Turk Journal

Turk Journal www.turkjournal.co.uk

February, 2014

Queen Elizabeth 1 & the Ottoman Empire

Ilber Ortayli: “The Ottoman Empire found its first ally in England”

Elif Şafak pays homage to Mimar Sinan and love of learning in new book

A TURKISH-BRITISH SUCCESS STORY: HÜSEYIN ÖZER The ‘democracy decorations’ set up in Middle East and North Africa

Turk Journal

CONTENTS 16

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22 EDITORIAL EDITOR’S LETER

ECONOMY 7

POLITICS NEWS ROUNDUP UK & Turkey Politics

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PRESS REVIEW Articles on UK Politics & Turkey Politics

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26 LIFESTYLE

OPINION

Good time to invest in Turkey

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ECONOMY NEWS ROUNDUP

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INTERVIEWS

TURKEY IN 2014: A Preview

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FEATURE 20

A TURKISH-BRITISH SUCCESS STORY: HÜSEYIN ÖZER

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THE QUEEN & THE SULTAN Friendship of Two Empire Rulers of different faiths

ILBER ORTAYLI: “The Ottoman Empire found its first ally in England”

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TWO ELIZABETH’S & THREE FILMS

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ELIF SAFAK pays homage to Mimar Sinan and love of learning in new book

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MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA - The ‘democracy decorations’ set up in Middle East and North Africa

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Turk Journal TURK JOURNAL February 2014 Issue Number:1 4

HEALTH The remedy and benefits of the tea world

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WOMEN Life tips from my grandmother

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FAMILY News Roundup

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TRAVEL Turkey Of The Regions 1: Safranbolu and the traditional Ottoman house

Executve Director Taner Yıldırımcı

Assistant Editor Hussain Kaya

Executive Editor İlhan Gökalp

Director Of Photograpy Bülent Vedat Balta

Managing Editor Mustafa Köker

Multimedia Editor Hasan Doğan

Art Director Berna Sarıkaya

Photograpy Editor Ali Haydar Yeşilyurt

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Turk Journal

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TECHNOLOGY MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Samsung Galaxy S5 to be unveiled

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TECHNOLOGY NEWS ROUNDUP

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WHAT’S ON EVENTS

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SPORTS ENGLISH AND TURKISH CLUBS set for another battle

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Printed at The Guardian Print Centre

And a general big thank you to everybody who may have contributed and/or helped with any aspect of the publication of Turk Journal

February 2014 TURKJOURNAL TURK JOURNAL LTD Registered in England and Wales, Company No:[8882451] 596 GREEN LANES LONDON N13 5RY UNITED KINGDOM

Please Visit Our Website www.turkjournal.co.uk Contact us info@turkjournal.co.uk

TEL:0208 882 8500 .

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No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the permission of TurkJournal.

All prices, figures and currencies correct at the time of going to press, but subject to change

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Turk Journal

Editor’s Letter

Ilhan Gokalp There is excitement and joy over our first publication of Turk Journal magazine. The magazine aims to become a bridge between British and Turkish communities, as it will focus on the relations between both cultures. Our readers will get a clear, concise and an objective insight to current political and economical affairs related to both countries.

Turk Journal will provide an effective and colourful content to its readers with its political features, historical dossiers, special interviews, lifestyle articles and many more.

Our magazine will include news roundups. These will briefly provide the reader with key events that occurred in Turkish and UK politics, economy and other areas. There is also a press review section, which provides the reader with comments from journalists regarding current affairs in Turkey and the UK. For our first issue, Turkey is analysed in political and economical terms for the year 2014. You can read the detail analysis in our ‘Believe it or not, now could

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be a good time to invest in Turkey’ and ‘Turkey in 2014: Preview’ articles.

Turk Journal’s interview pages will provide different taste to our readers. In this issue, we have interviewed successful entrepreneur Hüseyin Özer, famous Turkish historian İlber Ortaylı and wellknown writer Elif Şafak.

Our special feature articles is about the friendship between Queen Elizabeth I and Sultan Murad III which you can find out in ‘Two Elizabeth’s and Three Films’ and ‘Friendship of two Empire Rulers of different faiths – The Queen & The Sultan’ .

We care about the family tradition and values so we have included useful articles in our ‘Lifestyle’ pages.

There are special pages on health, travel, technology, sports and a page dedicated for women.

We hope our readers will enjoy and benefit from our publication. We thank everyone who has contributed and supported us for our first ever issue.

UK-POLITICS Jury verdict: Mark Duggan was killed lawfully The jury concluded that the death of Mark Duggan in 2011 was lawful despite concluding he was not holding a gun when police shot him. His death caused one of the worst riots in modern British history. Duggan’s family reacted with fury at the verdict as they described the decision as perverse and they considered a judicial review. The jury said they were sure, eight-to-two majority, that Duggan did not have a weapon in his hands when police surrounded him. By a majority, the jury concluded he ‘threw’ the gun from a cab he was travelling in when armed officers forced it to stop.

NEWS ROUNDUP

Labour and Tories gap reduced to 3 points According to a new poll by the Guardian/ ICM, the support for Labour party has reduced by two points to 35%, as faith in the country’s economic recovery builds. Conservatives party still stands on 32% as the gap between both parties dropped to 3 points. Ed Miliband’s party was eight point and five points ahead in November and December polls. The positive economic news such as falling inflation and unemployment might had an impact on Labour’s ‘cost of living crisis’ remarks as more

people express optimism about their financial position. Liberal Democrats have increased by 2 points to 14% as UKIP moves up by 1 point to 10%.

George Osborne’s ultimatum to EU Chancellor George Osborne has warned European states that Britain will withdraw its membership unless there is a whole-scale economic and political reform made within the European Union. Some Tories MPS has signed a letter calling for dismantling of the core principles of the EU, which demands the British parliament to be given a veto over all EU laws. Osborne stated that Europe has a simple choice to either reform or decline, “Our determination is clear: to deliver the reform, and then let the people decide. The biggest economic risk facing Europe doesn’t come from those who want reform and renegotiation – it comes from a failure to reform and renegotiate.”

PM Cameron’s message to Scotland “We want you to stay” Prime Minister David Cameron made an emotional speech has he urged the rest of the UK to tell Scottish voters ‘We want you to stay’ and to reject independence. Cameron appealed for

Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom as he warned that if the UK’s ‘family of nations’ broke up forever the world would lose ‘something very powerful and precious’. In his speech, Cameron mentioned about how his proud of his family’s Scottish heritage. He said independence would be bad for Scotland but would also leave the union ‘deeply diminished’ and would ‘rip the rug from under our own reputation’ in the world.

Worst winter in England for almost 250 years The heavy rain falls and storm throughout January caused flooding across England were greater than any winter month and three times higher the average level since 1767. The poor weather has hit the country harder and faster than expected, as thousands of homes since December have been flooded. According to farmers, the severe flooding has threatened to undermine the country’s food security. Insurance experts warned the cost of cleaning up after flooding will cost £1bn pounds if the rain continued and damaged homes and businesses. There is also fear amongst flood victims of looting. Scientists identify flooding as the most dangerous impact of climate change for the UK.

