*** Audio archives of our broadcasts are at: http://www.TurkRadio.us/ar/archives.html Also available for your MP3 players at: http://turkradio.podomatic.com/ {20090530trh.txt} x0x Turkish news for week ending 30 May 2009 [Best when viewed with the courier font.] **************************************************************** A service of the TURKISH RADIO HOUR, producer of: TURKISH CULTURAL PROGRAM Saturdays at 6:00 P.M. KUSF FM 90.3, San Francisco Also tune to ORIENT EXPRESS Tuesdays at 10:00 P.M. KKUP FM 91.5, CUPERTINO **************************************************************** Ahmet Toprak edited today's news. Your host is Murat Temeltas. For a subscription to the Internet edition of this news, send a blank email to: TurkC-L-subscribe@yahoogroups.com *************************************************************** NEWS Edited by Fuad Tokad * Hurriyet Daily News reports that the new law on Turkish citizenship has been adopted at the Turkish parliament late Thursday. The law brings new criteria to be eligible for Turkish citizenship. Those foreigners who make substantial investments in Turkey or contributions to Turkish science, technology, sports or art will have the chance to become a Turkish citizen. Foreigners also have to comply with the following: - Must be of a mature age, have the ability to abide by their nation's laws or Turkish laws if they are stateless. - Must five years of uninterrupted residency in Turkey. The time limitation had earlier been raised to five years from three, and with the new law the five-year compulsory residence remains in place. - Will have to confirm with their actions that they have made a decision to settle in Turkey. - Must be free of dangerous diseases. - Must have good moral character, speak Turkish at a reasonable level, and earn enough to support themselves and their dependents. After complying with all the conditions, consent of a competent Turkish authority is required. * Germany has agreed to extend visa exemptions to certain Turkish citizens, reports the Hurriyet Daily News. Turkish truck drivers and Turkish citizens attending activities related to art, sports or science, will be able to travel to Germany without visas for two months. This exemption is not valid in other European Union countries yet. * Daily Milliyet reports that a hot air balloon crashed at a field after it hit another balloon in the air. The balloon had a group of tourists for site seeing the central Anatolian province of Nevsehir's Cappadocia region. A British tourist died in the accident, while the British pilot and nine tourists were injured. The local Turkish Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation after the incident. Cappadocia is famed for its volcanic cones, dubbed "fairy chimneys," that are so soft that ancient inhabitants carved homes into them thousands of years ago. * Renowned economist Professor Steve Hanke said that the Turkish government should go on making structural reforms instead of agreeing with the International Monetary Fund, reported the Turkish daily Sabah. Prof. Hanke said that an agreement with the international monetary fund would make it look like the government is weak. Instead, the government should reduce taxes, and make the labor market more flexible, he said. The U.S. economist said that if the economy recovered early, the winner would be the prime minister Mr. Tayyip Erdogan. Dr. Steve Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics at the Johns Hopkins University. He was in Turkey to participate in Forum Istanbul 2009. In related news, Wall Street Journal wrote that Turkish government was defying International Monetary Fund bailout and its painful requirements as well. See more at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124354598639864063.html * Participants of the "Forum Istanbul 2009" meeting said the global crisis showed that the European Union was not still a union in the economic sense. Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for European Union Talks Egemen Bagis expressed his frustrations on the process of qualifying to become a member in the union. He said that there was no other country than Turkey which had to overcome so many difficulties in its European Union membership process, reported the Turkish daily Cumhuriyet. * The Turkish daily Cumhuriyet also reported that after getting the information that an American company would start searching natural gas and oil along the southwestern coast of Cyprus, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned the Greek Cypriot administration. The ministry told the Greek Cypriots that these search activities were not in line with the ongoing negotiation process between the two parties in the island and it also asked Greek Cypriots to refrain from acts that will cause tension. Five of the 13 regions determined by Greek Cypriots have continental shelves overlapping Turkey's marine authority regions, the daily Cumhuriyet writes. * Turkish daily Radikal reported that six of 35 people who were detained in Turkey's five provinces during operations against the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party were released. Five of these six freed people are teachers. The operations targeted the branches of the Confederation of Public Sector Unions as well. * Turkish daily Yeni Safak reported that the conquest of Istanbul was celebrated with enthusiasm on its 556th anniversary. People flocked to the Panorama 1453 History Museum in Topkapi, Istanbul to watch the 3-D images of the conquest. 390,000 people have visited the museum since it was opened four months ago. * A 450-foot ship sailing from Bulgaria to Izmit beached itself on Wednesday in the waterfront garden of a historic mansion rented by actress Oya Basar in Yenikoy on the Bosporus Straits. The Ro-Ro ship, flying a St. Vincent flag, launched into the residence owned by Safiye Aksoy, after hitting the jetties that were placed in front of the house. Ms. Basar and her daughter were in the house during the accident. "We were so scared. We escaped outside," Ms. Basar told the Anatolia news agency. Rescue vessels were sent out to transfer the crew onto the shore after the accident. Rescue teams are currently carrying out extensive work and large ships in the Bosphorus have been banned from crossing the area. * The president of Turkey's state-run media watchdog refuted claims over his resignation from the post, speaking to daily Haberturk on Friday. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc previously claimed he asked Zahid Akman to resign because of his alleged involvement in Lighthouse e.V. fraud case. "Arinc did not ask me to resign. He just asked me if I was thinking to resign but I replied no, "Mr. Akman said, adding that thinking about resigning shows one's guilt. "I am not guilty," he said. Citing his meeting with Mr. Arinc, Mr. Akman said nobody had discussed his resignation until today. "I told Arinc I would not run as a candidate for the post after my tenure ends since Supreme Board of Radio and Television is trying to be worn down through the accusations against me," Mr. Akman said. In response to corruption accusations, he said he would tell everything when the right time comes. "Then, it will be revealed that I was made to suffer wrongly," Mr. Akman said. In the Germany-based Lighthouse e.V. fraud case, which includes illegal money transfers to Turkey to fund certain businesses, a German court ruled that the real culprits were in Turkey and marked 16 people as individuals involved in the scandal. Supreme Board of Radio and Television President Mr. Akman is one of the individuals implicated. * Following the opposition criticism of a controversial draft bill to subcontract a mine-clearing project to foreign companies, similar objections have surfaced within Turkey's ruling party itself over the possible involvement of Israeli firms, reported the Hurriyet Daily News. The opposition Republican People's Party and the Nationalist Movement Party harshly opposed the draft bill that would have allowed the chosen mine-clearing company to lease a stretch of land on the Syrian border and use it for agriculture for 44 years in exchange for its services. The prospect that the tender might be given to foreign and, especially, to Israeli companies has sparked fierce opposition. The Parliament withdrew the draft bill Thursday in response to the stiff opposition. Conservative pro-government Turkish newspapers like Vakit and Yeni Safak also reported yesterday that the landmine bill is the Justice and Development Party's litmus test, Turkish daily Milliyet reported Friday. * According to the Turkish daily Sabah, while the Turkish government concentrated on efforts to find a solution to the Kurdish issue, a Kurdistan Workers Party land-mine attack on a military convoy claimed the lives of six troops. Eight troops were also injured in the attack; one in a life-threatening condition. The Turkish military responded after the attack, sending F-16 warplanes to target a large group of Kurdistan Workers Party militants in the Iraqi border region of Avasin-Basyan. Kurdistan