"Discover & Release": Ancient Hittite Tablets of King Tudhaliya II Tell Tales, in Sivas

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 October 2026)

          A king, yes. But a regular dad, too.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced 

that 131 cuneiform tablets and fragments dating back to the reign 

of King Tudhaliya II were unearthed during the 2026 excavations 

at Kayalıpınar in Sivas, bringing the total count to 184 when 

combined with those found in the previous season. 

Ersoy noted that these finds,constituting the most comprehensive 

Hittite archive discovered in the 21st century—offer new insights 

into a wide range of areas, spanning from state administration 

and military developments of approximately 3,400 years ago to

 a high-fever epidemic, the experiences of the royal family, and 

Hittite divination practices.

This time, the soil of Anatolia has brought to light not merely 

the artifacts of a civilization, but state documents that directly 

record events from approximately 3,400 years ago. Excavations 

at Kayalıpınar in the Yıldızeli district of Sivas—a settlement 

referred to as Šamuḫa in Old Assyrian and Hittite sources—

have revealed significant new data regarding Hittite history.

Hmmm, seems to be a comma missing in the third line...

Minister Ersoy’s statement is as follows:

“We have achieved a highly significant discovery in Kayalıpınar, 

Sivas, that reaches into the state archives of the Hittites. During 

the 2026 excavations at ancient Šamuḫa, we unearthed 131 

cuneiform tablets and fragments dating back to the reign of 

King Tudhaliya II. Together with those found in the previous 

season, the total count has reached 184. 

Thus, the royal archive at Kayalıpınar has secured its place in 

history as the most comprehensive Hittite archive unearthed in

the 21st century. Penned in both Hittite and Hurrian, these 

documents bring the state administration, military developments, 

religious beliefs, and the experiences of the royal family from 

approximately 3,400 years ago directly to the present day.

The tablets reveal traces of a high-fever epidemic that spread 

from city to city—affecting children and infants in particular—

and document the health condition of a sick infant princess, her

subsequent passing, and the funeral ritual performed for her.

Not much else to do in those days, other than 

chisel tablets.

 

Another letter, sent by Hittite generals in Western Anatolia to the 

king, details requests for soldiers, horses, and chariots in the face 

of an enemy threat, while warning that the army could be 

annihilated if aid failed to arrive. Tablets recording the routes 

followed and observations made by bird diviners also offer 

previously unknown insights into Hittite practices of divination. 

This unique archive opens new doors in numerous fields, ranging 

from Hittite history and religious practices to the evolution of the 

language and the culture of scribes. We continue to bring 

Anatolia’s millennia-old memory to light through science, to 

preserve it, and to carry it into the future.”

"Rob & Release": Thief's Toy Gun No Match For Brave Jewelry Store Clerk, in Tekirdağ

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Cumhuriyet Newspaper, 8 October 2026)

                          "You gotta be kidding me!"

           

In the Kapaklı district of Tekirdağ, a masked suspect trying to 

rob a jewelry store with a toy gun panicked and fled after a 

female employee triggered the alarm. The woman, who had 

retorted "What robbery?" when the suspect announced, "This 

is a robbery," briefly chased after him as he ran away. The 

incident was captured on security camera.

The incident took place in the morning at a jewelry store on 

Pınar Boulevard in the Kapaklı district. A hooded suspect, 

with his face covered by a mask, entered the shop and pointed 

a pistol—which he had pulled from a bag—at the female 

employee behind the counter. Declaring, "This is a robbery," 

the suspect demanded the gold. The employee, however, 

reacted by saying, "What robbery?" and pressed the alarm 

button located under the table.

                  Ammo available at the nearest faucet.

Panicked when the alarm went off, the suspect fled the shop on 

foot. The employee chased after him for a short distance, but the 

suspect disappeared from sight after turning into side streets.

The attempted robbery was recorded by the shop's security camera.

Acting on the jeweler's complaint, teams from the Kapaklı District

Police Department launched an investigation and began examining 

the security camera footage.

Police determined that the pistol used by the suspect during the 

attempted robbery was a toy gun. Efforts to apprehend the suspect 

are ongoing.

"Beat & Release": Girlfriend-killer Bad Boy's Instagram Likes Exploded Because "He's Handsome", in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 October 2026)

Potential movie star...if he ever gets out.

In the Karacabey district of Bursa, 18-year-old Gökçe Alkan was killed 

by her boyfriend, Mustafa B., who slit her throat in a wooded area. 

Alkan's older sister, Özlem Akbay, claimed that her sister had been 

lured into a trap by her boyfriend on the day of the murder:

"He summoned her by saying, 'I had an accident. My car is totaled. 

I'm at the hospital.' My sister went to see him not to meet up, but to 

break up with him. I told her not to go, but she wanted to confront him."

Following the murder, the number of Instagram followers for the killer, 

Mustafa B., increased fifteenfold in a single day! (!) Many young women 

started following the killer! I can understand—to an extent—being curious 

enough to check his Instagram profile and ask, "Who is this killer?"

