On 30 May police in Istanbul broke up a small demonstration by several hundred environmentalists, using tear gas, beating protestors and burning their tents. The cause of the protestors and the abusive response of the authorities touched a nerve. Within days, tens of thousands of protestors had taken to the streets across the main cities … Read more
State channel TRT cancels comedy series after actors join Gezi protests The producers of a Turkish comedy series titled ?Leyla ile Mecnun? (Leyla and Mecnun) have said Turkey?s state-run TV channel TRT will cease broadcasting the show after the production?s actors joined the Gezi Park protests. Yezidi migrants in Germany mull possible Turkey return … Read more
Suriye ile nereye? Salı hutbelerinin yerini iftar konuşmaları aldı. Son salvolar Suriye?ye ve elbet Kürtlere. ?Yanı başımızda Suriye?deki gelişmeler artık sınırlarımızı da aşmak suretiyle zaman zaman ülkemiz içerisinde de ölümlere neden olmaktadır. Bu hassasiyeti ortaya koyuyor. Sabırlıyız, sabrediyoruz. Ama nereye kadar? Onu şu anda burada sizlerle paylaşacak durumda değilim.? Bu esrarengiz son cümle, ?acaba hükümet … Read more
Istanbul mayor to ask residents about all future projects The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality will ask the public about every major project in the city Occupy Gezi, beyond the religious-secular cleavage The protests in Turkey started on May 27 with a modest resistance movement against the destruction of Istanbul?s Gezi Park and the planned construction, in its place, … Read more
However, AKP is organizing two major rallies in Ankara and İstanbul this weekend. In this evening’s Ankara rally, PM Erdoğan repeated the same lies about the Occupiers,already debunked accusations and relied heavily to play with AKP voters’ religious sensitivities. I do not exaggarate, in my life, I have never seen such crude and intense exploitation … Read more
Alcohol controversy mounts after Ottoman comparison The Parliament discussed a proposal that would further restrict alcohol sale. World alcoholic drinks leader Diageo concerned over sale restrictions Diageo has expressed concerns over planned alcohol restrictions in Turkey. ********************* Joblessness among young Turks surges Turkey?s youth unemployment showed a 2.1 percent increase, a considerable hike in the … Read more
The Tulip Trap from NYT > Turkey by By ANDREW FINKEL While Istanbul celebrates its favorite flower, it is destroying its few remaining natural habitats. Turkish PM resents project ?ruining? Istanbul?s silhouette from Hurriyet Daily News Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has again excoriated developers.. Art Sold at Controversial Istanbul Auction Comes Partially … Read more