#President of the Republic of Türkiye

[kyreniacommentator]

Tatar meets Erdoğan in New York

Tatar meets Erdoğan in New York President Ersin Tatar met Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, at the Türkevi Centre in New York. Continue reading Tatar meets Erdoğan in New York

[gwendolynlerman]

Discovering the world

Lebanon 🇱🇧

Basic facts

Official name: الجمهورية اللبنانية (al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah) (Republic of Lebanon)

Capital city: Beirut

Population: 5.3 million (2023)

Demonym: Lebanese

Type of government: unitary parliamentary republic

Head of state: vacant (President)

Head of government: Najib Mikati (Prime Minister)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $78.23 billion (2022)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 31.8% (medium) (2011)

Human Development Index: 0.723 (high) (2022)

Currency: pound (LBP)

Fun fact: It hosts the highest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometer.

Etymology

The country’s name comes from Mount Lebanon, whose name derives from the Phoenician root lbn, meaning “white”.

Geography

Lebanon is located in West Asia and borders Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

There are two main climates: Mediterranean-influenced humid continental in the center and east and hot-summer Mediterranean in the rest. Temperatures range from 11 °C (51.8 °F) in winter to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 20.9 °C (69.6 °F).

The country is divided into nine governorates (muḥāfaẓāt), which are further divided into twenty-five districts (aqdyah). The largest cities in Lebanon are Beirut, Tripoli, Jounieh, Zahlé, and Sidon.

History

2500-64 BCE: Phoenicia

1650-1180 BCE: Hittite Empire

1550-1069 BCE: New Kingdom of Egypt

550-332 BCE: Achaemenid Empire

332-64 BCE: Seleucid Empire

64 BCE-394 CE: Roman Empire

394-635: Byzantine Empire

619-629 CE: Sasanian Empire

636-661: Rashidun Caliphate

661-750: Umayyad Caliphate

750-1517: Abbasid Caliphate

1099-1291: Kingdom of Jerusalem

1102-1289: County of Tripoli

1250-1516: Mamluk Sultanate

1516-1842: Emirate of Mount Lebanon

1516-1918: Ottoman Empire

1843-1861: Double Qaim-Maqamate of Mount Lebanon

1860: civil conflict in Mount Lebanon and Damascus

1915-1918: Great Famine of Mount Lebanon

1920-1926: State of Greater Lebanon

1923-1946: Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon

1926-1943: Lebanese Republic

1943-present: Republic of Lebanon

1948: Arab-Israeli War

1975-1990: Lebanese Civil War

1976-2005: Syrian occupation

1985-2000: South Lebanon conflict

2005: Cedar Revolution

2006: Lebanon War

2006-2008: protests

2007: Lebanon conflict

2011: Intifada of Dignity

2019: 17 October Revolution

2020: Beirut explosion

2021: Beirut clashes

Economy

Lebanon mainly imports from the European Union, Türkiye, and China and exports to the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland. Its top exports are diamonds, polyacetals, and gold.

It has natural gas, limestone, oil, and salt reserves. Services represent 83% of the GDP, followed by industry (13.1%) and agriculture (3.9%).

Lebanon is a member of the Arab League, la Francophonie, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Demographics

95% of the population is Arab, while Armenians make up 4%. The main religion is Islam, practiced by 55% of the population, 27.6% of which is Sunni.

It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 1.7 children per woman. 89% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 78.3 years and the median age is 31.3 years. The literacy rate is 96.7%.

Languages

The official language of the country is Arabic. French is spoken by 40% of the population.

Culture

Lebanese culture has Persian, Greek, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and French influences. Lebanese people are very gregarious.

Men traditionally wear a shirt, a dark vest, baggy pants (sherwal), a belt, and a headdress. Women wear a shiny dress (gambaz), a wide belt, and a conical hat with a long piece of silk (tantur).

Architecture

Traditional houses in Lebanon are made of stone and wood and have flat roofs and terraces.

Cuisine

The Lebanese diet is based on fish, meat, pulses, and vegetables. Typical dishes include bamieh bi-zeit (okra and tomato stew), kibbeh (fried balls made of spiced meat and bulgur), sayadieh (seasoned fish and rice), sfouf (an almond-semolina cake), and tabbouleh (a salad of bulgur, onion, tomatoes, and parsley).

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian and Muslim countries, Lebanon celebrates Epiphany, Armenian Christmas, St. Maroun Day, Feast of the Annunciation Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Assumption, Christmas Day, Islamic New Year, Ashura, Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day.

Specific Lebanese holidays include Rafic Hariri Memorial Day on February 14, Liberation and Resistance Day on May 25, and Lebanese Independence Day on November 22.

Independence Day

Other celebrations include the Aerial and Circus Arts Festival, the Baalbeck International Festival, which features dance and music performances, and the Beiteddine Art Festival.

Baalbeck International Festival

Landmarks

There are six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Anjar, Baalbek, Byblos, Ouadi Qadish (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli, and Tyre.

Ouadi Qadish and the Forest of the Cedars of God

Other landmarks include Jabal Moussa, the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, the Moussa Castle, Our Lady of Lebanon, and the Tripoli Citadel.

Tripoli Citadel

Famous people

Amin Maalouf - writer

Elie Saab - fashion designer

Fares Fares - actor

Jackie Chamoun - skier

Khalil Beschir - racing driver

May Ziade - poet and writer

Nadine Labaki - actress

Najwa Karam - singer

Ragheb Alama - singer

Rima Fakih - model

Rima Fakih

You can find out more about life in Lebanon in this post and this video.

