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Letter to my long lost Turkish Cypriot father 

Not many words were shared, but the language of love took over all those years ago in a white house in Elephant and Castle, south London. The road name was Elliotts Row, house No. 32. It was 1986, spring time. My mother Carole Mitchell had come over from Essex with her best friend Corrine. Money...

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T-VINE Editor İpek Özerim to go head-to-head with Kıbrıs Haberci editor Gizem Özgeç on Sunday

T-VINE’s İpek Özerim will this afternoon appear on a live link up with Gizem Özgeç, the editor of one of North Cyprus’ leading newspapers Kıbrıs Haberci, to discuss a host of issues affecting the UK Turkish Cypriot community during the coronavirus pandemic. Among the leading issues on today’s age...

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Labour Day: North London councillor Peray Ahmet calls for “a new normal” for key workers

A councillor for the London of Borough of Haringey has paid tribute to key workers on May Day, while calling for their position as the “lowest paid workers” to change. Cllr Peray Ahmet made the comments in a short clip broadcast online earlier today. In her opening remarks, the Labour councill...

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Lib Dems, Labour act over ethnic minority coronavirus concerns

The UK’s two opposition parties are pressing for action over issues adversely affecting Britain’s black, Asian and ethnic minority communities during the coronavirus pandemic. The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to improve the diversity of journalists and media outlets invited to...

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Coronavirus: 87 deaths among 4 million German Turks vs 97 from 0.5 million British Turks

The relatively high number of British Turks to die from COVID-19 has been sending shockwaves across the Turkish world. With an estimated population of 500,000, the UK’s Turkish community is the fourth largest Turkish diaspora in Europe, behind Germany (4 million), France (1.2 million), and the Ne...

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Hoş geldin Ramazan: London Ramadan 2020 prayer and iftar times

This weekend marks the start of the holiest month for Muslims worldwide. Ramadan, or Ramazan in Turkish, is the month when the Ku’ran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. For the next thirty days, all healthy Muslims will fast during daylight hours. This means not eating or drinking anythi...

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Boris’ Brexit Britain turns to Turkey for urgent PPE

A Royal Air Force A400 plane took off from Istanbul in the early hours of this morning carrying a large consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) from a commercial supplier in Turkey. The plane arrived back at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire just after 3am local time, ensuring essential...

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Coronavirus: UK Turkish Cypriot volunteers and frontline staff sing Bob Marley’s One Love

“One love. One heart. Let's get together and feel alright,” sing NHS staff, key workers and volunteers from London’s Turkish Cypriot community. Their digital rendition of a Bob Markey classic not only aims to uplift spirits, but to also raise awareness of multiple good causes that need funding th...

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‘Everywhere bar Ercan’ for corona-stranded Brits in North Cyprus

Ten days ago, I highlighted the plight of some 120 British nationals, many of Turkish Cypriot descent, stranded in North Cyprus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lots of affected individuals, their British MPs, and community groups have all been lobbying the UK Foreign Office to demand their return.&...

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Care worker mum Sonya Kaygan becomes youngest British Turk to die of coronavirus

Sonya Kaygan, a 25-year-old mother of one, has passed away from coronavirus, her family announced today. She becomes the youngest British Turkish victim to die of COVID-19, which has already claimed the lives of over one hundred others in the community. Friends and family have said the young w...

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