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Ean Moderator: Yıldız Değirmenci (Istanbul, Türkiye)Guest: Didem Öz (Izmir,  Türkiye)In this episode, Değirmenci and Öz discuss the vital importance of brain donation in understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases. They also highlight the Turquoise Outreach Project—a meaningful initiative that builds bridges between the community and dementia research, promoting awareness, inclusion, and progress.eanCampus access for Associate Members: If you are a member of a National Neurological Society in Europe, you are most likely already an Associate Member of the EAN and have an account for the eanCampus. If you have provided your email address to your National Neurological Society, it should already be in our database. Here is how you can access the eanCampus as an Associate Member:1. Enter the eanCampus2. Click on the Log In Button3. Log in with your MyEAN credentials and make use of the ‘forgot password'-functionality if necessaryIf you have trouble logging in, please get in contact with our Membership department (membership@ean.org) to cross-check if you are listed as an Associate Member to get access to eanCampus.

Few analysts are more familiar with the politics of both contemporary Turkey and the United States than my old friend , the distinguished Turkish political scientist Soli Ozel. Drawing on his decades of experience in both countries, Ozel, currently a senior fellow at the Institut Montaigne, explains how democratic institutions are similarly being challenged in Trump's America and Erdogan's Turkey. He discusses the imprisonment of Istanbul's popular mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, restrictive speech in American universities, and how economic decline eventually undermines authoritarian regimes. Ozel emphasizes that effective opposition requires both public discontent and compelling leadership alternatives, which Turkey has developed but America currently sorely lacks. Most intriguingly, he suggests that Harvard's legal battle against Trump could be as significant as the 1925 Scopes trial which marked the end of another bout of anti-scientific hysteria in America. 5 Key Takeaways* Populist authoritarianism follows a similar pattern regardless of left/right ideology - controlling judiciary, media, and institutions while claiming to represent "the people" against elites.* Academic freedom in America has declined significantly, with Ozel noting he experienced more classroom freedom in Turkey than at Yale in 2019.* Economic pain combined with a crisis of legitimacy is crucial for challenging authoritarian regimes, but requires credible opposition leadership to succeed.* Istanbul mayor Imamoglu has emerged as a powerful opposition figure in Turkey by appealing across political divides and demonstrating practical governance skills.* Turkey's strategic importance has increased due to its position between war zones (Syria and Ukraine) and Europe's growing need for security partners as American support becomes less certain. Full TranscriptAndrew Keen: Hello, everybody. It's not great news these days that the U.S. Brand has been, so to speak, tarnished as a headline today on CNN. I'm quoting them. CNN, of course, is not Donald Trump's biggest fan. Trump tarnishes the U S brand as a rock of stability in the global economy. I'm not sure if the US was ever really a rock of stability for anything except itself. But we on the show as. As loyal viewers and listeners know, we've been going around the world, taking stock of the US brand, how it's viewed around the word. We did a show last week with Simon Cooper, the Dutch-based Paris writer of the Financial Times, who believes it's time for all Americans to come and live in Europe. And then with Jemima Kelly, another London-based correspondent. And I thought we would broaden. I asked european perspective by visiting my old friend very old friend Soli Ozel. iVve known him for almost forty years he's a. Senior fellow of international relations and turkey at the montane institute he's talking to us from vienna but he is a man who is born and spends a lot of his time thinking about. Turkey, he has an interesting new piece out in the Institute Montaigne. Turkey, a crisis of legitimacy and massive social mobilization in a regional power. I want to talk to Soli later in this conversation about his take on what's happening in Turkey. But first of all, Soli, before we went live, you noted that you first came to America in September 1977. You were educated here, undergraduate, graduate, both at uh, sized in Washington DC and then at UC Berkeley, where you and I studied together at the graduate program. Um, how do you feel almost 50 years, sorry, we're dating ourselves, but how did you feel taking off your political science cap, your analyst cap, how did you feel about what's happening in America as, as a man who invested your life in some ways in the promise of America, and particularly American education universities.Soli Ozel: Yeah, I mean, I, yes, I came to the States or I went to the States in September of 1977. It was a very different America, post Vietnam. And I went through an avant garde college liberal arts college.Andrew Keen: Bennington wasn'tSoli Ozel: Bennington College, and I've spent about 11 years there. And you and I met in 1983 in Berkeley. And then I also taught at American universities. I taught at UC Santa Cruz, Northwestern, SAIS itself, University of Washington, Yale, and had fellowships in different parts. Now, of course, in those years, a lot has changed in the US. The US has changed. In fact, I'm writing a piece now on Christopher Lash. And reading Christopher Lasch work from the 60s and the 1970s, in a way, you wonder why Trumpism has not really emerged a bit earlier than when it did. So, a lot of the... Dynamics that have brought Donald Trump to power, not once, but twice, and in spite of the fact that, you know, he was tried and found guilty and all that. Many of those elements have been there definitely since the 1980s, but Lascch identified especially this divergence between educated people and less educated people between brainies and or the managerial class and the working class in the United States. So, in a way, it looks like the Trumpism's triumph came even a bit late, although there were a couple of attempts perhaps in the early 1990s. One was Pat Buchanan and the other one, Ross Perot, which we forget that Ross Perot got 19% of the vote against in the contest when Bill Clinton. Won the election against George H.W. Bush. So underground, if you will, a lot was happening in the United States.Andrew Keen: All right. And it's interesting you bring up Lash, there's that sort of whole school Lasch Daniel Bell, of course, we had Daniel Bell's son, David Bell, on the show recently. And there's a lot of discussion, as I'm sure you know, about the nativism of Trump, whether it's uniquely American, whether it was somehow inevitable. We've done last week, we did a show about comparing what's happening now in America to what happened after the First World War. Being less analytical, Solé, my question was more an emotional one to you as someone who has built their life around freedom of expression in American universities. You were at Bennington, you were at SICE, you're at UC Berkeley, as you know, you taught at UC Santa Cruz and Yale and many other places. You come in and out of this country giving lectures. How do you personally feel about what's happening?Soli Ozel: Yeah, okay. I mean, in that sense, again, the United States, by the way, I mean the United States has been changing independently of Mr. Trump's presidency. It was much more difficult to be, I mean when I went to college in Bennington College, you really did not bite your tongue when you were going to speak either as a student or a professor. And increasingly, and especially in my last bout at Yale in 2019, I felt that, you know, there were a lot of constraints on what you could say or how you could say it, whether you would call it walkism, political correctness, whatever it was. It was a much, the atmosphere at the university was much more constrained in terms of what transpired in the classroom and that I mean, in Turkey, I had more freedom in terms of how we debated things in class that I felt that...Andrew Keen: That is astonishing. So you had more freedom in...Soli Ozel: As well, you did in Yale in 1990. I'm talking about not the political aspect of things, but how you debate something, okay, whether or not, I mean, there would be lots of views and you could you could present them without insulting anyone, however you presented them was fine, and this is how what the dynamics of the classroom had been when I was a student. So, in that sense, I guess it wasn't just the right that constrained speech, but also the left that constrained the speech, because new values were added or new norms were invented to define what can and cannot be said. And of course, that goes against the grain of what a university education ought to be. I mean, I had colleagues. In major universities who told me that they really were biting their tongue when they were giving their lectures. And that is not my understanding of education or college education and that certainly has not been my experience when I came to the States and for my long education here for 11 years.Andrew Keen: Solit, you and I have a long history of thinking about the Middle East, where back in the early 80s, we TA'd a class on the Arab-Israeli conflict with Yaya Sadowski, who at that time was a very independent thinker. I know he was a close friend of yours. I was always very influenced by his thinking. You're from Izmir, from a Jewish family in Turkey. So you're all too familiar with the complexity of anti-Semitism, Israel, the Middle East, Turkey. What do you personally make of this hysteria now on campus about anti-semitism and throwing out anyone, it seems, at least from the Trump point of view, who are pro-Palestinian? Is this again, I mean, you went back to Christopher Lasch and his thinking on populism and the dangers of populism in America. Or is this something that... Comes out of the peculiarities of American history. We have predicted this 40 years ago when you and I were TAing Sadowski's class on Arab-Israeli conflict at Berkeley.Soli Ozel: The Arab-Israeli conflict always raises passions, if you will. And it's no different. To put it mildly, Salvador, I think. Yeah, it is a bit different now. I mean, of course, my hunch is that anti-Semitism is always present. There is no doubt. And although I followed the developments very closely after October 7. I was not in there physically present. I had some friends, daughters and sons who were students who have reported to me because I'm supposed to know something about those matters. So yeah, antisemitism is there. On the other hand, there is also some exaggeration. We know that a lot of the protesters, for instance, were Jews themselves. But my hunch is that the Trump administration, especially in their attack against elite universities, are using this for political purposes. I'm sure there were other ways of handling this. I don't find it very sincere. And a real problem is being dealt with in a very manipulative political way, I think. Other and moreover So long as there was no violence and I know there were instances of violence that should be punished that I don't have any complaints about, but partially if this is only related to what you say, I'm not sure that this is how a university or relations between students at the university ought to be conducted. If you're not going to be able to say what you think at the university, then what else are you going to say? Are you going be able say it? So this is a much more complicated matter than it is being presented. And as I said, my view or based on what I follow that is happening at colleges, this is being used as an excuse. As somebody I think Peter Beinhart wrote today in the New York Times. He says, No, no, no. It is not really about protecting Jewish students, but it is protecting a certain... Type of Jewish students, and that means it's a political decision, the complaints, legitimate complaints, perhaps, of some students to use those against university administrations or universities themselves that the Trump administration seems to be targeting.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's interesting you bring up Beinart. He was on the show a year or two ago. I think he notes that, I mean, I don't want to put words into his mouth, but he seems to be suggesting that Jews now have a responsibility almost to speak out, not just obviously about what's happening in the U.S., but certainly about what is happening in Gaza. I'm not sure what you think on.Soli Ozel: He just published a book, he just published the book being Jewish in the US after Gaza or something along those lines. He represents a certain way of thinking about what had happened in Gaza, I mean what had happened to Israel with the attack of Hamas and what had happened afterwards, whether or not he represents the majority. Do you agree with him? I happen to be. I happen to be sympathetic to his views. And especially when you read the book at the beginning, it says, look, he's a believer. Believer meaning he is a practicing Jew. So this is not really a question about his own Jewishness, but how he understands what being a Jew actually means. And from that perspective, putting a lot of accent to the moral aspects of Jewish history and Jewish theological and secular thinking, He is rebelling, if you will, against this way of manipulative use. On the part of some Jewish organizations as well of what had gone on and this is this he sees as a along with others actually he also sees this as a threat to Jewish presence in the United States. You know there is a simultaneous increase in in anti-semitism. And some people argue that this has begun even before October 7. Let us not forget Charlottesville when the crowds that were deemed to be nice people were chanting, Jews will not replace us, and those people are still around. Yeah, a lot of them went to jail.Andrew Keen: Yeah, I mean Trump seemed to have pardoned some of them. And Solly, what do you make of quote-unquote the resistance to Trump in the U.S.? You're a longtime observer of authoritarianism, both personally and in political science terms. One of the headlines the last few days is about the elite universities forming a private collective to resist the Trump administration. Is this for real and is it new? Should we admire the universities or have they been forced into this position?Soli Ozel: Well, I mean, look, you started your talk with the CNN title. Yeah, about the brand, the tarnishing of the U.S. Whatever the CNN stands for. The thing is, there is no question that what is happening today and what has been happening in my judgment over the last two years, particularly on the issue of Gaza, I would not... Exonerate the Biden administration and the way it actually managed its policy vis-a-vis that conflict. There is, of course, a reflection on American policy vis a vis that particular problem and with the Trump administration and 100 days of storm, if you will, around the world, there is a shift in the way people look at the United States. I think it is not a very favorable shift in terms of how people view and understand the United States. Now, that particular thing, the colleges coming together, institutions in the United States where the Americans are very proud of their Madisonian institutions, they believe that that was there. Uh, if you will, insurance policy against an authoritarian drift in their system. Those institutions, both public institutions and private institutions actually proved to be paper tigers. I mean, look at corporations that caved in, look at law firms that arcade that have caved in, Look at Columbia university being, if you will the most egregious example of caving in and plus still not getting the money or not actually stopping the demands that are made on it. So Harvard after equivocating on this finally came up with a response and decided to take the risk of losing massive sums of grants from the federal government. And in fact, it's even suing. The Trump administration for withholding the money that was supposed to go to them. And I guess there is an awakening and the other colleges in order to protect freedom of expression, in order, to protect the independence of higher education in this country, which has been sacrosanct, which is why a lot of people from all around the world, students... Including you and I, right? I mean, that's why we... Yeah, exactly. By the way, it's anywhere between $44 and $50 billion worth of business as well. Then it is there finally coming together, because if you don't hang together, you'll hang separately, is a good American expression that I like. And then trying to defend themselves. And I think this Harvard slope suit, the case of Harvard, is going to be like the Stokes trial of the 1920s on evolution. It's going to be a very similar case, I believe, and it may determine how American democracy goes from now.Andrew Keen: Interesting. You introduced me to Ece Temelkuren, another of your friends from someone who no longer lives in Turkey. She's a very influential Turkish columnist, polemicist. She wrote a famous book, How to Lose a Country. She and you have often compared Turkey. With the rest of the world suggesting that what you're going through in Turkey is the kind of canary in the coal mine for the rest the world. You just came out with a piece, Turkey, a crisis of legitimacy, a massive social mobilization and regional power. I want to get to the details of what's happening in Turkey first. But like Ece, do you see Turkey as the kind of canary and the coalmine that you got into this first? You're kind of leading the narrative of how to address authoritarianism in the 25th century.Soli Ozel: I don't think Turkey was the first one. I think the first one was Hugo Chavez. And then others followed. Turkey certainly is a prominent one. But you know, you and I did other programs and in an earlier era, about 15 years ago. Turkey was actually doing fine. I mean, it was a candidate for membership, still presumably, formally, a candidate for membership in the European Union, but at the time when that thing was alive. Turkey did, I mean, the AKP government or Erdogan as prime minister did a lot of things that were going in the right direction. They certainly demilitarized Turkish politics, but increasingly as they consolidated themselves in power, they moved in a more authoritarian path. And of course, after the coup attempt in 2016 on the 15th of July, that trend towards authoritarianism had been exacerbated and but with the help of a very sui generis if you will unaccountable presidential system we are we find ourselves where we are but The thing is what has been missed out by many abroad was that there was also a very strong resistance that had remained actually unbowing for a long time. And Istanbul, which is, of course, almost a fifth of Turkey's population, 32 percent of its economy, and that's where the pulse of the country actually beats, since 2017 did not vote for Mr Erdogan. I mean, referendum, general election, municipal election. It hasn't, it hasn't. And that is that really, it really represents the future. And today, the disenchantment or discontent has now become much broader, much more broadly based because conservative Anatolia is also now feeling the biting of the economy. And this sense of justice in the country has been severely damaged. And That's what I think explains. The kinds of reaction we had throughout the country to the first arrest and then incarceration of the very popular mayor of Istanbul who is a national figure and who was seen as the main contender for the presidency in the elections that are scheduled to take place in.Andrew Keen: Yeah, and I want to talk more about Turkey's opposition and an interesting New York Times editorial. But before we get there, Soli, you mentioned that the original model was Chavez in Venezuela, of course, who's always considered a leftist populist, whereas Erdogan, Trump, etc., and maybe Netanyahu are considered populists of the right. Is that a useful? Bifurcation in ideological terms or a populist populism that the idea of Chavez being different from Trump because one's on the left and right is really a 20th century mistake or a way of thinking about the 21st century using 20th-century terms.Soli Ozel: Okay, I mean the ideological proclivities do make a difference perhaps, but at the end of the day, what all these populist movements represent is the coming of age or is the coming to power of country elites. Suggests claiming to represent the popular classes whom they say and who are deprived of. Uh, benefits of holding power economically or politically, but once they get established in power and with the authoritarian tilt doesn't really make a distinction in terms of right or wrong. I mean, is Maduro the successor to Chavez a rightist or a leftist? I mean does it really make a difference whether he calls himself a leftists or a rightists? I is unaccountable, is authoritarian. He loses elections and then he claims that he wins these elections and so the ideology that purportedly brought them to power becomes a fig leaf, if you will, justification and maybe the language that they use in order to justify the existing authoritarianism. In that sense, I don't think it makes a difference. Maybe initially it could have made a difference, We have seen populist leaders. Different type of populism perhaps in Latin America. For instance, the Peruvian military was supposed to be very leftist, whereas the Chilean or the Brazilian or the Argentinian or the Uruguayan militaries were very right-wing supported by the church itself. Nicaragua was supposed to be very Leftist, right? They had a revolution, the Sandinista revolution. And look at Daniel Ortega today, does it really matter that he claims himself to be a man of the left? I mean, He runs a family business in Nicaragua. And so all those people who were so very excited about the Nicaraguan Revolution some 45 years ago must be extraordinarily disappointed. I mean, of course, I was also there as a student and wondering what was going to happen in Nicaragua, feeling good about it and all that. And that turned out to be an awful dictatorship itself.Andrew Keen: Yeah, and on this sense, I think you're on the same page as our mutual friend, Moises Naim, who wrote a very influential book a couple of years ago. He's been on the show many times about learning all this from the Latin American playbook because of his experience in Venezuela. He has a front row on this. Solly, is there one? On this, I mean, as I said, you just come out with a piece on the current situation in Turkey and talk a little bit more detail, but is America a few stops behind Turkey? I mean you mentioned that in Turkey now everyone, not just the urban elites in Istanbul, but everyone in the country is beginning to experience the economic decline and consequences of failed policies. A lot of people are predicting the same of Trump's America in the next year or two. Is there just one route in this journey? Is there's just one rail line?Soli Ozel: Like by what the root of established wow a root in the sense of youAndrew Keen: Erdogan or Trump, they come in, they tell lots of lies, they promise a lot of stuff, and then ultimately they can't deliver. Whatever they're promising, the reverse often happens. The people they're supposed to be representing are actually victims of their policies. We're seeing it in America with the consequences of the tariff stuff, of inflation and rise of unemployment and the consequences higher prices. It has something similar. I think of it as the Liz Truss effect, in the sense that the markets ultimately are the truth. And Erdogan, I know, fought the markets and lost a few years ago in Turkey too.Soli Ozel: There was an article last week in Financial Times Weekend Edition, Mr. Trump versus Mr. Market. Trump versus, Mr. Market. Look, first of all, I mean, in establishing a system, the Orban's or Modi's, they all follow, and it's all in Ece's book, of course. You have to control the judiciary, you have to control the media, and then all the institutions. Gradually become under your thumb. And then the way out of it is for first of all, of course, economic problems, economic pain, obviously makes people uncomfortable, but it will have to be combined with the lack of legitimacy, if you will. And that is, I don't think it's right, it's there for in the United States as of yet, but the shock has been so. Robust, if you will, that the reaction to Trump is also rising in a very short period, in a lot shorter period of time than it did in other parts of the world. But economic conditions, the fact that they worsen, is an important matter. But there are other conditions that need to be fulfilled. One of those I would think is absolutely the presence of a political leader that defies the ones in power. And I think when I look at the American scene today, one of the problems that may, one of problems that the political system seems to have, which of course, no matter how economically damaging the Trump administration may be, may not lead to an objection to it. To a loss of power in the midterms to begin with, is lack of leadership in the Democratic Party and lack of a clear perspective that they can share or program that they present to the public at large. Without that, the ones that are in power hold a lot of cards. I mean, it took Turkey about... 18 years after the AKP came to power to finally have potential leaders, and only in 2024 did it become very apparent that now Turkey had more than one leader that could actually challenge Erdogan, and that they also had, if not to support the belief in the public, that they could also run the country. Because if the public does not believe that you are competent enough to manage the affairs of the state or to run the country, they will not vote for you. And leadership truly is an extraordinarily important factor in having democratic change in such systems, what we call electoral authoritarian.Andrew Keen: So what's happened in Turkey in terms of the opposition? The mayor of Istanbul has emerged as a leader. There's an attempt to put him in jail. You talk about the need for an opposition. Is he an ideological figure or just simply younger, more charismatic? More attractive on the media. What do you need and what is missing in the US and what do you have in Turkey? Why are you a couple of chapters ahead on this?Soli Ozel: Well, it was a couple of chapters ahead because we have had the same government or the same ruler for 22 years now.Andrew Keen: And Imamo, I wanted you to pronounce it, Sali, because my Turkish is dreadful. It's worse than most of the other.Soli Ozel: He is the mayor of Istanbul who is now in jail and whose diploma was annulled by the university which actually gave him the diploma and the reason why that is important is if you want to run for president in Turkey, you've got to have a college degree. So that's how it all started. And then he was charged with corruption and terrorism. And he's put in zero. Oh, it's terrorism. There was.Andrew Keen: It's terrorism, they always throw the terrorist bit in, don't they, Simon?Soli Ozel: Yeah, but that dossier is, for the moment, pending. It has not been closed, but it is pending. Anyway, he is young, but his major power is that he can touch all segments of society, conservative, nationalist, leftist. And that's what makes people compare him also with Erdogan who also had a touch of appealing to different segments of the population. But of course, he's secular. He's not ideological, he's a practical man. And Istanbul's population is about anywhere between 16 and 18 million people. It's larger than many countries in Europe. And to manage a city like Istanbul requires really good managerial skills. And Imamoglu managed this in spite of the fact that central government cut its resources, made sure that there was obstruction in every step that he wanted to take, and did not help him a bit. And that still was continuing. Still, he won once. Then there was a repeat election. He won again. And this time around, he one with a landslide, 54% against 44% of his opponent, which had all theAndrew Keen: So the way you're presenting him, is he running as a technocrat or is he running as a celebrity?Soli Ozel: No, he's running as a politician. He's running a politician, he is a popular politician. Maybe you can see tinges of populism in him as well, but... He is what, again, what I think his incarceration having prompted such a wide ranging segments of population really kind of rebelling against this incarceration has to do with the fact that he has resonance in Anatolia. Because he does not scare conservative people. He aspires the youth because he speaks to them directly and he actually made promises to them in Istanbul that he kept, he made their lives easier. And he's been very creative in helping the poorer segments of Istanbul with a variety of programs. And he has done this without really being terribly pushing. So, I mean, I think I sense that the country sees him as its next ruler. And so to attack him was basically tampering with the verdict of the ballot box. That's, I, think how the Turkish public interpreted it. And for good historical reasons, the ballot box is really pretty sacred in Turkey. We usually have upwards of 80% of participation in the election.Andrew Keen: And they're relatively, I mean, not just free, but the results are relatively honest. Yeah, there was an interesting New York Times editorial a couple of days ago. I sent it over. I'm sure you'd read it anyway. Turkey's people are resisting autocracy. They deserve more than silence. I mean from Trump, who has very peculiar relations, he has peculiar relations with everyone, but particularly it seems with Turkey does, in your view, does Turkey needs or the resistance or the mayor of Istanbul this issue, need more support from the US? Would it make any difference?Soli Ozel: Well, first of all, the current American administration didn't seem to particularly care that the arrest and incarceration of the mayor of Istanbul was a bit, to say the least, was awkward and certainly not very legal. I mean, Mario Rubio said, Marco Rubio said that he had concerns. But Mr. Witkoff, in the middle of demonstrations that were shaking the country, Mr. Witkof said it to Tucker Carlson's show that there were very wonderful news coming out of Turkey. And of course, President Trump praised Erdogan several times. They've been on the phone, I think, five times. And he praised Erdogan in front of Bibi Netanyahu, which obviously Bibi Netanyah did not particularly appreciate either. So obviously the American administration likes Mr. Erdogans and will support him. And whatever the Turkish public may or may not want, I don't think is of great interest toAndrew Keen: What about the international dimension, sorry, Putin, the Ukrainian war? How does that play out in terms of the narrative unfolding in Turkey?Soli Ozel: Well, first of all, of course, when the Assad regime fell,Andrew Keen: Right, and as that of course. And Syria of course as well posts that.Soli Ozel: Yeah, I mean, look, Turkey is in the middle of two. War zones, no? Syria was one and the Ukraine is the other. And so when the regime fell and it was brought down by groups that were protected by Turkey in Idlib province of Syria. Everybody argued, and I think not wrongly, that Turkey would have a lot of say over the future of Syria. And I think it will. First of all, Turkey has about 600 miles or 911 kilometer border with Syria and the historical relations.Andrew Keen: And lots of Syrian refugees, of course.Soli Ozel: At the peak, there were about 4 million, I think it's now going down. President Erdogan said that about 200,000 already went back since the overthrow of the regime. And then of course, to the north, there is Ukraine, Russia. And of course this elevates Turkey's strategic importance or geopolitical importance. Another issue that raises Turkish geopolitical importance is, of course, the gradual withdrawal of the United States from providing security to Europe under the umbrella of NATO, North Atlantic Alliance. And as the Europeans are being forced to fetch for themselves for their security, non-EU members of NATO such as Britain, Norway, Turkey, their importance becomes more accentuated as well. And so Turkey and the European Union were in the process of at least somewhat normalizing their relations and their dialog. So what happened domestically, therefore, did not get much of a reaction from the EU, which is supposed to be this paragon of rights and liberties and all that. But But it also left Turkey in a game in an awkward situation, I would think, because things could have gone much, much better. The rapprochement with the European Union could have moved a lot more rapidly, I will think. But geopolitical advantages are there. Obviously, the Americans care a lot for it. And whatever it is that they're negotiating with the Turkish government, we will soon find out. It is a... It is a country that would help stabilize Syria. And that's what President Trump also said, that he would adjudicate between Israel and Turkey over Syria, because these two countries which have been politically at odds, but strategically usually in very good terms. Whether or not the, so to avoid a clash between the two in Syria was important for him. So Turkey's international situation will continue to be important, but I think without the developments domestically, Turkey's position and profile would have been much more solid.Andrew Keen: Comparing US and Turkey, the US military has never participated, at least overtly, in politics, whereas the Turkish military, of course, has historically. Where's the Turkish Military on this? What are they thinking about these imprisonments and the increasing unpopularity of the current regime?Soli Ozel: I think the demilitarization of the Turkish political system was accomplished by the end of the 2000s, so I don't think anybody knows what the military thinks and I'm not sure that anybody really wonders what the army thinks. I think Erdogan has certainly on the top echelons of the military, it has full control. Whether or not the cadets in the Turkish military are lower echelons. Do have political views at odds with that of the government that is not visible. And I don't think the Turkish military should be designing or defining our political system. We have an electorate. We do have a fairly, how shall I say, a public that is fairly attuned to its own rights. And believes certainly in the sanctity of the ballot box, it's been resisting for quite some time and it is defying the authorities and we should let that take its course. I don't think we need the military to do it.Andrew Keen: Finally, Soli, you've been very generous with your time from Vienna. It's late afternoon there. Let's end where we began with this supposed tarnishing of the U.S. Brand. As we noted earlier, you and I have invested our lives, if for better or worse, in the U S brand. We've always been critical, but we've also been believers in this. It's also important in this brand.Soli Ozel: It is an important grant.Andrew Keen: So how do we, and I don't like this term, maybe there is a better term, brands suggest marketing, something not real, but there is something real about the US. How do we re-establish, or I don't know what the word is, a polish rather than tarnish the US brand? What needs to happen in the U.S.Soli Ozel: Well, I think we will first have to see the reinvigoration of institutions in the United States that have been assaulted. That's why I think the Harvard case... Yeah, and I love you.Andrew Keen: Yeah, and I love your idea of comparing it to the Scopes trial of 1926. We probably should do a whole show on that, it's fascinating idea.Soli Ozel: Okay, and then the Democratic Party will have to get its act together. I don't know how long it will take for them to get their act together, they have not been very...Andrew Keen: Clever. But some Democrats will say, well, there's more than one party. The Sanders AOC wing has done its job. People like Gavin Newsom are trying to do their job. I mean, you can't have an official party. There's gonna be a debate. There already is a debate within the party between the left and the right.Soli Ozel: The thing is, debates can be endless, and I don't think there is time for that. First of all, I think the decentralized nature of American governance is also an advantage. And I think that the assault has been so forceful that everybody has woken up to it. It could have been the frog method, you know, that is... Yeah, the boiling in the hot water. So, already people have begun to jump and that is good, that's a sign of vitality. And therefore, I think in due time, things will be evolving in a different direction. But, for populist or authoritarian inclined populist regimes, control of the institutions is very important, so you've got to be alert. And what I discovered, studying these things and looking at the practice. Executive power is a lot of power. So separation of powers is fine and good, but the thing is executive power is really very... Prominent and the legislature, especially in this particular case with the Republican party that has become the instrument of President Trump, and the judiciary which resists but its power is limited. I mean, what do you do when a court decision is not abided by the administration? You cannot send the police to the White House.Andrew Keen: Well, you might have to, that's why I asked the military question.Soli Ozel: Well, it's not up to the military to do this, somehow it will have to be resolved within the civilian democratic system, no matter where. Yes, the decks are stacked against the opposition in most of these cases, but then you'll have to fight. And I think a lot hinges on how corporations are going to react from now on. They have bet on Trump, and I suppose that many of them are regretting because of the tariffs. I just was at a conference, and there was a German business person who said that he has a factory in Germany and a factory in Ohio. And he told me that within three months there would not be any of the goods that he produces on the shelves because of tariffs. Once this begins to hit, then you may see a different dynamic in the country as well, unless the administration takes a U-turn. But if it does take a U turn, it will also have weakened itself, both domestically and internationally.Andrew Keen: Yeah, certainly, to put it mildly. Well, as we noted, Soli, what's real is economics. The rest is perhaps froth or lies or propaganda. Soli Ozel: It's a necessary condition. Without that deteriorating, you really cannot get things on values done.Andrew Keen: In other words, Marx was right, but perhaps in a slightly different context. We're not going to get into Marx today, Soli, we're going to get you back on the show. Cause I love that comparison with the current, the Harvard Trump legal thing, comparing it to Scopes. I think I hadn't thought of that. It's a very interesting idea. Keep well, keep safe, keep telling the truth from Central Europe and Turkey. As always, Solia, it's an honor to have you on the show. Thank you so much.Soli Ozel: Thank you, Andrew, for having me.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Olá! Seja muito bem-vindo ao Minuto Escola Sabatina! Comentário Semanal da Lição 3. De 12 a 18 de abril.Tema da semana: Imagens do Casamento, Tema Geral: Alusões, Imagens e Símbolos.O casamento é uma das imagens mais belas e poderosas que Deus escolheu para ilustrar Seu relacionamento com o Seu povo. Ao longo das Escrituras, tanto no Antigo quanto no Novo Testamento, essa metáfora nos convida a refletir sobre exclusividade, fidelidade, intimidade e aliança. Nesta semana, a lição nos levou a um passeio profundo por diferentes momentos bíblicos onde o casamento é símbolo da aliança de amor entre Deus e Seus filhos.A jornada começa no Éden, onde o casamento foi instituído como uma bênção divina, conforme Gênesis, capítulo 2, versículo 24. A expressão “uma só carne” aponta para um relacionamento exclusivo, leal e duradouro — reflexo da relação que Deus deseja manter com cada um de nós. Paulo e Jesus reforçam essa ideia, destacando que a união conjugal deve ser um reflexo do amor divino, conforme Efésios, capítulo 5, versículos 28 a 31 e Mateus, capítulo 19, versículo 6.Olhando para os profetas, especialmente Ezequiel, vemos que Jerusalém, a “noiva” de Deus, se tornou infiel, esquecendo-se de quem a embelezou. Ainda assim, o Senhor não anulou Sua aliança. Em vez disso, promete restaurar a cidade e torná-la gloriosa outra vez — um vislumbre da Nova Jerusalém que descerá do Céu adornada como uma noiva, Apocalipse 21.Em Oseias, o casamento com uma mulher infiel representa a dor de Deus ao ver Seu povo flertando com a idolatria. Mesmo diante da traição, o amor divino permanece, insistente, chamando os desviados de volta — “Sai dela, povo Meu!” Apocalipse, capítulo 18, versículo 4.O relato de Isaque e Rebeca nos lembra que os compromissos matrimoniais têm implicações espirituais profundas. A escolha do cônjuge é uma decisão que influencia a jornada de fé. Casamentos entre crentes e descrentes, ao longo da Bíblia, resultaram em desvios trágicos. A igreja é chamada a manter sua identidade espiritual separada, ainda que no mundo.Por fim, Apocalipse 19 nos revela o grande clímax: a queda da prostituta (Babilônia) e a celebração do casamento do Cordeiro. A justiça de Deus é exaltada, a graça é reconhecida, e a noiva — purificada e fiel — se prepara para o encontro eterno com seu Noivo.O casamento como símbolo da aliança entre Deus e Seu povo carrega um convite: ser fiel, exclusivo e comprometido com o Senhor. Como a noiva do Cordeiro, somos chamados a viver de maneira santa, resistindo aos apelos de um mundo sedutor, que tenta constantemente nos afastar da verdade.A queda de Babilônia e o juízo divino não são apenas alertas; são também promessas de restauração. O céu não será habitado por pessoas perfeitas, mas por pessoas fiéis, que aceitaram a graça de Cristo e se mantiveram firmes no amor.A história de amor entre Deus e Seu povo é antiga, real e eterna. Como Policarpo, que diante da morte não negou seu Salvador. E foi uma figura importante da igreja primitiva. Ele foi discípulo direto do apóstolo João e, por isso, é considerado um elo precioso entre os apóstolos e os cristãos da geração seguinte. Como bispo de Esmirna (atual Izmir, na Turquia), ele liderou a igreja local durante um tempo de perseguições severas do Império Romano.A frase em questão foi dita quando ele estava sendo julgado por se recusar a adorar o imperador romano e negar sua fé em Cristo. O procônsul romano insistia para que ele amaldiçoasse o nome de Jesus, o que era uma forma simbólica de renúncia à fé cristã. Em resposta, Policarpo disse com firmeza, abre aspas, há oitenta e seis anos eu O tenho servido, e Ele nunca me fez mal algum. Como posso blasfemar contra meu Rei que me salvou?, fecha aspas.O convite para o casamento do Cordeiro está feito. A pergunta é: você está se preparando como a noiva?