[nevzatboyraz44]

İKİ DEVLET TEK MİLLET 🇹🇷🇦🇿

Sovyet Azerbaycan Halk Cumhuriyetinin ilk Cumhurbaşkanı olan Neriman Nerimanov, ülkesi Azerbaycan’da büyük bir saygınlıkla anılırken, Türkiye’de yeterince tanınmamıştır.

Yazarlık ve doktorluk kimliğinin dışında siyasi faaliyetleri ile tanınan Nerimanov tarihi bir kişiliktir.

Onun Anadolu’ya ilgisi, Türklüğe ilgisi yüreğinde hep canlı kalmıştır.

Nerimanov, Anadolu ile Orta Asya coğrafyası arasında bağlar kurdu ve dostluk yollarının taşlarını döşedi.

Mustafa Kemal ile Lenin arasında dolaysız bağların kurulmasına aracılık ederek Türkiye ve Sovyetler Birliği arasında dayanışmanın, yardımlaşmanın ortamını yarattı.

Neriman Nerimanov kalemi, cerrah bıçağı ve siyasi zekâsı ile hayat boyu sevdiği halkının hizmetinde olmuştur.

.......

While Nariman Narimanov, the first President of the Soviet Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, is remembered with great respect in his country Azerbaijan, he is not well known in Turkey.

Narimanov, who is known for his political activities apart from his identity as a writer and doctor, is a historical personality.

His interest in Anatolia, his interest in Turkishness has always remained alive in his heart.

Narimanov established ties between Anatolia and Central Asia and paved the way for friendship.

By mediating the establishment of direct ties between Mustafa Kemal and Lenin, he created an environment of solidarity and cooperation between Turkey and the Soviet Union.

Nariman Narimanov has been at the service of his beloved people all his life with his pen, surgeon's knife and political intelligence.

[pilawturkey]

Fintech Consultancy in Turkey

FinTech consultancy paves the way for a progressive change in terms of banking, technology and digitalization. An efficient FinTech consultancy will provide the compliance of FinTech-led engagements with national and international law-centric standards and rules. That will directly increase legalized integration of FinTech ecosystem into daily banking.

What is the meaning of FinTech?

The term “FinTech” describes emerging electronic payment methodologies based on the automation and facilitation of payment systems. The word FinTech contains a broad form of money transfer models such as electronic money institutions, payment institutions, digital banks, online insurance agencies, and crowdfunding platforms. The term of “Financial Technology (FinTech)” is used to refer to integration of technology into the exchange of goods and services. FinTech, dedicated to the development of faster and better delivery of financial services, is very different in many ways from traditional financial services.

What is the main objective of Turkish FinTech ecosystem?

The main objective of FinTech ecosystem is to facilitate and accelerate shopping and trade. There are several advantages of alternative virtual payment methods. There is a growing agreement that FinTech will play a substantial role in the payment ecosystems across the world. By virtue of those benefits, as of February 2023, 739 FinTech-led companies have been formed in Turkey according to recent studies by the Presidency of Republic of Turkey as a part of Turkish FinTech ecosystems. That displays the growing impact of FinTech Turkey.

What are main challenges of Turkish FinTech ecosystem?

The usage of FinTech presents a broad range of challenges especially where it touches on the use of crypto-currencies such as bitcoin.  The invention of digital money and digital payment services platforms have newly caused severe problems in capital markets.

Data privacy and the protection of personal information has been a matter of concern in the field of FinTech intellectual property. Data privacy implies the right to make any decision on when, how and to what extent personal and|private information can be communicated to outsiders. Generally speaking, the collection, processing, the supervision, and protection of the confidentiality of personal data are guaranteed by domestic legislation across jurisdictions. The right to data privacy is recognized to cover a broad range of rights including the right to access to their data, a right to portability, a right to be forgotten, and a right to share or not.

For more discussion about data privacy take a look at our article on the Right to Data Privacy and Respect for Private Life

FinTech ecosystem is particularly used for banking and FinTech restructuring services. For more discussion for banking and finance, take a look at our article on Banking and Finance Law in Turkey

What is the most recent developments for the 2024 Turkish crypto business environment?

Regulatory ecosystem has been improved step by step by Turkish policy and law makers. Such revisions will pave the way for adaptation of Turkish legal and operational structure with blockchain. In this context, it is notable that the digital participation banking system is accepted by Turkish lawmakers in Turkey.

As a second step, the recognition of digital wallets was completed through new regulation of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye. In this way, a Digital Wallet Era in Turkey was started in Turkey.

As a third step, we should take into account new facilitating step for Capital Markets system. Indeed,  the 2024 New Electronic Submission System for Turkish Capital Markets was instituted by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye.

It is critical to note that Turkey accepted its commitment of the full compliance of the emerging capital markets system in line with the Financial Task Force   benchmarks dedicated to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. In line with the FATH principles, as a fourth step, the Law Numbered 7518 on Amendments to the Capital Markets Law Numbered 6362 has been enacted. The Law Numbered 7518 is named as Crypto Law of Turkey and entered into force following its publication in the Official Gazette dated July 2, 2024.

Take a look at our up-to-date article on the 2024 FATF Decision on Turkey

Turkish Capital Markets Board is granted a wide margin of appreciation to govern newly-born blockchain system in Turkey. In this context, fiftly, the first decision on the 2024 Announcement for the Rejected Crypto Asset Platforms was delivered by the Board dated 23 August 2024.

