Author: Belgin Hazan

Turkish authorities have intensified scrutiny of social media influencers in the country amid growing concerns over money laundering and financial irregularities. The investigation into Dilan and Engin Polat, a high-profile influencer couple, marked a turning point in Turkey’s approach to the financial activities of social media personalities. The couple, known for their lavish lifestyle on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, face charges of money laundering, tax evasion and illegal betting. Their arrest last month and the subsequent public revelation of their alleged financial misdeeds have prompted authorities to expand their focus to other influencers. Following the Polat case, the Turkish…

Romeyka is a dialect of Greek spoken in the region of Trabzon (Trapezounta) and Pontus, around Turkey’s Black Sea coast. Researchers say it bears striking resemblances to ancient Greek dialects. Its speakers are Muslims but many also trace their lineage back to the Pontic Greeks, who mostly left Turkey for Greece during the population exchanges of the early 20th century. However, this fascinating dialect is threatened and may become extinct, as only small communities in Northern Turkey still speak it. Professor Ioanna Sitaridou at Cambridge University is currently leading a team of academics researching the Romeyka dialect. Romeyka, an endangered…

A leftwing faction of Greece’s main opposition party has announced that it is breaking away, accusing Syriza’s recently elected leader of abandoning its core ideology for a sort of “rightwing populism.” Umbrella, a faction led by Euclid Tsakalotos, a former finance minister during Syriza’s government of 2015-19, announced its departure with a blistering statement that accused Stefanos Kasselakis of “Trumpian practices (and) right-leaning populism”. The once dominant party has been in disarray since its resounding defeat by the conservative New Democracy party in double elections in May and June. Already in opposition since 2019, Syriza had hoped to regain power.…

The English word “tantalize,” which means to torment someone by showing them something they desire but cannot have, comes from the Greek myth of Tantalus. According to Greek myth, Tantalus was the ruler of the ancient city of Sipylus in Phrygia, which is located in Anatolia. He was the father of Niobe and Pelops and was the founding member of the famous House of Atreus, from which Menelaus and Agamemnon descend. Tantalus, much like many other prominent figures in Greek mythology, was born of one of Zeus’s many affairs. His parents were Zeus, the king of the Olympian Gods, and…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday discussed the recent tensions between Israel and Palestine, which on Saturday escalated into a deadly conflict. In a phone call, the leaders exchanged views on the latest developments and possible steps to end the tension, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement. Gaza-based resistance group Hamas early Saturday launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and growing settler violence. In retaliation, the Israeli army…

Although President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent Sweden’s NATO accession to the Turkish parliament, ratification may not be a done deal, as Turkish officials say domestic developments in Turkey and Sweden could still complicate the final step.  After more than a year of objections, Erdogan submitted the proposal to the parliament earlier this week. According to a well-placed Turkish source in Ankara who spoke to Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, the submission had initially been planned for early October, but was delayed after a suicide bombing at the headquarters of Turkey’s national security directorate by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The attack, which left…

(Bloomberg) — Abu Dhabi-owned defense company EDGE Group said it’s weighing billions of dollars of investments in Turkey after it signed preliminary deals with firms including Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi and drone-maker Baykar Teknoloji. EDGE Chairman Faisal Al Bannai met with heads of major defense companies in Turkey to discuss possible acquisitions, joint development projects and purchase of military systems. The company has earmarked an investment budget of “a few billion dollars,” Al Bannai said in an interview on Wednesday in Turkey’s capital, Ankara. “What part of that will go into Turkey depends on what opportunities are there. If there is…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised India as Turkey’s foremost trade partner in South Asia, highlighting the vast potential for economic collaboration between the two nations. Speaking at a press conference during the G20 Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Erdogan emphasised their strong economic ties, saying, “India is our greatest trade partner in South Asia. And we have great potential to enjoy primarily in the field of economy and many others.” Expressing gratitude for India’s hospitality during the summit, Erdogan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and noted the theme of the event: “This year, our theme was one world,…

Paris, Dublin, London (24/9 – 32) Undefeated in 17 games in the last 15 months, Ireland has beaten every rugby union world champion, three of them twice – just for humiliation. Historically, the Irish never got past the last eight of a Rugby World Cup. In this year’s tournament they are on fire: fans have faith that Ireland will finally seize The Webb Ellis Cup on 28 October, final day of the struggle. Low-scoring but epic: a 13-8 win over the defending champion South Africa in Pool B of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Saturday – a brutal statement…

World Bank praises Turkey for ‘steps in right direction’ A World Bank official this week praised Turkey’s recent economic policies as “steps in the right direction,” signaling a potential turnaround in a five-year economic crisis that saw historic lows for the Turkish lira, accompanied by record high inflation. There is now hope for progress, following decisions by Central Bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan to raise interest rates to combat inflation and increase taxes to close the budget deficit. “We believe that the monetary policy tightening … , the unwinding of distortive financial regulations and the fiscal revenue measures to curtail the fiscal…