"Yaramaz", der Titel des neuen, zweiten Albums von Güner Künier, lässt sich in etwa mit "Frechdachs" oder, etwas negativer, "Nichtsnutz" übersetzen, wie die in Izmir geborene, in Flensburg aufgewachsene und mittlerweile in Berlin lebende Musikerin unlängst bei ihrem Besuch als unsere "Lokalmatadorin" erklärte. Weiter verriet sie, dass die Frage, warum eigentlich unruhige Kinder (wie sie selbst eines war) immer wieder mit dieser als Kosewort getarnten Ermahnung in ihre Schranken verwiesen werden, sie auf dem Weg zu diesem Album beschäftigt hatte. Dementsprechend vermitteln die darauf enthaltenen Elektro-Punk-Songs mit mal englischen, mal türkischen Texten eine unüberhörbare Ausbruchsstimmung. Sie erzählen eine Coming-of-Age-Geschichte und sind damit so etwas wie eine klangliche Umsetzung des Kampfes um Selbstermächtigung, den Künier auch in ihrem Leben führt und zu dem beispielsweise das Absolvieren eines Studiums der Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens gehört, durch das sie sich, wie sie sagt, "durchboxte", um so ein gewisses Sicherheitsfundament für die Unwägbarkeiten des Künstlerinnendaseins zu schaffen. Am 15. Mai wird sie ein Konzert in der Kantine am Berghain geben; wir freuen uns, Güner Künier schon heute Abend im studioeins begrüßen zu können, um vielleicht noch ein bisschen mehr über sie zu erfahren, auf jeden Fall aber ein paar dieser wundervollen energiestrotzenden Songs live zu hören.

"Yaramaz", der Titel des neuen, zweiten Albums von Güner Künier, lässt sich in etwa mit "Frechdachs" oder, etwas negativer, "Nichtsnutz" übersetzen, wie die in Izmir geborene, in Flensburg aufgewachsene und mittlerweile in Berlin lebende Musikerin unlängst bei ihrem Besuch als unsere "Lokalmatadorin" erklärte. Weiter verriet sie, dass die Frage, warum eigentlich unruhige Kinder (wie sie selbst eines war) immer wieder mit dieser als Kosewort getarnten Ermahnung in ihre Schranken verwiesen werden, sie auf dem Weg zu diesem Album beschäftigt hatte. Dementsprechend vermitteln die darauf enthaltenen Elektro-Punk-Songs mit mal englischen, mal türkischen Texten eine unüberhörbare Ausbruchsstimmung. Sie erzählen eine Coming-of-Age-Geschichte und sind damit so etwas wie eine klangliche Umsetzung des Kampfes um Selbstermächtigung, den Künier auch in ihrem Leben führt und zu dem beispielsweise das Absolvieren eines Studiums der Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens gehört, durch das sie sich, wie sie sagt, "durchboxte", um so ein gewisses Sicherheitsfundament für die Unwägbarkeiten des Künstlerinnendaseins zu schaffen. Am 15. Mai wird sie ein Konzert in der Kantine am Berghain geben; wir freuen uns, Güner Künier schon heute Abend im studioeins begrüßen zu können, um vielleicht noch ein bisschen mehr über sie zu erfahren, auf jeden Fall aber ein paar dieser wundervollen energiestrotzenden Songs live zu hören.