Workers Party is on a list of terrorist organizations in the U.S. and the European Union. * The Turkish daily Hurriyet writes that Mr. Deniz Baykal, the chairman of the Republican People's Party gave a historic message to the Kurdistan Workers Party, the underground organization of the rebel Kurds, during his visit to the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Mr. Baykal said, "An amnesty project will be launched as soon as they say 'I will not make politics by weapons and I will totally lay down arms'." Mr. Baykal also said, "An amnesty will be issued when the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers Party makes it clear that it will come down the mountains and not resort to guns any more. Steps will be taken not to sentence the group who come down the mountain to heavy imprisonment terms, as a requirement of the assurance they give." Also, Mr. Baykal received an invitation to Iraq by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. Mr. Baykal said, "I will regard an invitation by a head of state appropriate, and I will be pleased", reported the daily Hurriyet on Thursday. Mr. Jalal Talabani is an ethnic Kurd. * Turkish daily Milliyet reported that following the passing away of Turkan Saylan, Prof. Dr. Aysel Celikel was selected as the new president of the Association for Support of Contemporary Living. Prof. Celikel said that the association would continue its activities with the same understanding. ARTS AND CULTURE * Hurriyet Daily News reports that the Mediterranean town of Adana will be livened by the annual Golden Boll Film Festival from June 8-13. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the festival will bring 177 films from around the world to the silver screen, and 12 Turkish films will compete for the festival's grand prize. The General Directorate of Turkish Postal administration will print a special stamp for the anniversery. Adana Mayor Aytac Durak said this year's Golden Boll Lifetime Achievement Awards would be given to director Omer Lutfi Akad, actress Filiz Akin, actor Yusuf Sezgin and musician Cahit Berkay. Another competition during the festival will be among the short films produced in Mediterranean countries. Awards will be given in four categories: fiction, documentary, animation and experimental. A total of 241 films have applied for the competition from Greece, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Albania, Serbia, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel and Turkey. Forty-eight of these films have been selected for the competition. The jury members of the International Mediterranean Countries Short Films Competition are well-known Greek director Andreas Sinanos, Hungarian director Csaba Bollok, Press and Cultural Attache of the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul and member of executive board of the Istanbul International Short Films Festival Danil Coenraad Stork, director Umit Unal and festival director from Italy Willian Azzella. * A handyman living in the Kadirli township of the Black Sea city of Osmaniye has been making sculptures using black plastic waste bags for the past 16 years, reports the Anatolia News Agency. "I started painting in primary school," he said. "My teacher discovered my talent for art. I prepared posters for the school. I was also writing stories. I am interested in all branches of art says Abdulkadir Karaarslan. "I first prepare skeletons of sculptures using metal. I cover these skeletons with long plastic strips, which are used in PVC windows. "And I work on the details and dress them. I also use glue to make them stronger. In this way they seem natural," he said. Mr. Karaarslan received his first order from the Kadirli Education and Culture Foundation, and he made a sculpture of Ince Memed, a popular folk hero. He said his only wish is to open his own studio. * Hurriyet Daily News reports that the Istanbul Modern art museum is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a new exhibition, "New Works, New Horizons," which displays 200 works from 134 artists. The show takes viewers through the evolution of modern and contemporary art created in Turkey, from its initial phase until today, by introducing them to the most prominent artists and their work. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the museum also has launched its 10th video program, simultaneously with the "New Works" exhibition. By juxtaposing the works of three video artists, Amar Kanwar, Shahzia Sikander and Pascual Sisto, the program, titled "Significant and Unsignificant Events," explores the meaning of events steeped in military pageantry. The exhibition and video program opened Tuesday and will continue through Aug. 16. * Famous Turkish magician and screenwriter Kubilay "QB" Tuncer has been given the Merlin Award, one of the world's most prestigious honors for magicians, reports the Hurriyet Daily News. The International Magicians Society, which has more than 36,000 members around the world, chose Tuncer as the best stage and cabaret magician of this year in recognition of his contributions to the art of magic, his innovative style of combining theater and magic, and his support for young magicians. Mr. Tuncer is the first Turk to receive the award, which was previously given to David Copperfield, Criss Angel, Jeff McBride and Penn & Teller. Mr. Tuncer has performed magic with Professor Metin And. He is the first Turkish magician to perform on stage in Las Vegas. He has performed more than 1,000 shows around the world and has brought Turkish audiences the world's most important magicians on his TV program. He was also the guest of more than 100 television programs in the world. As a screenwriter, Mr. Tuncer also received the Afife Best Screenwriter Award in 2003 for his play "Ordinary Miracles". Also, the film "Bliss", for which Tuncer wrote the screenplay, was presented many awards including the Golden Orange at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in 2007. Mr. Tuncer has been working to produce new screenplays for television and cinema, and also acts in TV series and films. He teaches at Istanbul Bilgi University and serves as a consultant for international companies. * According to the Internet web site My Merhaba, 37th International Istanbul Music Festival, organized by Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts and sponsored by Borusan Holding will be held between June 5 and 30, 2009. The festival hosts more than 500 artists from Turkey and abroad and will feature 18 events including the concerts of symphony and chamber orchestras, vocal concerts and recitals. This year alongside Aya Irini (Hagia Irene) Museum, the festival venues include Sureyya Opera House, Archeological Museum, and Lutfi Kirdar Congress and Convention Hall. Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sacha Goetzel will perform at the opening concert of the 37th International Istanbul Music Festival that will take place at Aya Irini Museum on Friday, June 5th. The shows of two dancers of Vienna State Ballet will color the opening concert. Daniel Barenboim will conduct La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra at the closing concert of the festival at Lutfi Kirdar Concert Hall on Tuesday, June 30. Ayhan Baran, a well known I.stanbul State Opera and Ballet singer will receive the festival's 2009 Honorary Award. This year the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Daniel Barenboim. For more information go to: http://www.iksv.org/muzik/english/program.asp * Europe's most luxurious resort, Mardan Palace Hotel, owned by Russian businessman Telman Ismailov is opened in Antalya. A splendid ceremony was held and in attendance were Hollywood celebrities and other famous artists. Mr. Ismailov said he had realized 20-year old dream with the $1.4 billion hotel. The press conference held Saturday before the opening ceremony was attended by Hollywood stars Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Monica Belucci, Paris Hilton, singers Seal, Tom Jones and Mariah Carey as well as many foreign and Turkish journalists. After the press conference, Europe's most luxury resort opened with a party that went on into the late hours. Dignitaries and artists cut the ribbon together to open the hotel. Presented by Stone and Seal, the opening ceremony hosted 600 special guests. Carey, Jones and well-known Russian singer Philip Kirkorov performed concerts during the night. With the Taurus Mountain range as a backdrop, Mardan Palace Hotel has 560 rooms, including two Royal Suites with private pools. Drawing on a Turkish heritage, the hotel's architecture reflects distinctive landmarks of Istanbul. The main hotel resembles the Dolmabahce Palace and bridges across the pool are based on original designs of the Da Vinci Bridge. Having the Mediterranean's largest swimming pool, the hotel also boasts the 75,000 sqft "Mardan Spa," 17 bars and 10 a la carte restaurants that include French, Japanese, Russian, Thai and traditional Turkish cuisine. * Last week we told you about an organization in Turkey that is trying to save the