales Manager at Nadir Doviz, says he's noticed a huge spike in sales of gold bars especially:

"There is more or less 25 per cent of increase in selling gold, gold bars of 22 carats, as far as I know", he says.

It's no surprise visitors to the show are also drawn to this eye catching Trojan Horse, covered in 5 kilograms of gold and valued at 200,000 US Dollars.

"It (the Trojan horse) took 3 months to be finished by 8 to 10 workers", explains Izzet Yilmaz, Manufacture Manager of the Istanbul Gold Refinery.

In the jewellery hall, the star of the show is a ring called The Energy of Life and Love, by Zen Diamonds. It's valued at 275,000 US Dollars, the most expensive piece of jewellery at the exhibition.

"It has a 7 carat stone in the centre and about 200 stones, 200 diamonds on the sides. Here you can see, it is about one carat and it totals 8 carats", says Zen Diamonds Communications Manager, Sinem Aksoyler,

One of the more unusual pieces at the show is a 1.75 kg scarf made of gold by LIgora Gold, valued at 60,000 US Dollars.

But not all that glitters is gold in the world of Turkish jewellery.

Figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association show that exports showed a 7.4 per cent decrease in value in 2016 as foreign investors were made uneasy by terror attacks and political upheaval.

Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters' Association, says turmoil in the country has also had an impact on the local market but not manufacturing:

"Local market has decreased by 30 per cent since last year. But manufacture hasn't been affected. Last year manufacture only decreased 8 to 9 per cent compared to the previous year. In terms of manufacture, the market hasn't been affected, so this year there has been an increase of 42 per cent. But regarding the local market, investors have been feeling uneasy for a little while".

In terms of trends that emerged from this year's exhibition Guner says the younger generation and their tastes are now the main focus:

"The new generation prefer to use casual products in their daily life. They don't use jewellery which would be worn at a wedding. Today everybody buys jewellery they can use in their daily life", he says.

The Istanbul Jewellery Show is a twice a year event which draws around 800 exhibitor brands from the Middle East, Europe and Asia. It's on until 19 March at Istanbul's CNR Expo.

Istanbul, Turkey - 16 March 2017

1. Close of two gold ingots by Istanbul Gold Refinery: (left) 24 carat gold ingot 12.5 kg (valued 500,000 US Dollars), (right) 24 carat gold ingot 1 kg (valued 40,000 US Dollars)

2. High angle of gold ingots

3. Mid of refinery worker pointing at gold ingots in glass case

4. Mid of gold ingots in display case

5. Wide of Nadir Doviz stand and Sales Manager Kaan Gozum meeting visitors

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kaan Gozum, Sales Manager, Nadir Doviz:

"There is more or less 25 per cent of increase in selling gold, in gold bars and in 22 carats, as far as I know."

7. Wide of Trojan Horse by Istanbul Gold Refinery, covered in 5 kilograms of gold and valued at 200,000 US Dollars

8. Tilt down of Trojan Horse

9. Mid of Trojan Horse head

10. Close of Trojan Horse head

11. Wide of Trojan Horse

12. Wide of visitors having photos taken with Trojan Horse

13. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Izzet Yilmaz, Manufacture Manager of Istanbul Gold Refinery

"It (the Trojan horse) took 3 months to be finished by 8 to 10 workers. It is covered by 5 kilograms of gold. Its price is approximately 200,000 US dollars."

14. Close of The Energy of Life and Love ring by Zen Diamonds, made of 200 diamonds (8 carats) and valued at 275,000 US Dollars

15. Mid of ring by Zen Diamonds

16. Hands holding up ring by Zen Diamonds

17. Mid of woman putting ring on finger

18. Close of ring

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Sinem Aksoyler, Zen Diamonds Communications Manager:

"It (the ring) has a name, and it is The Energy of Life and Love. It has a 7 carat stone in the centre and about 200 stones, 200 diamonds on the sides. Here you can see, it is about one carat and it totals 8 carats."