"Yaramaz", der Titel des neuen, zweiten Albums von Güner Künier, lässt sich in etwa mit "Frechdachs" oder, etwas negativer, "Nichtsnutz" übersetzen, wie die in Izmir geborene, in Flensburg aufgewachsene und mittlerweile in Berlin lebende Musikerin unlängst bei ihrem Besuch als unsere "Lokalmatadorin" erklärte. Weiter verriet sie, dass die Frage, warum eigentlich unruhige Kinder (wie sie selbst eines war) immer wieder mit dieser als Kosewort getarnten Ermahnung in ihre Schranken verwiesen werden, sie auf dem Weg zu diesem Album beschäftigt hatte. Dementsprechend vermitteln die darauf enthaltenen Elektro-Punk-Songs mit mal englischen, mal türkischen Texten eine unüberhörbare Ausbruchsstimmung. Sie erzählen eine Coming-of-Age-Geschichte und sind damit so etwas wie eine klangliche Umsetzung des Kampfes um Selbstermächtigung, den Künier auch in ihrem Leben führt und zu dem beispielsweise das Absolvieren eines Studiums der Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens gehört, durch das sie sich, wie sie sagt, "durchboxte", um so ein gewisses Sicherheitsfundament für die Unwägbarkeiten des Künstlerinnendaseins zu schaffen. Am 15. Mai wird sie ein Konzert in der Kantine am Berghain geben; wir freuen uns, Güner Künier schon heute Abend im studioeins begrüßen zu können, um vielleicht noch ein bisschen mehr über sie zu erfahren, auf jeden Fall aber ein paar dieser wundervollen energiestrotzenden Songs live zu hören.

Hallo Freunde freue mich sehr euch heute eine neue Episode meiner Indie Dance The Mix Series präsentieren zu können... Diesmal mit Dj İlayda B. aus Izmir, Türkei. Viel Spaß Kurt Kjergaard Hello friends, I'm very happy to present you a new episode of my Indie Dance The Mix series today... This time with DJ İlayda B. from Izmir, Türkiye. Enjoy, Kurt Kjergaard BIO Ilayda B. is a versatile artist who is a DJ and psychologist based in İzmir, Turkey. Rooted in House, Indie Dance, Dark Disco, and Italo Body Music, she blends driving rhythms with hypnotic grooves, deep layers, and acid elements. For her, music is a vital form of self-expression. Through her sets, she creates immersive atmospheres that move both the body and the mind. LINKS SOUNDCLOUD https://soundcloud.com/ilayddab INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/ilayddab/ YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0m4DZFCvIs&t=1991s Tracklist Whitesquare – Visual Distortion of Reality Baldo – Ride the Night (Red Axes Remix) Amarcord – Reject This Wave Cyda - Dark Energy Martin Cozar – Call Me When You Are Sober (Rigopolar Remix) Mystery Affair – Rocket (Jenouise Remix) Port Manteau – Mugshot HOTPRETTY – Pure Play BadWolf, XXOFF – Dame Mas Ubbah, Brigado Crew & Winnick – Too Late (Damon Jee Remix) DJ Milka, Alex Aguayo – Disco Dream (Zombies in Miami Remix) Pablo Bozzi – Reach for the Lasers Disclaimer: All material on this channel is posted with the explicit consent of the artist/labels and no copyrights are violated in any way. If you are a copyright owner and want your work to be removed from our channel please contact us with a personal message here and we will remove your material right away. Please note that we do not benefit from posting this material and have only the intention to help new and emerging artist to be heard by supporting & promoting podcasts. Thx a lot... Kurt Kjergaard

31-letni Turek Emre Edabali je najprej prišel v Slovenijo zaradi študija. Nato se je vrnil zaradi pripravništva. In ker mu Slovenija še kar ni dala miru, se je pred tremi leti – v tretje torej za daljše obdobje – preselil v Velenje. Kako sta si Velenje in Izmir podobna oz. v čem se razlikujeta, razloži v Drugem pogledu.

Send us a textImagine being forced to run a race where losing means death. That's exactly what happened to Grand Vizier Haci Salih Pasha in 1822, a dramatic and little-known chapter from the annals of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire, one of history's most formidable powers, spanned over 600 years, commanding vast territories across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Renowned for its rich culture, breathtaking architecture, and intricate political system, it was a world where power and peril walked hand in hand—especially for the Grand Vizier, the Sultan's second-in-command.Haci Salih Pasha hailed from Izmir, a bustling port city in the Ottoman realm. His journey to power began modestly—serving as master of the barley and minister of powdermills—before his administrative prowess and loyalty propelled him to deputy grand vizier. In 1821, he ascended to the coveted role of Grand Vizier. Yet, this prestigious position came with a deadly catch: the Grand Vizier was often the fall guy for the empire's troubles.During Salih Pasha's tenure, the Ottoman Empire grappled with the Greek War of Independence. For centuries, the Greeks had lived under Ottoman rule, but now they fought fiercely for freedom. The conflict was brutal, marked by atrocities on both sides. Despite Salih Pasha's efforts, the Ottoman forces faltered, and Sultan Mahmud II grew increasingly displeased. In 1822, the Sultan summoned Salih Pasha to Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, a sprawling complex that served as the sultans' residence for over four centuries. Within its walls lay the Sultan's garden—a serene oasis of lush greenery and elegant fountains, soon to become the stage for a life-or-death ordeal.Upon arrival, Salih Pasha faced a chilling ritual: he was handed a cup of sherbet. White sherbet signaled safety; red meant death. When he received the red sherbet, his fate seemed sealed. But there was one last chance—the “Death Race.” In this extraordinary ritual, the condemned Grand Vizier had to outrun the chief executioner through the garden to the Fish Market Gate. Victory meant exile and survival; defeat meant immediate execution.The odds were stacked against Salih Pasha. At 50 years old, clad in a long ceremonial tunic unsuited for sprinting, he faced a young, agiRead MF Thomas' novels Like Clockwork https://amzn.to/417lOzyArcade https://amzn.to/4aTpisxA Sickness in Time https://amzn.to/41apSPKSeeing by Moonlight ...

 Parlamentari rusi acuză România de acţiuni ostile faţă de Federaţia Rusă şi au sesizat Procuratura Generală şi Ministerul de Externe de la Moscova. Comisia Dumei de Stat pentru investigarea amestecului statelor străine în afacerile interne ale Rusiei a analizat materialele forumului „Marea Neagră: frontiera viitorului pentru o Europă sigură şi stabilă” desfăşurat recent în Parlamentul României cu participarea reprezentanţilor unei organizaţii teroriste interzise în Rusia”, susţin parlamentarii rusi, fără a preciza insa la ce organizaţie se referă.    În Ankara, Istanbul și Izmir adunările publice rămân intezise până pe 1 aprilieMăsura de interzicere a adunărilor publice în Ankara, capitala Turciei, a fost prelungită până marţi, 1 aprilie, inclusiv, au anunţat autorităţile locale, pe fondul protestelor declanşate de arestarea, săptămâna trecută, a primarului din Istanbul, principalul opozant al preşedintelui Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Autorităţile turce, care se confruta cu cele mai ample manifestaţii de mai bine de un deceniu, au emis interdicţii similare în Istanbul şi Izmir, al treilea oraş ca mărime al ţării.Israelul ia în considerare o nouă ofensivă terestră masivă în GazaIsraelul ia în considerare o nouă ofensivă terestră masivă în Gaza, in incercarea de a spori presiunea asupra Hamas. Inca 59 de ostatici sunt inca in mainile miscarii islamiste. In paralel, continua eforturile Egiptului şi Qatarului de a relansa o încetare a focului între cele doua parti.Iași: Expoziția "Fake News. Pe urmele minciunilor”Si, din această săptămână, ieșenii dar și turiștii pot vizita expoziția „Fake News. Pe urmele minciunilor”! Realizată și curatoriată de Funky Citizens, expoziția interactivă este găzduită de Palatul Culturii. Vizitatorii învață să detecteze și să combată știrile false. Am pregatit un reportaj.