Last but not least, the Resolution by Turkish Capital Markets dated 19 September 2024 was published particularly in relation to the legal status of NFTs and P2Ps in Turkey. The Resolution in question explains the meaning of Non-Fungible Tokens [NFTs] [nitelikli fikri tapu in Turkish] as “crypto assets that will be used to record the representation and ownership of digital assets, a non-replicable and unique nature”. When it comes to Peer to Peer [P2P] [eşler arası in Turkish], it is used to refer to digital marketplaces allowing the buying, selling and exchanging of crypto assets directly between direct|main users.The same Resolution also identifies the standards for the accounts to be opened in the name of customers under Article 35/C. Any account to be opened in the name of customers cannot be used for purposes other than their intended purpose. Additionally, customer cash cannot be received by the platforms, cannot be delivered to the customer by hand and cannot be stored in any way with the platforms.

Which authorities are competent for Turkish FinTech ecosystem?  

The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency is granted an authority to ensure the compliance of the banking activities in line with the Banking Law and other applicable regulations. According to Article 93 of the Banking Law, the Agency is granted certain powers and duties for the implementation of the Banking Law.

Secondly, the Turkish Revenue Administration carries out certain duties dedicated to regulating payment systems.

Thirdly, the Personal Data Protection Authority, engaging in the protection of personal data processing in line with internationally recognized human rights standards.

Besides, the Payment and Electronic Money Institutions Association carries out a broad range of duties in Turkey under Article 1 of the Law Numbered 6493.

With regard to the design and implementation of FinTech norms applicable in Turkey, take a look at our article on FinTech Guide in Turkey.

What is the role of FinTech consultancy services?

Innovative approach needs to be improved in order to handle current legal challenges regarding FinTech. FinTech consulting firms must be good at producing FinTech legal guidance.

Pi Legal Consultancy provides comprehensive guidance to global digital leaders, companies, business owners and consumers for particularly risky sides of Turkish FinTech ecosystem. Our FinTech legal and business consultants focus on understanding and using specialized software instruments through computers and smartphones.

Our FinTech consultancy service assists our clients particularly in the following areas of expertise:

Electronic money (e-money) and cryptocurrencies, digital foreign exchange platforms,

Digital (participation) banking, electronic payment or loan services,

Data protection and privacy, information security,

The prevention of money laundering,

The prevention of cybercrimes,

Electronic commerce and online shopping,

The protection of the right to copyright and intellectual property.

[mariacallous]

Today, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, providing a detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Türkiye, on their respective paths towards EU accession. The assessments are accompanied by recommendations and guidance on the reform priorities.

Enlargement is a historic opportunity both for the acceding countries and for the current Member States and the EU as a whole. There are significant socio-economic, political and security advantages of a bigger and stronger Union.

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “The tense geopolitical context makes it more compelling than ever that we complete the reunification of our continent, under the same values of democracy and the rule of law. We have already taken great strides over the last years towards integrating new Member States. And enlargement will remain a top priority of the new Commission”.

The enlargement process continues to be merit-based and depends on the objective progress made by each of the partners. This requires determination to implement irreversible reforms in all areas of EU law, with special emphasis on the fundamentals of the enlargement process. Democracy, the rule of law and fundamental values will continue to be the cornerstones of the EU's enlargement policy. EU membership remains a strategic choice.

The enlargement process gained new momentum throughout 2023 and 2024. The fundamentals cluster was opened with Albania on 15 October 2024. Accession negotiations were opened with Ukraine and Moldova at the first intergovernmental conferences in June 2024. Having met the interim benchmarks for the rule of law chapters, Montenegro is on the way to provisionally closing further negotiating chapters. In March 2024, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The screening process was completed with both Albania and North Macedonia at the end of 2023.

In June 2024 the intergovernmental conference confirmed that Montenegro overall met the interim benchmarks for the rule of law chapters 23 and 24, providing the opportunity to proceed with provisionally closing further chapters if conditions are met. In the rule of law area and judiciary further progress is needed.

The Commission reiterates its assessment that Serbia has fulfilled the benchmarks to open cluster 3 (Competitiveness and inclusive growth). In the coming year, Serbia is expected to speed up the work on the implementation of EU-accession related reforms across the board, with a particular focus on the rule of law interim benchmarks as well as ensuring a truly enabling environment for civil society and media, making credible efforts to shut down disinformation and foreign information manipulation.

When it comes to Albania, the Commission welcomes the opening of negotiations on the fundamentals cluster at the second intergovernmental conference held on 15 October 2024. It is crucial for the authorities to further intensify the pace of EU oriented reforms, notably on the rule of law, consolidating the track record on law enforcement, on effectively fighting corruption and organised crime, and the promotion of fundamental rights, including media freedom, property rights, and minorities.

In the case of North Macedonia, the country needs to continue to deliver on the implementation of EU-related reforms, in particular under the fundamentals cluster, notably the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organised crime. Trust in the justice system needs to be strengthened. The screening sessions for all the six clusters of the EU acquis were completed in December 2023.

Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrated tangible results including on migration management, full alignment with the EU's common and foreign security policy, as well as by passing legislation on integrity of the judiciary, anti-money laundering and conflict of interest. In March 2024 the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.The Commission is preparing the negotiating framework with a view to its adoption by the Council the moment all relevant steps set out in the Commission's recommendation of October 2022 are taken.