But why would anyone—especially young women—follow a killer who 

slit the throat of an 18-year-old girl?

When those who followed the murderer were asked questions on social 

media, "Why are you, as a woman, following a woman killer?", young 

girls replied, "He has a good look," "He is handsome," and "He is better

than wimpy men like you." (!)

Despite all the murders of women, why do some women like 'defective', 

criminal and even murderer men?

There are some psychological and scientific answers to this interest: 

First of all, the human brain has an evolutionary curiosity about 

extraordinary events that pose a threat and violate social rules. This 

situation is called 'sensational curiosity'. 

Romantic or sexual attraction towards people who have committed crimes, 

especially those involved in murder cases, is called 'Hybristophilia' or 

'Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome'. This psychological tendency may be 

present among the women who follow Mustafa B. 

In criminology, 'Hybristophilia' is divided into two:

Passive Hybristophilia: The person knows that the criminal is dangerous, 

but believes that he will not experience direct violence. He gets caught up 

in the fantasy of fixing, healing or saving her (savior complex).

Active Hybristophilia: The person is directly excited by the crime 

committed by the criminal and has the desire to participate in the crime. 

There is also the evolutionary illusion of "Strength/Protection":

The male figure, which is evolutionarily dominant, dangerous and can 

break the rules, may create the perception of "a leader who is strong and 

can protect the clan" in the subconscious of some individuals.

The image of the "bad boy" committing crime in modern society may 

overlap with this primitive perception of power.  In addition, childhood 

traumas and attachment disorders are also important factors. Women with 

an anxious attachment style may be attracted to "malfunction" people 

who could harm them or are unattainable.

Individuals who experienced emotional or physical abuse in childhood 

may equate love with danger and unpredictability.  For example, 

someone who answers "He's better than wimpy men like you" as a 

reason for pursuing the murderer may be prone to 'hyristophilia'."

While some of these women are being beaten or subjected to violence, 

they ask for help from men whom they call 'wimps'! (!)

Later, he changes his statement to save his guilty girlfriend. Many 

similar events took place in our country. Of course, a woman who 

is subjected to violence must be helped. Because 'hybristophilic' 

tendencies are well below one in a thousand in the general population.

In other words, a few thousand people following a murderer out of

curiosity or admiration on social media, which has millions of users, 

does not represent the general trend of women in society.

In summary, this is the situation. The increase in the number of followers 

of Mustafa B. represents a very small group.

"Trash & Release": Sanitation Workers Noticed Cache of Drug Pills, Leading to Police Raid, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 October 2026)

        One man's garbage is another man's treasure.

On September 30, in the Kağıthane district of Istanbul, municipal 

sanitation workers noticed boxes inside the garbage containers 

while cleaning them.

Workers opening the boxes became suspicious upon discovering a 

large number of pills (!) and notified the police. Police teams 

arriving at the scene examined the contents and found narcotic pills 

mixed with waste materials used in pill manufacturing. After separating 

the pills from the other waste, a total of 10,900 narcotic pills were 

seized. Police teams began reviewing nearby security camera footage 

to identify who had left the boxes.

Police teams determined that the boxes had been left in the containers 

by an individual who collects waste using a handcart. Continuing their 

investigation, the police also obtained footage showing the boxes being 

unloaded from a van. The individuals who unloaded the boxes from the 

van and loaded them onto the handcart were identified as Hulisi Y. (56), 

Abdulkadir D. (46), and Mehmet T. (25). The three suspects were taken 

into custody by the police.

"Round up the usual suspects."

Police teams conducting an operation at a workplace used as a 

manufacturing facility in Fatih seized a large number of empty capsules

 and a precision scale during searches. A search of a warehouse in 

Başakşehir—located as a result of the police teams' investigation—yielded 

785 kilograms of pregabalin and 643,476 narcotic pills. Two additional 

suspects were apprehended and taken into custody during the operation. 

The three suspects were referred to the courthouse after their processing 

at the police station was completed.

"Fleece & Release": Turkish Banker in USA for 13 Years Arrested, But Claims Duress by Turkish Femme Fatale

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(ABDPost.com, 5 October 2026)

    Femme Fatale O.A. alleged to have directed the caper.

Derya Dikici, a former portfolio manager at Denizbank’s Güneşli 

Branch who faced charges of "aggravated embezzlement," was 

apprehended by federal agents in the US in 2024 after living there 

for approximately 13 years. (!)

However (!), a new development has occurred in the legal 

proceedings regarding Turkey’s extradition request. A US federal 

court ruled that Dikici should be released—rather than remaining 

in custody—pending the completion of the extradition process, 

citing new information she presented and "special circumstances."

An investigation had been launched against Dikici over allegations 

that approximately $1.8 million was irregularly transferred from the 

accounts of seven individuals between 2009 and 2011.

A bank audit suggested that the funds had been transferred to the 

accounts of a family that owned oil companies. In her latest defense, 

however, Dikici claimed that she had not carried out the transactions 

of her own volition.