Rescue and patchwork relationship.B Book 3 in 18 parts, y FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Loving your enemy is easy, you know precisely where both of you stand(Right where we left off)The closest Marine had been waiting for me to finish my bonding moment with Menner before speaking. He walked and talked like an officer."You are certainly Mr. Cáel Nyilas," he nodded. "I'm Lt. Robeson, United States Marine Corps. I would like to take you and your party home. What is the situation?""Lieutenant, this young lady is Aya Ruger. She was kidnapped along-side me and managed to kill over twenty of our enemies, so be careful around her." I was deadly serious about what I said. Aya should get proper credit for all the people she sedated then drowned. Dead was dead, even if it was accidental."These two," I pointed to Zhen and Mu, "are Lúsìla ninda and Amar, Taiwanese nationals suffering some shock from the abrupt crash landing of the aircraft. They don't seem to know why they were kidnapped, but they were instrumental in aiding Aya and me making it to shore during the typhoon.""If you say so, Sir," he nodded. He did believe me, yet a soldier was taught to be skeptical of anything a civilian told him about a military situation. "The bodies?""Those are the corpses we found after the storm. I decided we should attempt to place them in your custody so you can figure out who they are," I suggested."Sir, I don't think we can let civilians keep their weapons aboard the flight," the Marine Lt. stated since I had both a pistol and submachine gun, Aya had her pistol and Zhen had her and Mu's blades. A Marine NCO sent a party to gather the dead."Marine, I am Cáel Nyilas, Irish diplomat, freebooter and Champion of the worst possible causes," I began my spiel."You probably have some orders concerning bringing me in alive. I am not so constrained and am more than willing to steal this aircraft and fly back to Hawaii without you. My team keeps their weapons, or you give me your best shot, right now," I met his gaze. He mulled over his options. Two Romanians and two Marines were starting to load the ad hoc body bags aboard the C-37B."Normally I don't take that kind of crap from a civilian and I don't want you to think I'm making an exception because of your Security Clearance. I'll let your people keep your weapons, but if something goes wrong, I'm shooting you first," he assured me."Done deal," I offered my hand and he shook it."Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day," he congratulated me."What?" I gasped. Rescue and patchwork relationships{6 pm, Sunday, August 17th ~ 22 Days to go}{11 pm Sunday, Aug. 17th (Havenstone Time)}{And just this once, 11am Monday, Aug. 18th Beijing Time}"Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day;, nice work.," the Marine congratulated me."What?""How is that possible?" muttered Mu."Yippee!! No more burning monks," Aya fist-pumped. Personally, I think she did that for the enjoyment of our guardians and to piss off Zhen and Mu just a tiny bit more.(Mandarin) "Brother," Zhen studied her brother's pained expression. "What has gone wrong?"(Mandarin) "The province of Tibet apparently has broken away," he groused. In English, to the Marine Lieutenant he repeated, "How is this possible?""I take it you didn't know Peace Talks had broken out?" he grinned. I doubted the Lt. bought my 'these are my two Taiwanese cobelligerents' story, but belief was above his pay grade, so he didn't give a shit."Yes," Mu mumbled, "we knew of the proposed cease-fire.""Yes, you mean both sides actually honored it?" I added. I really had been out things for a while."Nearly two days ago, noon, Peking Time, the People's Republic of China and the Khanate put a six month cease-fire into effect which has remained intact for forty-one," he looked at his watch, "forty-one and a half hours." He was being a cock to the petulant Mu. No one called Beijing 'Peking' anymore. I had even ordered Beijing Duck on several menus. Peking was the height of Western Imperialist thinking, or so it looked to Mu.(Mandarin) "He is yanking your chain, Mu," I explained. "You are looking pissed off at being rescued, which isn't doing my alibi for you much good.""My apology," Mu nodded to the lieutenant. "Is there any news from the Republic of China? Are they free as well?" That was nice of Mu to call Taiwan by its pet name, the ROC."Not yet," he patted Mu's unwounded leg, "but with the utter shellacking the Khanate put on the People's Navy (really the People's Liberation Army Navy, but the Marine was getting his shots in) it is only a matter of time."I had been translating in a low voice to the V nători de munte in order for them to keep up with the conversation. They all started laughing. The Marines joined in. There was a huge joke here that we had missed out on while stranded.(Romanian) "So, ask them if they know where their aircraft carrier is," Menner chuckled. Most Romanians had grown up knowing of only one China.Me: (Romanian) "What!"A Naval Corpsman who didn't know Romanian, but knew 'aircraft carrier' just fine jumped in: "Oh yeah, the missing Chinese Aircraft carrier," she chortled.Mu: "What!"I'd only been gone two and a half days. What the hell had been going on?(What had transpired in my absence and the subsequent consequences)(Notes:P R C = People's Republic of China; PLA = People's Liberation Army;P L A N = People's Liberation Army Navy;P L A A F = People's Liberation Army Air Force;R O C = the Republic of China {aka Taiwan, aka Chinese Taipei, aka the "other China"};The First Unification War {aka what the Khanate did to China in 2014};Truce lasts from August 16th 2014 until February 15th, 2015 = 183 days)There are several classic blunders grownups should know to avoid: never fight a land war in Asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and, if you are going to cross a master thief, first make sure you have nothing of value. For the land war in Asia, check with my partner, the Khanate. Substituting Black Hand for Sicilian ~ check with Ajax, use an Ouija board. So far, destiny was batting .500.The last blunder I created entirely on my own, but I felt it was the true and right response for the circumstances. So witness the Six Families of the Ninja and the greatest theft in all of recorded history.In the closing hours of the First Unification War, as in many wars, some serious theft was going on; mainly it was the People's Republic getting fleeced.The most obvious and immediate blows came in the Spratlys and Parcel Islands where Khanate forces (actually, elements from all the JIKIT players) seized the key island in the Parcel chain, Woody Island, and secured the P L A N base the Chinese had created there, including the 2,700 meter runway built there in the 1990's. The 1,443 Chinese civilians and 600 military inhabitants in the area were incidental complications and the survivors were about to be 'repatriated' to the mainland anyway; the Khanate didn't want them hanging around as they prepared for the inevitable end of the six-month truce.Yes, the Khanate had stolen the most important island airfield ~ an unsinkable carrier really ~ in the South China Sea. It was also the northern end of the potential People's Republic of China's stranglehold on the east-west sea lanes between East Asia and the rest of the World, i.e., roughly 25% of all global trade.The southern end? That would be the Spratlys. There are few 'real' islands in that 'island group' and only two worth having: the artificial one the P L A N was building and the one the ROC has a 1200 meter airfield on. That artificial island and every other PRC/P L A N outpost in the region was also stolen by the Khanate between 4 a.m. and noon of that final day of active conflict.Every geological feature that had been the basis for the PRC's claims to all of the South China Sea was now in Khanate hands. Considering how much the P L A N had bullied everyone else in that portion of the globe, the Khanate taking over their geopolitical position was incredibly awkward. It was going to get worse.Technically, the Khanate hadn't stolen the P L A N 'South Sea Fleet' (SSF); they'd blown the fuck out of it, including sinking the sole fully-functioning P L A N carrier Liaoning as well as five of the nine destroyers and six of the nineteen frigates in her battle group. The Liaoning and one destroyer had died in those last few hours as the SSF was racing for the relative safety of Philippine waters ~ so close, but no cigar.So the Khanate had stolen the ability of the P L A N to project power in the South China Sea until February 15th, 2015 when the U N brokered truce ended. But that was not the epic theft, though. That distinction went to the Ninja. What did they steal? A semi-functional Chinese nuclear powered super-aircraft carrier still under construction.The beast had no official name yet, but she was a 75,000 ton engine of Global Domination laid down in 2011 and clearly complete enough to float and to be steered under her own power. (To be on the safe side, the Ninja included stealing four tugboats to help in their getaway.) So, you may be asking yourself, how does one 'steal' a nuclear-powered, 1000 foot long, 275 foot wide and ten-story tall vessel?For starters, you need a plan to get on board the sucker. We had begun with the Black Lotus. They wanted to sneak onboard, exit the dockyard the ship was being built in, then sink it off the coast so it couldn't be easily salvaged. That was plan A.Enter the Khanate and their plans; they too wanted to sink this vessel, and destroy the dry docks while they were at it. That was plan B. Actually, the Khanate desire was to contaminate that whole section of the port city with fallout from shattered reactors. They knew they would have to apply overkill when they smashed that bitch of a ship because the PLAN had hurriedly put on board its defensive weaponry ~ ensuring that the Khanate couldn't easily destroy it. For their approach, Temujin's people wanted the Black Lotus' help with the on-the-ground intelligence work. But the Black Lotus didn't want to help anyone irradiate Chinese soil.Enter JIKIT as referee. All those islands the 'Khanate' was busy stealing were actually part of a larger JIKIT mission called Operation Prism. Another object that was a part of the overall plan was Operation Wo Fat, the sinking of the Liaoning ~ again GPS direction and distance to be courtesy of the Black Lotus.JIKIT absolutely needed the Black Lotus. The Black Lotus wouldn't help anyone planning on poisoning any part of China for the next thousand years. Sinking the unnamed and incomplete vessel off the coast in deep waters meant no nuclear leakage and plenty of post-war time to salvage the wreck before it did start to hemorrhage. The Khanate wanted to kill this potential strategic nightmare no matter what it cost the Chinese ecology.JIKIT went to the Ninja to help them adjudicate the issue. All the lights flared brightly in Ninja-Town when they heard of that delicate dilemma. They could make everybody happy and send a clear message to the Seven Pillars expressing how unhappy the six surviving families were about the 7P's trying to annihilate them when all of this 'unpleasantness' began.The Khanate was already going to blast the shipyards and docks, the Black Lotus was already going to sail the ship into deep waters, so why not take it one step further, sail the ship into Japanese waters and declare it Khanate property as a colossal Fuck You! to the PRC, PLAN and specifically the Seven Pillars, all at the same time?Now normally, you can't steal a ship that big. The owners will notice it is missing and come looking for it. And you can't sell or hide the damn thing. So, you steal it at the tail end of a war before the players can capture, or sink it. It just so happened the Ninja had access to a war and such a time table.The next problem: where do you put it? The Khanate's closest safe haven was 8,000 km away at the Eastern Mediterranean Seaport of Izmir.But wait!The Khanate was about to steal an island airbase with its own (albeit small) harbor. The Khanate was confident that a few weeks after the truce, an alternate port, or two, would become available for the two-to-three year process it would require to prepare the vessel so it could be commissioned as the true warship it was meant to be.So, how do you steal a well-guarded, humongous ship with its skeleton crew of 500? You need a distraction ~ a big one. Remember those Khanate airstrikes? They intended to destroy the dockyards anyway. Now all they had to do was 'miss' the carrier.They could do that. If you recall, to dissuade the Khanate from sinking the ship in the final days of the war, the PLAN had hastily put teeth on the thing by giving it all its pre-designed defensive weaponry and added jury-rigged radar and sonar systems. The carrier could defend itself if needed. With the new plan (C), the airstrikes could avoid those teeth, thus reducing the risk of losing their precious planes and pilots.A series of bombing runs and missile hits near the carrier would convince the PLAN admiral in charge to hurriedly put some distance between the ship and shore, Not out to sea. That would be stupid. Within the harbor, his weaponry could adequately defend his ship. And if she took serious damage, he could run her aground, so the vessel wouldn't really sink.The only problem was that out in the harbor, with everything exploding, he was away from the only ground security support available. That was when the Amazons, Black Lotus, Ninja and JIKIT mercenaries would make their move. How could they sneak up on such a big, important ship? By using the submarines the US Navy, the British Royal Navy and Japanese Defense Force were providing, of course.Note: As I stated earlier, Lady Fathom, Addison and Riki had wandered way off the reservation . By this time, if you were a Japanese, British, or American submarine commander in the Yellow Sea and you weren't part of this madness, you were insanely jealous of those who were.The missions JIKIT was sending them on were:-definitely Acts of War if they were ever discovered,-far more dangerous than any war game exercise they'd ever been part of, and-the ultimate test of their crews and equipment.These people weren't suicidal. They believed they were the best sneaks under the Seven Seas and now they could prove it ~ in 50 years when this stuff was declassified (if it ever was).For the one American, two British and four Japanese submarines inserting the assault teams, this whole mission had a surreal feel to it. They were transporting a packed assortment of women of Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian descent along with some very lithe Japanese ladies and gents, none of who talked a whole lot.There was a third group with the spooky women and spookier Japanese teams, and that group was scared shitless about the sudden turn their lives had taken. They were all former American and British servicewomen (to not tick off the Amazons too much) with carrier and/or nuclear reactor experience who had been RIFed (Reduction in Force, aka fired) in the past five years from their respective national navies.Around a week ago, they had all answered an advertisement by a logistics support corporation that was going to do a 'force modernization' in an unnamed country. They all knew that mean the Khanate. The job had been laid out as 'basically your old job with the addition of training the natives' and it included the promise of no combat.It was a guaranteed five year contract with an option for a year-to-year extensions for another five years if you desired to stick around. For that, you received your 'pay grade upon retirement + 20%', free room and board, private security, judicial protections and a $10,000 to $10,900 signing bonus. For many struggling military families, it was manna from Heaven and thousands were signing up.Then 72 hours ago, a different group from the same company came knocking on the women's doors. If you could come with them right then and there, they had a satchel of money, $100,000 to $109,000, tax free, and a Non-disclosure Agreement for you to sign. Sure, the deal sounded shady, but the money was very real.Twenty-four hours later those who accepted the money found themselves in a small fishing village on Ko Island, Japan. There some rather fiercely intense people outlined the job they were needed for. From a submarine, the assault teams would sneak aboard the carrier, neutralize the crew and then the new crew (them) would sail it to Jeju, Jeju Island, South Korea.At that point they would be allowed to stay with the vessel (preferred), or depart for a non-war zone of their choice. Both options came with another $100,000 to $109,000 payment. Anyone who declined this particular job would remain incognito on Ko Island for another 48 hours then be allowed to leave without the need to return their initial payment.Of the 312 job applicants, 293 volunteered for both the first and second parts of the assignment. With the technical and linguistic expertise of the Amazons and 9 Clan members that would be enough to get their prize to Jeju Island's temporary safety and then make the last leg to Woody Island and a more permanent anchorage.Besides the airstrikes to goad the carrier away from the wharves, all the Khanate had to do with the carrier was put three or four clearly Mongolian faces onboard when the various nations of the world came calling. After all, what was the public going to believe:, the Khanate had pulled off yet another daring (i.e., mostly JIKIT) Special Forces coup, just as they'd managed to do throughout this short war, or that 'Ninjas stole my Battleship, umm, carrier' stuff some PRC leaders were claiming? Forty-eight hours later the whole globe was able to watch the newly named Khanate supercarrier, the  z Beg Khan, passing through Japanese territorial waters while being escorted by South Korean and Japanese warships.The PRC did complain to the United Nations over the 'theft' of both the carrier and 'their' islands, but the Security Council, led by the UK, could and would do nothing about the 'latest round of injustices heaped upon the People of China'. By the time the UN got around to doing nothing, the next round of JIKIT diplomacy was causing the PRC even greater headaches.That greatest theft, while remarkable in its own right, was really a sideshow to the reordering of the political order in Southeast Asia. The big winner wasn't the Khanate. And it certainly wasn't the mainland Chinese. No, the nations to immediately prosper were an unlikely pair, the Republic of India and the People's Republic of Vietnam (PRV). The Republic of China (R O C) was also getting its own small boost as well.By gambling their precious navy, India had become the largest power broker in the South China Sea's resource bonanza. She went from a minimal presence to being the critical ally of the Khanate and the 'big stick' (naval-wise) of Asia's new dynamic duo. The Indians had the only two functional aircraft carriers in the region and the Khanate had Woody Island with a mega-carrier number of planes sitting on it.Their combined naval aviation was not something any of the others powers wanted to mess with. The duo then sealed their supremacy by making the duo a trio. That third member was the PRV. Vietnam was the land-based logistical anchor of the three regional powers.Not only did Vietnam gain the prestige denied it for over two centuries, it redressed the P L A N humiliating treatment of their own navy for the past thirty years. The Khanate's naval aviation would shield Vietnam's economic exploitation of the Parcel Islands. The Indian Navy could counter anything the P L A N South China fleet could come at them with.Yes, the P L A N had two other fleets, the Northern and Eastern, but both had been put through their own 1001 levels of Hell by the Khanate's air power, plus they had to protect the Chinese heartland from Russia and North Korean ambitions. The South Koreans and Japanese were suddenly a very real threat from the East too. But for the time being, the Indians had the decisive edge.The final location for the  z Beg Khan was an old familiar haunt for some Americans, Da Nang, PRV. It had the facilities, courtesy of the US military from the 1960's and 70's, to be the new base for the Khanate's Eastern Fleet and logistical hub for their naval aviation forces in the Parcel Islands.The Vietnamese were thinking with more than their testicles, as were the Indians. Sure, geopolitical clout was nice, yet that was only the icing on the economic cake that was the Parcel Island Accords. That hasty bit of JIKIT backroom dealings gave a 50% stake in the Parcels to the PRV.India got 20% of something she had 0% in a month ago. The Khanate gained a 20% stake for their audacity and the ROC gained 10% because the other three would protect its share from the PRC. Something was better than nothing and the three legitimate powers agreed to the deal because in less than six months, the PRC would be back in the game.The Indians and Vietnamese wanted the Khanate to stay interested in the region and the Taiwanese wanted to forge closer ties to the Khanate. That treaty was a 'no-brainer'. Within one week, the Vietnamese were strutting like peacocks and internal political opposition to the Indian intervention into the South China Sea in the Indian parliament was silent.The Spratly Islands was a tougher deal to work out within the six month timetable. There were more players ~ the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand (who had a non-functional carrier). The JIKIT deal gave everyone but the Indians a 10% piece of the huge natural gas, oil and fisheries pie and the Indians got 20% once more.The Philippines and Malaysia were both very opposed to this treaty; they believed they deserved a far larger portion of those regional resources. Indonesia and Thailand also felt they could hold out for a bigger slice and weren't happy with India getting so much for basically having a double handful of ships (34 actually) sailing about.That 'handful of ships' was the point JIKIT was trying to make. If the PRC beat the Khanate next year, did any of the players think the PRC would give them anything, even if they promised them more right now? Really? When the PLAN had the biggest guns, they hadn't respected any other claims to the region. Why would that change in the future?The reality was this: India would only stick around if they had the economic incentive to remain. Vietnam, the Khanate and the ROC were watching the clock and realized this was the best deal they would get. Brunei and the Philippines were also coming to that understanding. Brunei was tiny (thus easy to defend), very rich already and a good ally of the British.The Philippines had a very weak navy and a non-existent naval air force. They couldn't even enforce their current claims versus Brunei, much less confront the PLAN, or any other nation's current military. The Philippines was, sadly, relatively big and very poor. Its big traditional ally was the United States, and the US was currently busy doing 'not much' about the South China Sea situation.The world's biggest navy was partially taking up its traditional (and treaty bound) role of interposing itself between the North Koreans, PLAN/PLAAF and Russians arrayed near Japan and South Korea, or busily not 'ratcheting up tensions' in the region by sending more forces into the front lines.President Obama was urging dialogue and 'stepping back from the brink' even though every country in Southeast Asia felt the brink had already dissipated the moment the PRC was forced to accept the cease-fire. In this context, the Philippines had good reason to be feeling lonely at the moment.Bizarrely, both New Delhi and Hanoi were singing the praises of US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Rt. Honorable Phillip Hammond, Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the UK, for their deft handling of the crisis, thank you, Riki Martin and Lady Yum-Yum.Riki wasn't expecting any thanks. She was certain she'd be fired and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Lady Fathom Worthington-Burke was sure she'd get two additional knighthoods out of the deal, which would look very nice engraved on her tombstone. Javiera had long ago decided to face the music and go down with the ship, so to speak.The CIA's Addison Stuart already had her exit strategy. She was going to go work for the Khanate, building up their clandestine service when this whole mad scheme collapsed into recriminations and 'extreme sanctions'. Mehmet, Air Force Sr. Master Sgt. Billings and Agent-86 had all decided to go with her. Katrina had their escape plane on standby. Mehmet's family was already 'vacationing' in Canada.Anyway, the Republic of India, the Khanate, the Republic of China, the People's Republic of Vietnam (the Vietnamese were happy to already be getting half of the Parcel Island windfall), the Sultanate Brunei (Lady Fathom 'knew' some people and the Sultan was an autocratic Muslim ruler, just like the Great Khan) and the Philippines (because they had no other true choice) were all coming around to signing the Spratly Accords.Indonesia and Thailand were kind of waiting for a better deal. Malaysia was downright hostile, having gravitated toward the PRC over the past decade and been assured by the PRC a better apportionment would be their reward for upsetting the treaty process.The Great Khan's answer was simple. He publically threatened the Malaysian Federation in general and both the King (Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah) and Prime Minister of Malay (Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak) in particular with military action if they kept dragging their feet.He even told them how he'd do it. He'd butcher or expel every living thing in the states of Perlis and Kedah (~ 2.1 million people) and give those empty lands to Thailand to settle along with the added sweetener of Malaysia's 10% of the Spratlys. He would also invade Eastern Malaysia, taking the island state of Labuan for himself while giving Sarawak to Indonesia and Sabah to the Philippines if those to states agreed to the split.He'd also decimate their navy & air force before devastating every port city, just like he'd done to China. He'd already killed more than two million Chinese. What was another two million Malays to him? Also, Indonesia wanted Sarawak and the Philippines had claims on Sabah. While they were openly and publically defying the Great Khan's plan, could Malaysia really take the chance?What would India and Thailand do while this was going on? Thailand stated that it would protect its territorial integrity, whatever that meant. India wasn't returning Malaysia's phone calls while showing their populace re-runs of Malaysian violence against their Hindu minority, the bastards!To the world, the Indian Navy proclaimed it would 'defend itself and its supply lines' which was a subtle hint that they would shepherd any Khanate invasion force to their destination. Why would the Indians be so insensitive? The Malaysians were screwing up their deal to get 20% of both the Parcel and Spratlys wealth, that's why.If the Khanate went down, there was no way India could defend their claims (which they'd won by doing nothing up until now). Oh yeah, Vietnam began gathering up warplanes, warships, transport ships and troops for the quick (710 km) jaunt across the Gulf of Thailand to north-eastern Malaysia to kill Malaysians because Vietnam needed the Khanate to ensure their own economic future as well.That military prospect had a cascade effect, especially among the Indonesian military. If the Indian Navy remained active, the vastly more populous Western Malaysia couldn't reinforce the state of Sarawak. Sure, the Philippines was unlikely to conquer Sabah on their own, but all the Indonesians needed was for Sabah to be kept pre-occupied while their army took their promised territory, fulfilling a fifty year old dream of conquest/unification.The United Nations blustered. It wasn't that they didn't care, they did. They also cared about the deteriorating situations in Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Ukraine. The situation was complicated by the unwillingness of the permanent members of the Security Council, namely the PRC and Russia, to recognize the Khanate.In reverse, when those two tried to stick it to the Khanate, the UK stoically vetoed them. Why? Well, more on that later. Let's just say the Khanate was good for business in the European Union in general and the United Kingdom in particular because the Khanate was prepared to economically befriend the British. Ireland was being treated in a promising manner too. The United States,the United Nations?Let's just say that in the two months following the cease-fire, the Khanate bloodily and brutally solved the ISIS conundrum and the Donbass Crisis. When the smoke cleared, the Khanate had reintroduced the practice of impalement to the modern battlefield, driven the separatists from the Ukraine and was on the border with Israel and Jordan.Sure, the Ukrainians were stun-fucked by the Khanate's 'peace-keepers' going on a bloody rampage through the eastern rebellious regions, but they had delivered up peace by mid-September. Yes, the Russians were in an uproar about the impalements.As the Khanate spokesperson said, 'if they aren't your people, then it is not your problem' and 'there are no more Russians left alive in the Ukraine'. In fact, fewer than a thousand people, all armed insurgents, were executed in such a manner, but the terror created by the highly publicized killings had the effect of sending a hundred thousand people stampeding over the frontier into Russia proper.Next, the Khanate said it wanted to 'reexamine' the Crimean situation. There were Turcoman in that area and they weren't being treated well, or so it was claimed.Even as Russia and the Khanate were posturing in the Donbass, the Khanate struck in the Middle East. By the end of September, Syria and Lebanon had ceased to exist as organized entities. Most of those two countries as well as portions of western Iraq became Turkish provinces in the Khanate infrastructure. Northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq became the Khanate state of Kurdistan.It was a campaign reminiscent of the 13th century Mongol conquest, not a modern military struggle. Whole villages were eradicated. The entire Arab population of Mosul was exiled to the new territories in the East. The city was repopulated with Kurds from Turkey. Back in Turkey, those Kurds were replaced by Armenians from Azerbaijan, cauterizing another internal issue within the Khanate.Jordan was cautiously hopeful. Israel? "We don't seem to be having problems with Hezbollah anymore," with a shrug and "it could be worse." As for ISIS; there really was an Islamic State controlling more than half of Iraq and all of Syria now and it allowed no other pretenders to that distinction. By the time the world woke up to that reality though, the Great Hunt had happened and I was dealing with the consequences of that.A larger ideological and political matter was occurring in the United States, the United Kingdom (and to a limited extent Australia and Canada). The Ramshackle Empire (aka the Khanate) was just that ~ a Frankenstein nation fueled more by nationalistic pride and nostalgia for a Super-State (that only two living people had firsthand experience with) than an integrated armed forces and infrastructure.It may have been built upon more than a 13th century creation and two hundred years of real and imagined oppression. It did have long term planning and real genius driving it forward. Having throttled the PRC into giving them six precious months of peace to 'tidy up the backyard' (aka the Middle East and Russia) and forge a true nation, the Khanate was now hiring experts to aid them in the task.First and foremost, Temujin and the Earth & Sky had envisioned an armed state built upon military principles and discipline. Fate had delivered to them the means of their own salvation in the form of NATO's policy of disarmament and 'Reduction-In-Force' levels (RIFed).The US and UK had trained tens of thousands of male and female volunteers in their Armed Forces in infrastructure creation and management for the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. From 2010, those militaries had informed those experts that their services were no longer required. Unlike the shrinking militaries of the 1990's, there was no private sector to 'soak up' the majority of those personnel.The Earth & Sky had been working on the problem of nation-building on a time table and they kept coming up short. They had to fight to create their state first, so the all-important after-battle had been something their leaders dreaded. Temujin had been understanding about not everything being 100% ready. Few wars were fought that way.Then a young male Amazon of mixed Magyar ancestry talked history with the Earth & Sky representative to a seemingly inconsequential personage's funeral. A few critical E&S leaders (a minority, to be sure) immediately sought ways to cultivate this man into what was a ten year plan to open doors to the Amazons. Then that man saved the Great Khan's life and everything changed.Before the E&S had even remotely considered directly approaching the Amazons for help, the Amazons came knocking on their door. The Seven Pillars of Heaven had tried to kidnap a camp full of Amazon children ~ an assault on their future. The two secret societies were bound by one unique, fortunate idiot and a mutual thirst for vengeance.They were also directed by two incredibly foresighted, ambitious and brilliant people. In Katrina of Epona, the E&S elders found someone who equaled their hope to see the Seven Pillars humbled and humbled immediately. Moreover, these were the Amazons they were dealing with. Amazons always sought both lightning decisions and long term solutions.From the moment Iskender left his third meeting with Cáel Nyilas, Katrina put the fruits of the First Directive (the Amazons efforts to recruit militant outsider women) into overdrive. Havenstone had the apparatus in place to screen potential inductees. All they had to do was add a "can you suggest any other people who might be interested in this line of work" box to their employment forms.That brought men into the process in surprising numbers. The market was flush with military veterans having trouble readjusting to the civilian community. The Khanate wasn't hiring killers. They wanted ex-military and civilian police officers to create a national police force.They also wanted engineers and builders, cadres for their cadet corps and a whole range of specialist in jobs most of the Western World took for granted. The money came from off-shore accounts funded by Havenstone International. The employment opportunities came from Earth & Sky front companies operating in the UK and the US (and Israel, but that was another matter).They had already started hiring scores of civilian English-speaking experts to help build their newborn nation's infrastructure before the first blow landed. English hadn't been chosen out of any cultural bias. Relying on Russian and Chinese sources wasn't feasible, the Khanate wasn't overly linguistically gifted where distant tongues were concerned and, as pointed out, the English-speaking world had a glut of applicants.Now to the problem, there were people in the US and UK who weren't happy with their citizenry going to the Khanate and helping them to survive and thrive. These power groups wanted the Mongol-Turkish Empire to keep the resources flowing to the West, without any reciprocal commitment on their part.Imagine their surprise when some wonks at the State Department and Foreign Ministries found bundles of expedited passport requests to the (former) nations of Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Mongolia (and later Afghanistan and Iraq). The Department of Defense  Ministry of Defense were discovering their former military personnel and civilian contractors with Security Clearances were heading the same way.Of all those destinations, only Mongolia and Kazakhstan were under any kind of 'Restricted Travel' advisories. Barring any coherent anti-Khanate strategy from their administrations, the bureaucracies were doing their jobs, with Havenstone exerting just enough influence to get the job done while flying beneath the radar.After JIKIT was created, the group had a US Senator greasing the wheels to get the requests expedited. In England, Lady Worthington-Burke shamelessly used the people at the other end of the O'Shea hotline to get the job done overseas. She did have to sell out a teammate, but that was what good boys were for ~ taking one for the team. (That would be me, if there was any misunderstanding.)When Cáel Nyilas was kidnapped under the watchful eye of the FBI (I wasn't sure how they got that bum-wrap), the whole situation exploded. The PRC didn't have me, yet promised they might produce me if certain concessions were made. According to Addison, I was worth 5,000 barrels a day of refined fuel oil and 50 tons of coal a month, and the Great Khan agreed to pay! Woot! I was loved by somebody who was a somebody.All that attention drove home some salient points. I was a noble scion of Ireland, Romania, Georgia and Armenia (in no particular order) and they all wanted to know why the US had let me be kidnapped. Didn't my president know I was a sacred national treasure? After JIKIT tracked down the bribes and clandestine activities to Chinese shell corporations, those powers wanted to know what sanctions would be applied.'But wait, wasn't I a private citizen?' my national leaders pleaded. Then the PRC made a case which boiled down to 'I had it coming for being a fiancé to Hana Sulkanen and a brother to the Great Khan', while ignoring me being snatched in the territorial US of A. Of course, they didn't claim to have actually done the kidnapping.Javiera was waiting on that one; 'What was their excuse for kidnapping a little US girl to force my compliance?' The furious Federal authorities even found two dead adult bodies and two digits from said child to add to the media frenzy. To prove I had migrated to fantasy land, the CNN journalist got it right ~ they had tortured the girl and I had killed two of them for it. Just ask the Romanian Army how lethal I could be.In a rare comment, Temujin informed the international press that he believed I was still alive. Why did he believe that? If I wasn't, they would have been able to spot the pile of dead enemy around me and my 'boon companion' (go Aya!) from orbit. Until they discovered this carnal pit from Hell, I was surely still alive.Just at the cusp of turning publically against the Mongol barbarians, the world suddenly got angry with their enemy, the PRC. The principal two Western regimes were paralyzed with indecision until my miraculous cry for help from the middle of the Pacific showed the world I was alive, had punished my enemies and rescued others from under the opponent's cruel thumb.Clearly if I started ranting against the People's Republic of China, my government would be rather peeved with me. I hadn't screwed a dozen poli-sci majors to miss out on that obvious situation. I behaved and hoped they wouldn't make me die from an embolism, or some other equally implausible cause.(DC is a marvel. 9 pm, Monday, August 18th. 21 days)I'd been dragged to DC, to honor promises made in Rome a week ago. I had another choice; I could have justifiably said I was still getting over my kidnapping ordeal. But that choice fucked over Javiera Castello, my boss at JIKIT (Joint International Khanate Interim Task force).That was how I ended up in a 'secret and secure' meeting with Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) and his experts. He was someone I didn't know. The rest, I'd had a verbal run-in with them after the Romanian bloodbath. I'd been cranky. I would hardly consider us to be on good terms now.All four experts were from the US State Department. They were foregoing their usual group of flunkies because this meeting wasn't really happening. All the participants were officially somewhere else, mostly not even in D.C. Had this soiree 'really happened', the Congressional sub-committees would have been able to request the minutes of Tony's meeting with members of JIKIT and:·         Victoria Nuland, Ass. Sec. of State for European & Eurasian Affairs (ASSEEA)·         Robert O. Blake Jr., Ass. Sec. of State for S & C Asian Affairs (ASSCAA)·         Daniel R. Russel, Ass. Sec. of State for E. Asian and Pacific Affairs (ASSEAP)·         Bill A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) (aka Big Willy)We made stiff, formal introductions (which signaled the utter lack of trust in the room.) Javiera hadn't wanted to put me through an interrogation this soon after my near-death experience, considering my snarky nature when stressed. The White House was putting the squeeze on her. The main player was Tony, who talked with the Leader of the Free World on a weekly, if not daily, basis.The Diplomatic Security Service people had successfully peeled off Pamela and my SD Amazons only after they agreed I could keep Aya. They tolerated me keeping the nine-year old girl despite the obvious fact she had gone through worse hardships than I had endured and was still packing her Chinese QSW-06 suppressed pistol.I had already fabricated and submitted my report on how I'd overcome a plane-full of rogue delinquents from the Forumi i Rinis  Eurosocialiste t  Shqip ris  (Euro-socialist Youth Forum of Albania) bent on recruiting impressionable European socialites by accessing my Twitter account.That's right, the Albanians had it out for me. I reiterated that critical bit of data to the Department of Homeland Security when they questioned me on the veracity of my memories. The two ethnic Chinese I was found with? I thought they were from Taiwan, and they both appeared to be suffering from amnesia.I was already suffering repercussions from my pathological refusal to take life seriously. Javiera believed I was about to get a formal apology from Ferit Hoxha, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. Damn it! Now I had to do something nice for the Albanians. Maybe I'd offer them membership in the Khanate, full-statehood with an economic package to sweeten the deal.Yes, that was how Albania and Kosovo joined the Khanate, a product of my love for exaggeration and a little post-Ottoman solidarity over Tarator (cold soup made of yoghurt, garlic, parsley, cucumber, salt and olive oil with a side of fried squids), Tav  Kosi (lamb meatballs) and Flia & Kaymak (a dessert I highly recommend).We had toasted the Pillars of Kanun (Albanian oral law and tradition): ~ Nderi (honor), Mikpritja (hospitality), Sjellja (Right Conduct) and Fis (Kin Loyalty), ~ and he promised to tell his people that I had Besa which was an Albanian-ism for being a man who would honor his word of honor (despite us being brought together by my lie). The shit-ton of financial and military aid I asked the Great Khan to sweeten the pot with might have helped as well.Later, Lady Yum-Yum told me that the military leaders of NATO called it a 'master-stroke' in neutralizing Comrade Putin's Russian-backed 'Greek threat

