Author: Isra Gulya

Dimitris Kouvdis, a 70-year-old potter from Lesbos, has earned UNESCO recognition for preserving ancient pottery-making techniques. He works in a seaside workshop near Mandamados, a former pottery hub, where his family continues traditional methods. They make pottery using clay from local soil and a traditional kiln fueled by olive pits. Each piece is painted with natural lime, preserving an old-world process. Kouvdis is among the last Mediterranean potters to use these methods. Kouvdis expressed pride in the UNESCO honor, noting that mechanized presses can produce pottery much faster than traditional methods. Despite this, he is committed to maintaining the craft,…

Tajikistan officially banned the hijab, imposing hefty fines in its latest move to curb Islamic influence. The Central Asian nation of Tajikistan officially prohibited the wearing of hijabs and other “alien garments” this week, as the country’s parliament passed a new bill regulating Islamic clothing and Eid celebrations. The bill, approved by the upper house of parliament, Majlisi Milli, on June 19, comes after years of an unofficial clampdown on the hijab in the Muslim-majority country. Under the new law, individuals wearing hijabs or other banned religious clothing could face hefty fines of up to 7,920 somonis (approximately $700). Companies…

Turkey has pledged to double renewable energy generation capacity by adding 60 GW of solar and wind by 2035 and announced a plan to invest USD 10 billion in the grid. According to the World Bank, the country’s entire initiative is estimated at USD 75 billion to USD 100 billion. Utilizing renewable resources, developing transmission infrastructure for more renewables, and increasing energy efficiency in all sectors are Turkey’s main goals, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said in a video message sent to a panel with a special focus on Turkey, hosted by the World Bank at the…

China’s alleged abuse of the world’s oceans was examined in recent studies into its vast fishing fleet, which is accused of destroying maritime ecosystems far from its shores and perpetuating the industry’s forced labor practices. China-flagged ships on the high seas were involved in “theft on a grand scale, unrestricted warfare on natural resources,” said a report by the SeaLight project, which says it uses “commercially available technology to shed light on the maritime ‘gray zone.'” Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing by Chinese vessels was happening throughout the Asia-Pacific, including within other countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZ), according to…

Turkey not only offers natural beauty and impressive historical landmarks. It also has infrastructure to support the large number of visitors that enter the country each year. It features excellent public transportation in its major cities, well-connected flights, accessible travel packages and more. You can explore different areas of the country and marvel at its richness. However, there are several things to know before making a trip. From Turkey’s entry requirements, top destinations, mosque etiquette, to travel advisory. Read further to find out more. What should US travelers know before traveling to Turkey? The US and Turkey do not have…

Oct 26 (Reuters) – The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine said on Thursday that Ukrainian pilots were undergoing training in the United States on F-16 fighter aircraft, a key element on Kyiv’s wish list to secure the weaponry it needs in its war against Russia. The U.S. approved sending F-16s fighter jets to Ukraine from the Netherlands and Denmark in August once pilot training is completed. “Ukrainian pilots are now training with the Arizona Air National Guard on F-16s,” Ambassador Bridget Brink said on X, formerly Twitter. “This is an essential part of building Ukraine’s air defense. The United States is proud to…

Natural disasters in Greece and the limitation of foreign visitors’ disposable income due to inflation and rising interest rates cost the country 500,000 foreign arrivals and a loss of 1.2 billion euros in tourism receipts this summer. This stems from a report on tourism by National Bank’s economic analysis department. As the authors of the study point out, not all months of this summer saw arrivals exceed those of 2019. While June and July were 6.5% higher than in 2019, August closed at -4% compared to 2019. Natural disasters, in particular heatwaves and fires, can be considered the key parameters…

The leading Turkish missile developer Roketsan signed an agreement with EDGE Group, the largest defense and aerospace company group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to explore potential partnerships in the smart weapons domain. Under the agreement, signed at the Dubai Airshow 2023, the two companies will work together to explore opportunities in the joint development of new and advanced smart weapon technologies. A biennial aerospace pageant, Dubai Airshow was held in the city of Dubai and saw a number of agreements made, including a major $52 billion order for 95 Boeing planes by Emirates Airlines and an order from…

Hundreds of self-employed and freelancers marched through the streets of Athens and other cities across Greece to protest the new tax bill that taxes them with deemed income in order to combat tax evasion as the government argues. With banners and placards in their hands, hundreds of freelancers and self-employed, lawyers, scientists, traders, taxi drivers and professionals from other sectors such as physiotherapists gathered in Korai Square on Wednesday morning and marched to the Finance Ministry at Syntagma. hey chanted slogans against the government saying that it targets them as tax evaders. They called for the withdrawal of the tax…

A surprise collaboration with popular rapper Lex is included in Haris Alexiou’s new record project titled ‘Reworks’, which was released today on Spotify and YouTube Premium.Haris Alexiou and Lex perform together on the anecdotal track “Fiye” (Get Away), whose lyrics say: “Get away, get away from your old self, he’s your enemy, getaway. go away…” The album also has a second unreleased song, “Aspro feggari” (White Moon), a ballad with a moving performance by Haris Alexiou. The rest of the tracks are well-known hits of the performer, such as “Tango of the Nepheli”, “A phosphorus Track”, and “One is the…