Derya hanım - unwilling pawn of evil mastermind O.A.?!

Dikici argued that she had acted under the pressure and direction of an 

individual named O.A., and that the transferred funds were sent to 

family accounts managed by O.A., and that she did not personally 

benefit from the money.

It was reported that after an investigation was launched against her, 

Dikici traveled from Turkey to the US in 2011 and lived at various 

addresses over the years.

Dikici, who was apprehended by federal agents in Massachusetts in 

April 2024, is currently undergoing extradition proceedings. According 

to court records, Dikici had previously petitioned for his release from 

custody. The latest ruling paves the way for his release pending the 

conclusion of the extradition process.

The claims presented by Dikici in court are merely allegations regarding 

the individuals named in the case file and do not constitute a finding of 

guilt.

"Beat & Release": Fake "Umbrella Gun" Nets Thief Fake Gold, Before He's Nabbed, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 October 2026)

Ah yes, the old umbrella as pistol trick!

In the Bayrampaşa district of Istanbul, Necmettin T. entered a jewelry 

store, threatened an employee using an umbrella disguised as a pistol 

inside a bag (!), and stole 20 gold bracelets from the display case. 

Apprehended within two hours along with the stolen items, the suspect 

was found to have previously taken and sold gold from his mother-in-law's 

home to pay off a gambling debt; he reportedly robbed the jewelry store 

in an attempt to replace the gold he had taken after the initial theft was 

discovered. It was subsequently revealed that the gold bracelets he had 

stolen from the jewelry store were fake. (!)

The incident took place yesterday around 15:25 at a jewelry store in the 

Yıldırım Neighborhood of Bayrampaşa. While Emir Gülcemal, an 

employee, was alone in the shop, an individual entered and claimed there 

was a gun inside the bag he was holding, threatening to shoot if his 

demands were not met. The suspect extended the bag toward Gülcemal 

and ordered him to fill it with gold. Gülcemal filled the bag with imitation 

jewelry from the display case. Believing the items to be real gold, the 

suspect took the bag and fled the scene on foot.

Police went on alert after news of the incident broke. During the search 

launched in the direction of the suspect's escape, security camera footage 

revealed that the thief had entered a pastry shop. In a raid on the shop 

approximately two hours after the incident, police teams apprehended the 

suspect, Necmettin T. (39), along with the stolen gold.

Necmettin bey better of in jail than in his mother-in-law's house,

henceforth.

The suspect was brought to the Public Order Branch Directorate for 

questioning. The investigation revealed that the suspect had been engaging 

in online gambling and had incurred debts. It was discovered that Necmettin 

T.—who had recently closed his own home and moved in with his mother-in-

law in Istanbul (!)—had learned the location of the gold kept in the house 

under the pretext of storing the gold gifted to his child, and had subsequently 

stolen it.

It was determined that Necmettin T., who had cashed in his mother-in-law's 

gold to pay off gambling debts, planned to rob a jewelry store to replace the 

stolen items after the theft came to light. It also emerged that the suspect did 

not possess a weapon and had intimidated the store employee using an 

umbrella placed inside a bag he was carrying.

Besides gambling too much, Necmettin bey reads comics too much.

Meanwhile, the business owner, Kadir Aydın, and Emir Gülcemal—who 

was manning the counter at the time of the incident—arrived at the Public 

Security Branch Directorate to identify the suspect. Kadir Aydın, who filed

 a complaint against the suspect, said, "I wasn't at the shop; one of our 

employees encountered this situation. He kept his cool and handed the 

robber fake gold pieces instead of the real ones from the display case. 

The suspect, believing them to be genuine, fled the scene. Had the gold 

he handed over been real, our losses would have amounted to nearly 5 

million liras. I would like to thank the Public Security Branch Directorate."

"Lowlife's Final Frontier": Contribution Boxes for Ill Child Stolen Again and Again, in Milas

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 2 October 2026)

                       Yeah, but it's hard to believe.

Five donation boxes, placed in local businesses as part of a fundraising 

campaign for 5-year-old Göktuğ Kurt—who suffers from Duchenne 

Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)—were stolen in the Milas district of 

Muğla. (!)

Bünyamin Atılgan (27), who stole the boxes, has been arrested. The theft 

occurred the other day at a market on Nazmi Akdeniz Street in the Burgaz 

Neighborhood; the boxes had been distributed to businesses as part of a 

campaign approved by the Muğla Governorship to support Göktuğ Kurt.

Teams from the Milas Public Order Bureau examined security camera 

footage and identified the suspect as Bünyamin Atılgan, who was 

apprehended and taken into custody with a sum of stolen money in his 

possession. 

Bünyamin bey to be sent on a one-way mission on his namesake ship.

It was determined that he had also stolen charity collection boxes intended 

for Göktuğ from four businesses—including a patisserie on Halil Bey 

Boulevard in the Cumhuriyet Neighborhood—on September 21 and 28. 

Atılgan was referred to the courthouse and subsequently arrested.