"TNT Maritime Creatures Edition": Whale and Shark Snagged in Different Nets; Only the Shark Escaped

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 October 2026)

              Even whales need to know what time it is.

American citizen Richard James Schueler, nicknamed "The Whale" (!) 

—who was wanted via an Interpol Red Notice for large-scale 

cryptocurrency fraud—has been captured in Istanbul. Teams from the 

Istanbul Police Department’s Intelligence Branch and the Financial 

Crimes Investigation Branch, with support from the National 

Intelligence Organization (MİT), launched an operation to apprehend 

individuals wanted internationally. 

Investigations revealed that Schueler, who was the subject of an Interpol 

Red Notice for cryptocurrency fraud, was in Istanbul. During an operation 

conducted yesterday morning at an address in Beşiktaş, authorities 

apprehended Schueler—alleged to have established an international 

cryptocurrency fraud network with operations linked to the United States, 

Finland, and Spain—along with his wife, A.K. 

Also seized at the residence were 64 luxury-brand watches, 20 gold 

bracelets, 7 gold chain necklaces, $600,000 in cash, and 2,600 Euros.

"Whale" seen here surrendering to a Turkish maritime police

squad member.

*******************************************************

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 October 2026)

Shark tanning a bit before return to sea.

Off the coast of Enez in Edirne, a 'bluntnose sixgill' shark—weighing 

350 kilograms and measuring 2.5 meters in length (!)—became 

entangled in the nets of local fishermen. The giant shark was hoisted 

onto the boat with the help of a crane, but instead of being brought to

 shore, it was released back into its natural habitat: the sea. 

Fisherman Emin Hasan Topal, who had set out from the Enez coast, 

noticed that a large creature had become caught in his nets. With the 

assistance of his crew, and after an hour-long effort, they managed to 

free the shark—a bluntnose sixgill measuring approximately 2.5 meters 

and weighing 350 kilograms. 

Once on board, the shark was subsequently returned to the sea. Noting 

that this was the first time he had ever caught a shark of such size, Emin 

Hasan Topal said, "It was a struggle to get the shark, which had become 

trapped in our nets, onto the boat using a hoist. We had never seen one 

this big before; we were quite taken aback. After freeing it from the nets, 

we released it back into the sea."

"Steel & Release": Turkish Couple Excel in Ironman Competition, in Hawaii

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 14 October 2026)

  Iron supplements the key to a successful marriage.

At the world championship Ironman competition held in Kalua-

Kona in Hawaii, Turkey was represented by married couple

Merve and Murat Güney. 

In the women's age 40-44 category, Merve hanım placed 9th

with a time of 10 hours, 29 minutes and 35 seconds (!). Her

husband Murat Güney, also competing in the age 40-44 men's

category, placed 28th among 184 competitors. After the meet,

the Turkish couple proudly displayed the Turkish flag. 

They deserve another medal for getting to Hawaii 

from Turkey.

"Beet & Release": Four Family Members Shot Dead in Sugar Beet Dispute, in Kastamonu

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 October 2026)

            Ouch. Price of beets much too high.

Four members of the same family lost their lives in an armed altercation 

in  sugar beet field (!) between two families in the Taşköprü district of 

Kastamonu. 

The incident took place in the evening in the district's Akdeğirmen 

village. Allegedly, an argument broke out between the two families in a 

sugar beet field for reasons yet to be determined. As the dispute escalated 

quickly into a fight, Çetin A. opened fire with a pistol he was carrying. 

Sefa Karasu, İlhan Karasu, Ali Karasu, and Halit Karasu were critically 

injured in the shooting. Medical and Gendarmerie teams were dispatched 

to the scene following reports of the incident. Gendarmerie teams 

launched an operation to apprehend the suspect, Çetin A., who had fled

after the incident. Çetin A. subsequently surrendered to Gendarmerie 

teams in Kastamonu city.

"Ring & Release": Thieves Stole "Japonese Peace Bell" and Sold It For Scrap, in Yalova

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 12 October 2026)

                         The bell tolls for thee, Yalova!

