"Bigger They Are & Release": Self-syled VIP Who Could "Buy Turkey", Nabbed on Drugs and Prostitution Charge, in Ankara

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Cumhuriyet Newspaper, 18 August 2026)

                     "Don't you know who I am??!!"

Abdulkadir Özcan, former Board Member of PETLAS (Petrol ve Lastik 

Sanayii/Oil and Tire Industries), who made headlines with this statement 

on a Turkish Airlines flight: "I'm a billionaire, I could buy Turkey.", has 

been detained in a drug and prostitution operation in Ankara. (!) It was 

reported that 175.45 grams of a substance believed to be narcotics were 

seized during a search of his home.

Özcan came to public attention in December 2024 with an incident on 

a Turkish Airlines flight from Dubai to Istanbul. Footage showing Özcan 

arguing with cabin crew and passengers over alcohol service in Business 

Class, and saying, "Do you know who I am? I'm a billionaire. I could buy 

Turkey," sparked outrage on social media.

Özcan was selling t-shirts on the plane, too...

"Resist & Release": He Locked Himself in House, Fired on Mediators, But Finally Surrendered After Four Days, in Çatalca

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Karar.com website, 17 August 2026)

                             Suspect Aktürk with hostage.

İrfan Aktürk, who allegedly locked himself in his house after arguing 

with his family in Çatalca, Istanbul, and fired at Gendarmerie teams 

that arrived at the scene, surrendered after approximately 4 days (!) of 

persuasion efforts.

On Thursday, August 13th, an argument broke out between İrfan Aktürk 

and his family in the Yalıköy neighborhood of Çatalca for reasons yet 

unknown. During the argument, his father became ill, prompting the 

call for medical assistance.

Following this, İrfan A. locked himself inside his house. Gendarmerie 

and medical teams were dispatched to the area. It is alleged that Aktürk

opened fire on the Gendarmerie officers upon their arrival.

Part of the furniture.

Following the incident, extensive security measures were taken in the 

area, and efforts were initiated to persuade the suspect to surrender. After 

approximately four days of work by Gendarmerie teams, Aktürk was 

convinced to surrender on Sunday morning, August 16th.

The suspect, who emerged from the house, was taken into custody by 

Gendarmerie teams in the garden. It has been learned that İrfan A.'s 

processing at the Gendarmerie station is ongoing.

"Resist but (No) Release". Crime Boss Tried Every Which Way, But His "Liberation" Efforts Fell Short, from Argentina to Turkey

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Nefes Newspaper, 16 August 2026)

        So glad to be home, he knelt to kiss the ground.

Serkan Kurtuluş (whose surname means "liberation" (!)), the leader of 

an organized crime syndicate who was wanted internationally on a red 

notice and apprehended in Argentina, has finally been brought to 

Istanbul following the completion of his extradition process.

Kurtuluş, who was wanted on a red notice for numerous crimes including 

"premeditated murder," "intentional homicide," "forming an organization 

to commit crimes," "threats," and "armed robbery" committed in Turkey, 

was apprehended in Argentina in 2020.

Following a process coordinated by the Interpol Europol Directorate, 

Kurtuluş was handed over to the Argentine authorities and brought to 

Türkiye on Turkish Airlines flight TK16, which departed from Buenos 

Aires, Argentina, and stopped in São Paulo, Brazil, accompanied by a 

Turkish team.

However (!), while the plane was parked at the São Paulo airport, Kurtuluş

shouted in Spanish that there was a bomb on the plane while it was waiting 

there. His efforts to have the plane evacuated were unsuccessful, and the 

extradition process continued with the necessary security measures in place.

In happier days...

The process began with the issuance of a red notice on October 31, 2017, 

as a result of the work carried out by the Interpol Europol Directorate. 

Following these efforts, information was obtained that Kurtuluş was 

apprehended in Argentina on June 11, 2020.

Kurtuluş, who sought asylum in Argentina to prevent his extradition to 

Türkiye, had his request rejected, but his extradition was delayed for a 

long time due to legal processes.

After the Argentine authorities approved Kurtuluş's extradition to Türkiye, 

following his hunger strike (!) while in prison, the Interpol Europol 

Directorate took action. International coordination was initiated to bring 

Kurtuluş to Türkiye.

Handed over to security personnel at Istanbul Airport by his accompanying 

team, Kurtuluş was taken to the Istanbul Airport Security Branch Directorate.

"Rise & Release": Woman Stranded on Island That Was There...Until It Wasn't, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 August 2026)

         Mother Nature always has tricks up her sleeve.

In Antalya, B.G., a woman who was stranded on an islet in the Manavgat 

River due to rising water levels, was rescued by the firefighters. B.G. 

told them, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it would be like this." (!)

Yesterday evening, B.G., who was visiting a waterfall in Manavgat, 

walked across to a small island in the Manavgat River that appears 

when the water level is low. 

However (!) , after a while, as the water level rose and B.G. became 

stranded on the islet. Following a report, Antalya Metropolitan 

Municipality Fire Department and Gendarmerie teams were dispatched 

to the scene. The woman was rescued from the island by boat and 

brought to shore by the firefighters.

After being taken to a safe area, B.G. repeatedly said to her rescuers, 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know it would be like this." It was stated that 

administrative action was taken against B.G.(!), who was taken to the 

Sarılar Gendarmerie Station.

"Whoops! & Release": Girl Falls Two Stories Through Hole in Sushi Restaurant's Floor, in Kadıköy

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(FinansınGündemi.com website, 13 August 2026)

                    "Alice, say hello to the Mad Hatter!"

A 17-year-old girl who went to a restaurant in Kadıköy to eat sushi fell 

from a gap next to her table onto a tea stall two floors below. (!)

The girl, who was seriously injured after boiling water in the tea

stall spilled on her, has been reported to the authorities.

The 17-year-old girl experienced a nightmare while at a restaurant in 

Kadıköy with four friends to eat sushi. After entering the restaurant, 

they went to a table in the corner. Allegedly, there was a square-shaped 

gap next to the table with a thin wooden plank on top. The girl didn't 

see it and fell two floors down as soon as she stepped onto it. (!)

According to the news report on Show Haber, the young girl described 

what happened: 

"Everything happened so suddenly. I fell into a pitch-black place. They 

didn't give me any information about the renovation; they put a cover 

there but didn't even secure it. I fell into the gap where I stretched my 

leg to sit on a chair. I fell onto the tea station counter on the lowest floor 

and got burned."

The young girl suffered second-degree burns, and she and her family 

have filed a complaint against those responsible.

Kadıköy is sometimes referred to as "Wonderland".

"Bleat & Release": Goats in Unusual Places, in Bursa and Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Son Dakika website, 13 August 2026)

                          "Hey, don't light the stove!!"

An incident that occurred in a house in Bursa in the early morning hours 

astonished onlookers. A goat entered the house and climbed onto the 

kitchen counter and stove, searching for something to eat.  (!)

The incident was recorded on a cell phone camera. The homeowner, who 

was frustrated after struggling with the goat for a long time, threatened to 

hand it over to the police. 

The incident took place in the Yıldırım district of central Bursa. In the 

footage, the long-haired goat is seen comfortably roaming on the white 

kitchen cabinets before leaving the house and walking away. The video, 

which spread on social media, quickly received thousands of likes. Users 

made humorous comments on the video, such as "New MasterChef 

contestant" and "This is how you make the healthiest meal." While it is 

not yet determined how the goat entered the house, its fate remains a 

mystery.

Istanbul-Bursa goat trail.

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

türkçe links to orignal Turkish article

HaberTürk website, 13 August 2026)

         "I don't know how I got here either."

A goat somehow (!) became trapped on a 15-meter-high viaduct 

support on the Northern Marmara Highway in the Eyüpsultan district

of Istanbul.

After citizens noticed the situation and reported it, firefighters arrived 

at the scene and, after taking safety precautions, descended from the 

viaduct to the bridge pier using ropes.

The firefighters rescued the goat from where it was trapped by tying 

a rope around it and then safely pulling it up. It was reported that the 

goat was handed over to its owner, but no determination could be made 

as to how it got onto the viaduct support in the first place (!).

Firefighters save any and all.

"Dump & Release": Robots Start Cleaning Up Humans' Trash on Turkey's Med Coast

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Diken website, 12 August 2026)

Cleaning up humans' debris the old-fashioned way...

A project has been launched to prevent waste along the 640-kilometer 

coastline from Gazipaşa district to Kaş district, where tourists flock 

during the summer. Remote-controlled robots are being used to clean 

up waste left by the human visitors in the sea.

Ahmet Çetin, President of the Chamber of Maritime Commerce, said 

the following about the robots, which he called "garbage collectors":

"When the garbage collector robot detects any waste on the sea surface, 

it will go and collect it. It has a storage tank at the back where it will 

collect the waste.  Our robot only cleans the water surface. We will try 

to clean up all the waste that pollutes our seas, such as plastic bottles 

and packaging, with the help of the robot."

...now, let the robot do it!

Çetin also warned vacationers and sailors, saying, "Cleaning up a 

polluted sea is very difficult. I earnestly request all our members, 

sailors, and citizens to please NOT leave their garbage in the sea."

Meanwhile, in Bodrum, human divers cleaned the seabed in Bodrum -

a washing machine was found in the sea. 

Sort of like finding a sunken treasure...  (!)

Gazipaşa is just east of Alanya on the Med coast.