Turkish Press Review, Last News from Turkey, Turkish Breaking News

Turkish Press Review

Turkish Press Review

Turkish press review
On Monday Turkish dailies mostly covered Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's remarks regarding Syria and reports concerning nuclear bombs purported to be at İncirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana. Two dailies featured exclusive stories: one on the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) execution of its own members and the other on the results of a survey on the distribution of votes among political parties if an election were to be held today.

Press Roundup
The fifth Zigana Snow Festival was held in the mountain town of Torul near the Zigana mountain pass in the northeastern province of Gümüşhane to celebrate the arrival of snowfall. A folk-dance team presented a dance show during the festival.

These defenders of the press miss coups
A press association has published the number of arrested journalists in Turkey. There were about 75. They published a list of the names of those journalists. I know none of them but am familiar with a few of the names I saw. The list did not include the reason each was arrested.

Difference between ‘opponent’ and ‘enemy’
Societies preferring to live democratically have to be well aware of the distinction between these two notions: opponent and enemy. A democracy is a regime that requires a society of people with various differences to live together.

Lingering questions over Uludere incident
The government has finally determined how it will proceed with the investigation of the Uludere incident [in which 34 civilians were mistaken for terrorists and killed by military airstrikes in Şırnak’s Uludere district, due to false intelligence].

The orphaned CHP
Turkey’s frequently changing agenda is currently dominated by the conflicts over the Republican People’s Party (CHP) congresses. The CHP has scheduled two party congresses: one on Feb. 26 and the other on March 1. The first congress has been organized by CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his allies, the second one by disgruntled CHP deputies who are not pleased with the chairman’s rule. Discussing the recent developments, Turkish columnists also debate the causes for the CHP’s failure to come to power for the past 16 years.

Press roundup
Zaman: “Everything is ready for the new constitution, let's not miss this chance,” said the headline of the main story, quoting from a speech İstanbul University Rector Yunus Söylet delivered at an İstanbul University workshop held with several NGOs, including the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD).

Two ‘different' shows
I had a chance to see the Cementerio de la Recoleta in Buenos Aires. It is an extremely magnificent monument that was built with the aim of impressing future generations. It contains a great number of tombs that are as big as villas. It is like you are wandering down a street full of beautiful houses.

İskilipli Atıf Hoca and re-establishing respect
Do you not think it is a shame for us that the courts of Independence -- the first Turkish courts founded since our War of Independence -- executed Islamic scholar the esteemed İskilipli Mehmed Atıf Hoca?

Turkish press review
On Friday Turkish dailies covered a luncheon that brought together Turkish President Abdullah Gül and the heads of several executive, legislative and judicial institutions at the Çankaya presidential palace, criminal charges prepared by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against former Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ and weather conditions across the country.