Die Berliner Musikerin veröffentlicht am 21. März ihr zweites Album mit Songs zwischen Post- und Elektro-Punk. Die 1990 in Izmir geborene und in Flensburg aufgewachsene Güner Künier zog es 2014 nach Berlin, um dort ihr Studium des Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens abzuschließen. Als dies vollbracht war, widmete sie sich ganz der Kunst – neben Tätigkeiten als Schauspielerin schlägt ihr Herz besonders für die Musik: 2021 veröffentlichte sie ihre Debüt-EP "Flexel", der schon ein Jahr später das erste Album "Aşk" sowie Tourneen mit Auftritten in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, England, der Schweiz und Österreich folgten. Am 21. März erscheint ihr zweites Album "Yaramaz", vor einigen Wochen bereits durch die Singles "Cash Cash Exercise" und "Sabahlar" angekündigt, von denen Letztere auch beispielsweise in der radioeins-Sendung "Laut & Kantig" vorgestellt wurde. Heute besucht Güner Künier uns als unsere Lokalmatadorin, um im Interview über ihre neuen Songs zwischen Post-Punk und Synth-Wave zu sprechen, mit denen sie ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte erzählt, sich mit gesellschaftlichen und familiären Erwartungshaltungen auseinandersetzt und den mühsamen Prozess der Selbstermächtigung thematisiert.

Die Berliner Musikerin veröffentlicht am 21. März ihr zweites Album mit Songs zwischen Post- und Elektro-Punk. Die 1990 in Izmir geborene und in Flensburg aufgewachsene Güner Künier zog es 2014 nach Berlin, um dort ihr Studium des Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens abzuschließen. Als dies vollbracht war, widmete sie sich ganz der Kunst – neben Tätigkeiten als Schauspielerin schlägt ihr Herz besonders für die Musik: 2021 veröffentlichte sie ihre Debüt-EP "Flexel", der schon ein Jahr später das erste Album "Aşk" sowie Tourneen mit Auftritten in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, England, der Schweiz und Österreich folgten. Am 21. März erscheint ihr zweites Album "Yaramaz", vor einigen Wochen bereits durch die Singles "Cash Cash Exercise" und "Sabahlar" angekündigt, von denen Letztere auch beispielsweise in der radioeins-Sendung "Laut & Kantig" vorgestellt wurde. Heute besucht Güner Künier uns als unsere Lokalmatadorin, um im Interview über ihre neuen Songs zwischen Post-Punk und Synth-Wave zu sprechen, mit denen sie ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte erzählt, sich mit gesellschaftlichen und familiären Erwartungshaltungen auseinandersetzt und den mühsamen Prozess der Selbstermächtigung thematisiert.

Die Berliner Musikerin veröffentlicht am 21. März ihr zweites Album mit Songs zwischen Post- und Elektro-Punk. Die 1990 in Izmir geborene und in Flensburg aufgewachsene Güner Künier zog es 2014 nach Berlin, um dort ihr Studium des Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens abzuschließen. Als dies vollbracht war, widmete sie sich ganz der Kunst – neben Tätigkeiten als Schauspielerin schlägt ihr Herz besonders für die Musik: 2021 veröffentlichte sie ihre Debüt-EP "Flexel", der schon ein Jahr später das erste Album "Aşk" sowie Tourneen mit Auftritten in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, England, der Schweiz und Österreich folgten. Am 21. März erscheint ihr zweites Album "Yaramaz", vor einigen Wochen bereits durch die Singles "Cash Cash Exercise" und "Sabahlar" angekündigt, von denen Letztere auch beispielsweise in der radioeins-Sendung "Laut & Kantig" vorgestellt wurde. Heute besucht Güner Künier uns als unsere Lokalmatadorin, um im Interview über ihre neuen Songs zwischen Post-Punk und Synth-Wave zu sprechen, mit denen sie ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte erzählt, sich mit gesellschaftlichen und familiären Erwartungshaltungen auseinandersetzt und den mühsamen Prozess der Selbstermächtigung thematisiert.

Die Berliner Musikerin veröffentlicht am 21. März ihr zweites Album mit Songs zwischen Post- und Elektro-Punk. Die 1990 in Izmir geborene und in Flensburg aufgewachsene Güner Künier zog es 2014 nach Berlin, um dort ihr Studium des Wirtschaftsingenieurswesens abzuschließen. Als dies vollbracht war, widmete sie sich ganz der Kunst – neben Tätigkeiten als Schauspielerin schlägt ihr Herz besonders für die Musik: 2021 veröffentlichte sie ihre Debüt-EP "Flexel", der schon ein Jahr später das erste Album "Aşk" sowie Tourneen mit Auftritten in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, England, der Schweiz und Österreich folgten. Am 21. März erscheint ihr zweites Album "Yaramaz", vor einigen Wochen bereits durch die Singles "Cash Cash Exercise" und "Sabahlar" angekündigt, von denen Letztere auch beispielsweise in der radioeins-Sendung "Laut & Kantig" vorgestellt wurde. Heute besucht Güner Künier uns als unsere Lokalmatadorin, um im Interview über ihre neuen Songs zwischen Post-Punk und Synth-Wave zu sprechen, mit denen sie ihre eigene Coming-of-Age-Geschichte erzählt, sich mit gesellschaftlichen und familiären Erwartungshaltungen auseinandersetzt und den mühsamen Prozess der Selbstermächtigung thematisiert.

Záujem o letné dovolenky je už teraz vysoký a kapacity sa rýchlo vypredávajú. Výrazne narastá dopyt po Turecku, Grécku či exotických destináciách. Ako sa menia cestovateľské návyky Slovákov? O trendoch v dovolenkovom segmente hovoríme s Tomášom Lazarovom, obchodným riaditeľom cestovnej kancelárie Hydrotour. „Cestovanie sa po pandémii opäť dostalo na popredné miesto v prioritách Slovákov. V roku 2023 a 2024 sme zaznamenali výrazný nárast záujmu o letecké zájazdy. Ľudia si začali viac vážiť možnosť vycestovať a venovať čas oddychu,“ vysvetľuje Tomáš Lazarov. Podľa neho sa v súčasnosti mnoho dovolenkárov rozhoduje pre skorý nákup zájazdov. „Obdobie od októbra do marca je hlavným časom predaja first moment ponúk. Klienti si tak zabezpečia najlepšie ceny, široký výber izieb a flexibilnejšie podmienky storna,“ dodáva. Medzi najžiadanejšie destinácie patrí Turecko, a to nielen tradičná Turecká riviéra, ale aj Egejská riviéra so strediskami ako Izmir, Bodrum či Dalaman. Veľký záujem je aj o grécke ostrovy, Cyprus, Španielsko či Kapverdské ostrovy. Zvýšený dopyt vedie k rýchlemu vypredávaniu kapacít. „Letecké spoločnosti majú obmedzené kapacity, výrobcovia lietadiel meškajú s dodávkami a hotelieri sa snažia rezervovať kapacity pre trhy, ktoré nakupujú v predstihu. To znamená, že tí, ktorí čakajú na last minute ponuky, môžu mať problém nájsť vyhovujúcu dovolenku,“ upozorňuje T. Lazarov. Podľa neho sa dnes Slováci snažia nájsť optimálny pomer ceny a kvality. Sú ochotní investovať viac, ak vidia pridanú hodnotu – kvalitnejšie služby, lepšiu lokalitu alebo exkluzívnejšie hotely Záujem Slovákov o cestovanie už nie je viazaný len na letnú sezónu. Stále populárnejšie sú exotické destinácie, najmä v zimných mesiacoch. „Vidíme rastúci záujem o Bahrajn, Katar, Omán či Kapverdské ostrovy. Tieto miesta ponúkajú príjemné podnebie, krátky časový posun a dnes už majú porovnateľné ceny s letnými dovolenkami,“ vysvetľuje obchodný riaditeľ spoločnosti Hydrotour. Mnohí cestovatelia si dnes kladú otázku, či sa oplatí organizovať dovolenku individuálne alebo využiť služby cestovnej kancelárie. „Cestovné kancelárie nakupujú veľké objemy ubytovania a leteniek, čím dosahujú výrazne lepšie ceny. Navyše, klient má istotu, že v prípade neočakávaných situácií, ako sú zrušené lety či extrémne počasie, sa o neho postaráme,“ hovorí T. Lazarov. Ako príklad uvádza pandemické obdobie či požiare na ostrove Rhodos v roku 2023, keď Hydrotour ako jediná cestovná kancelária poslala špeciálny let na evakuáciu klientov. Podľa T. Lazarova bude záujem o cestovanie ďalej rásť. „Ľudia dnes uprednostňujú investície do zážitkov pred materiálnymi statkami. Dovolenka sa stáva nevyhnutnou súčasťou psychohygieny a oddychu. Verím, že v najbližších rokoch budeme svedkami ďalšej expanzie cestovania, pričom dôraz sa bude klásť na kvalitu a zážitkovú hodnotu pobytov,“ uzatvára. Viac informácií sa dozviete v celom videorozhovore: https://www.trend.sk/biznis/slovaci-planuju-letne-dovolenky-predstihu-zaujem-rastie?itm_brand=trend&itm_template=listing&itm_modul=articles-rubric-list&itm_position=1

Konec februarja je velika skupina romarjev obiskala Izmir, v katerem deluje nadškof p. Martin Kmetec. Srečali so se s slikarko in restavratorko Miro Ličen, ki je predstavila svoje restavratorsko delo v starodavni cerkvi sv. Polikarpa. V največjem kulturnem centru v tem večmilijonskem turškem mestu so odprli razstavo njenih del, slik, ki so nastale v minulih dveh letih v Turčiji. V rubriki smo gostili Miro Ličen, o njenem delu pa sta spregovorila še nadškofa Kmetec in Zore.

Welcome to Perek Shirah. Today we're up to the song of the Akrav / scorpion . The Akrav says טוֹב יְיָ לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו: / God is good to all and has mercy on all His creations. The Akrav/scorpion is an extremely dangerous predator. In fact, the sefer Misaprim Tehilot L'Hashem says the word עקרב Akrav is a contraction of עק Ak which means pain in Aramaic, and רב Rav, which means he's a great pain , and therefore we want to stamp him out. Interestingly, scorpions procreate at a very rapid rate. As we mentioned previously, the Midrash Rabba in Shemot 1,8 tells us on the word V'yishritsu , that in Mitzrayim , some say the women had 60 babies at a times (and don't be amazed because scorpions have large amounts like that)! Modern day scorpions have an average closer to 25 offspring at a time, so perhaps the Egyptian scorpions were different, or nature has changed. Regardless, scorpions procreate at a rapid rate and they survive , because Hashem in His mercy, doesn't want to wipe them out. They serve a purpose. Hashem is Tov lakol, V'rachamav al kol Ma'asav, good to all, and merciful on all His creations- even on this low, seemingly dangerous being. That's number one. Hashem is Tov lakol even for scorpions. And V'rachamav al kol ma'asav, we can't really hate the scorpion because Hashem has mercy and He doesn't let the scorpion bite whoever it wants. The scorpion only bites who God sends them to bite. Furthermore, V'rachamav al kol ma'asav, it says the scorpion itself is a healing for the scorpion bite. In ancient times, they would take a dead scorpion, soak it in olive oil and rub it on the wound and it would heal. There are other medicinal treatments that come from the scorpion. So on one hand, Hashem takes care of the scorpion and on the other hand, Hashem takes care of the world at large. Now let's delve a bit into the scorpions as a messenger , and the goodness of the scorpion. The Zohar (vol 3, page 107a) on the pasuk in Bereshit where it says וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד God saw everything He did. V'hinei tov me'od and it was very good says this refers to the crawling creatures, specifically, the scorpion . And even though you see them and they're destructive, they are all here as God's servants. People don't know what they're doing. In the words of the Zohar, Every one of them is there on a mission and therefore, Don't treat anything improperly. And it quotes the pasuk, Tov Hashem L'Kol/ God is good to all. So wonders of wonders! The Zohar is quoting the exact same pasuk as Perek Shirah for our scorpion as the epitome of the concept that Hashem saw everything that He did was very good. Further, Reshit Chochma in the Gate of Fear of Hashem , (11th chapter), says that God has many messengers that He uses to bring about the judgment. He quotes a Midrash that when listing the different things that God uses, it says, God has many scorpions. Additionally, the Gemara in Nedarim 41A tells the story of how Shmuel saw a scorpion on the back of a turtle. The turtle carried the scorpion on his back across a river to where a man was lying down, and the scorpion bit him! This is an example, it says, of how Hashem uses creations as His messengers. The scorpion is one of God's messengers. He has what to do. So don't look at the scorpion as a fiend. He's not a fiend. He's God's messenger. He has a job to do. And on the topic of Rachamav al Kol Maasav, Hashem's mercy, the Mishna in Masechet Berachot says that when a person is praying and he hears a snake hissing, he should continue praying because snakes, by and large, do not attack unless provoked, but if you see a scorpion, stop your prayers and leave. So God has mercy on a person and says, You're praying to me? Do something to protect yourself from the scorpion. God cares about protecting us from scorpions. I saw an unbelievable thought from Rabbi Eliyahu of Izmir, in his sefer Shevet Musar . (perek יא ). He says that God used the scorpion as a messenger for Brit Milah. He quotes the Midrash Tanchuma in Parashat Lech Lecha, that when God told Abraham to do a Brit Milah, Abraham didn't know where exactly he was supposed to do it. It doesn't say where. So Hashem sent a scorpion and the scorpion bit him on that spot. Some understand that the scorpion did the Milah because the Lashon of the Midrash is, ועקצו עקרב ונמצא מהול God used the surgery of the scorpion. And he quotes Rav Abraham Hichini, a student of the Maharit and a very early source, who cites a proof from a pasuk that says, בעצם היום הזה On that very day, Be'etzem stands for ב נשיכת ע"קרב צ"דיק מ"ל ע"כ: With the biting of the scorpion, the righteous man was circumcised. So not only is the scorpion the messenger of destruction, he's also the messenger of a Brit Milah. The Shevet Musar adds that God used the scorpion in the future, when Bnei Yisrael would procreate like the scorpion, maybe 60 at a time, and produce a tremendous abundance of children- all in the merit of Abraham Avinu's Brit Milah! So, the scorpion is the messenger for Abraham Avinu's Brit Milah. Wonder of wonders! Therefore the scorpion is the one that sings the song, Tov Hashem L'Kol God is good to everybody. Finally, a story: Many years ago when I was in Israel I heard about a man who moved into a new apartment that had scorpions all over the place. He called the exterminators but they wouldn't go away. He went to Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg, who said, "Let's look in the Perek Shirah," and he found the pasuk of Tov HaShem LaKol. So he said, Maybe you weren't doing Tov HaShem LaKol, The man thought about it and realized that there had been a poor man who always came to his house in the old neighborhood. But since he moved apartments, he hadn't had him over. So he tracked him down, and started inviting him again, and the scorpions went away. Wonder of wonders.