Kosovo submitted an application for EU membership in December 2022. The Commission remains available to prepare an Opinion on Kosovo's membership application as soon as the Council requests it. Progress was recorded in the fight against organised crime, and the business environment improved. Visa liberalisation for Kosovo entered into force on 1 January 2024. Kosovo needs to intensify its efforts to strengthen the rule of law and public administration and to protect freedom of expression.

The opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine has been an important recognition of Ukraine's determination to pursue reforms on the path of EU accession. Following the first intergovernmental conference in June 2024, the analytical examination of the acquis (the screening) is progressing smoothly. Subject to Ukraine meeting all the conditions, the Commission is looking forward to the opening of negotiations on clusters, starting with the fundamentals, as soon as possible in 2025.

The opening of accession negotiations has been an important recognition of Moldova's determination to pursue reforms on the path of EU accession despite facing continuous Russian interference and the impact of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.  Following the first intergovernmental conference in June 2024, the analytical examination of the acquis (the screening) is progressing smoothly. Subject to Moldova meeting all the conditions, the Commission is looking forward to the opening of negotiations on clusters, starting with the fundamentals, as soon as possible in 2025.

While in December 2023 the European Council granted candidate status to Georgia, its EU accession process has been meanwhile de facto halted due to the course of action taken by the Georgian government since Spring 2024. On 26 October 2024, the Georgian citizens voted in parliamentary elections. The preliminary findings of the joint International Election Observation Mission led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) identified several shortcomings that occurred in a tense and highly polarised environment. The reported weaknesses include i.a. the recent legislative amendments to the election process, frequent compromises on vote secrecy, procedural inconsistencies, intimidation and pressure on voters that negatively impacted public trust in the process. These preliminary findings confirm the need for a comprehensive electoral reform that was already highlighted in past key recommendations.

Türkiye is a candidate country and a key partner for the European Union. Nonetheless, accession negotiations with the country remain at a standstill since 2018, in line with the decision of the Council. Serious concerns remain in the areas of fundamental rights and rule of law, including the independence of the judiciary. Dialogue on rule of law and fundamental rights remains an integral part of the EU-Türkiye relationship. Following the April 2024 strategic guidance of the European Council, relations with Türkiye were marked by a gradual re-engagement, and concrete steps were taken towards constructive exchanges on issues of joint interest.

Next steps

It is now for the Council to consider today's recommendations of the Commission and take decisions on the steps ahead in the enlargement process.

[ritchiepage2001newaccount]

Kakistocracy #CorpMedia #Idiocracy #Oligarchs #MegaBanks vs #Union #Occupy #NoDAPL #BLM #SDF #DACA #MeToo #Humanity #DemExit #FeelTheBern

JinJiyanAzadi #BijiRojava SDF balance sheet of battle in northern Syria for the 11th day [UPDATES]

The Turkish military offensive seeking to invade North and East Syria was launched on October 9 and continues despite the ceasefire between the U.S. and Turkey announced on Thursday…

RELATED UPDATE: US secrecy on Baghdadi raid exposes distrust of NATO ally Turkey

RELATED UPDATE: Treasury Report Highlights Turkey as Islamic State’s Logistical Hub

RELATED UPDATE: America's allies in Syria accuse Turkey of giving ISIS a "safe zone"

RELATED UPDATE: IntelBrief: Turkey has Long Been an Important Support Base for Islamic State

RELATED UPDATE: Questions and Answers: Turkey’s Threatened Incursion into Northern Syria

RELATED UPDATE: Turkey will launch Syria ground operation after strikes - Erdogan

RELATED UPDATE: U.S. calls for de-escalation as Turkey threatens ground assault into Syria

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/23/turkey-kurds-syria-attack/

RELATED UPDATE: Mazloum Abdi: Turkish Attacks Impact Fight Against ISIS

https://carnegieendowment.org/sada/88619

FURTHER READING:

[erundur-adanion]

Why do I prefer to say Secularism rather than Laicism?

The word Laicism comes from the French word "Laïcité" and means "Laicism" or "Secularism" in French.

The word secularism comes from English.

“Laicism” and “Secularism” are synonyms for each other.

So why do I say "secularism" and not "laicism"? Let me explain, because the laicism in Turkey has been implemented incorrectly;

1. "Religion does not interfere with the state, but the state interferes with religion." Example; On March 3, 1924, the Presidency of Religious Affairs was established and religion came completely under State control. Only works about the Maturidi school of the Hanafi branch of the Sunni sect are written to the public. This is completely against Secularism because in Secularism "Religion does not interfere with politics and politics does not interfere with religion." There is a principle. However, this was applied incorrectly in Turkey.

2. "The Sunni-Hanafi-Maturidi sect of the Islamic religion is the most correct sect and the others are perversion." This is also a wrong understanding because in the Holy Quran, no sect has any superiority over another sect, nor does any religion have superiority over another religion. In the Quran, there is only one source of the Islamic religion and that is Islam itself. "Those who split their religion into pieces and become groups, you have nothing to do with them. Their matter is up to Allah, then He (Allah) will inform them of what they did." Surah An'am Verse 159

3. "All religious texts and worship must be in Turkish." Writing the Turkish translations of a valuable book like the Holy Quran is a great service, but it is not wise to deny a rich language like Kurdish. If there is Turkish, there should be also Kurdish.

4. "All the people living in the Republic of Türkiye are Hanafi." It's definitely a wrong concept. 50% of the Republic of Türkiye is Hanafi and 50% is Shafi'i. Most of those who belong to the Hanafi sect are Turks, and most of those who belong to the Shafi'i sect are Kurds. "All the people living in the Republic of Türkiye are Muslims." No, 75% Muslim, 0.4% Christian and %? There are Jews, Zoroastrians, Atheists, Deists, Yazidis and other people.

