Op-Ed: What Israel Can Learn from Turkey
Region: Turkey
This article was originally published on the blog Turkish Diary. Turkey has recently condemned Israel's offensive in Gaza. Ankara has even decided to suspend its mediating efforts between Israel and Syria. It would be easy to dismiss such a position as just solidarity with the Muslim brothers and sisters in Gaza. Not that it would be wrong. But I would like to change the perspective in the issue, noticing that Israel... more
Views: 1969Soap Opera Grips Arab World - But is it a Sin to Watch?
Region: TurkeyPosted by Amira Al Hussaini to Global Voices Online A strange phenomenon has gripped the Arab world, and for the first time in a long while, Arabs seem to agree on something. It is an infatuation with a Turkish soap opera, dubbed in Arabic, and its stunning star Muhanned (played by Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ), whose romantic trysts are beamed on television screens across the region. The obsession of some people with... more
Views: 3033Tough Two Weeks of Threats for Turkey
Region: Turkey
Posted by Deborah Anne Dilley to Global Voices Online The past two weeks have been tough for the Republic of Turkey as they have been dealing with enemies from within. On July 9th, a terrorist attack on the US Consulate in Istanbul has the authorities stumped as to who is responsible and why. And on Monday the 14th, Istanbul’s chief prosecutor filed a long-awaited indictment on the controversial Ergenekon case ... more
Views: 1405Shootout at US Consulate in Istanbul Leaves Six Dead
Region: Turkey
Posted by Anne Szustek to FindingDulcinea Three police officers and three of four gunmen were killed in a battle after attackers approached the US diplomatic compound in Istanbul. Some reports link al-Qaida to the shootings. Four bearded gunmen, all age 25–30, got out of a gray car parked near the entrance of the US consulate at around 11 a.m. Istanbul time Wednesday. They first shot at a police cabin near the ... more
Views: 1217Euro 2008 Quarterfinal Preview Croatia vs. Turkey
Region: TurkeyEuro 2008 Quarterfinal Preview Croatia vs. Turkey Friday, 2:45 pm Eastern TV: ESPN The two darkhorses in the Soccer Betting Euro 2008 quarterfinals will battle on Friday as Croatia faces Turkey. Croatia was one of only three teams that came through the group stage with a perfect 3-0 record. “We are the better team," said coach Slaven Bilic. Croatia will have some lineup changes as Ivan Rakitic... more
Views: 1676May Day Demonstrations Suppressed in Turkey
Region: Turkey
On April 30th, Turkish officials announced publicly that they would use force if need to be to thwart a May Day demonstration planned to be held in the center of the capital city of Istanbul. "We will use force as the law permits...It is natural that an illegal demonstration will be stopped," Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said. The demonstration is jointly planned by Turkey's three largest workers' unions, an... more
Views: 1794Turkish Airline crash took lives of 56.
Region: TurkeyAircraft of the Atlas Jet company collapsed near the Isparta Province killing 49 passengers, including several prominent nuclear physicists on their way to a conference and 7 crews. The plane took off from Istanbul at 04.20 in the morning and crashed near the hilly regions of Keciborlu in the central Turkey. The reason for the mishap is yet to be revealed. The company chief said that the crash was not due to unfavorabl... more
Views: 1164Ferrari to dominate at Turkish Grand Prix
Region: Turkey
Ferrari to dominate at Turkish Grand Prix The Italian squad is all set to make a comeback with the race at the Istanbul Park Circuit. The track, designed by Hermann Tilke, has 14 turns and is 3.3 miles long and is one of the two anti-clockwise circuits. Istanbul track is a fast track and 2/3rd of the distance of the is covered in full throttle. This track favors the car used by the Italians. The maiden race of Turkis... more
Views: 1377Erdoğan speaks out
Region: TurkeyTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, drawing from previous communication between Ankara and the UN, answered questions from the international press on a visit to New York. One journalist asked, “You are promising to give rights to Cypriot Turks. Are you ready to give the same rights to Kurds?” Erdoğan responded, “The Kurds don’t have a question of whether or not they have rights. If the ethnic grou... more
Views: 1811Body polemics ala Turka
Region: TurkeySinger and producer Bülent Ersoy, a male-to-female transsexual and a national icon, was harassed by Mustafa Topaloğlu, a singer who often appears on weekend programes airing on religious-leaning channels. While at an anniversary party for the Association of Customs employees on Friday, December 8, Topaloğlu claimed to the press that “Miss Bülent” was not showing him “enough respect.” “To me, she’s... more
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