20. Various of visitors at Istanbul Jewellery Show

21. Mid of several jewellery pieces by Atasay Jewellery

22. Close of necklace by Atasay made of 83 carat diamonds and 18 carat gold, valued at 100,000 US Dollars

23. Close of hands holding necklace

24. Mid of hands holding necklace

25. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Zuhal Ozcan, Marketing Manager of Atasay Jewellery:

"We have prepared a necklace as Atasay. It is decorated with 83 carat stones and 18 carat gold. We worked on this necklace for two months. During the process, we chose the whitest diamonds in order to enhance its brightness. Therefore we designed this necklace with the most special stones."

26. Low angle of Gold Scarf by Ligora Gold, made of 22 carat gold, weight 1,75 kg, valued at 60,000 US Dollars

27. Close of scarf

28. Mid of scarf

29. Wide of diamond sellers and customers at Lizay Jewellery

30. Mid of sellers and customers

31. Mid of hands showing ring by Lizay Jewellery, made of 2.50 carat diamonds, valued at 26,000 US Dollars

32. Close of ring

33. SOUNDBITE (English) Yeliz Serbes, owner of Lizay Jewellery:

"This is a five-stone diamond ring, it has all diamonds on it, it is almost 2.50 carats. It has H.B.S. (Antwerp brand), 2 diamond quality and its price is 26,000 (US) dollars."

34. Close up to necklace by Zen Diamonds made of green emerald and white diamonds valued at over 20,000 US Dollars

35. Mid of necklace

36. Mid of several sets of jewellery by Zen Diamonds

37. Mid of necklace by Zen Diamonds made of blue sapphire and white diamonds, valued at over 20,000 US Dollars

38. Close of necklace

39. Wide of Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association, Ayhan Guner meeting with visitors in a hall

40. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association:

"Local market has decreased by 30 per cent since last year. But manufacture hasn't been affected. Last year, manufacture only decreased 8 to 9 per cent compared to the previous year. In terms of manufacture, the market hasn't been affected, so this year there has been an increase of 42 per cent. But regarding the local market, investors have been feeling uneasy for a little while. I think we will get over these issues. I hope it keeps going this way. Terror is the worst thing in Turkey. We don't want terrorism anywhere in the world."

41. Wide of jewels on display at Zen Diamonds

42. Close of necklace by Zen Diamonds inspired by Ottoman design, made of 3 carat rose cut diamonds, valued at 8,000 US Dollars

43. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association:

"The new generation prefer to use casual products in their daily life. They don't use jewellery which would be worn at a wedding. Today everybody buys jewellery they can use in their daily life."

44. Various of female musicians

LEADIN

Gold is the star attraction at the Istanbul Jewellery Show.

Jewellers say more people are buying it as a safe investment at a time of political and economic turmoil in Turkey.

STORYLINE

The most expensive piece at the Istanbul Jewellery Show dazzles under the show's lights.

This 12.5 kg ingot made of 24 carat gold by the Istanbul Gold Refinery is valued at 500,000 US Dollars.

Jewellers here say gold buying is on the up as people see it as a safe investment at a time of political and economic turmoil in Turkey.

It comes as recent terror attacks have damaged the value of the Turkish Lira and the wider jewellery sector, in a country which has long been the main exporter of jewellery in the Middle East.

Kaan Gozum, Sales Manager at Nadir Doviz, says he's noticed a huge spike in sales of gold bars especially:

"There is more or less 25 per cent of increase in selling gold, gold bars of 22 carats, as far as I know", he says.

It's no surprise visitors to the show are also drawn to this eye catching Trojan Horse, covered in 5 kilograms of gold and valued at 200,000 US Dollars.

"It (the Trojan horse) took 3 months to be finished by 8 to 10 workers", explains Izzet Yilmaz, Manufacture Manager of the Istanbul Gold Refinery.

In the jewellery hall, the star of the show is a ring called The Energy of Life and Love, by Zen Diamonds. It's valued at 275,000 US Dollars, the most expensive piece of jewellery at the exhibition.

"It has a 7 carat stone in the centre and about 200 stones, 200 diamonds on the sides. Here you can see, it is about one carat and it totals 8 carats", says Zen Diamonds Communications Manager, Sinem Aksoyler,

One of the more unusual pieces at the show is a 1.75 kg scarf made of gold by LIgora Gold, valued at 60,000 US Dollars.