5. "People who belong to the Islamic religion have the right to establish associations. (1950) No religion has the right to establish associations and institutions in any way. (1924)" Yes, people who belong to the Islamic religion have the right to establish associations and foundations after 1950, but people who belong to another religion does not have the right to establish associations and foundations. A member of the public does not have the right to do this. What kind of secularism is this! In American-style Secularism, "persons of any religion have the right to establish associations and foundations." For example; There are Muslim foundations, Christian foundations, Jewish foundations, Atheist foundations, Buddhist foundations and Hindu foundations in the USA. In other words, every religion has associations and foundations in the USA. This is freedom of belief.

6. "Alawite cemevis cannot become temples." This is against secularism, regardless of faith or religion. The place where each individual fulfills his worship and religious duties is called a temple. For example; If a Muslim has a Mosque, a Christian has a Church, a Jew has a Synagogue, a Zoroastrian has a Fireplace, or every religion has a temple. In other words, no matter who prays in which temple, it doesn't matter to us! "1. Say: "O unbelievers!" 2. "I will not serve what you serve." 3. "And you will not serve what I serve." 4. "I will not serve what you serve." 5. " You will not serve what I serve." 6. "Your religion is for you, and my religion is for me." Surah al-Kafirun is an example of this!

7. "When it comes to Muslims, there is freedom, when it comes to Alevis, there is oppression." The more free the Muslim, the more free the Alevi should be.

8. "It is mandatory for all citizens to attend compulsory religion classes." No. Why. A Christian, a Jew, an Alevi, a Zoroastrian, a Yazidi or a person belonging to any other religion does not want this. "La ikrahe fid din." do not forget it!

9. "Islamic religious holidays are celebrated, but religious holidays of other religions are not celebrated." Example; Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and other holidays, but when Christians and people of other religions want to celebrate their own holidays, the state intervenes.

10. This is why I use the word Secularism and not the word Laicism.

[groupfazza]

بتوجيهات رئيس الدولة.. الإمارات تنشيء مستشفى ميدانياً وترسل فريقي إنقاذ وإمدادات عاجلة إلى المتضررين من الزلزال في تركيا وسوريا

وجه صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس الدولة "حفظه الله" بإنشاء مستشفى ميداني وإرسال فريقي بحث وإنقاذ إضافة إلى إمدادات إغاثية عاجلة إلى المتأثرين من الزلزال في الجمهورية التركية الصديقة والجمهورية العربية السورية الشقيقة، لتستفيد منها الأسر في المناطق الأكثر تأثراً بتداعيات الزلزال.

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the establishment of a field hospital and the dispatch of a search and rescue team for people affected by the earthquake in the Republic of Türkiye. His Highness also directed the dispatch of a search and rescue team and the provision of urgent relief supplies and emergency aid to those affected by the earthquake in the Syrian Arab Republic to help families in the hardest-hit areas.

_______

محمد بن راشد يوجه بمساعدات إنسانية عاجلة للمتضررين في سوريا جراء الزلزال

وجه صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم نائب رئيس الدولة رئيس مجلس الوزراء حاكم دبي “رعاه الله”، بتسيير مساعدات إنسانية عاجلة للشعب السوري الشقيق بقيمة 50 مليون درهم، وذلك لإغاثة المتضررين من الزلزال الأعنف الذي شهدته البلاد منذ عقود.


وأكد صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم أن دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة حاضرة لإغاثة الشقيق والصديق، وجاهزة لدعم الأخوة السوريين في مواجهة المصاب الجلل الذي أصابهم، مشيراً إلى أن دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة ستقف إلى جانب الشعب السوري، وستواصل مد يد العون للإخوة والأشقاء حتى يتخطوا هذه المحنة الطارئة، تعبيراً عن قيمها الإنسانية النبيلة.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, directed the dispatch of urgent humanitarian aid worth AED50 million to the brotherly Syrian people, in order to provide relief to those affected by the most devastating earthquake that the country has witnessed in decades.

His Highness affirmed that the United Arab Emirates is ready to support the Syrian brothers in facing this great calamity that befell them, indicating that the UAE will also stand by the Syrian people, and will continue to extend a helping hand to them until they overcome this ordeal, as an expression of its noble human values.

[zendoe]

