Abrupt gov't decision to revoke status of Kimse Yok Mu draws criticism

Turkey's leading charity, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), had its right to collect charitable donations abruptly rescinded on Tuesday, in what seems to be an arbitrary decision made during a Cabinet meeting, prompting harsh reactions from volunteers, lawmakers of the opposition parties and representatives of other civil society groups.

Kimse Yok Mu conducts 500 cataract surgeries in Pakistan

Humanitarian aid organization Kimse Yok Mu? (Is Anybody There?) carried out 500 cataract surgeries in Pakistan, as part of its international campaigns to reach out economically disadvantaged people.

Cabinet bans charity Kimse Yok Mu from collecting donations

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu's (Is Anybody There) right to collect charity donations has been withheld because of a recent Cabinet decision.

Turkish school opens in Canada

The city of Edmonton in Canada has joined the long list of locations for schools opened by a Turkish entrepreneur affiliated with the Hizmet movement, one of the largest faith-based communities in Turkey.

Needy Afghans looking forward to Kimse Yok Mu’s eid donations

With the Eid al-Adha around the corner, countdown has started in Afghanistan for the meat distributions by Kimse Yok Mu Foundation (KYM).

Kimse Yok Mu’s permanent assistance continues in the Philippines

Kimse Yok Mu Foundation has been carrying on its relief efforts for the locals ever since the Haiyan typhoon hit the city of Tacloban last November. The foundation renovated a school building left in rubble after the disaster and supplied drinking water by establishing 10 water wells across the region. It has been unceasingly channeling the aid donations from Turkish people to the victims over the past year. The initial target was 50 water wells and 10 of them are now at the service of the locals. Moreover, “Make a Living” project is already well underway, providing professional training on catering, sanitary, clothing, beauty care and computer hardware services licensing trainees to start business across the country.

Hate Speech is Undermining Turkey's Fragile Democracy

Emre Çelik*

Many TV viewers could not believe their ears upon hearing the terms "blood sucking vampires, leeches, traitors, spies, worse than Shiites, and assassins" uttered by then Turkish prime minister Erdogan in his political rallies.

Inspectors find no flaw in Kimse Yok Mu activities

A report prepared by inspectors assigned by the Interior Ministry earlier this year clearly states that not a single irregularity was discovered in the activities of the charity organization Kimse Yok Mu at the end of an audit carried out by the ministry's inspectors.

From political Islam to Islamic terrorism: Is there a way out?

Anwar Alam*

The declaration of the “Islamic state” and the “caliph” under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), now called the IS, in the contagious parts of Iraq and Syria has brought the issue of Islamic militancy and terrorism to the center stage of Middle Eastern politics.

İETT cancels bus line to Fatih University, disabled student drops out

A student dropped out of school when the İstanbul Transportation Authority (İETT) canceled the only bus line to Fatih University, which is considered to be affiliated with the faith-based Hizmet movement.

Opposition reacts to witch hunt against UN-affiliated aid organization

In the face of the targeting of Kimse Yok Mu? (Is Anybody There?), the biggest humanitarian aid organization in Turkey, by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, some opposition deputies have described the targeting as “irrational” and there are rumors on social media platforms that the smear campaign is being led by Interior Minister Efkan Ala.

Cingöz: Kimse Yok Mu welcomes all auditors from state institutions

İsmail Cingöz, president of the Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), which is affiliated with the Hizmet movement inspired by prominent scholar Fethullah Gülen, explained to Today's Zaman that the organization has contributed to social and international peace since the day of its foundation.

Fethullah Gulen’s books draw large interest in Sweden

Fethullah Gulen’s books were on display at Sweden’s largest book fair saw large interest from book enthusiasts.

Obsession with closing down

Nedim Hazar

The people who obsessively hate a certain part of the society have been moving their unfair and cruel practices to a new level each day.

Civil servants spy on one another for higher posts

More and more civil servants are tending to spy on one another to win the government's favor for promotion to higher posts, Today's Zaman has learned.

GYV summit highlights link between education, sustainable development

A recent summit organized jointly by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) and the United Nations in New York has highlighted the correlation between education and sustainable development.

Why Gülen is indignant about corruption

Abdullah Bozkurt

One of the main reasons why Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has been so disturbed by the massive graft scandal that was exposed during then-Prime Minister and now President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's regime is that he saw that his lifetime ideal of fostering greater connectivity among key areas of the country such as education, business and culture in order to contribute to the social, human and economic development of his nation had been severely undermined.

Kimse Yok Mu offers much-needed help in Gaza

The Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) foundation, known for assisting people all over the world, has reached out to victims in Gaza who are still reeling from Israel's attacks last month.

Kimse Yok Mu lends helping hand to 15,000 Syrians in Suruç

Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) has sent TL 50 million worth of aid to Syrian Kurds who have fled from the town of Kobane to take refuge in Suruç, a district of Şanlıurfa province.

UN-affiliated aid organization becomes new witch hunt target

As the largest volunteer and global aid organization based in Turkey, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), which holds official UN consultative status, has become the target of a smear campaign carried out through the government-controlled media, while Kimse Yok Mu officials have said all their activities are transparent and that not a single flaw has been discovered at the end of months of government auditing.

‘Code 111' brought to court by former bureaucrats

Government officials previously serving in the Ministry of Family and Social Policy who were dismissed or demoted after being blacklisted under “Code 111,” used to denote individuals believed to be affiliated with the faith-based Hizmet movement, have sued the ministry over the practice.

İSKİ scrapping contract with Bank Asya sparks reactions

The İstanbul Waterworks Authority's (İSKİ) decision to terminate its contract with Bank Asya for the collection of İSKİ bills through automatic payment orders has caused discontent among the customers of the bank.

BİST applies double standard to Bank Asya

The Borsa İstanbul (BİST) has announced that shares of Islamic lender Bank Asya will be traded in the “watch-list market” as of Sept. 30, although the bank's financial structure is strong.

Ishik University To Educate Students About the Threats of [the so-called] Islamic State

After the capture of Mosul by [the self-proclaimed, so-called] Islamic State (IS) insurgents, a number of Ishik University students in Erbil have disappeared from their neighborhoods. A source close to the case reveals the name of some students to BasNews. BasNews is not revealing the names.

Elahee: Attack on bank could lead to catastrophic consequences

Q: What do you think about Erdoğan's efforts to close down Bank Asya, a private bank linked to the Gülen movement by engineering a smear campaign against it? How can it affect other sectors in Turkey and Turkey's image in the world financial system?

Kimse Yok Mu non-profit defies government-led character assasination

The chairman of Kimse Yok Mu, a leading non-profit aid-organization, has challenged a government-sponsored smear campaign perpetrated by the Sabah newspaper.

A rising profile for Turkish Cultural Center Vermont

Tim Johnson

Their demographic footprint in Vermont is pretty small, but in just three years, they’ve made a pretty big splash.

Why didn't they listen to Erdoğan?

Aydoğan Vatandaş*

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has become an international figure; it is probably the first time so many people outside Turkey know the name of the country's president since the presidency of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkey.

The HSYK election

Nazlı Ilıcak, Bugün

With regards to the upcoming election for the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), there is a series of untrue allegations circulating in the media.

Renowned Canadian professor lauds Honorable Gulen and Hizmet Movement

The renowned professor and constitutional jurist John Whyte recently spoke very highly of the Hizmet Movement he was introduced through Intercultural Dialogue Institute active in Canada. “Hizmet has made a huge impact on here. It has enabled the Canadians think about how they can deal with differences, particularly Islam.”

Özkes: AKP is creating a parallel religion

Q: There have been certain attempts since Dec. 17 to present the Hizmet movement as a terror organization. How would you comment on these attempts to have Hizmet seen as a threat or a terror organization?

The World Talked About ISIL, but Erdoğan Harped On Hizmet

Adem Yavuz Arslan

The 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened in New York the previous day, is in line for going down in history in many respects. There are heads of state and governments from about 160 countries here. All the countries are talking about the fight against ISIL in some degree. Everyone wants to see what role Turkey will assume in this struggle. In fact, US Secretary of State John Kerry openly declared, “Words are not enough anymore, we need action.” But it doesn’t stop there! Airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria started last night, but the Turkish delegation seemingly only has a single agenda: the struggle with the Hizmet movement.

Erdoğan, the US, ISIL

İhsan Yılmaz

Regular readers of this column will remember that I have repeatedly argued that, in spite of whatever Justice and Development Party (AKP) leaders say in opposition to the West and the US in public rallies to motivate and manipulate their voters, behind closed doors they will agree to whatever they have been asked by Western states.

Bank Asya shares soar after week-long ban

Bank Asya's shares increased by 10.14 percent to TL 0.76 after the private lender resumed trading in the second session of Turkey's stock exchange on Wednesday, six days after a ban was imposed on the lender amid ownership concerns propagated by pro-government media outlets.

Kimse Yok Mu awarded in Davos

A photograph depicting Kimse Yok Mu ASYA efforts has ranked first at a photo contest held as a part of the 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC) Davos 2014.

İstanbul Transportation Authority cancels bus line to Fatih University

Amid growing examples of discrimination against the Hizmet movement, the Istanbul Transportation Authority (İETT) canceled one bus line to Fatih University, which is considered to be affiliated with the Hizmet movement.

Kimse Yok Mu to distribute meat in 100 countries

Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), one of the largest charity organizations in Turkey, aims to distribute the meat of sacrificed animals to 250,000 needy families in more than 100 countries around the world, despite an ongoing defamation campaign being conducted by pro-government media outlets against the charity.

'Erdoğan carries ‘parallel state' claims to US'

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has once again slammed American media outlets over reports on Turkey, claiming that some of the media organizations and think tanks in the United States are under the influence of what he called a “parallel structure” within the Turkish state.

President Erdoğan taken to Constitutional Court over hate speech

Thirty people who say they feel connected to the Hizmet movement, a social movement inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and hated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have taken statements from the president targeting this group to the Constitutional Court.

Somali students caring for the Soma orphans

The Somali students who were previously brought to Soma, Manisa, for study by Kimse Yok Mu Foundation (KYM) in 2011, recently donated stationery supplies for 105 orphans the mining disaster left behind.

'Turkish schools are excellent good will ambassadors for Turkey'

Internationally acclaimed sociologist Professor Vincent N. Parrillo from William Paterson University in New Jersey, the author of a dozen books and numerous journal articles, some translated into nine languages, has been conducting research about Gülen-inspired schools over the last several years.

The judiciary, last bastion of democracy, at risk

Abdullah Bozkurt

The election for Turkey's key judicial council, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), on Oct. 12 will determine whether the last bastion of democracy will remain an independent and competent body in relation to other branches of the government -- the legislative and executive, which have already been seized by political Islamists. So much is riding on the outcome of this election that Turks' hopes may be dashed for a strong, independent and impartial judiciary, which would dare risking its neck against an increasingly authoritarian government and a tyrannical president.

Joking Erdoğan and his ministers

Selçuk Gültaşlı

Weakened ties to reality are leading to a heightened sense of absurdity in Ankara's dealings with Brussels. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and many of his government ministers (completely unrelated to corruption) appear to be weakening their ties with reality more and more every day in an attempt to rescue themselves from allegations of corruption. In the meantime, the statements we are hearing, as these ties with reality weaken, seem to come off almost like jokes.

Civil servants victims of profiling, now face investigations

Many civil servants of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy who were recently found to have been blacklisted by the government are now facing investigations over baseless allegations, bureaucrats within the ministry have claimed.

Leaving a unique mark on economic history

Ali Aslan Kılıç

While explaining the "trust" factor in economies, professors at economics faculties underline the importance of social psychology. They list examples of how people panic and trigger economic crises when speculation about a bank is voiced.

'Hizmet goes to the heart of what it means to be a Muslim.'

Fikir Atlasi*, Episode 9 (Full text)

My name is Brad Hawkins**. I’m a professor of religions here at Cal State Long Beach.

Currently, my specialty is the study of South and Southeast Asian religions, but I did my B.A. in Islamic studies and have followed pretty closely what has been going on in the Middle East and particularly in Turkey, which I’ve had the pleasure of being associated with for almost four years now.

Parents apply to Council of State against incentive discrimination

Many parents have filed legal complaints with the Council of State against a recent government decision to exclude certain schools from the list of private education institutions that students who are entitled to state financial assistance can enroll at.

Erdoğan's Bank Asya slander brought to parliamentary agenda

An attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week to discredit Bank Asya, Turkey's largest Islamic lender, has been brought to the parliamentary agenda in a parliamentary question.

Erdoğan deceived Turkey by portraying himself as advocate of democracy

Veteran columnist Cüneyt Ülsever, who was fired from the Hürriyet daily in 2011 following then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's pressure on the newspaper's administration due to Ülsever's critical columns about Erdoğan's government, has warned that worse days may come under Erdoğan's autocratic leadership.

Is Erdoğan's power being exhausted?

Mümtazer Türköne

The government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are clearly engaging in a polemic. A fairly premature power struggle is going on between the presidential palace and the government; analysts are curious about the course of their relations. Erdoğan is testing the boundaries of his own power by relying on his style and priorities. But he has hit a strong and solid wall. The subject matter of this premature and strong power struggle is Bank Asya. Erdoğan is relying on his prestige and power to destroy Bank Asya; he does not hide his intention, and he presents his goal as proof indicating that he is still powerful.

Gülen’s Notion of Hizmet and Public Good: From a Strategy to an Action Plan

Maimul Ahsan Khan

Hizmet [literally, “service”] for Fethullah Gülen implies that a person devotes his or her life to Islam, serving for the benefit of others, which is beneficial for life after death. Gülen is a very restless person who is always asking himself if he might do more for God. Death is always present in his preaching to his followers, and the fear of judgment day is the motivation to work hard. (1)

African Professor lauds 'Kimse Yok Mu' as model relief organization

University of South Africa Professor Yousuf Dadoo has congratulated Kimse Yok Mu, one of the largest charity organizations in Turkey, for making its work a model for all charitable groups.

Bank Asya shares recover despite Erdoğan's defamatory remark

After falling more than 50 percent since the beginning of this week, Bank Asya shares in the Borsa İstanbul (BİST) rallied on Thursday, rising over 10 percent in the first trading session, but the shares edged down again in the second session after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared that private lender Bank Asya is “already bankrupt.”

Opposition turns up heat on Erdoğan after verbal attacks on Bank Asya

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu continued to criticize President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his unwarranted attacks attempting to discredit Bank Asya, one of the leading national banks in Turkey.

Romanian Minister: Turkish schools are raising the next generation of Romanians

The Clui branch of the Turkish schools in Romania, operating in the country for the past 20 years now, kicked off the academic year in its new campus. The Romanian Minister of Social Dialog Aurelia Cristea inaugurated the school building. The minister hailed the schools as institutions raising the next generation of the country.