"KGB Talat" : A Talent for Trouble

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 February 2016)


 ID card has surname, name backwards. Tricky guy...


The name Talat Çetin first came up in 2012 when Çetin
identified himself as a general in the Russian secret service
FSB. Çetin took 2 million USD from the relatives of 5 Turkish
businessmen being held in Uzbekistan but then disappeared.

At the time, Çetin was given the nickname "KGB Talat" by
the Turkish newspapers. This time, the name Talat Enveroviç
Çetin, an Azeri, has come on the agenda in connection with an
investigation into money laundering and trafficking in historical
artifacts.

In October 2015, someone tipped off the Ankara police about
Çetin being involved in efforts to move money from Russia to
Turkey and traffick in historical artifacts.  The informant said
that Çetin had met with hacker groups in Istanbul and that they -
Çetin and the hackers - would be following the activities of retired
Turkish General Naci Karakaya.


Gen. Karakaya - just trying to keep busy in retirement.

Within the scope of the public prosecutor's investigation, the homes
of General Karakaya, formerly the commander of the Army Aviation
School, and three other people were searched.  Police seized
computers, cellphones and some personal items.  General Karakaya
admitted that he had spoken often with Çetin, about whom he said:
"I met him in Russia. He was the deputy commander of the Russian
Interior Ministry's Security Academy and a Lt. General. He was in
Putin's delegation at the G-20 Summit in Antalya."

General Karakaya characterized the accusations against him as
"nonsense".  Hürriyet looked into Çetin's activities in Russia and
found that he is not an official of any Russian state element. The
National Security Academy is registered in the Russian Justice
Ministry as a "civil community organization."  It is claimed that
Çetin has used the uniforms of Russian security forces and
intelligence services on social media to create an image for himself.

On his personal website, Çetin claims to be "the deputy chief of
the Russian National Security Academy, responsible for international
relations." The website also characterizes Çetin as "a Turkish-origin
Russian citizen living in Russia, who has had training in international
law and economics."  


"KGB Talat" hoping to get sequel time.


 

Urban Shepherd

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 6 February 2016)


               Beats herding cats.

Bayram Kozat was a shepherd in his home province of Malatya
for 20 years.  Then he moved to Istanbul and, after retiring, he
decided to return to his old shepherding days, but this time by
"herding dogs."

Now Kozat walks dogs of different breeds along Istanbul's
busiest streets, drawing stares from locals and tourists alike. He
began his new career 4 years ago when he accepted a dog-walking
offer but the number of dogs has risen to nine.


            No relation.

Kozat explained that the dogs listen to him just like his sheep used
to. He added that "I've returned to my shepherding days. The dogs'
owners are important people - businessmen, journalists, advertising
executives,  I take the dogs from their homes at 6 in the morning
and walk them until 0830. After a rest, I take them out again at 2
p.m. and bring them to their homes in the evening."


Unlike sheep, though, he's got to scoop the poop.

Mystery Creature in Niğde Awaits U.S. Expert's ID

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 5 February 2016)


                    Phone home.

In Niğde, the skeleton of an animal found in a pantry carved
out of rock in an old home has still not been identified. Some
say that the animal in question became extinct but it is hoped
that an expert coming from the U.S. will solve the mystery.

Abdullah Öztürk, a locksmith in Niğde, has been exhibiting the
skeleton in a glass case in his shop for two years since a friend
brought it to him after finding the skeleton in a the rock pantry
in a home in Bor district.


        Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

The creature's tail portion is 45 centimeters and its body is 60
centimeters. Öztürk explained that two archeologists from Niğde
University have examined the skeleton and told him that the
skeleton is that of an old species that may now be extinct. But
they couldn't say precisely what species the skeleton was from.


                        To be reunited?

The two Niğde U. archeologists have summoned an expert colleague
from the U.S. (a.k.a. Steven Spielberg) to examine the skeleton and
hopefully identify it.


Skeleton was found in Bor district of Niğde province.

Men Getting Themselves Into Trouble Edition

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 February 2016)


Something to write home to the wife and kids about.

Tamer Ç.(44), who works as a machinist on a cargo ship that
came to Ereğli district of Zonguldak province from Istanbul,
began drinking the night before last on the sea shore along
Uzunkum Avenue.

In the course of the evening Tamer Ç. met a young lady and
as the night progressed they began kissing. However, the woman
bit off the tip of Tamer Ç.'s tongue and fled. After 4 hours of
treatment and 10 stitches, Tamer Ç., the married father of two,
was released from the hospital.

When asked for a comment from reporters, Tamer Ç. said
"don't ask what happened."


Ereğli district is on Zonguldak's Black Sea coast.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 February 2016)


Escort D.G. brought along her own gang of escorts.