The “democracy vs authoritarianism” dichotomy is perhaps the most tortured and illogical iteration of international relations theory, even though it is the one most favored by the Western press. The idea of democracy is an inspiring and appealing one, yet such approval is not confined to the West: surveys by the Latana Democracy Perception Index Report indicate that over three-quarters of people in China and Vietnam—two countries considered among the most “authoritarian” in the world by the Western press—considered their own country to be democratic, while less than half in the United States—supposedly the leader of the “democratic” world—believed the same. In contrast, it is difficult to imagine “authoritarianism” as a coherent ideology—or indeed as anything besides a crude label the press might affix to an “other” whose actual beliefs and motivations it does not care to try to understand or illuminate. “Authoritarians” certainly do not feel the comradeship with one another that might be expected. The West labels the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as “authoritarian,” yet they have engaged in bitter and bloody proxy conflicts against one another throughout the region for decades (a rivalry that has only recently been resolved with the aid of Chinese diplomacy). The actual relative benefit that “democracy” has brought those living within what the Western press considers the “democratic” camp is likewise very dubious, even according to its own surveys. Polls published by Pew Research in 2020 prior to Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, for example, indicated that a large majority of Ukrainians were dissatisfied with the way democracy was working in Ukraine, and were not significantly more satisfied than Russians were with democracy in Russia, despite the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia purportedly being the front line of a global struggle between democracy and its opposite. [...] Moreover, no coherent definition of “democracy” seems able to accurately predict conflicts and international relationships. The Latana Report ranked Hungary near the lowest in terms of its citizens’ perception of how democratic their political system is, even though Hungary is a member of NATO, supposedly a military alliance that stands for the defense of democracy. Also in NATO is Türkiye, which also holds regular national elections, purportedly a signature element of democracies, yet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was featured in the Atlantic alongside Putin and Xi as a “bad guy” of global “authoritarianism” in 2021. Neither are purported democrats above alliances with purported authoritarians. Israel, often praised by the Western press as “the only democracy in the Middle East” (despite also being condemned by much of the world for being an apartheid state and for its genocidal assault on Gaza since the attacks of October 7, 2023), presently supports Azerbaijan against Armenia, though the latter is consistently ranked considerably higher on Freedom House’s ratings of countries and territories’ democratic governance. China, home to one-fifth of the world’s entire population and clearly the most important player outside the “democratic” camp in global affairs, “stands out as an outlier and does not fit the theoretical predictions of Western political science,” according to a 2018 article in American Affairs based on a multitude of independently-conducted surveys of the population. So many exceptions, asterisks, and qualifications are necessary for the “democracy versus authoritarianism” model to apply that by comparison, Ptolemy’s reliance on convoluted geometric “epicycles” to justify the theory that the Earth was the center of the universe seems reasonable.

Why the World Needs China by Kyle Ferrana

[darkmaga-returns]

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

“Active diplomacy to corner Israel in all areas and boost diplomatic pressure is also crucial.”

Türkiye has severed all ties with Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, according to reports.

“As a nation and government of the Turkish Republic, we have decided to cut diplomatic ties with Israel, and we currently have no relations with them,” Erdogan reportedly told journalists on his return flight from Saudi Arabia this week where he attended the Arab-Islamic summit.

“As long as arms shipments continue, Israel will be more aggressive, as every day that Israel is not stopped, the situation in Palestine and Lebanon worsens,” he said, according to the Anadolu news agency.

[terrorismvictimsday]

High-Level Segment - International Conference on Victims of Terrorism.

The High-Level Segment will open with remarks from the conference's organizers, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Kingdom of Spain as well as a call to action by victims and survivors of terrorism. Remarks from ministerial-level speakers and principals of international organizations and UN entities will follow.

Introductory Remarks: Mr. Mauro Miedico,Director, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism

Opening Statement:

·    Statement by H.E. Mr. Salih Husain Ali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq to Spain and Co-Chair of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, on behalf of H.E. Mr. Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq.

 Ministerial Statements:

·       H.E. Ms. Victoria Eugenia Villaruel,Vice-President of Argentina

·       H.E. Mr. Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama

·       H.E. Mr. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

·       H.E. Ms. Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba

·       H.E Sevim Sayım Madak, Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye

·       H.E. Joan Antoni León Peso, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice and Interior, Andorra

·       H.E. Mr. Péter Sztáray, State Secretary for Security Policy of Hungary

Heads of UN Entities:

·       Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

·       Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (via pre-recorded video)

·       Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (via live video)

 Eminent Speakers:

·       H.E. Joan Antoni León Peso, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice and Interior, Andorra

·       H.E. Mr. Sos Avetisyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Spain

·       H.E. Ms. Rosemary Morris-Castico, Ambassador of Australia to Spain

·       H.E. Mr. Mohammad Sarwar Mahmood, Ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to Spain

·       H.E. Mr. Yao Jing, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Spain

·       H.E. Mr. Dinesh Patnaik, Ambassador of India to Spain

·       H.E. Mr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain

·       H. E. Mr. Robert Krmelj, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Spain

·       H.E. Mr. Hasan Alagla, Chief, Department of Human Rights, Presidency of State Security, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

·       Ms. Alexandra Louis, Interministerial Delegate for Victim Support, France

·       Hon. Rita Superman, Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM)

·       Statement by Mr. Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (via pre-recorded video)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Building on the momentum created by the first United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism in 2022, the United Nations International Conference on Victims of Terrorism is hosted by the Kingdom of Spain in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz on 8-9 October 2024. The conference brings together experts, practitioners, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. It aims to foster collaboration, inspire innovative solutions, and advocate for a holistic approach to addressing the needs of victims of terrorism while striving to build more peaceful and resilient societies globally.

Related Sites and Documents

More information and latest programme

Watch the High-Level Segment - International Conference on Victims of Terrorism!

[kyreniacommentator]

President Tatar honoured by Republic of Türkiye Consulate General

[currenttvnews]

Bulut Bağcı accused of defrauding hundreds and Chadian government

Many Turkish citizens claiming to be victimized by Bulut Bağcı's TourismX Project have formed a group on Telegram (TourismX – TRMX Turkey Group) to exchange views. Victims, including various members of society such as civil servants, teachers, laborers, and freelancers, are seeking assistance, with some resorting to social media, tagging President Erdoğan and relevant ministers in tweets, hoping for aid.