TMZ BROTHERS, the dynamic twin dj duo from turkey, have been making waves in the music industry since 2018 with their unique blend of house, afro house and indie dance. their energy, deep connection with the crowd, and perfect production skills have earned them a place among the most electrifying acts in the electronic music scene today. Starting their career in 2018, theTMZ Brothers have quickly risen through the ranks, creating a unique sound that people love to dance to all over the world. Their tracks have received support from industries top artists such as Vintage Culture, Diplo, Pablo Fierro, Carlita, Francis Mercier, Valeron, DJ Chus, La Santa or Sparrow & Barbossa with over 150,000 streams in the past year alone, their music has proven to be a hit among listeners globally. The TMZ Brothers have performed at Turkey's top venues, they secured a residency at Yuzu Beach in Izmir, one of turkey's premier beach clubs, hosting top artists like Argy, Bedouin, Claptone, Dixon... Avangart Tabldot & Paul Brenning - Strangest Nights (KEKURA Remix) [SOLIDE] James Mac - Try Again (Holseek Extended Remix) [Sweat It Out] Betical & Arper - Back On 74 Rework Coco, Rafäl (MA) - There's Something (DJ CHUS Remix) [Redolent] DJ Chus - World Routes (Sparrow & Barbossa Remix) [Stereo Productions] It's My Life (TMZ Brothers vs. Deniz Has Remix) Meera - Stikk (Tripolism Remix) [Crosstown Rebels] WhoMadeWho, Marten Lou, RY X - Love Will Save Me (Marten Lou Remix) [The Moment] Enes Çakır - Johera [Cacoa Records] WhoMadeWho & Blue Hawaii - Kiss Me Hard (Adam Ten Remix) [The Moment] C - Gold (Atsou Remix) [Madorasindahouse] Pablo Fierro, Joyia - Our Love (Original Mix) [WE'RE HERE] Dangel Twins, Misha - The Symphony [Magnifik Music] This show is syndicated & distributed exclusively by Syndicast. If you are a radio station interested in airing the show or would like to distribute your podcast / radio show please register here: https://syndicast.co.uk/distribution/registration

This week, we are wrapping up our Turkey trip recaps and Tamara fills us in on her visit to Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the lesser-known city of Izmir. Episode Highlights Izmir sits on the Aegean Sea and Ephesus is a popular cruise port for cruises visiting Greece and Turkey. There are also a number of religious sites that attract religious travelers and pilgrimages. One site near Ephesus you can visit what is believed to be the last house that Mary, mother of Jesus, lived in before she died. Bodrum is more of a beach resort but Izmir is a city based on the sea. You can fly into Izmir, which is about 1.25 hours from Istanbul airport and the airport is about 20 minutes outside of the city. Izmir is a good home base for exploring the region in a hub and spoke manner. You should plan to stay three to four days in this region. 1 day in Ephesus 1 day in Izmir 1 day in Urla (fishing village, small artsy town, and wine route) Ephesus is a UNESCO Heritage site that has Ancient Greek and Roman ruins. The site is immense and there is so much that isn't excavated. So much is very well preserved. The Library of Celsus is a highlight. It is worth paying extra to see the houses with mosaics and frescoes. It is recommended to visit Ephesus with a guide and you need at least two to three hours. There is a lot of walking so you need comfortable shoes and it can also get very hot so you want to go early or late and wear a hat and sunglasses. In the summer it stays open until 10 pm at night so you can visit while it is cooler. Selcuk is a cute town nearby where you can go for lunch. The Izmir Marriott is right on the waterfront and has a rooftop pool, restaurant, and nice rooms and location. In Izmir you can: Walk or bike along the promenade along the coastline Visit the Ancient Agora of Smyrna Spend an afternoon exploring the bazaar Should season is going to be better because the heat in the summer can be brutal Izmir is also known as a place to buy wedding dresses Read more about Tamara's time in Izmir and Ephesus: https://we3travel.com/izmir-turkiye-3-day-itinerary/ Related Episodes Istanbul Cappadocia

La Poesía kontemporánea ke une Izmir(Esmirna) i Buenos Aires kon dos autoras: Sara Benveniste i Beatríz Mazliah. Destakamos la ovra de la poesía komo linguaje de la alma en el djénero poétiko sefardí, kon dos grandes poetas ke eskrivieron ovra en muestra lingua. Ofresemos dos enshemplos "La Piada" de Sara Benveniste Benrey (Izmir, Turquía) i la poesía kantada "Kuando te topí" de Beatríz Mazliah (Buenos Aires, Argentina), enshemplo de poesía trokada en kante interpretada por Mónica Monasterio, múzika Horacio Lovecchio."La poesía es el reflekto del sentimiento de Sefarad, kedó en la palavra i en el korasón"...Escuchar audio

Welcome to our series on Anava . Chacham Bentzion Abba Shaul, in his sefer Or LeTzion Chochma UMussar (page 242) brings up the following point: On one hand, our rabbis tell us in Sanhedrin 37A, that everyone has an obligation to say, " The world was created for me. " That means you're supposed to look at the sun, the moon, the stars and know that everything in the world is there for me . That might sound like arrogance. But Chacham Bentzion says we see from here that humility does not mean that a person feels lowly and he is in a state of Ye'ush and despair thinking he has no value. It doesn't mean you think, "There's no benefit in what I am and in what I do." That's not the definition of humility. That's Shiflut/lowliness and negativity .. What is humility? Humility means that I believe that whatever I accomplish is a gift from Hashem. I'm a somebody. I may have a beautiful car or a beautiful watch, but someone gave me the car and someone gave me the watch. I'm not saying, This car is a piece of junk. No, it's a beautiful car, but it was given to me by somebody else . He further expounds on this by explaining a seeming contradiction: On one hand, the pasuk in Divrei Hayamim II 17:6 tells us, " וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ לִבּ֖וֹ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה And his heart was uplifted in the ways of Hashem." VaYigba Libo almost means arrogance . But on the other hand, Mishleh tells us in pasuk 16:5, תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד / it's an abomination to be arrogance. He explains that one refers to the past and the other one refers to the future. What you did in the past, you're supposed to be humble about. You're supposed to look back and say it was with Hashem's help. I'm supposed to look back and say, Baruch Hashem, thank you Hashem, for giving me those opportunities. Like the famous story that the Chafetz Chaim was once overheard in a moment of contemplation and meditation, discussing his life with Hashem, " Hashem, I owe You so much. You gave me the Mishna Berurah, you gave me the Chafetz Chaim, you gave me all these things." That's all in the past . But when you go in the future , you have to have strength. You can't despair. You should say, I'm gonna do it. I can do it. Conversely, I heard from Rav Wolbe that when the Chafetz Chaim was in the middle of his Mishna Berurah , there were certain tragedies and challenges that were going on in his personal life. One day he opened the window, shook his fist and said, " You're not going to stop me!" He was talking to the Yetzer Hara. Look at that courage! Look at the energy, look at the almost arrogance. I'm going do it! That's fine. I'm going to do it is beautiful. I did a little bit. I'm going to do more. I'll keep on doing more. I have talents that Hashem gave me. I'm going to keep growing . That attitude gives the person the drive to move further in his Avodat Hashem . He used the rule, One that has aspirations will be successful even though it looks like naturally it won't happen. His example is the tremendous drive that the Americans had to put a man on the moon. If you have a drive and you have a dream, you'll get there. But many people are broken because they flip the pipes. Instead of saying, Forget about what I did in the past, let's look at the future , they make the past the main thing. They focus on the past and forget about the future. This is the dichotomy between humility (or arrogance) and lowness in the wrong way. Rav Eliyahu of Izmir (1640 -1729) was a leading Rav of Izmir, Turkey. He authored over 30 different tremendous sefarim including Shevet Mussar, that are learned all over. In his sefer Chut shel Hessed on Parashat HaAzinu, he discusses the Piyut that we mentioned previously, that we say on Rosh Hashanah. The last stanza says, " Piyut הִשְׁתּוֹנֵן, וְהִכּוֹנֵן, וְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּסוֹדֶךָ. וְהִבַּטְתָּ, מָה אַתָּה, וּמֵאַיִן יְסוֹדֶךָ. וּמִי הֱכִינְךָ, וּמִי הֱבִינְךָ, / Sharpen yourself and prepare yourself. Look into your secrets. What does it mean to Look into your secrets? He says, the secret refers to the fact of my humble beginnings- What am I made of ? Dust. Further, after we say, וְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּסוֹדֶךָ we also say, What are you Ma Atah /What are you? Like Moshe and Aharon said to Korach (Shemot 16,7) Where are your roots? So it starts off, I'm humble and I'm nothing. Well, if that's the case, if I'm humble and I'm nothing, then what is the purpose of my Mitzvot? Can a mosquito impact the king? Then we say, no, slow down מי הכינך Who set you up for this? Hashem set you up for greatness. מי הבינך Who gave you understanding ? And מי ינידך , what's making you move ? You have a soul inside of you, a Neshama, a spirituality inside of you. Realize where you came from. He quotes the sefer Bet HaElohim that says that there's a danger in thinking of yourself as the lowest of low, because you'll end up saying Hashem doesn't supervise me, He doesn't look at me . But then you can go to the other extreme and say, I'm arrogant. Mi Hashem Who is God? It's a constant balance on this tightrope, not to get stuck with being broken because I'm a nobody, and not to be arrogant. It's like the Shfeel Hazahav/ the golden path. Rav Wolbe, in Alei Shur vol 2 page 160 quotes the Hovot Halevavot in Shaar Hakniah, which is dedicated to humility. In the second chapter, he says, הכניעה היא אשר תהיה אחר רוממות הנפש והתנשאה מהשתתף עם הבהמות במידותן המגונות, וגבהותה מהידמות במידות / Humilty comes after you realize the exaltedness of your soul and that it's being uplifted. I'm not a partners with an animal in their low Middot. It comes when you realize how wise you are and how dear is your soul. You know about all the good Middot. כאשר תהיה סמוך לזה כניעת הנפש ושפלותה, אז תהיה מידה משובחת , And then then when I add a little spice of humility in there, then the humility is a good Middah. אבל זולת זה איננה נכנסת במידות המשובחות ומעלות הנפש, אך במגונות שבהן, כי ענינה בזה כענין הבהמות But if it's humility that's not coming from that, it's not considered good quality. It's just despair. It's not, humility. That's just the animal that doesn't have any recognition of what it is at all. As Chacham Bentzion said, You can feel great in who you are, and then you add that little flavor of, All those qualities I have, I got from Hashem . Like we stated at the beginning- Look at this beautiful car that I have. I have a stretch Rolls Royce. Wow, what a car. But you know what? My father gave it to me. So I'll now humble myself to my father for all that he gave me. It's not a contradiction. As long as you have that right attitude of, What I have is great, but it was given to me. And more than that, I have a responsibility to use it properly, that is the proper hashkafa / attitude , not to be brought down with this work on our humility. Further in that same discussion, Rav Wolbe quotes Rabbenu Yonah in Shaare Avodah where he says the first step to serving Hashem is that man knows his value, realizes his level, realizes who his parents and his grandparents are, how hashuv they were and where he came from- And say to yourself , Adam Gadol V'Chashuv Kamoni , something that's important like me today, with all the great qualities I have, I am the children of the greats, of the kings of old, how can I sin? So Rav Wolbe is teaching is that learning your good qualities is not a contradiction to humility. We have to make sure we have that proper outlook when we're working on humility.

Enerji Günlüğü Haber Bülteni:Türkiye'nin ve Dünyanın Enerji Gündemienerjigunlugu.net

One person I didn't expect to see at DLD is the feted Turkish writer Ece Temelkuran. Not exactly a regular on the tech circuit, Temelkuran is best known as a critic of the Erdogan regime and author of the influential 2019 book How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship. In our conversation at DLD, Temelkuran argued that the world is experiencing a profound transformation comparable to the Industrial Revolution, where neoliberalism is eroding both democracy and basic human morals. She sees modern fascism operating through entertainment and spectacle rather than traditional military aesthetics, and emphasizes the importance of friendship as both a personal anchor and political concept in resisting authoritarian forces. Currently living in Berlin, she expressed concern about rising far-right movements across Europe. She critiques Silicon Valley and social media, arguing that questions of ownership and profit motives are often obscured by technological utopianism. Despite the challenges, she finds hope in humanity's persistent moral compass and resistance to cynicism, though she prefers the term "faith" over "hope" as it implies a more active engagement with political change.Ece Temelkuran is a prominent Turkish journalist, author, and political commentator born in 1973 in Izmir, Turkey. She began her journalism career in the 1990s and became one of Turkey's most well-known political columnists, writing for major newspapers including Milliyet and Habertürk. Her writings often focus on Turkish politics, women's rights, and global political movements. She has been particularly critical of authoritarianism and populism, drawing from her experiences in Turkey. After facing political pressure, she left Turkey and has lived in various countries including Croatia and the UK. Some of her notable books include: "Turkey: The Insane and the Melancholy" (2016), "How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship" (2019) and "Together: 10 Choices for a Better Now" (2021) She writes in both Turkish and English, and her work has been translated into multiple languages. Her books often combine personal narrative with political analysis, examining themes of democracy, resistance, and social justice.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

We zien een portret van maar liefst elf mensen in Europese én Turkse kleding. De rijkdom spat ervan af: zijde, bont, goud en parels, en aan hun voeten een Turks tapijt. Het zijn Anna Maria Leidstar en haar man David van Lennep en hun familie, die in Izmir woonden. Ze zijn een voorbeeld van 18de-eeuwse emigratie. Wie waren deze mensen en wat deden ze in Turkije? 

The 650th of a series of weekly radio programmes created by :zoviet*france: First broadcast 21 December 2024 by Resonance 104.4 FM and CJMP 90.1 FM Thanks to the artists and sound recordists included here for their fine work. track list 00 Lee Patterson - Intro 01 Tarkatak / C. Reider - Uerdt Scepir Dhir I: Eclecia 02 Marcus Fischer - Among the Long Shadows 03 John Grzinich - Weathering Inside 04 Vongoiva - Here It All Began 05 Anton Mobin - Slow If Not 06 Freetousesounds - AMBRoom, Room Tone, Small Room, Apartment, Distance Movements, Traffic, Birds, Closed Windows, Izmir, Turkey, FTUS, 19232, 03 07 Ambientsketchbook - Leviathan Awakes 08 [unknown sound recordist / University of Iowa] - Earth Proton Whistlers 09 Kid 606 - Fuck Up Everything You Can Before You Plan on Slowing Down [extract] 10 [unknown sound recordist / BBC] - Germany – Precinct – Pedestrian Precinct (Cologne) 11 Cooper Raines - Wait Out the Rain ++ Lee Patterson - Outro

