Istanbul nightclub fire kills 29 during renovation
Istanbul, Turkey Reuters At least 29 people were killed on Tuesday when a fire engulfed Istanbul’s underground Masquerade nightclub during daytime renovation work, Turkish local authorities said, blaming an accident during the work. Firefighters doused the charred and smoking entrance to the club, which occupies two basement floors, as paramedics rushed victims into ambulances. Earlier […]
Imamoglu, the Turkish mayor following in Erdogan’s footsteps
Istanbul, Turkey Reuters Newly re-elected Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has emerged as the main challenger to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s reign. But in some ways, he is following in the footsteps of the Turkish leader who ran the city in the 1990s. Aside from having led the country’s biggest city, both have family roots in […]
Turkey’s resurgent opposition knocks Erdogan in pivotal local elections
Istanbul, Turkey Reuters Turks punished President Tayyip Erdogan and his party on Sunday in nationwide local elections that reasserted the opposition as a political force and reinforced Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as the president’s chief future rival. With more than half of votes counted, Imamoglu led by nearly 10 percentage points in the mayoral race […]
“United in sorrow”: Terror attack strikes Istanbul Catholic church known for its welcome
DAVID I KLEIN, of Religion News Service, reports from Turkey… Istanbul, Turkey RNS Gunshots rang out during Mass in Istanbul’s Santa Maria Italian Catholic Church on Sunday, as two gunmen assaulted the building, killing one in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group, also known as IS. According to church leaders, the victim, 52-year-old […]
Turkish authorities capture gunmen who killed one person in Istanbul church
Ankara, Turkey Reuters Turkish authorities have captured two gunmen who shot one person dead on Sunday during a service at a church in Istanbul and who are believed to be tied to Islamic State, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Yerlikaya had earlier said that the attack, which Ankara condemned, took place around 0840 GMT at […]
Turkey: As Christians celebrate a new church, religious minorities still call for respect
Though he has allowed new houses of worship to be built and old ones to be reopened, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan needs to do more, observers say, to restore respect for a truly pluralistic society as much as for church property. DAVID I KLEIN, of Religion News Service, reports…
Safe housing?: After earthquake, Istanbul gripped by fear that bigger disaster awaits
BIRSEN ALTAYLI and CAN SEZER, of Reuters, report on growing concerns over the safety of housing in Turkey’s biggest city…
Protests in Stockholm, including Quran-burning, draw strong condemnation from Turkey
Stockholm, SwedenReuters Protests in Stockholm on Saturday against Turkey and Sweden’s bid to join NATO, including the burning of a copy of the Quran, sharply heightened tensions with Turkey at a time when the Nordic country needs Ankara’s backing to gain entry to the military alliance. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the vile […]
Thousands protest in Turkey over Istanbul mayor’s conviction
Istanbul, Turkey Reuters Thousands of people rallied in Turkey on Thursday to oppose the conviction and political ban of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, chanting slogans criticising President Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party before elections next year. A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced Imamoglu, a popular rival to Erdogan, to two years and seven […]
Turkey blames deadly bomb on Kurdish militants; PKK denies involvement
Istanbul, TurkeyReuters Turkey blamed Kurdish militants on Monday for an explosion that killed six people in Istanbul and police detained 47 people including a Syrian woman suspected of planting the bomb. No group has claimed responsibility so far for Sunday’s blast on the busy pedestrian Istiklal Avenue, and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Kurdish-led […]