Turkish popular culture

I don’t know what this means: “AKP lost judicial database to Gülenists: Erdoğan” and a roundup…

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AKP lost judicial database to Gülenists: Erdoğan  Hurriyet Daily News The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) failed to prevent the Fethullah Gülen network’s seizure of a key judicial information database system, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated. Combatting loss: refugees, employment and social entrepreneurship in Turkey open Democracy News Analysis – by Fiona Murphy and Evi Chatzipanagiotidou … Read more

It seems that a Turkish village has its own local Helloween night….

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“Bocuk [Witch] Night” is celebrated in a village in Edirne, on the Greece-Turkey border. News in Turkish in BBC Türkçe The “bocuk” is a term in Thrace that represents your toughest night. According to the belief, if the waters are frozen that night, there will be abundance in nature… A wikipedia entry in Turkish

A mobile game that targets President Erdoğan’s “enemies”

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It seems some fanatically pro-Erdoğan people created this design-wisely Minecraft inspired game. Entitled as “Master’s Beating”, the player chooses an “enemy” and beats it. There are four categories of enemies in the delusional imagery of game designers: Fetullah Gulen and Emre Uslu representatives under the heading of “FETÖ” [Pro-Gülenists] Masud Barzani, Beşar Assad and Benjamin … Read more

Turkey on national account deficit: “Cenk Tosun’s contract with Everton will help cut Turkey’s current account deficit: Deputy PM”

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Cenk Tosun’s contract with Everton will help cut Turkey’s current account deficit: Deputy PM  Hurriyet Daily News   Beşiktaş striker Cenk Tosun’s possible contract with English Premier League club Everton, a deal worth 25 million sterling according to media reports, “will help Turkey cut its current account deficit,” Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek has suggested.

It looks like he really believes in Santa Claus… a social fabric roundup…

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This guy is waiting at his house’s roof for Santa Claus with a hammer in his hand. He says he does not intend to attack him but ask him to convert to Islam. We do not know in which city in Turkey this happened. A video here: Çatıda Noel Baba'yı bekleyen adamın yılbaşı isyanı! Noel … Read more

“Selda Bağcan to sing at Burning Man 2018…a social fabric roundup…

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Selda Bağcan to sing at Burning Man 2018 Hurriyet Daily News Turkish protest musician Selda Bağcan has been invited to Burning Man 2018, which has been held in the deserts of the U.S. state of Nevada for 31 years, hosting tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. Erdoğan ‘hug’ stirs security debate A debate has … Read more

As the whole world shakes, that is what it can offer: “Turkey’s top religious body declares Bitcoin ‘inappropriate’…

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Turkey’s top religious body declares Bitcoin ‘inappropriate’ Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has ruled that digital currency Bitcoin is not appropriate according to Islam “at this point.” in other news: Turkey ranks second in TV series exports: Minister  Hurriyet Daily News Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister said on Nov. 16 that Turkey ranks second in television … Read more

Contribution to Internet Law (!): “Turkish court sentences man for not removing ex-girlfriend’s photos from social media…

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Turkish court sentences man for not removing ex-girlfriend’s photos from social media The Court of Cassation has found guilty a man who refused to remove photos of his former girlfriend from social media, despite her demands. In other news: Turkey’s education system is not up to global standards: PISA director Hurriyet Daily News Turkey’s education system does … Read more

Officially homophobic: “Turkish capital Ankara bans all gay rights functions…

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Turkish capital Ankara bans all gay rights functions  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   The governor’s office says the move has been taken on security grounds and to protect public order. Turkish capital bans all LGBT screenings, exhibitions, events over ‘public sensitivities’ The governor’s office of the Turkish capital Ankara has banned the public showing of all films, exhibitions … Read more

As if…. “Massive stampede occurs while arriving to book fair in Istanbul…

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Massive stampede occurs while arriving to book fair in Istanbul  Hurriyet Daily News A massive stampede occurred on the road of book fair in Istanbul on Nov. 11 as fair-goers broke the barriers and stopped the traffic on one of the main highway of the province. In other news:  Three groups dominate Ekonomist’s wealthiest families list Three … Read more

36 powerful images from the commemoration of Atatürk’s death…

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At exactly 9:05 A.M. in 10 November 1938 Atatürk died. The citizens continue to pay their tributes to the founder…. 33 more photos here

Elon Musk show in Turkey… President Erdoğan met with Elon Musk…

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Nowadays, AKP leadership is into different PR moves- like praising Atatürk. Musk’s appearance seems to be another one. Erdoğan meets Musk amid local car efforts Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a meeting with world-leading Silicon Valley technology and research entrepreneur Elon Musk on Nov. 8, a few days after the launch of a joint venture to produce the country’s … Read more

In the meantime, “A Good Citizen [still] Jailed in Turkey

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A Good Citizen Jailed in Turkey  NYT > Turkey by By DANI RODRIK The arrest of the Turkish civil society activist and businessman Osman Kavala shows the outlandish extent of President Erdogan’s crackdown. Osman Kavala, Turkish democracy on the anvil openDemocracy – Alina Mungiu-Pippidi – Nov 3 No one should read and hear said about themselves what I … Read more

Turkey’s leading mobile operator, Turkcell, unashamedly used nationalist rhetoric to launch its Microsoft Bing-powered Yaani search engine app…

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Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has released a search app named Yaani which seeks to promote national culture and values. Built around Microsoft Bing search, Yaani also offers news, map and streaming features. Arslan explains how the domestic search engine will enforce nationalist values and culture (NTV) The new mobile app is part of a wider initiative … Read more

How could Stallone know? “Turkey investigates Galatasaray fans over ‘Gülenist’ Rocky poster World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Kareem Shaheen in Istanbul..

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Turkey investigates Galatasaray fans over ‘Gülenist’ Rocky poster World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Kareem Shaheen in Istanbul hide Pro-government media say display in stands evoked words of Fethullah Gülen, who is suspected of orchestrating coup plot Turkey has launched an investigation into the football club Galatasaray after fans at a match held up a giant image … Read more