All posts tagged: Turkey

Archaeologists find ancient matrilineal society in Turkiye’s Catalhoyuk | History

Archaeologists find ancient matrilineal society in Turkiye’s Catalhoyuk | History

Published by Sam Flores

Catalhoyuk, Turkiye – About an hour southeast of Konya lies one of the most exciting Neolithic finds of the 20th century – the densely populated settlement of Catalhoyuk. Occupied for 1,000 years from about 7000 to 6000 BC, Catalhoyuk has drawn archaeologists since its discovery in 1958 as they have tried to piece together how its society worked. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list A recent genomics study published in the journal Science revealed that Catalhoyuk’s gender dynamics made it unique among European Neolithic settlements. The discovery centres around matrilocality, the fact that women remained in their homes while males were more likely to move away when they reached adulthood. The study’s 46 authors “estimated that 70 to 100% of the time, female offspring remained connected to buildings”, in contrast to other European Neolithic communities, which were patrilineal and patrilocal. The settlement Catalhoyuk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is possibly the world’s first city with clusters of buildings, agricultural production, rituals and even ornamentation. Today, its remains are in two large tells, or …

Finland’s Stubb says EU should expand to 40 states, including Canada

Finland’s Stubb says EU should expand to 40 states, including Canada

Published by Sam Flores

President of Finland Alexander Stubb is seen during a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda (not in view) at the Presidential Palace. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images HELSINKI, Finland — Finnish President Alexander Stubb has outlined his vision for a much larger European Union, saying the 27-nation bloc needs to “think big” and seize the moment to project power on the global stage. Speaking at an energy conference in the Finnish capital on Wednesday, Stubb said the EU should push to increase its membership to 40 states and named the U.K., Canada, Turkey, Norway and Iceland as potential candidates to join. His comments come as the Trump administration’s actions, alongside Russia’s war with Ukraine, prompt some countries to reconsider the benefits of EU membership. Stubb told the Eurelectric Power Summit that “the window of opportunity” for EU enlargement “is quite short because when the war in Ukraine ends and perhaps when the U.S. administration changes, I don’t know, then people are going to take their foot off the gas pedal and …

How Turkey Hacked the Hair Transplant Industry

How Turkey Hacked the Hair Transplant Industry

Published by skeptic

The astounding growth of the hair-transplant industry in Turkey is not just a medical tourism success story; it’s also a tale of “hacked” medical equipment and algorithmic craftsmanship. From a biological and evolutionary perspective, human hair is often viewed as an unremarkable mass of keratin that still plays some important functions—protecting our scalps from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and regulating our body temperatures—but, for the most part, is no longer essential to our survival. Yet, since ancient times, our subconscious perceptions of whether another person is healthy, young, or fertile have been based on visual cues such as skin radiance, the integrity of teeth, and hair density. Deep within our perceptions, hair has become one of the most powerful representations of our identity and self-confidence. It’s key to social communications and perceptions. Today, the global hair-transplant and restoration industry, which has evolved around this deep psychological and evolutionary need, has grown into a massive, multibillion-dollar industry. Various research firms have estimated the total size of the global hair-transplant market as sitting somewhere between $7.33 …

Erdogan is the real winner of Iran war

Erdogan is the real winner of Iran war

Published by Sam Flores

Rows of riot police forced their way through the gate at the headquarters of Turkey’s main opposition political party. After knocking down the barrier, they marched, shields in hand, toward the party’s office, stopping at the entrance to shoot tear gas to clear supporters stacking barricades against the glass doors. Inside was Özgür Özel, the leader of the Republican People’s Party – Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi in Turkish, also known as CHP – holed up in protest after being ousted by a Turkish court three days earlier. Explosions rang through the air as the police trampled on opposition politics, snuffing out what many fear are the country’s last vestiges of civic and political freedoms. Turkey is emerging as a long-term winner from the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has provided Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish president, room to accelerate an anti-democratic backslide with no global repercussions. Not only has he seized the moment to stage a crackdown on his opposition while the world’s gaze was averted, but he has also managed to boost Turkey’s standing on …

Brussels rebukes Turkey for excluding Cyprus from climate meetings – POLITICO

Brussels rebukes Turkey for excluding Cyprus from climate meetings – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“This is unacceptable, and we will also not accept it. You deal with all of the 27, or none of the 27,” the Commission’s climate chief Wopke Hoekstra said to POLITICO on Thursday. He added: “If you seek to host an international event, that trumps any national sensitivities you might be having.” Turkey maintains no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cyprus, the EU member country internationally recognized as the sole legitimate government of the entire island. Instead, Ankara is the only government worldwide to recognize as independent the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north. The island has been effectively divided since Turkey invaded in 1974 in response to a Greek-backed coup. The Commission also addressed the issue at Thursday’s press conference. “We have made it clear that the exclusion of a United Nations member state from the preparation process of the U.N. COP31 climate conference is not acceptable,” said spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen. “Türkiye has assured us that Cyprus would not be excluded from future preparatory meetings for COP31.” Source link