In Izmir, textile businessman K.K. went on a vacation with his
wife and child but, nevertheless (!), called an internet escort site
to arrange a rendezvous.  K.K. then went to a house to await
the escort, D.G. (34).

However, D.G. arrived together with Ş.E. (25), M.U. (21) and
İ.B.G. (22), who all entered the house.  The suspects threatened
K.K. with a knife and took his two cellphones, a gold chain and
the money in his wallet, before fleeing.

K.K. filed a complaint and the police made contact with the
internet escort site.  The day before yesterday the suspects were
arrested by police, whom the suspects thought were customers.




The arrow points to Izmir.

 

Transplanters

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Türkiye Newspaper, 2 February 2016)


                          These guys...

Doctors at the Akdeniz University Organ Transplant Center in
Antalya completed 11 organ transplant operations in 48 hours. The
transplant team began the marathon on Thursday morning and
finished successfully on Saturday morning.


            ...make these guys look mortal.

The 11 surgeons on the team noted how happy they are to be able
to provide this service to people coming from all over Turkey to
Antalya.  Director Prof. Dr. Bülent Aydınlı stated that over the
course of two days, with no break, the team completed 3 liver
transplants, 7 kidney transplants and 1 pancreas transplant.

 
                                in Antalya

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 3 February 2016)


                  Before...

Yesterday at Akdeniz University (AU) Hospital Turkey's third double-arm
transplant operation was completed.  The arms of Emin Konar (23),
left brain-dead from an accident, were transplanted to Mustafa Sağır (29),
who lost his arms as the result of a bomb explosion while he was working
in a field in 2008.


          ...and after.


A 35-member team participated in the operation, including AU Aesthetic
Surgery Chief Dr. Ozlenen Özkan and her husband Prof. Dr. Ömer Özkan,
both of whom performed the previous two double-arm transplant operations
in Turkey.

Aviation: Canine Stake-out; Wing as Trampoline

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 31 January 2016)

Goldens CNN story about Goldens exported from Istanbul.



                                Şamata

Nail Artunç's 3 year-old Golden Retriever 'Şamata' disappeared
on 17 December 2015.  Fearing that the dog may be taken abroad,
Artunç, who lives in Buırsa, and his wife and daughter have taken
up a vigil at Atatürk Airport in İstanbul.

Artunç explained that three years ago he suffered a stroke but
recovered thanks to Şamata.  Artunç has printed a brochure about
Şamata and the search for the dog. He added that "I got word that
Şamata had been adopted by someone in Istanbul but I haven't
been able to reach this person."


They must really love this dog (and pandas, too).

Artunç has heard, as well, that pedigree dogs like Şamata are being
taken abroad so he and his family are staking out Atatürk Airport
in hopes of sighting Şamata (!).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Türkiye Newspaper, 2 February 2016)

old planes see previous reporting on this important subject.


   Grown-ups always have to ruin a good thing...

The Turkish Air Force donated a retired 1947 model C-47 Dakota
transport plane to the Büyükçekmece municipality to increase the
public's love for aviation.  The plane has been used as a museam
by the municipality but youths have taken to using one of the plane's
wings as a trampoline to jump and dive into the sea.

Efforts were made to prevent the youths from climbing onto the
wing but all have been in vain.  Now, instead of moving the plane
away from the shore, the decision has been made to build a platform
under the wing that extends into the sea so no one can jump off the
wing anymore (well, they can but they'll land on concrete).  



        Büyükçekmece district of Istanbul


 

Potato Heads Through the Looking Glass

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 1 February 2016)


                          ...in all its reflected glory.

In Konak district of Izmir, a woman named E.K. (55) wanted to
buy potatoes from E.M. (27) and A.Y. (19), who were selling
potatoes from their truck on the street.  As E.K. went to pay for the
two kilograms of potatoes she bought, E.M. and A.Y. noticed that
her pocketbook was full of money.

The two potato sellers grabbed E.K.'s pocketbook and, when she
resisted, they dragged her along the ground. Then the suspects
took the hand bag with 400 TL in it and fled in their truck.  Police
arrived at the scene and combed through 250 images from security
cameras but at first failed to find a clue.


Suspects captured based on spot-on descriptions.

Police then took a second look at the images and thought that they
noticed the reflection of the suspects' truck in a window caught in
one of the images.  The image was less than perfect, but police
were able to detect weld marks on the truck reflected in the window.
The police next examined 120 street-sellers' trucks and found that
E.M. and A.Y.'s truck had the tell-tale weld marks.

The suspects were taken into custody and confessed the crime. E.M.
was put directly into jail and A.Y. was released, pending trial.



Konak district is in the center of Izmir city.