Numeroși imigranți sirieni din Turcia, nevoiți să-și părăsească țara din cauza războiului civil din ultimii 13 ani, au sărbătorit pe străzi căderea dictatorului Bashar al Assad și odată cu el a regimului Baas, care a dominat țara în ultimii 61 de ani, transmite publicația turcă TRT Haber. La Istanbul, deși ploua, mulți imigranți au venit însoțiți de copiii lor, au strigat sloganuri împotriva regimului Baas și au fluturat steaguri siriene și turcești.Nur Ahmed, studentă din Siria refugiată în Turcia de 13 ani, a declarat redactorilor TRT Haber că a plâns de mai multe ori de bucurie după anunțul privind fuga din țară a dictatorului Bashar al Assad și că se va întoarce cât mai curând în țară.De asemenea, pe străzile și în fața moscheilor din orașul Kilis imigranții au fluturat steaguri siriene și turcești și au scandat sloganuri împotriva regimului Baas. ”Assad a fugit și vrem să ne întoarcem cât mai repede acasă. Este patria noastră. Mulțumim mult Turciei”, a declarat unul dintre manifestanți.Manifestații similare au avut loc în multe alte orașe din Turcia, precum Izmir, Gaziantep, Bursa, etc. Kazahstan: Creștere spectaculoasă a sectorului ITCifra de afaceri a industriei  IT din Kazahstan a atins în 2024 nivelul de 1,2 trilioane de tengue (2,16 miliarde de euro), de 31 de ori mai mult față de nivelul înregistrat în urmă cu cinci ani, a anunțat ministrul dezvoltării numerice Zhaslan Madiev la ultima reuniune a guvernului de la Astana, transmite publicația DK News.În Kazahstan sunt active în prezent 18 683 de societăți în domeniul IT, cu un total de 187 000 de angajați, iar salariul mediu lunar se ridică la 673 000 tengue (cca 1200 de euro) cu 54% mai mult față de nivelul de acum trei ani, reiese din datele prezentate de ministru.Un rol cheie în dezvoltarea sectorului l-a jucat parcul tehnologic ”Astana Hub”, inaugurat în 2018, unde activează acum 1102 de societăți din Kazahstan și 437 de societăți străine. Exporturile companiilor care activează în acest parc în primele nouă luni ale acestui an se ridică la 143 de miliarde de tengue (257 milioane de euro).În Kazahstan funcționează în prezent 17 parcuri tehnologice regionale dedicate exclusiv industriei IT, urmând ca până la sfârșitul acestui an să fie inaugurat încă unul, la Petropavlovsk. Armenia: Tratatul de pace cu Azerbaidjan ar putea fi semnat în curândArmenia și Azerbaidjan pot găsi soluții acceptabile pentru ambele părți, iar tratatul bilateral de pace ar putea fi semnat în curând, a declarat ministrul armean de externe Ararat Mirzoyan într-un interviu pentru publicația "Lännen Media” în timpul vizitei pe care a efectuat-o recent în Finlanda, transmite platforma de știri 168.am.”Am fi putut semna tratatul chiar înainte de reuniunea COP 29 de la Baku (11-22 noiembrie a.c. – n.r.). Din nefericire nu s-a întâmplat așa, dar suntem gata să îl semnăm în scurtă vreme. Putem spune că este un moment al speranței. Aș spune că suntem foarte aproape.În ciuda trecutului tragic care leagă statele și societățile noastre, avem acum oportunitatea de a întoarce o pagină de istorie și să uităm ostilitatea. Este greu de înțeles, de a ierta și de a fi iertat, dar deja a curs prea mult sânge iar acum vrem să privim către viitor”, a spus în interviu șeful diplomației armene.În contextul redeschiderii căilor de comunicare, ministrul a adăugat că soluții reciproc avantajoase există și pot fi negociate. ”Putem de exemplu asigura tranzitul produselor din Azerbaidjan pe teritoriul Armeniei și viceversa. Într-o primă fază putem relua tranzitul feroviar, apoi putem trece la tranzitul rutier…”, a mai spus Ararat Mirzoyan. Au contribuit la redactarea Revistei presei Europa Plus:Ahmet Özkan - Turcia;Emil Kozhanov - Kazakhstan;Shushanik Tsaturyan - Armenia Europa Plus este un proiect RFI România realizat în parteneriat cu Agenția Universitară a Francofoniei 

If a person has a medical condition and must use the bathroom often, would he have recite the Beracha of Asher Yatzar (the Beracha recited after performing one's bodily functions) each time he leaves the bathroom? This question arises in situations, for example, where a patient requires a colonoscopy and is given a certain type of drink a day beforehand makes him go the bathroom often in order to clear his system. More commonly, this issue is relevant for anyone taking laxatives who visits the bathroom very frequently during that period. One view, cited in the work Halachot Ketanot, maintains that one recites the Beracha only when his system is completely cleared out. Since the patient knows that he will soon need to use the bathroom again, he should not recite Asher Yatzar until after the completion of the entire process. However, both the Chid"a (Rav Chayim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) and Rav Chayim Palachi (Rabbi of Izmir, Turkey, 19th century) disagree. In their view, so long as a person does not feel the need to use the bathroom right after performing his bodily functions, he recites Asher Yatzar. Even if one knows that he will soon have to return to the bathroom, since at the moment he exited the bathroom he does not feel the need to perform his bodily functions, he recites the Beracha. Halacha indeed follows this position of the Chid"a and Rav Chayim Palachi. Therefore, in the situations described above, one recites Asher Yatzar each time he leaves the bathroom, provided that at that moment he does not feel the need to use the bathroom again. If one leaves the bathroom and immediately feels that he must use it again, then he returns to the bathroom and recites the Beracha afterward, when he no longer feels any need to perform his bodily functions.

The market of predatory publishing is as lucrative as it is unethical. Predatory journals are disguised as legitimate entities, and prey on both early-career academics and the naïve. In this episode of Communicable, hosts Angela Huttner and Marc Bonten are joined by Editors-in-chief Ursula Hofer (Lancet Infect Dis) and Leonard Leibovici (CMI) to discuss the various schemes of the ‘Wild West' of publishing, and how to avoid them.  This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer-reviewed by Dr. Özlem Türkmen Recen, Izmir Public Health Laboratory, Izmir, Türkiye. Literature  Research4Life https://www.research4life.org/  Benedictus R et al. Nature 2016 https://www.nature.com/articles/538453a

Es gibt sie noch, die Letzten ihrer Art: Deutsch-russische Initiativen, die sich in der aktuellen Situation den neuen Feindbildern nicht nur verweigern, sondern genau antizyklisch handeln. Die Jugendinitiative „Musik für den Frieden – Mузыка ради Mира“ wird im Spätherbst im türkischen Izmir ein neues Projekt verwirklichen. Von Leo Ensel. Dieser Beitrag ist auch als Audio-PodcastWeiterlesen

Tomas takes the secret staircase back down into the Slippery Shanty! A meeting with Captain Delmar Silverfish, a mysterious postcard written to "Dear Mim," and a rambling conversation meant to "Frankenstein An Answer." More about Slumberland at this link. Captain Delmar Silverfish performed by Catty Donnelly visit Catty's website! This Slumberland performance of The Flaming Carrot's poetry comes with apologies to Bob Burden. Music by The F_cked Up Beat appears courtesy the creative commons license CC BY-SA 4.0 Purchase this music at Bandcamp Schizophrenic Trees / a storm from the album "Threnodies for Schizophrenic Seas" Stop it! You're Killing Me! was a music project by Izmir, Turkey artist Murat, who sadly passed far too soon. The song "iki balerin gibi uctuk ve hayatlarimizi kurtardik" appears here as a tribute to Murat's work. Music sourced from the Free Music Archive Music by Blue Dot Sessions: Chevy Bolero, Three Stories creative commons license (CC BY-NC) The sound design in this episode owes thanks to Freesound Project contributors: martinimeniscus, speedygonzo, noyo, cuddlenucks, luvdabubsnfeet, kimkreuzwieser, davidjgurney, klankbeeld, nightflame, genel, madcowzack, craigsmith, p4athenam16, topschool, kyles, clearwavsound, tiaan123, rempen, trp, odilonmarcenaro, everythingsounds, kgoff32ds, synthxperiments, ahriik, matthewkevans, cgeffex, and timbre. Thank YOU for listening to Slumberland!

Ritorniamo a raccontare l'annosa vicenda di Maysoon Majidi, l'attrice e regista curda iraniana che a dicembre 2023 è partita imbarcandosi da Izmir, ed è arrivata in Calabria dove è stata arrestata per favoreggiamento all'immigrazione clandestina. La giovane ha sempre rigettato le accuse mosse sulla base di solo due testimonianze dei 77 migranti che erano a bordo dell'imbarcazione. Mercoledì verranno interrogati i testimoni della polizia giudiziaria. Tutti gli aggiornamenti insieme a Giancarlo Liberati, l'avvocato difensore di Maysoon Majidi.

AyseDeniz was considered a child prodigy in her native Türkiye and made her concerto debut when she was nine, with the Gordion Chamber Orchestra playing J.S. Bach's Keyboard Concerto No. 5. At thirteen, she had already performed as a soloist with various orchestras under conductors including Ibrahim Yazici, Fahrettin Kerimov, Antonio Pirolli, Cem Mansur, Engin Sakpinar, Ertug Korkmaz, Rengim Gokmen, Vladimir Sirenko, and Kirill Karabits.  ​ As a young pianist, AyseDeniz attended prestigious summer festivals including the Verbier Academy, Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and School, PianoTexas, Goslar Konzertarbeitswochen, Tel Hai, and Beijing International Music Festival, studying with renowned piano pedagogues such as Menahem Pressler, Jerome Lowenthal, Arie Vardi, Yoheved Kaplinsky, as well as Lang Lang. In middle school, AyseDeniz moved to Spain for half a year to study with the renowned Bach interpreter Rosalyn Tureck, becoming one of her last students. ​ In 2009, she completed her Bachelor's Degree at Eastman School of Music (Rochester NY) in the studio of Douglas Humpherys with all semesters on Dean's List, and received the Howard Hanson and Clements Scholarships as well as the John Celentano Excellence in Chamber Music Award. In 2011, She completed her Masters in Piano Performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London, under the tutelage of Christopher Elton, and received the Maud Hornsby Award, graduated with Merit, and also completed the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music Teaching Certificate. ​ Throughout her early career, AyseDeniz has given concerts around the world including Cathedral of Christ The Savior Moscow (Russia); L'Eglise Verbier (Switzerland); Duke's Hall, Steinway Hall, Kings Place London (UK); Bellapais Antique Monastery (Northern Cyprus); Kiev Central Park of Culture Open Air Hall, Lysenko Hall (Ukraine); PepsiCo Hall (TX), Kilbourn Hall (NY), Harris Hall (CO), Pacific Amphitheater (CA) in USA; Teatro Cine Chacabuco (Argentina); Teatro Cine Gouveia, Teatro das Figuras Faro, Centro Cultural de Ãlhavo, Centro Cultural da Gafanha da Nazare, Groove Cascais (Portugal); Galleria d'Arte Moderna, San Fedele Milan, Teatro Dario Fo Venice, and St. Giorgio Cathedral Palermo (Italy); Silent Green Kulturquartier Berlin and Konzertsaal Friedenskapelle Münster (Germany); Sofia Central Military Club (Bulgaria), Ambato City Hall (Ecuador); Afundación and Mar de Vigo (Spain) and in almost all of Türkiye's most important music halls including Süreyya Opera House, Albert Long Hall, CRR, CKM and Zorlu PSM (Istanbul), State Opera House (Eskisehir); City Hall (Adana); Atatürk Cultural Center & KSÜ Yunus Emre Cultural Center (Antalya); Opera Hall (Mersin); Hikmet Simsek Cultural Center, (Izmir); METU, CSO and MEB Sura (Ankara).  AyseDeniz Links   Mr. Bill's Links   Podcast Produced & Edited by: Robert Fumo

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: If you flew due south from Belize, which countries would you pass over on your way to El Salvador? Question 2: In Which Country Is Europe's Highest Mountain Mt Elbrus? Question 3: What is the capital of The United States? Question 4: Where would you find the city of Skopje? Question 5: What Is The World's Most Northerly Capital City? Question 6: What is the capital of Colorado? Question 7: Wellington is the capital city of which country? Question 8: In which country is the city of Izmir? Question 9: In which country would you find the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gunnar Birgisson og Hrafnkell Freyr Ágústsson voru með Dr. Football án landamæra.

//The Wire//2200Z September 3, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: CONFLICT CONTINUES TO ESCALATE IN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. USS WASP SCHEDULED TO DEPART TURKEY ASAP. CONCERNS GROW REGARDING TDA MILITANTS SPREADING INFLUENCE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Russia: Conflict continues to escalate as both Russia and Ukraine ramp up efforts to return to a war of motion once again. Russia has claimed to have downed hundreds of Ukrainian drones in Russian airspace over the past few days, as Ukraine continues to attempt long-range attacks against targets deep inside Russia, to include Moscow. Russia has responded in kind with cruise missile strikes on many targets deep inside Ukraine. Russia continues to push westward in the Donetsk region, as front lines that haven't moved in months suddenly become more dynamic. The Ukrainian advance into Kursk continues, but has largely slowed as Russian forces have focused on containment instead of a brute-force, large-scale counterattack. AC: Ukraine (led by their American advisors) undoubtedly launched the Kursk offensive with the goal of pulling Russian troops from other fronts, and tying them down defending their own homeland. It's possible that Russia is focusing on turning the tables and doing the exact same thing to Ukraine…Ukrainian forces are now bogged down in Kursk, and can't reinforce the collapsing lines on the eastern front. Only time will tell how effective either party will be, as both sides are making large strategic gambles in their responses to the events in Kursk.Turkey: US 6th Fleet confirmed yesterday's incident involving several US Marines in Izmir. Local Turkish authorities also claim that the assailants have been arrested, though no independent verification of this is possible. The situation regarding the USS Wasp herself remains tenuous as thousands of protesters continue to protest outside the pier where the Wasp remains berthed. The Wasp has canceled all liberty for sailors and the embarked Marines, and is intending to get underway and depart Turkey as soon as possible.-HomeFront-Illinois: Overnight in Chicago, police radio traffic was intercepted by scanner watchers indicating a possible apartment takeover by Venezuelans. The apartment complex noted in the call is a Section 8 housing project on South King Drive. AC: Details are very sketchy regarding this incident. It must be stressed that the police radio traffic was a standard message from dispatch noting what a 911 caller stated in their complaint, so this information is not originating from LE sources. However, reports of large crowds of armed males are not entirely uncommon to the area, which is host to exceptionally high levels of crime. No further radio traffic from dispatch indicated the veracity of the original report, or if officers even responded to the call. However if a genuine incident was developing, other means of internal LE communications could have been used to prevent the interception of radio traffic.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: As the situation regarding TdA in Colorado continues, many areas around the country are on edge regarding the potential for TdA (or even more notorious groups) to conduct similar takeover operations in their areas, and beginning to set up strongholds in smaller cities around the United States. Like it or not, Colorado officials, and authorities in Denver and Aurora have given criminal syndicates not just the keys to the castle, but the recipes for success around the country as well. Now, even low-level criminals around the country know that they can probably be successful in their own areas, at least in locations where the rule of law is only selectively applied to citizens, with local authorities leaving migrant populations largely to their own devices. The power vacuums that have been created in the past 6 months alone are likely to result in even haphazardly-organized gangs having

Artug Acar is the Chief Operating Officer at Mercury, overseeing sales, marketing, operations, product development, people operations, and IT to drive the company's growth and success. Originally from Izmir, Turkey, Artug began his career as a mechanical design engineer before transitioning into software engineering after earning a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University. He has held roles at leading tech companies in the Boston area, including MathWorks, Amazon Robotics, and Symbotic. Artug also holds an MBA from UMass Amherst, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Bogazici University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Ege University. Mercury is a global logistics company specializing in time- and temperature-sensitive shipping for the biotech, life sciences, clinical trials, diagnostics, and medical device industries. With over 40 years of experience since its founding in 1984, Mercury has built a reputation for reliability and personalized service. Our portal provides clients with a holistic view of their entire shipping operations, driving operational efficiencies and simplifying the logistics process. Unlike other providers, Mercury offers individual attention and proactive support, tracking every shipment and resolving issues, so clients can focus on their core business. We serve over 700 clients and deliver hundreds of thousands of shipments annually, providing flexible pickups, customized invoices, and reports—all without added fees or contracts. At Mercury, our mission is to simplify healthcare and life science shipping, helping companies save time, reduce stress, and operate more efficiently.

//The Wire//2000Z September 2, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: UNITED STATES HIJACKS VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT. POSSIBLE US SERVICE MEMBERS ATTACKED IN TURKEY. HISTORIC FRENCH CHURCH BURNS IN SAINT OMER.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Turkey: This morning, Turkish government officials allegedly leaked Turkey's bid to join BRICS. AC: Very few details have leaked, however it's likely that Turkey has secretly been in talks to join BRICS for many months, since the new additions of the UAE, Saudia Arabia, Iran, and others earlier this spring.This morning, local Turkish media (and users on social media) published videos of what have been claimed to be US service members from the USS WASP ARG being assaulted/abused in the streets of Izmir during a routine port call. AC: The USS Wasp did arrive in Izmir yesterday, as confirmed by social media posts by U.S. Fleet Forces Command. However, it's not clear as to if the people being assaulted in the viral videos that have circulated social media are indeed US service members. No statements by defense officials have emerged to confirm or deny this incident as of this report.Middle East: US CENTCOM released a press statement over the weekend highlighting the wounding of 7 US service members during an operation in western Iraq. The report claims that 15 ISIS militants were killed during the operation, which was conducted in coordination with local Iraqi support.Israel: Protests voicing opposition to Netanyahu ignited again last night. Domestic demonstrations against the Israeli government have been regular over the past few months, but after the discovery of 6 dead hostages in Gaza a few days ago, demonstrations have become more widespread.France: Early this morning another major church fire broke out in Pas-de-Calais. The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer suffered a catastrophic fire, resulting in the collapse of the Steeple. The cause of the fire is not known. AC: This continues the trend of historic church fires throughout France, as this church was originally completed in 1859 and renovated in 2018.Dominican Republic: The United States hijacked the personal aircraft of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This was conducted via a covert operation in the Dominican Republic, as American operatives allegedly acting via the DoJ, DHS, and DoS stole the plane as it was parked on the ground.Far East: Tensions between the Philippines and China again came to a head near the Sabina Shoal over the weekend, as another collision occurred between PLAN and Philippine Coast Guard vessels. AC: This is the third deliberate collision reported over the past few months, with Chinese and Filipino vessels routinely increasing harassment operations against each other, which now include routine and deliberate collisions between vessels.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Very few details remain confirmed concerning the possible incident involving US service members in Turkey, however this situation bears very familiar hallmarks of previous incidents. The attack was carried out by the Youth Union of Turkey (TGB), a well-known revolutionary organization (comprised largely of a conglomeration of Socialists and Turkish Nationalists). Of note, this attack is not the first carried out by this group; nearly-identical attacks were carried out on US service members in 2011, 2013, and 2014. TGB is particularly fond of more-kinetic actions that take the form of restraining US service members and placing a bag over their head, echoing the historical tones of the organization's Socialist origins. In any case, restraining, beating, and mock-executing US service members is a pastime of this organization that more broadly is often an indicator of Turkish sentiment throughout the region.Regarding the theft of Maduro's aircraft, questions remain both regarding the legality of seizing another

Bu bölümde konuğum bir iş insanı, KÜTAŞ Gıda Grubu'nun Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı, CEO'su Kazım Gürel.Dünyanın farklı ülkeleri ve Türkiye'deki baharatlar, onların işlenişi ve farklı yemeklerde kullanılışı üzerine çok şey öğrenebileceğiniz bir bölüm bu. Üstelik Türkiye'nin baharat ve bazı endemik bitkileriyle, bunları işleme teknolojisinde ne kadar ileri olduğunu görüp şaşırabileceğiniz de bir bölüm... Şaşırtıcı, ilgi çekici, öğretici.Kazım Gürel, aynı zamanda tam bir dünya insanı. İzmir'de başlayan yaşam yolculuğu, 8 yaşında İngiltere'ye yatılı okulda okumaya gitmesi, eğitimleri ve İsviçre'den Japonya'ya, ABD'den Fransa'ya pek çok ülkede ticaret tecrübesiyle zenginleşiyor. Gürel, yurtdışında Türkiye'nin lezzetli değerlerini tanıtmak için başlatılan "Turkish Tastes" projesini de bölüm içinde anlatıyor.Gençlere, aile işini yapanlara önerilerin de olduğu bu bölümü kaçırmayın. Gazeteci#Journalist ~ #Art- #Food- #Travel lover ~ #EnthusiastBooks:

Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims. We have another day where we are hearing about riches and poverty.  Many of you have heard my earthquake story that occurred when we were stationed in Turkey. If not, in summary, on October 30th, 2020, Izmir, Turkey was hit with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that went on for 45 seconds. That is an eternity in earthquake time. My children and I happened to be on the 15th floor of our apartment high-rise and feeling the building sway and roll for that length of time was one of the most unsettling feelings you can possibly imagine. I figured at any minute the building was going to come down on us.  When the earthquake finished, I told my kids to run out of the building. I just wanted to get them out. So, we ran out with no shoes on and flew down the 15 flights of stairs to get out. What I didn't know at the time was that our building was designed to move that way to keep it flexible during an earthquake. It was designed by Japanese architects.  My husband's squadron was told to get to higher ground because there was fear of a tsunami coming (Izmir sits right on the Aegean Sea). And so, a group of Americans marched through town to higher ground. My kids and I, though, didn't have shoes.  I'll reflect on what happened when we got to higher ground as it pertains to our reading today. Let's turn to Chapter Sixteen in the Third Part. 