But not all that glitters is gold in the world of Turkish jewellery.

Figures from the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association show that exports showed a 7.4 per cent decrease in value in 2016 as foreign investors were made uneasy by terror attacks and political upheaval.

Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters' Association, says turmoil in the country has also had an impact on the local market but not manufacturing:

"Local market has decreased by 30 per cent since last year. But manufacture hasn't been affected. Last year manufacture only decreased 8 to 9 per cent compared to the previous year. In terms of manufacture, the market hasn't been affected, so this year there has been an increase of 42 per cent. But regarding the local market, investors have been feeling uneasy for a little while".

In terms of trends that emerged from this year's exhibition Guner says the younger generation and their tastes are now the main focus:

"The new generation prefer to use casual products in their daily life. They don't use jewellery which would be worn at a wedding. Today everybody buys jewellery they can use in their daily life", he says.

The Istanbul Jewellery Show is a twice a year event which draws around 800 exhibitor brands from the Middle East, Europe and Asia. It's on until 19 March at Istanbul's CNR Expo.

Istanbul, Turkey - 16 March 2017

1. Close of two gold ingots by Istanbul Gold Refinery: (left) 24 carat gold ingot 12.5 kg (valued 500,000 US Dollars), (right) 24 carat gold ingot 1 kg (valued 40,000 US Dollars)

2. High angle of gold ingots

3. Mid of refinery worker pointing at gold ingots in glass case

4. Mid of gold ingots in display case

5. Wide of Nadir Doviz stand and Sales Manager Kaan Gozum meeting visitors

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kaan Gozum, Sales Manager, Nadir Doviz:

"There is more or less 25 per cent of increase in selling gold, in gold bars and in 22 carats, as far as I know."

7. Wide of Trojan Horse by Istanbul Gold Refinery, covered in 5 kilograms of gold and valued at 200,000 US Dollars

8. Tilt down of Trojan Horse

9. Mid of Trojan Horse head

10. Close of Trojan Horse head

11. Wide of Trojan Horse

12. Wide of visitors having photos taken with Trojan Horse

13. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Izzet Yilmaz, Manufacture Manager of Istanbul Gold Refinery

"It (the Trojan horse) took 3 months to be finished by 8 to 10 workers. It is covered by 5 kilograms of gold. Its price is approximately 200,000 US dollars."

14. Close of The Energy of Life and Love ring by Zen Diamonds, made of 200 diamonds (8 carats) and valued at 275,000 US Dollars

15. Mid of ring by Zen Diamonds

16. Hands holding up ring by Zen Diamonds

17. Mid of woman putting ring on finger

18. Close of ring

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Sinem Aksoyler, Zen Diamonds Communications Manager:

"It (the ring) has a name, and it is The Energy of Life and Love. It has a 7 carat stone in the centre and about 200 stones, 200 diamonds on the sides. Here you can see, it is about one carat and it totals 8 carats."

20. Various of visitors at Istanbul Jewellery Show

21. Mid of several jewellery pieces by Atasay Jewellery

22. Close of necklace by Atasay made of 83 carat diamonds and 18 carat gold, valued at 100,000 US Dollars

23. Close of hands holding necklace

24. Mid of hands holding necklace

25. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Zuhal Ozcan, Marketing Manager of Atasay Jewellery:

"We have prepared a necklace as Atasay. It is decorated with 83 carat stones and 18 carat gold. We worked on this necklace for two months. During the process, we chose the whitest diamonds in order to enhance its brightness. Therefore we designed this necklace with the most special stones."

26. Low angle of Gold Scarf by Ligora Gold, made of 22 carat gold, weight 1,75 kg, valued at 60,000 US Dollars

27. Close of scarf

28. Mid of scarf

29. Wide of diamond sellers and customers at Lizay Jewellery

30. Mid of sellers and customers

31. Mid of hands showing ring by Lizay Jewellery, made of 2.50 carat diamonds, valued at 26,000 US Dollars

32. Close of ring

33. SOUNDBITE (English) Yeliz Serbes, owner of Lizay Jewellery:

"This is a five-stone diamond ring, it has all diamonds on it, it is almost 2.50 carats. It has H.B.S. (Antwerp brand), 2 diamond quality and its price is 26,000 (US) dollars."

