Author: Zoltan Ufuk

One of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul’s off-season signings, Yam Madar, sustained an injury which has kept him off the court against Bayern Munich in round 5. On the 1st of November, Fenerbahce issued a statement announcing that the Israeli guard is back to team practice. The Istanbul team also stated that Metecan Birsen’s individual recovery was continuing after the power forward was sidelined in the long term last year. While Birsen is not expected to play, Madar’s potential return could be crucial in the upcoming round 6 game for Fenerbahce, which will pit the Turkish team against Olympiacos Piraeus in Istanbul.…

Foreign tourists will have to pay a fee to visit Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, an iconic mosque, starting Jan. 15, 2024, Türkiye’s culture and tourism minister said on Tuesday. “It will remain free for Turkish worshippers,” Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said in a televised address in Istanbul broadcast live by Haberturk television channel. The minister noted that the decision was made upon advice from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). No entrance fee has been in place since the mosque, located on the European side of Istanbul, was converted from a museum three years ago.The 1,500-year-old building is one…

Israel’s oil imports have continued to pass through Turkey despite the near collapse of relations between the two countries over the uncompromising military operations mounted by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas cross-border massacre committed three weeks ago. The Seaviolet, an oil tanker registered in Malta, recently transported 1mn barrels of Azerbaijani crude from Turkey’s Mediterranean oil hub port of Ceyhan to Israel’s Eilat Port, according to a report by Bloomberg. Around 40% of Israel’s annual oil consumption is met by crude that is piped to Ceyhan for onward shipping. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan…

Türkiye has given its priority to modernizing the customs union and providing visa liberalization to Turkish nationals, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the ambassadors of the European Union countries, voicing Ankara’s expectation for a positive response from Brussels. “We have made our commitment to this end clear. We attach importance to the messages given by the EU but they should be put in practice,” Fidan told the ambassadors of the EU countries in their meeting on Oct. 30, according to the diplomatic sources. Fidan made these remarks as he received the head of the EU Delegation to Ankara, Ambassador Nikolaus…

With Week 11 in the books, it’s time to cast your vote for Athens-area high school football player of the week. Below are the nominees from last week’s action, each with outstanding performances for their teams last Friday night. The poll will close around 4 p.m. Wednesday. For future polls, please nominate players by contacting Sara Tidwell via email (stidwell@gannett.com) or messaging @saramtidwell on X (formerly Twitter). Week 11 football player of the week nomineesDa’shun Brown, Madison CountyBrown scored three touchdowns for the Red Raiders in their Friday win over Walnut Grove. Will Kettle, Madison CountyKettle scored a touchdown for…

Tanyer Yapı, which has 30 years of experience in the housing sector, offers solution partnerships to companies in infrastructure and ground engineering in the contracting sector with its strong machinery park and technical infrastructure. Taylan Tanyer, General Coordinator of Tanyer Yapı, stated that they have carried out exemplary projects on lands with sloping and difficult ground in Narlıdere for years, and said that they carried out ground, pile and anchorage works with their own work machines and equipment, and that they used this experience in the contracting works of different projects. Noting that, as Tanyer Yapı, they have been providing…

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government’s Landscape Management Division has issued a call seeking a privately-owned tree for donation as a public Christmas tree for display in front of City Hall during December. There are a few specific requirements, so don’t run out into the woods with a chain saw like Chevy Chase’s character in “Christmas Vacation.” Athens-Clarke County community’s tree must be a cedar that measures approximately 20 feet in diameter, approximately 35 feet tall and symmetrical with one single trunk. The tree would need to be removed at some point in the future by the property owner due to…

The Head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority, Ahmed ElSobky, met with the Turkish Ambassador to Egypt, Salih Mutlu, and a senior delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Health, led by the Director General for EU and Foreign Affairs, Selami Kılıç, at the authority’s headquarters in Cairo. The meeting aimed to explore ways to exchange experiences and enhance cooperation between the two countries in various aspects of healthcare, such as advanced services, digital solutions, and medical tourism. ElSobky said that Egypt is preparing to meet the demands of the medical tourism market, after achieving unprecedented development in the healthcare sector. He…

Leading Greek archaeologist Petros Themelis, who is best known for pioneering work at the site of Ancient Messene in Southwest Peloponnese, died aged 87, it was announced on Friday. Ancient Messene’s extensive site includes a theater (one of the largest surviving ancient theaters in Greece) and the Sanctuary of Isis and Serapis. Under Themelis’ initiative, the buildings were reconstructed and the site opened to the public for events, turning Ancient Messene whose history ranges from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD into a living museum and a model for other sites. Its extent covers at least 40…

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu attended the opening ceremony of Izmir Yeni Foça Marina, which has the most environmentally friendly feature with its own purification systems. Minister Uraloğlu said, “We will transform Izmir into the Capital of Turkey Yacht Tourism with 5 New Marinas. “We increased the number of marinas from 41 to 62,” he said. In his speech at the opening ceremony held in Izmir, Minister Uraloğlu first drew attention to the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza and said that he condemned the attacks with hatred. Uraloğlu said, “I would like to start by condemning with…