The ban threat facing Europe’s far right – POLITICO

The ban threat facing Europe’s far right – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Europe’s far right is yet again under the microscope as a European Parliament watchdog moves to ban the Alternative for Germany’s EU party. On the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss how the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations party — home to Germany’s AfD — risks losing EU funding and even its status as a political party. In a 300-page letter, the Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations cites evidence of anti-immigration, antisemitic and anti-LGBT rhetoric from its members. It argues this “casts doubt” on the ESN’s compliance with EU values. Next, we discuss how one of Europe’s oldest geopolitical disputes is spilling into preparations for this year’s U.N. climate summit. Turkey, which is hosting COP31 this November in Antalya, has effectively frozen Cyprus out of parts of the preparatory process. And finally: we dig into a very Brussels-y diplomatic food fight that’s been brewing quietly in the background for months. Questions? Comments? Send us a message — or even better, a voice note on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Source …

Jury Retires at Austrian Trial Over Foiled Attack on Taylor Swift Concert

Jury Retires at Austrian Trial Over Foiled Attack on Taylor Swift Concert

Published by Sam Flores

WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria, May 28 (Reuters) – The jury at the ⁠trial ⁠of a 21-year-old over a foiled Islamist ⁠attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in 2024 retired for deliberations on Thursday, ​with the defendant having already pleaded guilty to the main charges including terrorism offences. Beran A, whose last name has not been made public ‌in accordance with Austrian privacy rules, was ‌arrested on August 7, 2024, the day before the first of three planned concerts by the U.S. pop star in the ⁠Austrian capital. All three ⁠dates were then cancelled, to the dismay of fans and of Swift, who wrote ​afterwards that it was “devastating.” While crowds of disappointed fans sang together in Vienna then to console themselves, neither Swift nor any “Swifties” appeared at the courthouse in Wiener Neustadt, a town south of the capital. Beran A, who is Austrian, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the planned attack, ​which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He covered his face with a ring binder as ⁠he …

Former PM Tsipras looks to unite Greece’s fragmented opposition with new party – POLITICO

Former PM Tsipras looks to unite Greece’s fragmented opposition with new party – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The 53-year-old pediatrician emerged as a figurehead in a wave of protests against the country’s political establishment, following the crash and a perceived cover-up by the authorities. She ultimately alienated many people, however, with comments that veered close to right-wing populism on topics such as abortion rights and relations with Turkey. “Her positions are very reminiscent of [Italy’s] 5Star Movement, but with a much stronger patriotic and nationalist slant and a focus on corruption,” Seriatos said. “While it started with moral capital and it seemed that many people would be receptive to what it had to say politically, she is on a downward trajectory,” he added. Critics have also accused her of surrounding herself with figures who maintain pro-Russian views or ties to Moscow. Another party from the right of the political spectrum is likely to emerge from former Prime Minister and New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras. He was expelled from the party back in 2024 after strongly criticizing government policies, including on the relationship with neighboring Turkey, as well as what he considers “woke” …

Cyprus election sees parliament fragment as anti-establishment parties gain ground – POLITICO

Cyprus election sees parliament fragment as anti-establishment parties gain ground – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said that fragmentation is a pan-European phenomenon and is not unique to Cyprus. “I’m not worried; I believe these are part of democracy, and the democratic system has a way of self-regulating in the end. This government was not supported by major parties in parliament anyway,” he told POLITICO in an interview on May 23. “What matters is for a government to act rationally, to act as the government of all Cypriots.” Cyprus — which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU until the end of June — has ⁠a presidential system of government and the 56-seated parliament holds limited powers. The ⁠vote is widely seen as a benchmark of political trends ahead of the 2028 presidential election and flags the new alliances President Nikos Christodoulides may need to make if ​he decides to ​run for a second term as is widely expected. “This marks the end of an era for political parties that have been part of the political scene for 50 years,” said Harry Tzimitras, director …

Rutte says Zelenskyy will attend NATO summit in Ankara – POLITICO

Rutte says Zelenskyy will attend NATO summit in Ankara – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

NATO will hold its summit in Ankara July 7-8, which is likely to include a formal leaders’ meeting and a parallel industry forum, where non-NATO capitals will participate. But Zelenskyy has not yet formally accepted the invite. His attendance is “not clear yet,” one European official familiar with the invite told POLITICO. “Everything is still being decided. Everyone’s in waiting mode.” The alliance is also weighing inviting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the summit at the request of the gathering’s host, Turkey. Source link