It is reported that individuals have invested $130,000, $200,000, and even $600,000 in Bağcı's TourismX project. According to Lowyer Dr. Ahmet Keşli, who provided information to Turizm Güncel, Bulut Bağcı allegedly withdrew more than 80% of the funds collected through TourismX (TRMX) and transferred them to accounts belonging to his close associates. Keşli noted the existence of numerous victims, stating, "There are hundreds, even thousand of victims. These are just the ones we know in Türkiye. There is also an international dimension to this, and we are unaware of those. Dozens of individuals in Türkiye currently want to grant us power of attorney to pursue the case. Eventually, victims abroad will emerge."

"Individuals who invested $600,000 in one go"

Although the exact figure is unknown, Ahmet Keşli estimates that approximately 5,000 people have been defrauded by Bağcı’s TourismX Peroject. He stated, "There are many victims. Some individuals have invested $600,000 in one go. The figures are very high. Millions of dollars have been collected from the market. Bağcı gathered these funds by saying, 'I am meeting with our President,' 'I am meeting with the government,' 'I am meeting with ministers,' etc... He gathered them by making false promises. During meetings with TourismX investors, he would say, 'We have negotiated with such and such institution, signed this contract, solved this issue,' but there is nothing concrete. He hasn't done anything, to the extent that he hasn't even collaborated with official institutions like the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) and the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB). He has taken money from our citizens. He is also operating through his relatives. In other words, there is an organized crime committed collectively."

"He withdrew and consumed the money"

Keşli, indicating that there will be hundreds of complaints regarding the issue, said, "There is a complaint currently being held in Malatya. Dozens of individuals are approaching us to initiate legal proceedings. This is similar to known scams such as Çiftlikbank, Thodex, Coinspace, or other cryptocurrency/coin frauds. In other words, they deceive people by saying, 'We will launch a coin, put projects under it, find investors for our coin, increase its price,' etc. Coin issuance is akin to issuing currency or securities. If you look at it as currency, the promises are not fulfilled. You see a function similar to the Central Bank. So, both what they do is a crime, and the promises made to people are not fulfilled. They deceive people with false statements and consume the money obtained from there instead of investing it back into the development of the coin. They do this by transferring the money to family members."

"Foreign travel ban should be imposed, and detention should be ordered"

Attorney Ahmet Keşli claimed that Bulut Bağcı currently does not have a residence in Türkiye and is in a fugitive status. "He pretends to reside abroad. In fact, since he does not have a fixed residence in Türkiye, all the conditions for detention have been met. An immediate foreign travel ban should be imposed, and he should be directly detained and tried. However, he is trying to escape from justice by taking advantage of legal loopholes and the slow pace of the courts. It has been seen that individuals who have committed the same or similar crimes have received hundreds of years of imprisonment. Bağcı gives off an air as if he were the President's man. But the President doesn't even know this person. Just because he attended an event doesn't mean he knows him. He defrauded the Ministry of Tourism in Chad as well. He claims to be in communication with ministers, saying, 'I am meeting with our President, I am meeting with our ministers,' and swindles people with an air of 'I am conducting negotiations.' He attends an event, forces himself into a photo, then shares it on social media, saying, 'I discussed this with the President, with such and such minister, with the president of such and such institution.' This person even defrauded the Ministry of Tourism in Chad. A person who is so audacious as to defraud not only individuals in Türkiye but also a state is Bulut Bağcı." Keşli said.

He posed as if he good relation with president Erdoğan

According to report on Turizm Güncel, Turkish B2B travel portal, In order to convince people, Bulut Bağcı created an image on the internet and social media as if he was a powerful and respected businessman who has a close relations with influential figures of the government, especially President Erdoğan. Victims of Bğacı has trusted him invested his project with hope of making huge profits.  At the end of the day, let alone making a big profit, even they lost everything they have.

He wrote 9 books in 3 years

To create ‘good businessman image’ It is not known how it happened, but he wrote 9 books in 3 years. Ousted leader of Pakistan, Imran Khan, leaders of Mali, Uzbekistan and Chad; failed tour operator Thomas Cook and Crises in Tourism are some of the books bearing his name. And nobody knows how he could able to write 9 books in 3 years.

Bulut Bağcı also defrauded the Chad government

According to official letter that sent to Bağcı’s company from Chad government, Bulut Bağcı not only did not invest 8,2 million dollar and open the hotel for which she signed a contract with the Chadian government, but also defrauded the Chad Ministry of Tourism of 300 million francs (500 thousand dollars). In the letter governments says "Furthermore, we observe that instead of making an investment as planned, two payments were made to you by the National Hotel Management Company (SONEXHO) for a total of three hundred million (300,000,000) francs CFA, each in the amount of 150,000,000 francs CFA. From examination of the Lease Agreement, "We conclude that the payments made to you by SONEXHO do not correspond to any contractual requirements. In other words, this is an erroneous payment that must be refunded."