TURKEY-POLITICS Police purge spread across the country Police chiefs in Turkey’s major cities had been removed from their post by the AKP government after the outbreak of the corruption scandal. Over 500 police officers including police chiefs of Istanbul and Ankara was either reassigned or sacked from their positions in the police force without no actual reason on what grounds they were dismissed. The dismissals included heads of the financial crimes, anti-smuggling, cyber crime and organised crime units in the force. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the police of seeking to undermine his government.

Some of the ministers’ relatives were arrested last December for corruption and four ministers have resigned from their ministerial position.

Prosecution for police officer who gassed ‘woman in red’ Turkish prosecutors want the policeman who sprayed tear-gas to the ‘woman in red’ recognised as the symbol of the Gezi Park protests last summer to go to jail. They want the officer Fatih Zengin to be prison sentenced for three years as his accused of using excessive force against Ceyda Sungur, who was not involved in any aggressive behaviour or act

in the anti-government protests. The prosecutors also want Mr Zengin to be dismissed from his post on the grounds that no warning was issued prior to the incident. The image of the attack to Ms Sungur ‘the lady in the red dress’ quickly spread on social media.

Turkish PM Erdogan urged by EU for democratic European Union leaders have urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to backtrack on democratic reforms required for its EU membership bid. Mr Erdogan visited Brussels in his first visit in five years. The visit was at a time during a purge of officials in Turkey’s judiciary and police as EU officials mentioned their concern over the government actions. Erdogan defended his actions, “the judiciary should not go beyond its defined mission EU concerns and mandate.”

After the talks, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy stated the importance of Turkey to stick to the rule of law and separation of powers.

After 16 yrs, Gulen gave his first interview to BBC Turkey’s Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen gave his first broadcast interview to BBC in 16 years. Head of the Hizmet movement Gulen

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has millions of followers around the world.

He denied using his influence to start investigations into alleged high-level government corruption. He responded to allegations that he had ordered his followers holding senior positions in the police and judiciary to launch those investigations. Gulen stated the reactions of the government were anti-democratic. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accused Mr Gulen, one-time an ally now seen as a rival of trying to attack his government.

Erdogan condemned the investigation as a dirty plot by Gulen supporters to overthrow him.

New internet laws seen as censorship caused protests Turkish government has tightened controls on the internet, which has seen by some as a move of censorship. The new internet law will allow Turkey’s telecommunications authority (TIB) to block any website within four hours without first seeking a court ruling.

The law will also force internet providers to store all data on web users’ activities for two years and make it available to the authorities upon request without informing the users.

The measures met with anger in Turkey as protests were held in Istanbul against the new internet laws that will provide the government with more control over the use of the internet.

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PRESS REVIEW

Who’s to blame for the crisis, bankers or benefit claimants?

Everyone has to fear from Scotland’s vote

SEAMUS MILNE – THE GUARDIAN

MICHAEL PORTILLO – FINANCIAL TIMES

Class is the real dividing line in British politics, but politicians only talk about the middle class. That will have to change. The Tories-Lib Dem coalition is waging war on the poor while slashing taxes for banks, corporate giants and the richest people in Britain. Its cuts have hit the most deprived, the disabled and women hardest. In crucial ways, the scale of its attacks on social security, service privatisation and falling living standards for the majority Cameron’s coalition has outdone even Margaret Thatcher.

Its austerity programme halted recovery for four years and has cut most people’s real terms pay deeper and over a longer period than at any time since the 19th century.

Wealth is being energetically redistributed up the income scale.

The reality of the social security system George Osborne is now aiming to cut by a further £12bn is very different. Most goes on pensions, and far more is spent subsidising in-work poverty wages and insecure jobs than the unemployed. But the distorting mirror of the press and current political debate means that, on average, people think 41% of the welfare budget goes to the unemployed, when the real figure is 3% – and that 27% is claimed fraudulently, when the government’s own figure is 0.7%. That is about £1bn, compared to an estimated £70bn of tax evasion. Which gives a clue as to which class interest the government is most concerned to protect. To listen to politicians and the media, you’d think the only class left standing was the middle class....

This is the government of food-banks, payday loans and the bedroom tax. None of that is, of course, very popular. So to divert anger from the top to the bottom – from those who caused the economic crisis to its most deprived victims – Tory politicians and their allies have turned their fire on migrants and benefit claimants....

The government and their friends in the media want to turn people’s anger at poverty and insecurity against their neighbours. The alternative is to turn it against the bonus-grabbing bankers, tax-dodgers, rapacious landlords and employers who are actually responsible.

A sexist stench still pervades British politics ROSAMUND URWIN – EVENING STANDARD

At Prime Minister’s Questions, not a single woman could be found on the front bench: just suited male after suited male. Ed Miliband, forgetting floods in favour of feminism, had packed his bench with female MPs. Though it neatly highlighted David Cameron’s “women problem”, there was something gimmicky about the stunt and the debate that ensued. Here were two men using women’s issues to score points against one another.

Cameron, of course, played what he sees as the Thatcher trump card. “One woman has managed to claw her way to the top,” goes the thinking. “So our party must be a feminist utopia, an equal-opportunities Elysium.”

Labour’s record on women isn’t perfect, though: they’re just the best of a bad bunch. The party wins on numbers: 34 per cent of its MPs are women, compared with 16 per cent of Conservatives and just 12 per cent of Lib-Dems....

A sexist stench still pervades politics. Women MPs face the same pressures as the men, just with added sniping and minus the chumocracy that gets you promoted. Politics isn’t a meritocracy. The corridors of power are like one long Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson bromance: full of male buddy buddying and backslapping. And as we saw with the execrable handling of the Lord Rennard allegations, men can close ranks to silence women’s complaints.

Beneath Turkey’s turmoil is a bitter battle between two wounded men

FIACHRA GIBBONS – THE GUARDIAN Imagine for a moment you saw yourself

as a “model for the world” like the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who not only retained the world titles for locking up journalists and ordering Google to take down web pages, but also declared yet again that he would not rest until Turkey was a “top 10 democracy”.

So what would you do if half of your inner circle of ministers and their sons were implicated in the biggest corruption scandal in Turkish history, accused among other things of taking bribes of tens of millions to ignore to billions of dollars of dodgy dealings?

Would you – as Erdoğan did – fire the police who uncovered the corruption; threaten to jail judges and curb their powers; bring in new prosecutors who are relaxed about people keeping millions in cash in shoes boxes, and order that henceforth police must tell ministers if they are thinking of investigating them, so they can tidy

their shoe boxes away? And would you also claim, like him, that “dark forces” in the same judiciary and police that you recently used to lock up your enemies, were plotting to assassinate you?

Yet until the last few weeks, Erdoğan seemed as immune as ever to the normal rules of political gravity. This was a leader who not only remained after the deaths of young people during the Gezi protests last summer, but also persuaded a large section of the Turkish public that a crisis he himself had created was actually an international conspiracy against him by the EU, the US, Lufthansa – yes Lufthansa – and of course, Israel.

Turkey has made huge strides in the past decade. Erdoğan and Gülen will be thanked by history for neutering the military, despite the questionable methods used. All that and more is now at risk as these two ill and wounded men go all out to destroy each other....

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The English tend not to take the Scottish referendum seriously. Many wish the Scots good riddance. English Tories can be especially flippant, noting that their party would stand a better chance of governing at Westminster if there were no Scottish constituencies.

Such glibness does not extend to 10 Downing Street. It would be a disaster for a Conservative prime minister to preside over the break-up of the United Kingdom.

Britain would look weak and ridiculous. Having lost Ireland, then Scotland, where would the disintegration end?

Sneering enemies would join up some dots to draw an unflattering picture. Britain: defeated in Basra and Helmand province, its army and navy cut to scarcely sustainable levels, its economy smaller than in 2007, clinging to an illusory special relationship with the USA and an unmerited seat on the UN Security Council, havering about European membership and now falling apart. It would overshadow our economic recovery and with it the Conservative case for re-election.

The frustrating thing for David Cameron, UK prime minister is that although the referendum is a matter of political life or death, he must stand aside from it, or at best fight it by proxy.

The Conservatives in Scotland do not have even a walkon part in this drama. After the massacre of the last elections to the Scottish parliament, his coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, are equally irrelevant....

Independence would be a calamity for Labour, too.

Losing all those seats in Scotland would make it harder to win future elections to Westminster. In fact, the UK would farcically elect a new parliament in May 2015, including representatives from Scotland. At some point during that parliament, Scotland would leave the union and another general election would be called. Assuming that he had become prime minister, Labour leader Ed Miliband would face an early second poll. England and Wales would face policy paralysis....

Yet one thing about SNP leader Alex Salmond has always puzzled me. What would be the point of his party once Scotland has gone its own way, and the English are no longer there to be blamed for all ills? Maybe the smell of fear carries from north to south, too.

An internal power-struggle further dents Turkey’s hopes of joining the European Union EDITORIAL - THE ECONOMIST

In another era, tanks might now be on the streets of Ankara and Istanbul. Over the past year Turkey has seen a crackdown on protests, corruption scandals, a purge of the police and judiciary, paranoid talk of foreign plots and fifth columns, an economic slowdown and more attempts to Islamicise society. Given this turmoil, Turkey’s soldiers would no doubt be tempted to sweep aside the failed politicians (as they have done four times in the past). That the generals have remained in barracks or, in many cases, in jail is a sign of democratic progress.

But after years of strong growth and political reform, Turkey is sliding backwards, with more than a whiff of authoritarianism about the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose Islamist-flavoured AK party has been in power since November 2002.

Mr Erdogan claims that a wave of arrests on December 17th, as part of an anti-corruption investigation that included the sons of three cabinet ministers, was a more grievous assault on democracy than any past coup. Indeed, he is making overtures to the same generals whom he put behind bars. His enemy now is his former ally, Fethullah Gulen, Turkey’s most influential cleric, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania and whose devotees are thought to have infiltrated the police and judiciary. Hence Mr Erdogan’s reallocation of hundreds of policemen and prosecutors, and his legal grab for greater control over the judiciary but in seeking to extirpate the enemy within, Mr Erdogan risks wrecking Turkey’s chances of joining the European Union....

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Believe it or not, now could be a good time to invest in Turkey One of the biggest losers from the taper has been Turkey. The country was already struggling with a trade deficit. And now, thanks to the Fed, dollars are flowing out of the country. Throw in a political crisis, and it’s easy to see why the Turkish stock market has plunged.

The lira has lost around 20% of its value against the US dollar in a matter of months.

The stock market has fared even worse. In sterling terms, it’s dropped by a third since the start of December. Sounds like the perfect place for a bold investor to go bargain hunting…

ECONOMY

Why Turkey is better than it looks Other than Argentina, it’s hard to find a country that’s been harder hit by the emerging markets ‘crisis’ than Turkey. But believe it or not, I think now could be a good time to buy in if you’re willing to bear some risk. A big reason for the panic is political turmoil. In short, around 60 major political figures are under investigation for corruption. So as you do Prime Minister Erdogan has fired the prosecutors, sparking another showdown between the courts and the government.

This comes on top of a heavy-handed crackdown on protests last summer, which has led to criticism that he is moving the country away from democracy. These are serious problems.

They shouldn’t be ignored. But it is worth putting them into context. Turkey is still one of the most stable and relatively open countries in the region. It’s also a member of Nato.

Even if the current turmoil brings down Erdogan’s government, the transition is likely to be peaceful. Indeed, the crisis could benefit Turkey if it splits the two Islamist factions, allowing more moderate parties to take power.

And its external politics look less grim. Turkey has moved to repair relations with Israel. The Syrian crisis is also bolstering its position as a more moderate alternative to Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states.

It’s even making progress on negotiations with the European Union, though a trade deal is a more likely outcome than full membership. So while the political situation is fraught, it’s not as disastrous as it might seem at first glance.

The exciting oil deals that could slash Turkey’s deficit Turkey is also finally sorting out its energy supply problems. The main reason behind Turkey’s big trade deficit is that it has to import most of its energy. Electricity use is expected to rise by 7.5% a year until 2020. Natural gas consumption is set to rise at 3% a year in the same period. So that’s a recipe for an evergrowing deficit.

The government has attacked the problem in two main ways. Firstly, it has opened up the energy sector to private and foreign involvement.

This should allow more money to be invested in refineries. Modernised refineries should cut

costs and prices for industry and consumers.

The second is to find new energy sources. One big project is a potential pipeline to northern Iraq . Although the oil from this pipeline will still be imported, it will be cheaper than Turkey’s current suppliers. Until now, progress on the pipeline has been slow due to Turkey’s poor relations with the Kurdish population, as well as reluctance from Baghdad. The Iraqi government doesn’t want to do anything that could lead to the north of the country splitting off altogether.

The good news is that Turkey recently agreed a deal in principle with Northern Iraq. While it is still negotiating with the Iraqi government, it looks like it will accede to the request. This alone would deliver a major boost to the Turkish economy, and go a long way to solving the problem of the deficit.

Energy costs could fall further if shale gas takes off in Turkey. In September drilling began in the Dadas basin. This area is thought to contain six billion cubic meters and could meet Turkey’s demands for at least four decades.

Other major companies, such as Shell, are exploring for oil in a different part of the country.

The main reason to buy – this market is cheap But the best reason to invest in Turkey is quite simple – it’s cheap, especially its banking sector. As Samuel Vecht of Blackrock Emerging Europe points out, the six largest banks in Turkey are worth the same as their equivalents in Qatar. That’s despite the fact that Turkey’s economic output is six times larger and it has a population of more than 74 million compared to Qatar’s two million.

While the latest turmoil is expected to hit growth, Capital Economics still thinks GDP will expand by 2.5% this year, rising to 4.5% in 2015. Yet the stock market trades at under seven times 2015 earnings and at only an 8% premium to current book value (net assets of the companies).

In contrast the MSCI World Index trades at over twice its book value and at 13x 2015 earnings. If you’re tempted to invest in Turkey, there are two ways to do it. The most direct is via a tracker fund, such as iShares MSCI Turkey (LSE: ITKY). A more diversified option is an actively-managed fund such as the Blackrock Emerging Europe (LSE: BEEP) investment trust. While it invests across Asia and Eastern Europe, it has a large chunk of its portfolio in Turkish shares. Even though it has beaten its benchmark over one, three and five-year periods, it still trades at a 7% discount to its net asset value.

Source: Matthew Partidge, Money Week

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NEWS ROUND UP BBC News Centre for Cities says economic gap with London widening The economic gap between London and the rest of the UK is widening because other cities are “punching below their weight”, according to research.

London has created 10 times more private sector jobs than any other city since 2010, analysis by the Centre for Cities found. The think tank is calling for more power to be devolved to the regions. Its research found almost a third of people aged between 22 and 30 who moved cities headed for London.

London appears to “suck talent from the rest of the country”, the report says, with many young people never returning to their home towns. Edinburgh and Birmingham were the next best performing cities in terms of private sector job creation, with Aberdeen also featuring in the top ten.

Daily Mirror

Half of Britons need to cut their spending to afford bills A fifth of households are struggling or falling behind with bills and 60% say they will have to chop the amount they spend on food. More than half of UK adults ‘27million’ will have to cut their spending to be able to afford energy bills this year. Bills could be slashed by up to £320 with energy-efficient measures such as cavity wall insulation, topping up loft insulation, having double glazing and upgrading an old boiler. Lower-income homes can get help with these and be eligible for other reductions, including the Warm Home Discount, which gives a £135 rebate. Checking you are on the right tariff, not leaving appliances on standby and turning your thermostat down one degree can help reduce bills too.

The Guardian UK business optimism highest since 1990s Optimism among firms reached its highest level in more than two decades in January, according to a report by the accountants and business advisers BDO. The BDO optimism index, which predicts performance two quarters ahead, reached 103.8 in January, up from 103.4 in December. It is the highest reading since the index began 22 years ago and well above the 100 mark, indicating the UK is expected to outperform long-term growth trends. Optimism in the manufacturing industry was at an all-time high, while the outlook for the dominant services sector also looked rosier, and overall hiring expectations were up too, indicating better-than-usual job creation over coming months. The south-west was the best performing English region for growth in January, as all regions made a positive start to the year.

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A Turkish-British success story: Hüseyin Özer

INTERVIEW

by Klaus Jurgens

When Michelin Guide recommended restaurant owner and master chef Hüseyin Özer suggested we meet at a friend’s venue, I did not hesitate for a second. After all, he is one of Turkey’s best known exports and a brand in his own right. However, I wanted to look beyond what has already been said about him. My mission statement: in search of “the real Özer.”

So where is it that Hüseyin Özer settled for good?

You may know already, of course: in London!

Those familiar with the British capital know that, as in New York, the local saying goes, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” So by creating a league of his own, that is exactly what Özer did. He took London and Londoners by (culinary) storm.

From heartbreaking to heartwarming Hüseyin Bey knows how to break the ice - a radiating smile welcomed this guest the very moment I entered the restaurant on an otherwise rather chilly, mid-December day. He has all the positive attributes that make for a real gentleman, yet he can be very outspoken, too, as I would discover later during the afternoon and ensuing evening.

Re-stating the basic facts, it is true that Hüseyin Bey was born in the Turkish village of Reşadiye, near Tokat, suffered from the separation of his parents, spent time living with his grandfather and even describes himself as an unwanted child.

As a teenager, he borrowed 20 TL and headed for Ankara. That was a princely sum in those days, but he repaid the loan after having found a job in a bar. Yet there was something much more sinister linked to obtaining that loan: His own mother had hired young Hüseyin as a hit man, asking him to use that cash to go to the capital, buy a gun and come back to shoot his biological father. Needless to say that, although he took the loan, he declined his mother’s job offer and never looked back!

His next goal was to learn English. As a teenager, Istanbul was his next stop. He got there using funds he had saved while living in the capital.

Then, after completing his mandatory military service, in 1975 he decided to aim even higher.

He took off again, not to another Turkish desti- mixed with cheese inside parcels of pastry? Or nation, but to an entirely different country: Hü- would you rather go vegetarian and have okra seyin Özer travelled to England by coach. stew? Do your children love eating sautéed lamb liver, perhaps? And then there are breakfasts, tasting menus, special menus and much, much A culinary star is born and then some more. You can eat “expensive” or settle for just a sandwich and a drink. Özer is a perfectionist, London was perceived as a “swinging city” in but not pretentious. Wear a dinner jacket or don the ‘70s and ‘80s, yet hard work instead of glam- jeans -- everyone is welcome at Özer’s sofra. our would initially await the young man who arrived at a well-known coach station when he arrived from Turkey. So, Hüseyin Bey rolled up The academy his sleeves.

Over time, Hüseyin Özer added a number of He put in shifts at a döner kebab shop where related businesses as well as organizations to his he also slept in the basement. He worked more purely culinary activities. He teaches future resand he saved some cash. Then one day, he was taurant owners as well as future chefs the A to Z able to buy that very small business. He obtained of how to become a successful entrepreneur or another loan to get started, but this time with- chef. He tells us he has helped to create another out any criminal strings attached. A local bank 20 millionaires from among his graduates. Westloaned him the equivalent of $10,000 (£6,000). minster University awarded him an honorary Hüseyin Bey then transformed the shop into a doctorate of letters. proper restaurant with the help of a nutritionist.

A place that had been on the verge of being shut His students learn about entrepreneurship, innodown many times all of a sudden became a hot vation and how to manage a small or mediumpick among Londoners with queues outside the sized enterprise. Dare I say that I have met few door. The rest, as they say, is history. comparable businesspeople who are so aptly suited to teach other would-be success stories about Seven years after his arrival at Victoria Coach “the how to?” If not Özer, who went from rags Station, the first Sofra (dinner table) restaurant to riches, then who? He did it not by winning the was born, then another Sofra and a third one. jackpot playing Lotto; he did it by committing to There is now a Sofra Mayfair, Sofra Covent Gar- hard work. den, and Sofra St. Christopher’s Place. Expansion brought fame. Not instant fame, though. In Furthermore, Özer currently runs a work-based Hüseyin’s case, everything was carefully planned. learning class in cooperation with Middlesex He neither tried to run 20 branches of one type University where students actually learn on his of restaurant, risking losing track all too quickly, premises and there is also an Özer apprenticenor branched out to other parts of the country, ship scheme done in cooperation with Hackney where different taste buds and perhaps wallets, Community College. too, would have necessitated totally different business formulas. London was the market he It is almost impossible to fit “all of Özer” into knew best, Londoners (and visitors to London of this one article, so please bear with me if feature course!) became his clientele and he knew how to a number of the topics we discussed in quick note please them. form. Did he ever install bullet-proof windows in one of his restaurants so that high-profile diners Is the culinary sky the limit? Well, for the time could eat in peace and quiet? Yes, he did. Has he being the next goal is rather a little red star: His entertained royals, prime ministers, mayors and restaurants are the only Turkish restaurants rec- celebrities? Yes. Not only has he hosted them, ommended by the Michelin Guide. but he maintains very good relations with most of the mainstream political parties. Regardless of whether one is a member of the Labour, ConSo what makes Özer’s food different? servative or the Liberal Democrats Party, everyone comes to eat at Özer’s restaurants. Would To appreciate the way Hüseyin Özer revolu- he ever re-locate back to Turkey? It’s not in the tionized the way Turkish cuisine is interpreted cards for the time being, he says, and why should abroad is to read his very own recipe compendi- he? Could there be more than today’s group um, “Sofra Cookbook: Modern Turkish & Mid- of restaurants in the future? Indeed, expansion dle Eastern Cookery” and perhaps even try some may one day soon be on his agenda. Does he of the dishes in the comfort of your own four really greet his guests personally whenever he is kitchen walls. But this is serious stuff, so when he around? Yes, he does. Is he still to be found in his says, “Thank God, we stopped serving kebabs,” own kitchens? Most definitely! he means business. Özer’s food is modern, innovative, “nouvelle Turkish” without ignoring the positive influence of the great Ottoman cuisine. And so I bid him farewell Reading about or eating at one of Özer’s restaurants forever changes the way we regard standard Is Mr. Özer an expatriate? Is he a naturalised Turkish fare.

Brit? Is he still a Turk? Does it matter? He is simply Özer! If I learned one thing above all else He took Turkish cuisine and totally revamped from this most captivating encounter, it is that it, without ever losing what makes Turkish and people should never be put into neat little boxes.

Middle Eastern food so special. Cooking even Our day had progressed in a manner similar to “simple” dishes becomes a form of art. What what could perhaps best be described as a slowabout a “nouvelle classic” such as Ali Nazık; sau- cooked meal: Take your time, make sure all the téed tender spiced bits of lamb or chicken over ingredients are perfect, do not under or overa velvety, smoky aubergine puree with gourmet cook and add quite a fair amount of flavour and yogurt and a hint of garlic? How about spinach spices.

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OPINION

Turkey is about to embark on a year and a half of pivotal elections; local elections in March, a presidential election in August, and general elections in June 2015.

Whatever the exact share of the votes, Turks will opt for perceptions of conservative strength and reliability.

The year ahead will belong to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) particularly their pragmatic president, Abdullah Gül and that despite some high profile protests at urban flashpoints, the gravest threat to the AKP at the ballot box will be from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in the southeast.

Turkey in 201

The AKP Reveals its Appeal From outside Turkey it appeared at times in 2013 that the AKP were the most hated party in the country. In 2014, they have the opportunity to prove to the world that they are not only a force to be reckoned with, but remain the force in Turkish politics.

What is their appeal? Firstly, they offer socially conservative, yet economically liberal policies with an Islamic flavour. Secondly, they are led by a charismatic leader; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as unswerving in his convictions as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk himself.

And thirdly, they have ridden an economic wave.

The economic forecast may be unspectacular, but on the other two points, the AKP can still count on support. Most Turks are socially conservative and patriotic to the point of nationalism. Since the foundation of the republic as a one-party state by military men, a sense of obedience to strong men in positions of authority has been deeply engrained and widely respected.

Despite the recent turbulence, do not expect Turkey to break out into liberal politics any time soon.

Steady hands matter to Turkish voters, and they will continue to show that at the elections of 2014. The March 2009 local election results saw the AKP take 38.8% of the vote, and as this map of electoral districts in 2009 shows, the AKP have a stranglehold of rural Turkey.

The question mark is over Turkey’s top two cities: Istanbul and Ankara. These decisive population centres have remained AKP until now, but the chaotic events of 2013 will put pressure on AKP support among swing voters in these areas. How they fare will be telling, though it should not be assumed that a mid-term slump would necessarily translate into

failure at the general elections in 2015.

An Islamist Spat The two biggest names in Turkish politics right now are those of the prime minister, Erdoğan, and the US-based Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gülen. That in itself says much about the current state of Turkish politics.

Despite Erdoğan’s trials in 2013, main parliamentary opposition leader Kılıçdaroğlu of the secularist CHP has still failed to make a major impression.

That the current furore around a corruption probe is ultimately the result of a battle between two Islamist leaders is also telling. Turkey has moved a long way in the past decade.

This power struggle reveals the strength of Islamist politics in Turkey, as well as revealing its divisions. However, what it also reveals is how little has changed in Turkey.

Turkey is still a place in which personalities and networks of patronage matter. The most worrying thing about the current spat is that the question on everyone’s lips appears to be “who will prevail?” rather than “why are powerful individuals being allowed to manipulate public institutions?”

It makes the recent moves by Erdoğan to revisit the judicial cases in the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer investigations around attempted coup plots all the more ironic.

Could it be that Erdoğan is now deciding to position himself as the military’s new best friend in a struggle with his rival, Gülen?

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Gül’s Star Quietly Rises The quiet man of Turkish politics forms the other half of a political partnership every bit as intriguing as that of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the UK or Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev in Russia. Gül was a founding member of the AKP alongside Erdoğan in August 2001. Both men had been members of the Islamist Fazilet (Virtue) Party, which was banned two months prior.

Though the charismatic Erdoğan was leader of the AKP, his spell in prison for reciting a poem deemed anti-secular by the Constitutional Court meant he was ineligible to take office when the party swept to power in 2002. As a result, Gül led the first AKP government for a period of four months, before making way for Erdoğan.

Erdoğan then appointed him minister of foreign affairs until, in 2007, he nominated Gül for the presidency. Having faced down the militaryjudicial establishment to place an Islamist in the presidency, Erdoğan also achieved an amendment to the constitution whereby future presidents would be elected by public vote rather than parliamentary selection.

It sets up the highly likely prospect of Erdoğan once again changing seats with Gül later this year; Erdoğan becoming the first publically elected president in Turkish history, and Gül taking over leadership of the AKP (which Erdoğan must forfeit to become president). All this seems cosy enough, but the political landscape is becoming increasingly muddied.

14: A Preview The Gezi Park protests of 2013 revealed Erdoğan at his most politically combative and polarising.

It did not play well to the political middle ground.

In contrast, Gül was notable for his measured approach to the crisis. He called for a more restrained and proportionate response from security services as well as praising the initial environmental focus of the protests.

The year 2014 will be cast as Erdoğan’s ultimate triumph, but it may appear in hindsight to be the moment of Gül’s ascension. He certainly offers the AKP a leader who is far more likely to appease the swing voter and build bridges.

Turkey Turns Peacemaker It has been another rough year for Turkish foreign policy. Having risen to become the most influential soft power in the Middle East in 2010, the Arab Uprisings turned very sour for Turkey.

The AKP spent the 2000s espousing a foreign policy of “zero problems with neighbours,” and the Arab Uprisings were delivering the final triumph of the so-called “Turkish model” of mild Islamism and democracy. Then it began to unravel.

Turkey has gone from a situation where it had bilateral trade deals with Syria and Iraq, was laying down nuclear deals with Iran, and grandstanding in Egypt.

To one where it is an avowed enemy of the Syrian regime, at odds with the Maliki government over its engagement with the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq, and has lost any sway in Tehran and Cairo.

However, 2014 could be the moment for change.

Both the election of the pragmatic Hassan Rouhani and the nuclear deal has made Iran a potential partner in peacemaking for Turkey. Directly following the nuclear deal, Iranian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Mohammad Javad Zarif and Ahmet Davutoğlu held a joint press conference in Tehran on November 27, at which they called for a ceasefire to precede planned Syrian peace talks in Geneva.

Turkey now supports the official “Friends of Syria” line that calls for dialogue towards anegotiated settlement in the Syrian Civil War. Moreover, in a visit to Baghdad in December 2013, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız stressed Turkey’s desire to seek the central government’s consent to any oil deals between the Kurdish Regional Government and Turkey, though recent statements from Iraq show how carefully this issue must be handled.

All these shifts in policy bode well for generating a greater regional atmosphere of compromise. From appearing to be a conflict-maker, Turkey in 2014 may once more become perceived as a peacemaker, even if the shift is motivated by necessity rather than from a position of power.

Kurds Strengthen Their Hand It may well be that when historians look back on the Arab Spring it reveals a moment of blossoming opportunity for another ethnic group entirely. The Kurds have stood on the sidelines of the uprisings, but the 21st century has been their century so far.

The US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein finally consolidated the emergence of a de-facto Kurdish state in northern Iraq. The Syrian uprising has led

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to the abandonment of Kurdish regions to local control. In Turkey, the AKP has done more than previous administrations to try and bring about a political settlement to the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

In March 2013, a potentially historic moment appeared to have been reached when imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan declared a ceasefire in exchange for AKP commitments to deliver on constitutional and judicial amendments to protect Kurdish cultural and political rights.

As with every deal the AKP has attempted with the Kurds, it is a political tightrope. Conservative and nationalist Turks react badly to any hint of concession to the Kurds. In an election year, the mood in Ankara will be ever more cautious. This is likely to result in a strengthening of the pro-Kurdish BDP vote in the Kurdish heartlands.

In 2009, the BDP’s now-banned predecessor, the Democratic Society Party (DTP), took 29.7% of the vote in the Kurdish southeast, trailing only the AKP. This was in the year that the AKP launched the much-vaunted Kurdish Opening that was expected to propel Turkey towards a settlement of the Kurdish conflict.

In 2014, the mood is more frustrated, and the AKP could be hit hard. The BDP will run under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a new leftist umbrella party, in non-Kurdish areas, and likely to little effect.

But expect that the BDP may even take the highest share of the vote in southeast Turkey this time around.

INTERVIEW

Ilber Ortayli: “The Ottoman Empire found its first ally in England” We got together with Turkey’s leading historian Ilber Ortayli to discuss the British and Turkish political history. Ortayli took us through a journey from the British-Ottoman Empire period to the modern era. He revealed interesting historical facts about the relationship between the two countries from the dusty pages.

TJ: Jerry Brotton of Royal Holloway University in London claims that the English owe their victory over the Spanish Armada of Philip II of Spain in 1580s to the Ottoman Navy. He believes that it was the maneuvers of the Ottoman Navy in the Eastern Mediterranean region that caused the Spanish navy to split up which contributed to Elizabeth l’s victory. How probable would you say this could be?

The English probably exchanged information with the Turkish side as the Ottoman Navy had had some experience with the Spanish: they fought against Carlos V before. However, with his successor, Philip II, we had nothing to do with. It is probable, however, that at those days the Ottomans had diplomatic contacts with England and England would gather information from the Ottomans. England and the Ottoman Empire had ambassadors sent to each other already. Edward Barton was the first English ambassador sent by Elizabeth to the Sublime

Porte; and the Levant Company paid him. It is very interesting that the expenses of the ambassador were paid by a company and not by the state. Assistance to the English against the Spanish Armada would be inevitable because we were enemies of Spain then. The Crimean War was also a great task of the British Empire.

It changed the feelings of the Turkish people when they saw that Christians came and died for them, they were wounded for them. So it is very important.

TJ: During the Great Irish Famine, Sultan Abdulmecid sent financial assistance along with food to the Irish town of Drogheda. To this day, the Ottoman star and crescent is found on their coat of arms. Do you know any details about this little known fact?

By looking through the documents written at Abdulmecid’s time you will come across such things as “ferman” and “İrlanda fukarasına

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yardım”, this means help for the poor people of Ireland. It was not the people of Ireland but the poor people of the country, as if it was a religious charity. In order to sustain good relations with the British Empire, it had to be put down in such terms. The Ottoman Empire found its first ally in England but later they became enemies, and they could never get involved in British internal policy unless it was done as a kind of home affair: a charity. The story of this aid is well known in Ireland; that is why some Irish people, historians think and intellectuals have a certain kind of sympathy for the Turks.

Personally enjoy meeting Irish people who talk warmly about the Turkish. We have to emphasize these little known historical facts.

TJ: Considering all these and the events afterwards such as the First World War, the occupation of Istanbul, the Arab Revolt and the British role in it, how would you summarize the history of BritishTurkish relations?

The British occupation following the First World War changed the ideas of the Turks about the British. It is quite amazing how people forget the past. For instance, people talk about German-Turkish friendship in history. Nonsense!

There was no such friendship in history. However, there was a friendship between France and Turkey but people forget about it easily. There were ups and downs but it is certain that the British always respected the Turks. When I travelled to Britain for the first time in 1960s, I gave up my seat to an old man on the bus. It was an old couple, the lady had the seat next to mine and I gave up my seat to her husband, an older man. He said ‘Young man, you don’t need to do that.’

I said ‘Why not? It is OK. It’s our custom, please take it.’ He asked ‘What custom? Where are you from?’ I said ‘From Turkey.’ ‘Oh, I was at Gallipoli.’ he said and then talked about it. For the British the Turks are warriors, and they respect us.

There was another crisis, with Cyprus, but they are all past it today. A British official once said about Turkey’s involvement with the island: ‘At the beginning I had my doubts if you could keep the public harmony in Cyprus, but you did it well...’

TJ: In the light of these fluctuations in Turkish-British relations, how would you describe the relations between Turkey and Great Britain today?

Today it is the best it has ever been, along with Sweden and the Czech Republic. Britain of course is very important.

They support us in Europe and are our best European ally.

The saying goes ‘The British use Turkey to destroy the European Community’ so Britain tries to make sure that we get into the EU. lf Turkey gets into the EU we can easily destroy it from inside (laughs). The European Community, as would be expected, is divided. Sweden and Britain are for the Turkish membership. France, Germany, Austria and some others form a type of block. Scandinavia and the British remain on the edges, so do the countries in the South like Italy and Spain.

Who knows, maybe later we will have another ally, another bond as strong as Britain! Turkey has a place here and others like France and Germany need to take this into consideration. This “Europe” is too big and inefficient. I do not believe that it can survive. I mean that members like Bulgaria, Romania and Austria will probably not be able to keep up with it. Austria is a very old, aged country, and the two other countries do not produce anything. ‘Who is going to pay for that?’ That’s a British question! (Laughs) ‘Who is going to pay for that? Old Austria and the poor Balkan states!’

TJ: How would you describe the European Identity within the Western, civilize world? What characteristics of the civilized world today are specific attributes of the European Identity In your opinion?

They used to call it ‘Hellenistic Christian World’. Now they say ‘Judea-Christian and Hellenic world’. It is only longer. In my view, everyone is Judaic. Our religion is Judaic too and everything is Hellenic, including Judaism. So this is not a distinctive characteristic of Europe. We met Hellenism earlier than Europe. There is no doubt about that. What are the general attributes of European identity? They are all Europeans but what kind of common attributes could the Greeks, Swedish, British, Bulgarians and Spanish all have?

TJ: Norman Stone states that the more East a country lies in Europe, the later they were in the nationbuilding process. He claims that Great Britain was first and Turkey was last. What is Turkish identity?

Turkish identity is Turkish identity. It is called ‘volksgruppe’ in German. You must be aware of this sociological term.

With a volksgruppe, you cannot talk about any kind of nation-building. It is impossible because it is already there.

TJ: When the Queen of England visited Turkey in 2008, you acted as her guide. Do you have any interesting details to share?

I enjoyed it very much. She liked the tiles and ceramics and talked about flowers. Her knowledge of the history of art is excellent like that of the Queen of Netherlands. She noticed and was fascinated by details. The Queen of this country, Her Majesty, pays attention to details and this is what you need to rule over and to represent your people.

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Friendship of Two Empire Rulers of different faiths - The Queen & the Sultan In the 16th century, the world’s two biggest empires established a friendship in a period of conflict between two religions Christianity and Islam. British Empire under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I formed and developed trade and diplomatic relations with Sultan Murad III of Ottoman Empire. England was one of the first countries that had established regular diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire.

FEATURE

by Ilhan Gokalp & Hussain Kaya A Treaty of Commerce was signed between both countries for the first time in 1580. Epistolary exchanges occurred and envoys were sent between Queen Elizabeth and Sultan Murad. The first English ambassador to the Ottoman Empire was businessman William Harbone in 1583. Harborne’s visit to Istanbul in 1579 initiated the diplomatic and commercial exchanges between both countries. He was employed by Levant Company’, an association of traders led by English merchants Edward Osborne and Richard Stapera, who had accompanied Harborne on his visit to the country. He obtained permission from the Sultan Murat III for English ships to trade in Ottoman ports, after negotiations with Sadrazam Sokullu Mehmed Pasha. In which William Harborne became the correspondence between Queen Elizabeth I and the Sultan.

Harborne also succeeded in obtaining from the Ottomans capitulations and other tariff reductions for English goods, and was charged with obtaining samples and information regarding dyestuffs and fabrics used in the production of cloth and clothing in Turkey at that time.

Queen Elizabeth I and Sultan Murat III exchanged numerous letters. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented one of these letters to British Prime Minister David Cameron as a gift on his visit to the country. The letter written by Sultan Murad was a response to Queen Elizabeth. The letter read, “as long as we act together against the enemies and abide by the agreement signed between the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom, British merchants will not be subject to any unfair treatment. They will be respected just like those who are friends with the Ottoman sultans. We welcome rescue of Muslim people who were kept hostage in Spain, by the United Kingdom. The Ottoman Empire will send a fleet in spring in an effort to help the United Kingdom.”

Catholic states in Europe were in shock because of the relationship between Britain and Ottoman.

England exported tin, lead (for canon casting) and ammunitions to the Ottoman Empire. There were also military operations carried out between both countries when Queen Elizabeth asked for naval assistance of Ottoman ruler Sultan Murad against the Spanish Armada in 1585, as Francis Walsingham Principle secretary to the Queen lobbied for a direct Ottoman military involvement against Spain.

Ottoman Empire’s first ambassador to England was in late 18th century. Yusuf Agah Efendi was appointed as ambassador in London in 1793. Diplomatic relations between both countries was suspended in 1914 due to the outbreak of First World War. The relations were formed again in 1924 after the establishment of Republic of Turkey.

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Two Elizabeth’s & Three Films

FEATURE

by Ilhan Gokalp

One of the most crucial elements keeping civilisations going is historical consciousness. History indicates the shared characters and values of a nation. Societies must be reminded of their history to be able to maintain their existence as a nation. This sentiment keeps the sense of belonging alive as a “consciousness” in a society or a person, making this feeling more profound. Individuals and societies can only have a feeling that they exist and will carry on existing as it marches through time, from the furthest past, providing us with a historical consciousness, into the future. When this consciousness reveals itself in a person and society, historicity comes to light as well. The continuous coming from the past to the present time opens in sheets with every age. Whatever the stage a piece of history holds, it gets the spotlight of itself. Thoughts head towards the new horizons via the passageway of new views and interpretations by getting out of the parochial of the present. This is provided by historical consciousness.

There is no access to historical consciousness without historical knowledge. Yet, having knowledge about history does not mean having historical consciousness. Historical consciousness does not reveal itself; it emerges from overseeing the time, space and conditions with a good historical knowledge to interpret what is seen with current values. A true envision of future is formed by historical consciousness.

Whatever the history stores up; the entire civilisation; way of living; material and moral values support this notion.

As a person who was born in one country and is living in another, I call myself a witness of how historical consciousness improves civilisations.

The most important element sustaining the historical consciousness in the society we live in is surely the British Monarchy which survives by carrying on the tradition. As a government model and a democracy in place, history and tradition is kept alive in the 21st century, bringing together modernity and tradition.

The most entertaining and easiest way for the historical knowledge to meet with the society and to transform into consciousness is cinema.

Cinemas ideally use the source of history and laid the first stones of a long path. If we launch forth on cinema, we see that cinema focuses mostly on The Virgin Queen Elizabethan Era in.To sum up, the Tudor family was thematised in most films. The first story which I derived from the two films I watched begins within an inch of the danger only to be dragged by sectarian tension right after an unstable and pessimist period that lasted 11 years, after the famous king of the Tudor Monarchy, Henry VIII. According to Ramazan Hakkı Öztan’s article which is called Çağa İsmini Veren Kadın: I. Elizabeth Under the threat of a new civil war, England was facing two equally strong and giant catholic countries within the European Continent, Spain and France. When Queen Mary I died in November 1558, the only consolation for the men in the street became the end of this period which was “crowned” by the fiascos of harvest, epidemics and the military failures according to Susan Doran, British historian. History is full of failing kings most of whom do not even occupy a full page in the history books. Some of them are the victims of their own failures while some suffer from bad luck. But, there are also such kings that acquire a grand reputation due to their reformist or revolutionist characters.

Elizabeth I, despite her feminine identity, was perhaps the most beloved, respected and admired monarch of England. She became the most effective name for Great Britain to reach its shiniest days. In the following periods of the British reform, there was a chaotic situation due to the developments in religious and political areas, as the populace questioned the catholic dogmas, opening new topics of discussion such as national sovereignty and the dominance of the European Continent on England. This was

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perhaps a milestone for England and Elizabeth I was steering the country. There were two scenarios that they had to face: either the country was going to be a newly flourishing kingdom - unlike its neighbouring country, France, which was a nation where fear and destruction reign because of the bursting wars of religion lasting 40 years - or Elizabeth was going to step forward to procure peace and recovery for her country.