One of the three suspects involved in the theft of the 37-year-old 

'Japanese Peace Bell'—a symbol of the friendship and sister-city ties 

between Yalova and the Japanese city of Tonami—has been caught. 

It was discovered that the 87-kilogram bell had been sold to a scrap 

dealer for 26,000 liras (about $500) (!)

The Japanese Peace Bell, located in the park on Cengiz Koçal Avenue 

in the Süleyman Bey Neighborhood, was stolen on September 14. 

Following a complaint filed by the Yalova Municipality Parks and 

Gardens Directorate, teams from the Provincial Security Directorate’s 

Public Order Branch launched an investigation. 

After examining footage from the City Security Management System 

(KGYS), the teams identified the suspects. According to the camera 

footage, the three suspects left a house in the Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood 

around 03:28 on the day of the incident. Traveling on a gray, three-wheeled 

electric bicycle without a license plate, they arrived at the park where the 

bell was located at 03:57.

Perfect for large bell-stealing...until the battery runs out!

Allegedly, the suspects cut the bell's handle using metal shears they had 

brought with them. They then loaded the 87-kilogram bell onto the cargo 

bed of the electric bicycle and fled the scene. It was also revealed that the 

electric bicycle ran out of battery (!) on a slope in the neighborhood while 

they were transporting the bell; consequently, they moved the bell to the 

Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood and covered the front of the electric bicycle 

with cardboard to evade police detection.

As a result of physical surveillance and investigations, one of the three 

suspects was apprehended and taken into custody. It was discovered that 

the bell had been sold to a scrap dealer in the Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood for 

26,000 liras about a week after the theft. The apprehended suspect 

received a 4,500-lira share from the sale.

While efforts to apprehend two suspects linked to the incident are ongoing, 

searches continue to locate the 37-year-old Japanese Peace Bell—a symbol 

of the friendship and sister-city ties between Yalova and its Japanese sister 

city, Tonami.

"Shimmy & Release": Century-old British Law Banned Belly Dancers at Moslem Weddings in Cyprus...Until Now

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 October 2026)

                          Dance card full henceforth!

A Turkish Cypriot father living in the Greek Cypriot-administered 

city of Larnaca wanted to hire a female singer and a belly dancer for 

his 24-year-old daughter's wedding last November. While obtaining 

the necessary marriage documents, the issue of the female singer and 

belly dancer arose. Greek Cypriot officials warned him, citing Article 97 

of the penal code—a legacy of the British colonial era titled "Muslim 

Entertainments" that applied exclusively to Muslims—stating that 

"bringing a female singer and a belly dancer to a Muslim wedding is 

prohibited and punishable by one month in prison or a fine." The law’s 

definition of a "belly dancer" included the description: "a woman who 

engages in prostitution, singing, and dancing." (!)

Sort of like "training" for the bride and groom.

The father initially cancelled the wedding and decided to hold it in 

another country where "having a belly dancer perform" was not 

prohibited; however, acting on his lawyers' advice, he filed a complaint 

against the Greek Cypriot administration with the European Court of 

Human Rights (ECHR). The Court accepted the application and requested 

a defense from the Greek Cypriot Attorney General's Office. The Attorney 

General's Office acknowledged the fault and reported that parliamentary 

work had begun to amend the law dating back to the British colonial era. 

The Greek Cypriot government pursued an amicable settlement with the 

Turkish Cypriot father, agreeing to pay a total of 5,000 euros—comprising 

3,500 euros in compensation and 1,500 euros for legal costs. The ECHR 

struck the case from its docket after the Turkish Cypriot father accepted 

the settlement.

"Slither & Release": 67 Python Snakes Seized at Kapıkule Border Crossing

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 10 October 2026)

                                          So cuddly!

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced that 67 

pythons (!), which were attempted to be smuggled into the 

country, were seized at the Kapıkule Customs Gate and placed 

under protection thanks to the diligent efforts of teams from the 

General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks 

and the General Directorate of Customs Enforcement.

Administrative fines totaling 948,739 TL (about $20,000) were 

imposed on the apprehended individuals. "We will never tolerate 

opportunists who endanger wildlife!" it was stated.

Mastermind and product-line he envisioned for Turkey...

No snakes allowed!

"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.”