Turkish Dateline
Discover headline news about Turkey, past and present

Calendar

September 1, 2008
Ramazan
The 30-day Islamic holy month of Ramazan (RAH-mah-zahn, called Ramadan in other countries) is a time of fasting, prayer and celebration.

September 12, 1964
GCM dedicated on Balgat

September 26 - Turkish Language Day

September 27 - Kadir Gecesi
The Koran's first revelation to Prophet Mohammed

September 30 - October 1-2
Seker Bayrami
Three-day festival when sweets are eaten to celebrate the end of the fast of Ramazan.

Ahmet Toprak Turkish Culture List - Week Ending August 23, 2008

Possible Impeachment of Turkish President

Controversy over the possible impeachment of the Turkish president is growing, as a former chief prosecutor argued Friday that Abdullah Gul could indeed be tried in the "lost trillion" case.

The case involves embezzlement of Welfare Party funds.

41,990 Acres Burn in Antalya

Due to warmer summers, fires have been more destructive this year in Turkey. One recent fire in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya is also drawing debate on the inadequacy of firefighting equipment.

The amount of forestland that was said to have burned down in this fire was incorrect, according to the Turkish Forest Trade Union, or Turk Orman-Sen, daily Cumhuriyet reported Friday. The union claims that the real amount of the forest burned was 41,990 acres, not the announced 11,115 acres.

Georgian Aid Restricted Through Turkish Straits

Turkish Straits hold the key to access to the Georgian ports. When U.S. and other Georgian allies tried sending ships to Georgia, they ran into a treaty signed decades ago that control the passage through the Turkish Straits.

According to the Turkish Daily News, "In a written statement released late Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey was in cooperation with the countries that want to send humanitarian aid to Georgia by air and sea, but added that Washington did not ask for permission from Turkish authorities to enable the U.S. military hospital vessel "Comfort" to pass through the straits.

Diplomatic sources say the United States decided to stop its initiative for the passage through the straits of the two ships that were not in compliance with the Montreux Convention and sought authorization from Turkey after making arrangements to lower the tonnage of the ships in order to stick to the long-standing agreement.

Meanwhile, the ministry also said permission had been sought for the passage of Spanish, German and Polish military ships through the straits within the framework of the Montreux Convention and that those ships would pass through Turkish waters in the coming days."