Last month, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made history when he appointed Hafize Gaye Erkan as the governor of the Central Bank of Turkiye – the first ever woman to head the 93-year-old financial institution. Erkan enters the financial fray in her motherland armed with an impressive biography as she bids to find the optimum […]
One of Turkiye’s biggest rappers, Uzi, will be performing an exclusive London concert at Indigo2 this autumn. Utku Cihan Yalçınkaya, better known by his stage name Uzi, has been making waves since releasing his debut album Kan [Blood] in 2021, which spawned hits “Krvn” and “Umrumda Değil”. Kan was listed in Spotify Turkiye’s Top 10 […]
Respected human rights group Embargoed! is holding a ‘Secret Chalk Walk Protest’ in central London on Saturday afternoon, 15 July, to draw attention to the plight of Turkish Cypriots and their internationally isolated homeland of North Cyprus. Posting on social media, Embargoed!’s new chairperson Azize Solman described the peaceful creative action as an “unforgettable and […]
The train driver responsible for a London Overground train carrying 50 passengers derailing and crashing after falling asleep at the wheel has been jailed. Erkan Mehmet, 44, of Middle Street, Waltham Abbey, pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to endangering the safety of the railway and was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison on […]
Digital content creator and dancer Berk Çiçekgil is used to sharing elements of his life on social media, but when he uploaded a clip of himself and friends performing at his wedding last month, he quickly became a global internet sensation. Istanbul-born Çiçekgil, 22, married fellow professional dancer Pelin Yar in Turkiye. The couple, who […]
British Turkish Cypriot Erol Alkan has been making waves in his many creative guises, whether it be DJ, producer, label owner, club promoter, radio host or collaborator. In a career spanning decades, Alkan’s history as a champion of alternative and electronic music culture, reads “almost like mythology”. He is the shy boy who snuck out […]
Turkiye has a long history of male entertainers dressed as women. Under Ottoman times, they were known as köçek. More recently the country has had renowned drag artists such as the iconic Seyfi Dursunoğlu, better known by his stage name and drag character Huysuz Virjin (The Grumpy Virgin). Two young pretenders to Seyfi’s crown, Akış […]
Police in the Netherlands will be banned from wearing religious items of clothing, such as headscarves, yarmulkes, and crucifixes with their uniform, Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced on Wednesday. The VVD Minister told Parliament that new rules being introduced will ensure “neutrality of the uniform”, adding that, “The word uniform says it all: it should […]
This Sunday, North London will see one of its largest community events take place as the Turkish Cypriots from across the capital and beyond come together for a one-day cultural festival at Enfield Playing Fields on Donkey Lane. Around 25,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which will include live music, folk dancing, DJs, […]
Manchester City have confirmed their inspirational captain İlkay Gündoğan has joined Barcelona on a free transfer. The midfielder has been given a two-year deal by the Spanish Champions, with the option to extend for another year. City said they had offered Gündoğan a new contract, but after seven years with the club where he has […]
