April 11, 2014

Duff not convinced by Çavuşoğlu's response in 'parallel structure' row

Andrew Duff, a senior member of the European Parliament (EP), indicated on Friday that he is not satisfied with European Union Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's reassurances that he did not accuse him of "being bought" by the Hizmet movement, inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Erdoğan's war against arts and culture in Turkey

Abdullah Bozkurt

As the authoritarian tendencies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government under the divisive political leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan become more visible, with fresh evidence of intolerance over the right to dissent revealed practically every day, the government's relentless campaign to stifle freedom of expression is not just limited to freedom of the press anymore but has now engulfed artistic and cultural expressions as well. A draft bill prepared by the Erdoğan government without actually consulting the arts community in Turkey will bring state-funded artistic and cultural activities under tight government control.

MHP: Gov't should not harass its citizens who open Turkish schools abroad

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) parliamentary group deputy chairman Oktay Vural said on Thursday that the state should not “use its powers and mechanisms to harass its citizens abroad,” as the government's attempts to shut down Turkish schools abroad attract criticism from across the political spectrum.

Turkey to be ruled by intelligence units

Adem Yavuz Arslan, Bugün

Talks on the proposed National Intelligence Organization (MİT) law started in Parliament.

International students celebrate Prophet Muhammad in Gaziantep

In an event in the southeastern city of Gaziantep on Thursday, international students from Turkish schools across the world celebrated Prophet Muhammad at a hall owned by the private Zirve University as Turkey marks Holy Birth Week.

Turkish PM Erdoğan’s dangerous ‘traitors’ game

Özgür Korkmaz

Turkey has always been a somewhat polarized country, but the rising tension within the society, especially since the launch of a graft probe against members of the government on Dec. 17, 2013, and the following “tape wars” on the Internet have brought the country to a dangerous point.

'Go Beyond Secondary Education' VP Urges Liberia's Turkish Light International School

Monrovia - Liberia’s Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has urged the administration of the Liberian Turkish Light International School to improve the quality of education beyond the secondary level in the country.

Kenya Embassy Donates Food & Warm Clothes to Syrian Refugees

As part of its humanitarian diplomacy/gesture, the Kenya Embassy staff, family members and friends led by the Charge D’ Affaires, Mr. Kimwole Kiptiness Lindsay, having been touched by the plight of Syrian refugees in Turkish camps, particularly in the winter season, donated dry food stuffs, sweets and warm clothes. The donations were channeled through Kimse Yok Mu (or ‘Is Any One there’), a Turkish Non-Governmental Organization on 29th January, 2013. It is noted that Kimse Yok Mu is one of the international NGOs that actively responded to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis in 2011 that saved the lives of thousands of Somali refugees from imminent death due to prolonged drought. Kimse Yok Mu is also actively involved in Kenya, where it supports education and health programs to marginalized communities in rural Kenya and has provided humanitarian aid to the Daadab refugee camp.