[militaryleak]

STM to Build 3 Littoral Mission Ships for Royal Malaysian Navy

STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş., Türkiye’s leading company in the naval field, has added a further achievement to its past successes in the international arena. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has selected STM for the procurement of three warships under the LMS Batch-2 programme. The ceremony for the “Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2” project was hosted at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye today (10th June) in Ankara. The ceremony was attended by Mohamed Khaled Nordin, the Minister of Defence of Malaysia; Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye and the Secretariat of Defence Industries, Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya, STM Chairman of the Board; and Özgür Güleryüz, STM General Manager, representatives of the Malaysian Ministry of Defense as well as other Turkish defence industry company executives and other invited guests. STM, as main contractor, will be responsible for all phases of the project, starting from design to the performance, and from construction to delivery. STM will undertake the ship design, project management (including construction management), material/system procurements, integration design and assembly, testing and Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) activities, as well as the preparation of the design and ILS documents related to the Project. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak

STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.?., Türkiye’s leading company in the naval field, has added a further achievement to its past successes in the international arena. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has selected STM for the procurement of three warships under the LMS Batch-2 programme. The ceremony for the “Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2” project was hosted at the Presidency of the…

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 6.2 (after 1960)

1962 – During the FIFA World Cup, police had to intervene multiple times in fights between Chilean and Italian players in one of the most violent games in football history. 1964 – The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is formed. 1966 – Surveyor program: Surveyor 1 lands in Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on another world. 1967 – Luis Monge is executed in Colorado's gas chamber, in the last pre-Furman execution in the United States. 1967 – Protests in West Berlin against the arrival of the Shah of Iran are brutally suppressed, during which Benno Ohnesorg is killed by a police officer. His death results in the founding of the terrorist group Movement 2 June. 1979 – Pope John Paul II starts his first official visit to his native Poland, becoming the first Pope to visit a Communist country. 1983 – After an emergency landing because of an in-flight fire, twenty-three passengers aboard Air Canada Flight 797 are killed when a flashover occurs as the plane's doors open. Because of this incident, numerous new safety regulations are put in place. 1990 – The Lower Ohio Valley tornado outbreak spawns 66 confirmed tornadoes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, killing 12. 1997 – In Denver, Timothy McVeigh is convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, in which 168 people died. He was executed four years later. 1998 – Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-91, the final mission of the Shuttle-Mir program. 2003 – Europe launches its first voyage to another planet, Mars. The European Space Agency's Mars Express probe launches from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. 2012 – Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the killing of demonstrators during the 2011 Egyptian revolution. 2014 – Telangana officially becomes the 29th state of India, formed from ten districts of northwestern Andhra Pradesh. 2022 – Following a request from Ankara, the United Nations officially changed the name of the Republic of Turkey in the organization from what was previously known as "Turkey" to "Türkiye." 2023 – A collision between two passenger trains and a parked freight train near the city of Balasor, Odisha in eastern India, results in 296 deaths and more than 1,200 people injured.

[xtruss]

Türkiye Dispatches 8th Aid Ship To Gaza

Türkiye has constantly been striving to deliver humanitarian aid, from El-Arish and Rafah Border Crossing to Gaza, the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority chief says.

— TRT World 🌎

AFAD's President Okay Memis noted that 13 aircraft and seven ships carrying humanitarian aid materials have been delivered to Gaza. Photo: AA

A humanitarian aid ship, carrying 2,960 tonnes of aid destined for Gaza, has sailed from Mersin International Port.

In a collaboration between Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and General Directorate of Foundations, this marks the 8th humanitarian aid ship, comprising 125,000 food packages for the Palestinian people in Gaza loaded onto the vessel SARDES.

Speaking at the farewell ceremony held at the port on Thursday, Mersin Governor Ali Hamza Pehlivan emphasised the significance of the port hosting aid ships alongside its commercial activities.

The governor stressed the contributions of not only institutions but also civil society organisations and citizens in preparing the aid, saying: "We are all aware of the oppression and suffering in Gaza. Our esteemed nation, with the highest sense of solidarity and cooperation, is showing the necessary sensitivity toward Gaza."

Continuous Support To Palestinian Cause

Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Serdar Cam also expressed Türkiye's continuous support to the Palestinian cause.

Cam underscored that the Turkish people are mobilising their resources for Gaza, adding: "The Republic of Türkiye has always been a haven and a door for the oppressed and victims with its accumulated history."

"Today, all government agencies are mobilising their resources. A ceasefire seems to be in place for now, but this is a huge tragedy on earth."

He further stressed that "the first priority is a ceasefire. Albeit belatedly, this process has begun in the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. However, major efforts must be exerted to address actual troubles in the upcoming period."

"Not just Türkiye, but the entire world must mobilise for this."

The aid Türkiye sent to Palestine's Gaza constitutes 25% of all aid delivered to the enclave, COGAT has reported. Ankara has continued to provide comprehensive aid to Gaza amid Israel's ongoing restrictions and attacks that have killed more than 33,000 people since October 7.

13 Aircraft, 8 Ships

AFAD's President Okay Memis noted that 13 aircraft and seven ships carrying humanitarian aid materials have been delivered to Gaza.

Memis announced that with the support of the General Directorate of Foundations, they will send off the 8th ship to Gaza, saying: "So far, we have sent 39,607 tonnes of humanitarian aid materials, 1,151 generators, 214 tons of hygiene supplies, eight field hospitals, 53 ambulances, 242 tonnes of medical supplies, two UMKE (Turkish National Medical Rescue Team) vehicles, clothing, shelter materials, and drinking water.

"We are delivering drinking water both from Türkiye and through our agreement with the Egyptian Red Crescent, where AFAD sends five to 10 trucks of water every week," he stressed.

Underlining that Türkiye has constantly been striving to deliver humanitarian aid, from El-Arish and Rafah Border Crossing to Gaza, Memis added: "Around 1,500 Palestinian brothers and sisters have been brought to our country for health-related treatments from Gaza. We are working diligently with our Ministry of Health to meet all their needs."

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian enclave since an October 7 cross-border attack by Palestinian resistance group Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,500 Palestinians have since been killed and over 74,900 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now on its 174th day, has pushed 85 percent of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60 percent of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

— TRT World 🌎