Rav Haim Palachi (Izmir, Turkey, 1788-1869) composed a work entitled Mo'ed Le'chol Hai, in which he discusses the unique qualities of every Hebrew month and the significant days in each month. In his discussion of the month of Sivan – the month in which we received the Torah, as we celebrate on Shabuot – he writes that this month is especially suited for developing the qualities of humility, unity among the Jewish people, and clear comprehension of Torah (listen to audio recording for precise citation). He then adds that the sins of Bittul Torah (wasting time that could be used for Torah study), gossip, slander, frivolity and other forms of inappropriate speech are particularly grievous during the month of Sivan. Although these offenses are certainly considered sinful regardless of when they are committed, violators are liable to especially harsh retribution, Heaven forbid, if they commit these sins during the month of Sivan. As this is the month in which we receive the Torah, and we are to devote ourselves – and especially our faculty of speech – to studying the Torah, these violations committed during Sivan have a particularly harmful spiritual effect in the heavens. Rav Haim Palachi then proceeds to extol the custom that was practiced by many wealthy philanthropists in Izmir – whom he lists by name – to distribute money to needy Torah scholars before Shabuot. Of course, it is important to give money to needy Torah scholars before every holiday to assist them with their holiday expenses. But there is a special Misva to support Torah scholars before Shabuot, the holiday which celebrates our receiving the Torah. Amidst this discussion, Rav Haim Palachi offers an insightful explanation for the common practice to eat dairy products on Shabuot. One of the reasons given for the Misva of Sefirat Ha'omer is that it corresponds to the seven-day period that a woman must observe as part of the purification process required after menstruation. Just as a woman who becomes ritually impure must undergo a seven-day purification process, similarly, Beneh Yisrael, who were on the forty-ninth level of impurity at the time of the Exodus, required a seven-week purification process to prepare themselves for Matan Torah. Their extreme state of impurity required them to observe a period of seven weeks, rather than just seven days. Now the Sages tell us that the milk of a nursing mother is produced from the menstrual blood inside her body ("Dam Na'asa Halab" – "The blood becomes milk"). Women do not menstruate when they are nursing, because the blood transforms to milk that is fed to the infant. Therefore, as our process of purification leading up to Shabuot resembles the purification process required after menstruation, when the blood has ceased to flow, we eat dairy products, as milk signifies the cessation of bleeding, and thus symbolizes our purification. Rabbi Karp noted an allusion to this concept in Parashat Mesora, in the section where the Torah discusses the seven-day purification process of a Zab (a man who experienced an unusual bodily emission). The three verses that describe this process (Vayikra 15:13-15) contain forty-nine words, alluding to the forty-nine days of the Omer period which correspond to the seven days of purification described in the Torah. And, interestingly enough, the thirty-third word in these verses is "Mo'ed" ("occasion," often used in reference to festivals), and thus corresponds to Lag Ba'omer, the thirty-third day in the Omer, which we observe as a joyous occasion. Summary: The month of Sivan is an especially auspicious time for developing humility, unity among the Jewish people, and clear understanding of Torah. The sins of Bittul Torah, gossip, slander and frivolity are particularly grave during this month. It is proper to give money to needy Torah scholars before the holiday of Shabuot.

Jury convicts Donald Trump on all 34 charges in hush money trial https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/jury-convicts-donald-trump-on-all-34-charges-in-hush-money-trial-18168112 Donald Trump has become the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes. A New York jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to an adult movie actress. The verdict from the 12-person jury convicted Trump on all 34 counts after deliberating for 9.5 hours. *) Recognising Palestine generates positive momentum — Norway's ambassador https://www.trtworld.com/europe/recognising-palestine-generates-positive-momentum-norways-ambassador-18167646 The recognition of an independent Palestinian state strengthens the idea of the two-state solution to the longstanding issue of Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, Norway's ambassador to Türkiye told TRT World. Andreas Gaarder said “the intention is to contribute to creating a momentum and also to signal to the world community that this is an important issue that needs to be solved and it needs to be solved now.” Gaarder said Oslo has been involved in “hectic diplomatic activity” in Brussels in the past few days, while strongly advocating for the end of Israel's brutal war on Gaza and for long-lasting peace in the region. *) NY hospital fires nurse for Gaza ‘genocide' reference during award speech https://www.trtworld.com/discrimination/ny-hospital-fires-nurse-for-gaza-genocide-reference-during-award-speech-18167836 A nurse at New York University Langone Medical Center has been fired for referring to the “genocide” in Gaza during a speech accepting an award earlier this month. Hesen Jabr, a Palestinian American labour and delivery nurse, drew a link between her work and the suffering of mothers in Gaza. Jabr said after the speech, she was “dragged” to an office and was handed her termination letter for putting “others at risk” and “offending people.” *) NATO discusses allowing Ukraine to use Western arms to strike inside Russia https://www.trtworld.com/europe/nato-discusses-allowing-ukraine-to-use-western-arms-to-strike-inside-russia-18168072 NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg pushed at the start of a meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers to let Ukraine use Western weapons to strike inside Russia. Ukraine has been pressing its supporters, led by the United States, to allow it to use the longer-range weaponry it supplies to hit targets on Russian soil. Some countries including Britain and the Netherlands say Kiev has the right to use their weapons to strike military targets in Russia. And finally… *) Efes-2024 exercise based on peacekeeping, no country targeted: Erdogan https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/efes-2024-exercise-based-on-peacekeeping-no-country-targeted-erdogan-18167900 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the Turkish military's ongoing Efes-2024 drill is based on peacekeeping. In an address to the military during the exercise in Izmir province, the Turkish president said that “no country is targeted within the scope of the Efes-2024 drill.” Erdogan said Türkiye has the opportunity to use the new domestic systems that have entered the inventory during the ongoing drill.

MARKEL STARKS is a professional basketball player in Turkey representing the city of Izmir.  I first met Markel as an 8th grader at Mater Dei School and he impressed me form the jump.  He went on to Georgetown Prep and then to Georgetown U -- where he captained the team and racked up accolades -- and for the last 10 years Markel has  been living his dream of playing professional basketball.  Beyond the hard court, Markel has a one-of-a-kind joie de vivre that he infects, quite literally, the world over.  Markel recently got inducted into the Prep Hall Of Fame -- congrats!Thank you, Markel, for being your beautiful self -- and telling your story; speaking your passion on the Pillars Podcast --BE A PILLAR!w/ love,Billy G!#markelstarks #izmir #turkeybasketball #euroball #followyourheart #pillarspodcast #tellyourstory #speakyourpassion #theworldkneelsbeforeloveitisinawe #truth #love #billyg

I'm currently in Istanbul Turkey for their annual builder expo. This is a massive show with over 10 exhibition halls and they report that more than 52,000 people will attend the expo. I'll do a separate show later this week specifically on the expo.  On today's show I'm sharing my observations about Turkey. I have visited several cities in Turkey over the years including Izmir, Istanbul, Anatolia, Kusadasi, and Effesus.    It's been about 5 years since I was here last and maybe 10 years since I spent any considerable time here. The first time I visited Istanbul I was 12 years old. I've seen the city grow up so to speak.  Today, Istanbul is a very modern city. It is also a very populated city with over 15M people.  I'll have more to report in the coming days about the builder Expo. ------------ Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com

Moins d'un an après avoir remporté les élections générales turques, le parti du président Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vient d'essuyer une défaite historique lors des élections municipales du 31 mars. L'AKP a cédé un grand nombre de municipalités à un autre parti kémaliste nationaliste, laïque et social démocrate, le CHP, ou «parti républicain du peuple». Ce dernier a totalisé 37,7% des suffrages exprimés, contre 35,5% pour l'AKP. Ainsi, Istanbul reste aux mains de l'opposition, qui récupère aussi la capitale Ankara, Izmir, et d'autres ex-bastions de l'AKP.Ce désaveu cinglant a été reconnu par Erdoğan en personne. Un signe, peut-être, de la relative bonne santé de la démocratie turque, et un avertissement des électeurs à leur président, incapable d'enrayer la crise économique qui frappe le pays.Pour en parler aujourd'hui dans Le monde devant soi, Ariane Bonzon, journaliste indépendante et autrice, spécialiste de la Turquie, contributrice régulière de Slate.Sur le même sujetLe monde devant soi est un podcast hebdomadaire d'actualité internationale présenté par Christophe Carron, avec Jean-Marie Colombani, directeur de la publication de Slate.fr, et Alain Frachon, éditorialiste au Monde spécialisé dans les questions internationales.Direction et production éditoriale: Christophe CarronPrise de son, montage et réalisation: Victor BenhamouPrésentation: Christophe CarronMusique: «Sinister», Anno Domini BeatsSi vous aimez Le monde devant soi, pensez à l'exprimer en nous donnant la note maximale sur votre plateforme de podcast préférée, en en parlant autour de vous et en laissant vos commentaires sur les réseaux sociaux.Suivez Slate Podcasts sur Facebook et Instagram.

The 17th of Shevat (which is today Feb 2 2018), marks the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Haim Palachi of Izmir, Turkey (1788-1869), and today's Halacha will therefore discuss a passage from his famous work, Kaf Ha'haim (1:4; listen to audio recording for precise citation). Rav Haim Palachi speaks of the importance of granting forgiveness to those have caused one humiliation, calling this quality "the cure for everything." If a person is patient and tolerant with people and does not grow angry at them for offending him, this reaction is more effective in earning him forgiveness for his sins than fasting and other forms of self-affliction. Rav Haim adds that one should not even feel any resentment in his heart toward those who offended him. Harboring ill will rather than foregoing on one's honor constitutes sheer arrogance, and is included in the admonition, "Anyone with an arrogant heart is an abomination to God" (Mishleh 16:5). Rav Haim cites in this context a comment in Abot De'Rabbi Natan where the Sages infer this lesson from Moshe Rabbenu, who was punished for growing angry at Beneh Yisrael. If Moshe, the greatest of all prophets, was wrong for reacting angrily, then certainly we, who are nowhere near his stature, must be prepared to forego on our honor and forgive wrongs committed against us. Refusing to grant forgiveness is the source of all "Mahloket" – controversy and strife. In this vein, Rav Haim explains the verse in Yehezkel (7:25), "Kefada Ba Ubikshu Shalom Va'ayin." He interprets this to mean, "When anger comes – they search for peace, but it is not there." In other words, when people are insistent and inflexible, unwilling to give in and forego, peace becomes impossible to obtain. Additionally, a tendency to anger causes a person to forget his Torah learning. When Yaakob returned to Israel from Laban's home, the Torah writes, "he arrived complete" (Bereshit 33:18), which the Sages understood to mean that his Torah knowledge was intact. Rav Haim explains that Yaakob was able to retain his knowledge because of his commitment to peace, as indicated by his wish before he left Israel, "I shall return in peace to my father's home" (Bereshit 28:21). This, too, may be the meaning of the aforementioned verse in Yehezkel, which speaks of peace being unattainable when anger abounds. Anger causes people to forget their Torah learning, which results in disputes and disagreements in all matters of Torah, thus precluding the possibility of peaceful relations among Jews. Rav Haim admonishes that nobody can enjoy God's blessings when he is plagued by Mahloket. He notes that he has seen with his own eyes that every man, woman, family, city and country that was beset by controversy and fighting suffered devastating harm, either physical or financial. It is therefore imperative for all people to avoid anger to the very best of their ability, as anger is the root cause of fighting and controversy. Indeed, the Zohar writes that anger causes terrible damage to a person's spirit, and one who allows himself to grow angry is considered as though he worshipped idols. We must therefore train ourselves in the quality of forgiveness and humility so that we avoid anger and thereby bring the blessings of peace and material and spiritual success upon ourselves, our families and our communities, Amen.

Seçim 2024'te bu hafta Melis Konakçı moderatörlüğünde İlkan Dalkuç ve Onur Tuğrul Karabıçak, adayların söylem stratejilerini, anketlerdeki son gelişmeleri ve seçim gündemini değerlendiriyor.00:00 Açılış00:45 İmamoğlu kampanyasında neden Kurum'dan ziyade Erdoğan'ı muhatap alıyor?07:12 Günümüzde yanlış bilginin doğru bilgiyle düzeltilmesinin anlamı kalmadı mı?13:52 Anketler ve kemik kitle20:32 Kurum'un bakanlık dönemindeki olayların etkisi30:32 AKP İstanbul adayının kim olması bekleniyordu?32:18 Mansur Yavaş'ın tüketilebilirliği 34:26 İzmir AKP BB başkan adayı Hamza Dağ AKP logosunu neden kullanmıyor?42:08 Afyon CHP Belediye Başkan Adayı Burcu Köksal'ın çıkışı ve İstanbul'daki DEM seçmeni48:47 Zafer Partisi'nin performansı50:57 Yeniden Refah ve Zafer Partisi58:24 Kapanış

This week's guest is Joachim Hensch (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachim-hensch-consulting), Founder of Joachim Hensch Consulting (https://www.joachimhensch.com/) and former Managing Director of the Hugo Boss factory in Izmir, Turkey. Hensch shares invaluable lessons learned about digital transformation through his over three decades of experience working in the apparel industry in roles from the shop floor all the way to management. His unique journey from tailor to digital transformation leader illustrates the realities of implementing Industry 4.0, challenges in traditional manufacturing, and the pressing need to empower workers with digital tools. Joachim discusses how manufacturers can balance artisanship with mass production by adopting new tools while retaining a deep appreciation of the frontline operators and their critical role in the industry. Augmented Ops is a podcast for industrial leaders, shop floor operators, citizen developers, and anyone else that cares about what the future of frontline operations will look like across industries. This show is presented by Tulip (https://tulip.co/), the Frontline Operations Platform. You can find more from us at Tulip.co/podcast (https://tulip.co/podcast) or by following the show on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/augmentedpod/). Special Guest: Joachim Hensch.

The Opportunist and the Last of His Kind. In the Late Bronze Age, there were few kingdoms as mighty as Hatti. Their Great Kings, like SUPPILULIUMA and KURUNTA, were a significant force in Anatolia and the Near East. But around 1200 BCE, their royal house was divided. And the Hittites suffered greatly in the Late Bronze Age Collapse. In Total War: Pharaoh, you must reunify the highlands, guard the lowlands, and weather the coming storm… Preview and purchase Total War: Pharaoh at https://pharaoh.totalwar.com/. Music in all episodes by Richard Beddow © Creative Assembly 2023. See the History of Egypt Podcast on all podcasting apps and at www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Select references: M. Alparslan and M. Dogan-Alparslan, ‘The Hittites and their Geography: Problems of Hittite Historical Geography', European Journal of Archaeology 18 (2015), 90—110. R. H. Beal, ‘Kurunta of Tarḫuntašša and the Imperial Hittite Mausoleum: A New Interpretation of §10 of the Bronze Tablet', Anatolian Studies 43 (1993), 29—39. G. Beckman, Hittite Diplomatic Texts (1996). T. Bryce, The Kingdom of the Hittites (New edn, 2005). T. R. Bryce, Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise History of the Hittites (2019). H. G. Güterbock, ‘The Deeds of Suppiluliuma as Told by His Son, Mursili II', Journal of Cuneiform Studies 10 (1956), 41--68, 75--98, 107—130. T. P. J. van den Hout, ‘A Chronology of the Tarhuntassa-Treaties', Journal of Cuneiform Studies 41 (1989), 100—114. V. Koros̆ec, ‘The Warfare of the Hittites: From the Legal Point of View', Iraq 25 (1963), 159—66. S. Langdon and A. H. Gardiner, ‘The Treaty of Alliance between Ḫattušili, King of the Hittites, and the Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt', The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 6 (1920), 179–205. J. Lorenz and I. Schrakamp, ‘Hittite Military and Warfare', in H. Genz and D. P. Mielke (eds), Insights to Hittite History and Archaeology, Colloquia Antiqua 2 (2011), 125—151. D. D. Luckenbill, ‘Hittite Treaties and Letters', The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 37 (1921), 161—211. S. W. Manning et al., ‘Severe Multi-Year Drought Coincident with Hittite Collapse Around 1198–1196 BC', Nature 614 (2023), 719—724. A. Matessi, ‘The Making of Hittite Imperial Landscapes: Territoriality and Balance of Power in South-Central Anatolia during the Late Bronze Age', Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History 3 (2016), 117—162. R. Meri̇ç, ‘The Arzawa Lands. The Historical Geography of Izmir and Its Environs During Late Bronze Age in the Light of New Archaeological Research', Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi (2020), 151—177. C. Mora and G. Torri (eds), Administrative Practices and Political Control in Anatolian and Syro-Anatolian Polities in the 2nd and 1st Millennium BCE (2023). I. Singer, Hittite Prayers (2002). A. Spalinger, ‘Egyptian-Hittite Relations at the Close of the Amarna Period and Some Notes on Hittite Military Strategy in North Syria', Bulletin of the Egyptological Seminar 1 (1979), 55–89. J. Sturm, La guerre de Ramsès II contre les Hittites (1996). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The three-hundred-thirty-fourth episode of the DSR Daily Brief Stories Cited in the Episode: Trump charged in probe of Jan. 6, efforts to overturn 2020 election Russia strikes Ukraine's Danube port, sending global grain prices higher Niger reopens borders with several neighbors a week after coup Europeans Evacuate Niger Amid Risks of Wider Conflict Pentagon confirms North Korea responded to message about Travis King Shooting at Swedish consulate in Turkey's Izmir injures one Man wins $1M lottery prize 3 days after announcing his retirement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices