Tolstoi Rescues Teenagers from Jail

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 31 May 2018)


      Get Out of Jail Free card: read a book.

In February, in Konya's Selçuklu district, three students got into
a fight in front of their high school.  As a result, students B.Y.,
M.Y. and H.K. were taken into custody by police.  After processing,
the case was turned over to mediator Muhammet Murat Üyel.

The fathers of victims F.T. and H.Ş. said that they did not want to
see the three young mens' future clouded by this incident but,
nevertheless, they wanted them to learn a lesson.  The fathers
proposed that the three attackers read a book and contribute 50 TL
(about $12) each to the Soldiers Fund.  All concerned agreed so
the three were rescued from a harsher sentence by reading books
at the Konya Courthouse's 15 July Library.

The young fellows read Tolstoi's "Hacı Murat", Dr. Nuri Şahin's
"Çanakkale War History and Martyrs" and Ali Ünlü's "Education
Stories".  Tolstoi's book was inspired by real events involving
Chechen rebel Hacı Murat's war against the Russian Empire.

Double Head-Butts Keep Wife-Beater Grounded

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 31 May 2018)


Police artist's rendering of the first head-butt.  That's
Mehmet T. on the right. (Police included sound effect
word 'WHUDD!' due to lack of audio from the incident.)

A wife-beating incident in the middle of the street ended quite
differently this time around.  In Kâğıthane, Istanbul, Mehmet T.
and his wife Nevin T., who are divorcing, were returning from
the courthouse when an argument erupted between them. 
Mehmet T. attacked the young woman, kicking her to the ground
and beating her with a roll of papers in his hand.

At this point, two street-cleaners intervened and one of them
head-butted Mehmet T. in order to save the woman from further
harm.  Mehmet T. collapsed from the blow and a crowd gathered,
with some calling police and others trying to prevent Mehmet T.
from fleeing. 

As Mehmet T. got up, the street-cleaner head-butted him again (!),
sending him back to the ground.  Police arrived to take Mehmet T.
into custody and Nevin T., who had a split lip from the beating,
went to the police station to give a statement.  At the police station,
despite video evidence, Mehmet T. declared that "I didn't hit my
wife. While we were talking, all of sudden she began hitting
herself (!). Some people started kicking me in the back.  It was
very crowded.  I think my wife set me up. (!)"


Mehmet T. on the attack, left, and holding ice pack 
for his head, right.

After giving his statement, Mehmet T. was released.  Witness
Mehmet Kaya related that "some guy was beating a woman,
who was screaming 'Police! Help me!'  A passer-by ran a the
attacker and head-butted him.  Then, others held the attacker."
Ayşe Atasoy, another witness, said that "we heard screaming
and went outside. The woman was lying on the ground,
screaming and trying to protect herself.  Then, citizens
intervened."

HaberTürk reached out to Nevin T., who said "my husband
is responsible for this mess. I don't know why he did it. Today
we started the divorce process. I'm staying with my family now."
As for the heroic, head-butting street-cleaner, he related that
he used the head-butt blow technique because he thought the
attacker might have a knife in his hand.

1,700-Year-Old Pagan Cemetery in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 30 May 2018)


      Pagans got buried, too. Who knew?

During the restoration of the historic Shaikh Süleyman Mosque
in Zeyrek, Istanbul, a "pagan cemetery" estimated to be 1,700
years old was discovered.  The restoration project began on 25
September 2013 and was completed on 7 November 2016. 

Archeologist Murat Sav said that the structure that is a mosque
today was originally a cemetery from the Late Roman period.
He explained that "in the basement of the building, over which
the mosque was built, there are two floors dating from the Roman
period.  The first floor houses a multi-grave structure with eight
portions, which is called an 'arcosolium' - a cemetery from pagan
times.  It is very significant that this has been found in Istanbul.
In one of the portions, a mug made for pouring blood was found.
The place was looted during Byzantine time."  Sav added that
during the restoration amphoras from Byzantine times were
found, as well.




The cemetery was built 1,700 years ago during the Late Roman
period.  After the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, the building
was turned into a lodge and mosque by Shaikh Süleyman Efendi.
The site sustained damage from earthquakes and fires in the 18th
century.  Prof. Dr. Semavi Eyice, who died the day before yesterday,
had said that claims that the structure was funeral chapel and
library of the Pantokrator Monastery of the Byzantine period
were baseless. Paganism is the general name for beliefs based
on nature.  In Istanbul, paganism continued but diminished in
Istanbul until the 7th century, as Christianity spread.


                 Zeyrek: 'A' marks the spot.



 

Batman Pooch Survives Oil Bath

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 30 May 2018)


                             Before...

In Batman, a dog that fell into a pool of oil waste at the Batı
Raman oil field was rescued by firefighters.  The dog was
removed from the pool covered in oil and cleaned with olive
oil and soap.


                         ...and after.

For a full day the dog had remained in the oil waste pool,
struggling to get out.  Veterinarians said that the canine had
swallowed a lot of oil and they added "the dog's nostrils and
its mouth were filled with oil.  It's a miracle the animal
survived a day in such conditions."  The dog is now in good
shape and being cared for normally.


          Ready for duty!