ancient city of Perge. This week we received the news that a project titled "Culture Ant," carried out by the Cultural Awareness Foundation, has been awarded the European Union's Europa Nostra Cultural Heritage Prize. A written statement made by the foundation said the project was seen worthy of the award in the category of "sensitivity for cultural heritage and awareness education." The award will be presented June 5 at a ceremony in Sicily. A local award ceremony will be held in June in Istanbul with the participation of top Europa Nostra officials. The project, aiming to increase sensitivity to cultural heritage and create city culture awareness, has been carried out since 2002 as an education model for children between the ages of 11 and 13. * Vercihan Ziflioglu of Hurriyet Daily News writes that a Museum to celebrate the heritage of a prince islands off Istanbul in the Marmara sea is being started. The Museum will be on the Big Island. There will be a special section in the museum for different ethnic cultures that lived on the islands. Although the Princes' Islands were used as a summer retreat throughout their history, they are most known for their political history. They were named "Monk Islands" or "Soul Islands" during the Byzantine period. Home to monks during the Byzantium Empire, the islands also hosted the Byzantine princes and princesses who were exiled, and prisoners - including poets, writers and artists - who were punished for their thoughts. "The islands were always a hot issue, not only in Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, but also in the history of Republic," said project manager Mr. Serhat Baysan. "The second president of the Turkish Republic, Ismet Inonu, settled in Heybeliada when he and the first president of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had disagreements." Even the Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky spend a few years on one of the islands when he was in conflict with Joseph Stalin. Although small in the area they cover, there are 980 historical structures on the islands. * Twenty local and international artists, brought together by Filipino curator and artist Rowena Martinez Ulayan, are showing their work at Beylerbeyi Palace on Istanbul's Asian shoreline, reports the Hurriyet daily News reporter Damaris Kremida. Hailing from Cuba, Mauritius, Russia, South Africa and the United States, as well as Turkey, all the artists brought together by Ulayan have made Istanbul their home. The exhibition, "Creative Euphoria," is on view until June 4 The international artists participating in the show originally came from Azerbaijan, Cuba, Germany, Mauritius, Russia, South Africa and the United States. For American Justin Eccles, one of the artists whose work is on display, the exhibition was an opportunity not only to show his work, but also to meet other people who are trying to make a living as artists in Turkey. * The Turkish Movie "AUTUMN" will be screened at The Los Angeles Film Festival on June 25 and 27 at the Westwood Village. Saylak, Gulefer Raife Yenigul, Eka Megi Kobol Ozcan Alper's gorgeous debut follows a former student's return home after serving 10 years in prison for socialist activity. Weakened in body and soul, he struggles to find purpose in a life that has passed him by. You can watch the trailer of the movie here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVy1YrgVGcw * An event dubbed World Art Expo is featuring 40 Turkish painters in Brea Fullerton and Laguna Beach California. The event will take place between June 7-14, 2009. The World Art Expo 09 draws artists from all over the world who represent a broad spectrum of arts disciplines together with gallery owners; art centers curators as well as art collectors to explore critical issues in the arts. Conference sessions provide attendees with information, tools, and techniques to achieve concrete marketing and audience development results. The expo will be followed by the Annual World Masters or the Arts Awards Local Turkish community is honoring the artists with a reception on June 12 at the Marriott Hotel. More Information: http://www.worldartfoundation.org/ * Hurriyet Daily News says that millions of people from Anatolia, the mainland Asiatic part of Turkey, have recently migrated to Istanbul. During this migration they also brought their regions food and flavors to this melting pot of a city. This weekend there is a festival that is taking place on the historic Galatasaray Bridge to share these flavors and food. The local flavors festival as it is called will be held for the fourth time this year. Last year 35,000 visitors attended the festival. As well as sharing local flavors from various towns, the festival will display unique costumes and other objects and include concerts performed by local artists. Among the provinces represented are Erzurum, Giresun, Kastamonu, Konya, Nev$ehir, Rize, Samsun, Sivas and Tokat. SPORTS * Turkish premier soccer league Bes$ikta$ is the champion! * In games played so far this week: GAZI.ANTEPSPOR 1 - 1 ESKI.S,EHI.RSPOR HACETTEPE SPOR 0 - 4 KOCAELI.SPOR GALATASARAY A.S,. 