Prosecutor writes the ’Digor Criteria’
by Şafak Timur
ISTANBUL – A prosecutor in the town of Digor decides speaking Kurdish in election campaigns is not a crime, setting a precedent the country sees as a new set of rules similar to the Copenhagen Criteria that Turkey had to follow to begin EU membership talks.
Tough walk through minefields
ANKARA – The deadlock over the clearance of landmines on the Syrian border continues with Parliament failing to agree on a bill, while the military said Friday that NATO could undertake the mission. Turkey is obliged to clear the mines by 2014 in accordance with an international treaty.
Camera downs drone deal
by Fulya Özerkan
ANKARA -Turkey’s insistence on installing Turkish cameras into 10 Israeli-made attack drones in order to develop the local defense industry has caused a deadlock in deliveries, leading to technical problems.
Children’s advocate laid to rest
by Şafak Timur
ISTANBUL -A former student who received a scholarship from her association and an activist who worked with her on health and education were just two of the people gathered for the funeral of Professor Türkan Saylan yesterday. Saylan died early Monday morning and the funeral was held at Istanbul’s [...]
Heroic movie to let youth believe
by Sevim Songün
ISTANBUL – The movie titled ’Devrim Arabaları’ (Revolution cars) tells the story of 23 engineers who manufactured the first local car in Turkey 47 years ago and is an inspiration to young movie-goers. Director Tolga Örnek says the film’s characters offer unusual role models
Turkey’s foreign policy shift confuses Western allies, report says
Hurriyet Daily News
ISTANBUL – Turkey’s allies are confused by the shift in its foreign policy and its pronounced Eurasian and/or Middle Eastern bent, an independent Finnish research agency finds. Although some believe the country is turning its back on the West; others say Ankara’s foreign policy is [...]
Eurovision’s song remains the same
Hürriyet Daily News
ISTANBUL – Though this year’s Eurovision Song Contest ended Saturday night, with a victory for Norway, debate over the voting patterns in the half-a-century-old cultural competition continues.
Prominent Turkish academic, NGO head dies from cancer at 74
Hurriyet Daily News
ISTANBUL – Respected child advocate Professor Turkan Saylan, leader of a number of philanthropic organizations, including the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life, or CYDD, died early Monday from cancer at the age of 74.