34. Close up to necklace by Zen Diamonds made of green emerald and white diamonds valued at over 20,000 US Dollars

35. Mid of necklace

36. Mid of several sets of jewellery by Zen Diamonds

37. Mid of necklace by Zen Diamonds made of blue sapphire and white diamonds, valued at over 20,000 US Dollars

38. Close of necklace

39. Wide of Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association, Ayhan Guner meeting with visitors in a hall

40. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association:

"Local market has decreased by 30 per cent since last year. But manufacture hasn't been affected. Last year, manufacture only decreased 8 to 9 per cent compared to the previous year. In terms of manufacture, the market hasn't been affected, so this year there has been an increase of 42 per cent. But regarding the local market, investors have been feeling uneasy for a little while. I think we will get over these issues. I hope it keeps going this way. Terror is the worst thing in Turkey. We don't want terrorism anywhere in the world."

41. Wide of jewels on display at Zen Diamonds

42. Close of necklace by Zen Diamonds inspired by Ottoman design, made of 3 carat rose cut diamonds, valued at 8,000 US Dollars

43. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Ayhan Guner, Chairman of the Turkish Jewellery Exporters Association:

"The new generation prefer to use casual products in their daily life. They don't use jewellery which would be worn at a wedding. Today everybody buys jewellery they can use in their daily life."

44. Various of female musicians

A flag-making factory in Istanbul has seen its production shoot up more than tenfold in recent days as people are mass-buying Turkish flags to celebrate the suppression of a military coup that took place last week.

The factory, which used to produce around 5,000 flags a day, is now making as many as 80,000 but according to its owner it still cannot satisfy the huge demand.

Much of Istanbul has been draped in the Turkish flag in the past week.

It can be seen everywhere from pro-government demonstrations to cars driving around the city honking, or hanging from public and private buildings.

According to factory owner Onder Gunay, the best selling flag is on a stick and measures 50 by 75 cm (20 by 30 inches) because it is easy for people to wave it in their hand.

His factory makes all kinds of other flags as well but now the Turkish flag is very much the main product.

A flag-making factory in Istanbul has seen its production shoot up more than tenfold in recent days as people are mass-buying Turkish flags to celebrate the suppression of a military coup that took place last week.

The factory, which used to produce around 5,000 flags a day, is now making as many as 80,000 but according to its owner it still cannot satisfy the huge demand.

Much of Istanbul has been draped in the Turkish flag in the past week.

It can be seen everywhere from pro-government demonstrations to cars driving around the city honking, or hanging from public and private buildings.

According to factory owner Onder Gunay, the best selling flag is on a stick and measures 50 by 75 cm (20 by 30 inches) because it is easy for people to wave it in their hand.

His factory makes all kinds of other flags as well but now the Turkish flag is very much the main product.

Istanbul - 21 July 2016

1. Turkish flags being rolled up

2. Woman sewing flag

3. Flags being folded

4. Man sewing flag

5. Flags being folded as woman sews on machine

6. Tracking shot of flags on floor

7. Tracking shot of man carrying flags from one room to another

8. Various of man sewing flag

9. Various of flags being cut

10. Woman sewing flag

11. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Onder Gunay, factory owner:

"Flag sales have been boosted since the coup attempt by people going on the streets to protect their republic and democracy. We are working 24/7 to produce flags but we still cannot satisfy the demand. My company alone sold has 600-700,000 flags."

12. Various of woman sewing flag

13. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Onder Gunay, factory owner:

"The best-selling type is the 50 by 75 centimetre flag on a stick because these ones are easy to wave in the hand."

14. Woman sewing flag

15. Flag being cut

16. Women moving stack of flags

17. Various of factory rooms

LEAD-IN:

Many countries across the Middle East and North Africa plan to build nuclear power plants during the next ten years.

How best to regulate the growing industry is one point of discussion at a regional nuclear energy summit being held in Istanbul.

STORY-LINE:

Turkey is host to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Nuclear Energy Summit and soon it will be home to three new nuclear power plants.

Nuclear energy experts and policy makers are here to look at the issues that will present.

As well as Turkey, more plants are planned in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt over the next ten years, according to the conference organisers.

Turkey's first power plant is scheduled to start construction in the southern province of Mersin, and will be built by Rosatom, a Russian state owned corporation.

It is expected to be completed by 2020 and another nuclear power plant, to be constructed in the Black Sea province of Sinop by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is planned to be completed by 2023, according to the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK).

It will lead to a big jump in the proportion of Turkey's energy coming from nuclear.

"The share of nuclear energy in the generation mix is almost ten percent in 2023," says Dr Sibel Gezer, from the Turkish ministry of energy and natural resources.

"Turkey plans currently to install three nuclear power plants in the short and medium terms. Turkey will continue to install nuclear power plants in the longer term."

Professor Kamal Araj, from the Jordanian atomic energy commission (JAEC) told the conference, his country wants to work with Turkey on the development of nuclear energy.

"We are definitely much interested to work with Turkey on regulatory matters for example. We'd like to develop cooperation with our regulator TAEK (Turkish Atomic Energy Authority) and definitely we will look very closely to work with them, since you work on the similar design, the VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor), we'd like to have an exchange program the regulator," he says.

The United States also has a seat at this conference.

Dr. Peter Lyons, the assistant U.S. Secretary for nuclear energy, gave the delegates an insight into how energy markets work in the U.S.

"What is the U.S. long term vision for nuclear power? Certainly if you've heard the president's vision and you have heard the secretary of energy's vision that it needs to be an important component," he says.

"However in the United States, in contrast to other countries, some other countries, we don't have a centrally mandated distribution of energy sources. The distribution of energy sources in the United States is determined by private companies. And we have more than 3000 private utilities in the Unites States. Those utilities will make the choices that are most economic for them to the benefit of their shareholders within the constraints imposed by U.S. regulatory processes. That's why approaches like the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) Clean energy plan are potentially extremely important."

It's the second time the conference has been held, after the inaugural event in Abu Dhabi last year.

AP TELEVISION

Istanbul - 10 June 2015

1. Wide pan of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Nuclear Energy Summit

2. Mid of conference attendees

3. A man works on a laptop

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr Sibel Gezer, Acting head of the nuclear energy project and implementing department, Turkish ministry of energy and natural resources:

"The share of nuclear energy in the generation mix is almost ten percent in 2023. Turkey plans currently to install three nuclear power plants in the short and medium terms. Turkey will continue to install nuclear power plants in the longer term."

5. Attendee works on his laptop

6. Wide of journalist asking a question of Professor Kamal Araj, Vice chairman, Jordan atomic energy commission (JAEC)

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Kamal Araj, Vice chairman, Jordan atomic energy commission (JAEC):

"We are definitely much interested to work with Turkey on the regulatory matters for example. We'd like to develop cooperation with our regulator TAEK (Turkish Atomic Energy Authority) and definitely we will look very closely to work with them, since you work on the similar design, the VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor), we'd like to have an exchange program with the regulator. And, definitely with EPO (European Patent Agency) also or the EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) I think will be a good opportunity for our minister of environment to perhaps understand how you have done EIA (Environment Impact Assessment), simplified approach not the complex approach. I think the issues on research reactors, we would like to cooperate on the research reactor that you have in Turkey and experiences from that. So, I think this will be the issues for the cooperation agreement."

8. Mid of speakers at conference, Dr. Peter Lyons, Assistant U.S. Secretary for nuclear energy and Mithat Rende, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

9. Mid of journalists at conference

10. Close of guest taking notes

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr Peter Lyons, Assistant U.S. Secretary for nuclear energy:

"What is the U.S. long term vision for nuclear power? Certainly if you've heard the president's vision and you have heard the secretary of energy's vision that it needs to be an important component. However in the United States, in contrast to other countries, some other countries, we don't have a centrally mandated distribution of energy sources. The distribution of energy sources in the United States is determined by private companies. And we have more than 3000 private utilities in the United States. Those utilities will make the choices that are most economic for them to the benefit of their shareholders within the constraints imposed by U.S. regulatory processes. That's why approaches like the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) Clean energy plan are potentially extremely important."

12. Wide of summit