2 - 1 SI.VASSPOR GEN?LERBI.RLI.G(I. 0 - 4 KAYSERI.SPOR ANTALYASPOR A.S,. 1 - 0 MKE ANKARAG?C? KONYASPOR 3 - 0 ANKARASPOR A.S,. TRABZONSPOR A.S,. 1 - 2 FENERBAH?E B?Y?KS,EHI.R BLD.SPOR 0 - 1 BURSASPOR DENI.ZLI.SPOR 1 - 2 BES,I.KTAS, A.S,. * In games played last week: KAYSERISPOR - HACETTEPE SPOR 1- 0 KOCAELISPOR - BUYUK$EHIR BLD.SPOR 2- 3 FENERBAHCE - KONYASPOR 4- 2 BE$IKTA$ A.$. - GALATASARAY A.$. 2- 1 MKE ANKARAGUCU - DENIZLISPOR 3- 0 SIVASSPOR - GENCLERBIRLIGI 3- 2 BURSASPOR - GAZIANTEPSPOR 2- 2 ESKI$EHIRSPOR - TRABZONSPOR A.$. 2- 5 ANKARASPOR A.$. - ANTALYASPOR A.$. 0- 0 Week: 33 * Ranking in the league: Team Points 1.BE$IKTA$ A.$. 68 2.SIVASSPOR 66 3.TRABZONSPOR A.$. 65 4.FENERBAHCE 58 5.GALATASARAY A.$. 58 6.BURSASPOR 55 7.KAYSERISPOR 47 8.GAZIANTEPSPOR 46 9.BUYUK$EHIR BLD.SPOR 42 10.ANKARASPOR A.$. 41 11.ESKI$EHIRSPOR 39 12.MKE ANKARAGUCU 39 13.GENCLERBIRLIGI 38 14.DENIZLISPOR 38 15.ANTALYASPOR A.$. 37 16.KONYASPOR 35 17.KOCAELISPOR 26 18.HACETTEPE SPOR 22 * Turkish Basketball * Men's League: * In games played last week: TURK Telekom - Fenerbahce Ulker 81 - 86 Efes Pilsen - Galatasaray Cafe Crown 103 - 77 TURK Telekom - Fenerbahce Ulker 79 - 85 Galatasaray Cafe Crown - Efes Pilsen 78 - 90 Fenerbahce Ulker - TURK Telekom 0 - 0 Week: 23 * Standings in the league: 1 Efes Pilsen 44 2 Turk Telekom 41 3 Galatasaray CafeCrown 40 4 Fenerbahce Ulker 39 5 Be$ikta$ Cola Turka 36 6 Antalya B$B 36 7 Mersin B$B 35 8 PInar Kar$Iyaka 34 9 Banvit 33 10 Oyak Renault 33 11 Daru$$afaka CooperTires 32 12 Mutlu Aku Selcuk Unv 32 13 Erdemirspor 31 14 Aliaga Petkim 31 15 Kepez Bld 30 16 CASA TED Kolejliler 25 * Women's League: * Fenerbahce is the champion! * Standings in the league: 1 Fenerbahce 37 2 Samsun Basketbol 35 3 Mersin B$B 35 4 Galatasaray 33 5 Be$ikta$ Cola Turka 32 6 Tarsus Belediye 30 7 Ceyhan Belediye 29 8 Pankup TED Kayseri Koleji 28 9 Bota$ 25 10 Cankaya Universitesi 24 11 Bahce$ehir Burhaniye Bld 22 *** One of our underwriters is the European Turkish Market of Burlingame. European Turkish Market is a family-owned-and-operated market in Burlingame, California, offering a large variety of international food and gift items for your needs. From succulent deli meats to enticing Turkish, and mediterranean foods, the market offers you a large selection of your favorite European items under one roof.Visit the European Turksih Market to find the perfect International food and gift item that you have been searching for. 1138 Chula Vista Avenue Burlingame, CA 94010-3502 Phone (650) 548-5386 On the www at : http://www.europeanturkishmarket.com Bugunki programimizin sizlere getirilmesinde European Turkish Market'in katkilari olmu$tur. Turkiye ve Akdenizden her tur bakkaliye ve hediyuelik e$yanin bulundugu market Burlingame'de, hemen broadwat chiki$indadir. Telefonlari ve adresleri: 1138 Chula Vista Avenue Burlingame, CA 94010-3502 (650) 548-5386 *** Turkish American Association of California is a non-profit charitable organization established to promote better understanding between Americans and Turks. If you have any questions about Turks and Turkey, e-mail them at taac@taaca.org *** Planning to go to Turkey? Take a look at our Web pages that are full of articles and information furnished by travelers like yourselves: http://travel.to/sunholiday *** For more music from Turkey and the Middle East tune to International Cultural Program. San Francisco World TV Channel 29 Sundays at 9-10 A.M. *** Yore dance invites you to: Free Turkish Folkdance Classes. Sundays at 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM Shawl-Anderson Dance Center 2704 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley CA 94705 Corner of College & Alcatraz Tuesdays at 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM *** Yore is inviting you to an Akdeniz nights, mediterranean style party June 6th Saturday 10 PM to 1:30 PM, Bodrum Cafe 383 Castro Street Mountain View For more information go to http://www.yoredance.org {20090530trh.txt}