On the streets of London in November 1558, people let out a shouted “God save the Queen,” right after the decision of the Parliament. Nobody argued against the legality or femininity of Elizabeth I. The public welcomed the Queen with open arms. A new person on the throne meant a new hope which might also bring freedom from poverty, hunger and death for her people. Elizabeth I never fell into the mistakes her sister Mary did in terms of her crucial decisions involving Catholicism and Protestantism. For instance, when she ascended the throne, she was quite cautious in appointing the counsellors, which was so important for the catholic side; she did not relieve the eleven advisors of her sister of duty and in order to provide a non-denominational structure in religion, she appointed another eight counsellors who had tendencies towards Protestantism. However; it was quite obvious that Elizabeth was closer to Protestantism and supporting the British reform because she had been educated that way since childhood.

But, it was more logical to move forward to her goals, step by step without making anybody suspicious. Elizabeth took another important decision for her country. She set all the exiled and imprisoned people free because of the previous religious clashes. Elizabeth was only concerned with inside the borders of her country at the beginning. She never intervened with Scotland. The important matter for her was the war caused by religious differences. She stepped up, despite turning a blind eye on her sect. She also published a notice to prevent the clerks from provoking the public by blazing away in their sermons.

Elizabeth carried on straightening things out in her own territories. But then there was the male dominant bureaucracy against her. If she were to comprimise, it was obvious that the Queen could have only been used as a pawn. But she wasn’t slow off the mark to reveal her intention. Her concern was to ensure everyone knew their limitations, just like all the other Tudors. There was a notable prevailing order and she didn’t have her divine authority snatched by anybody. She foresaw a sound public order, which was based upon the classes, the levels and the ranks. Elizabeth was a queen and a lady.

Even though the proposals to marry were incessant, she degraded even marriage as a means of politics, for she was married to England. One of the proposers was the renowned Philip II, King of Spain. The King, once having been married to her sister Mary, was in demand of reassuming the control over England. However, Elizabeth was a sapient lady. As soon as she ascended her throne, he sent his delegates to the palace, but in vain -- as Elizabeth’s goal was clear. The private relationship between Elizabeth and Philip turned into a gradually rising conflict of interests until the trim of sails from the Spanish Armada was heralded. According to his assumption, England was like a nibble. In fact, Elizabeth herself was well aware of the power disequilibrium. Nevertheless, what surprised Philip was the fact that even the poorest of London wished to sacrifice everything in order to defend their country, and as Dr Jerry Brotton expressed “Walsingham’s plan was ultimately successful. Ottoman fleet movements in the eastern Mediterranean fatally split Philip II’s armada.” Although, he immediately qualifies this by saying that “alongside all the stories we’re told at school about why the Spanish Armada failed to conquer Britain and destroy Protestantism, we should add another reason: the Anglo-Ottoman alliance brokered by Elizabeth, Walsingham.”There was a coalesced nation against Philip. Therefore, the legendary Armada was defeated by the English. There was also a do-

mestic political issue which had eaten away her power to some extent: The Catholic Scottish Queen Mary.

good examples of historical, biographical, dramatical work of art.

Elizabeth was surrounded by endless conspiracies, speculations, alleged assassinations and the intrigues actuated a secret agency unit being under the loyal minister Walshingham’s conduct. Elizabeth’s hand was able to reach everywhere from that time on, as she had a spy army against the menace of assassination coming from the Catholics (Briscoe, Elizabeth’s Spy Network). As Kishlansky uttered, her appearance with the eye and ear patterned dresses in the pictures became more meaningful. In such a historical cruising film, Shekhar Kapur closes up the far away history and lays out the film as an inner voyage of a lady during a difficult period, rather than falling in the stream of historical details and political speech.

She passed through a gripping painful phase in the face of the obstacles she had and by watching them, history gets a different taste. Seeing her portray all the emotions that made her a humanbeing allows us to look beyond a distinguished image. Furthermore, Kapur was so successful in describing the lady behind the throne, I assume women, in particular, will be impressed with the film. Struggling for making a balance between her senses and sensibility will seem familiar for the women of this age, as well. Shekhar Kapur charactarised this legendary personality as a temperamental and dramatical lady that called upon astrological prophecies and who was the perfect personification of a great Queen. Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen (1998), Elizabeth: The Golden Age(2007) are

The Queen, being featured six years ago, is another history reading film which was directed by Stephen Frears and plotted by Peter Morgan through a flawless script comparing traditional and contemporary realities and accomplishing to perpetuate this with the structural atmosphere. In this film, the director was swiveling the camera from Buckingham Palace, preserving the glorious history with the conservative structure, to the simple and modern house of Blair.

By uttering “I prefer to keep my feelings to myself ” and “duty first, self second” it was significant to exhibit the unbearable difficulty of being a monarch.

However the English Royal Family, dating back from mighty and magnificient Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II that has given the authority of governing their countries to 12 Prime Ministers, has never been jolted as much as it was jolted with the death of Princess Diana 14 years ago.

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Prince William has finally reunited with his companion, 14 years late at which time Queen Elizabeth said to her husband Prince Philip in a fictional sentence: “I think we should find some company for them” so as to make her grandsons less affected with the death of their mum. I wish an immense bliss for Prince William and Princess Kate’s baby Prınce George and I also wish my very best for the Queen to render her service to her country for many years.

INTERVIEW

Elif Şafak pays homage to Mimar Sinan and love of learning in new book If you are an English speaker and a big fan of Turkey’s bestselling female author Elif Şafak, patience should be your guide for the next 10 months -- the writer has published a much anticipated novel dedicated to the love of learning and the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan in Turkey.

by Hati̇ce Kubra Kul

Though originally written in English, “Ustam ve Ben” was first released in Turkey in December by Doğan Kitap. The book, whose title translates literally to “My master and I” -- but whose official English title is still under wraps -- will be released in the UK in October of this year by Penguin Random House. Şafak’s realistic characters appear as if they will jump from the pages of her book. The intricately woven plot, set in 16th-century Istanbul, is like a piece of silk fabric adorned with delicate, sparkling designs that illuminate even the tiniest details in a dark room of mysteries. A panoramic representation of Istanbul, featuring the stories of a wide range of characters from gypsies to Ottoman sultans and animals to labourers, the book actually revolves around two characters: a white elephant named Çota and his Indian keeper, Cihan, who is one of the four apprentices of Sinan. As the story unfolds, we are provided with a rare, introspective look at both the personality and refined work of the well-respected architect Sinan, along with the untold tales of the architectural structures most of us in Istanbul see in our everyday lives.

Speaking to Turk Journal in an exclusive interview in Istanbul’s İstinye neighbourhood, Şafak talked about her book, Istanbul, Sinan and love.

The protagonist of the book, Cihan, is the embodiment of loyalty. His relationship with Sinan, Mihrimah Sultan and Çota is

proof of this. But he is also an individual with lots of conflicts. Many people in the book have the same characteristics as well. What do the concepts of loyalty and conflict mean to you?

when it is time for him to bid farewell to Istanbul, Cihan has the utmost respect for the city. What are the differences and similarities between Elif Şafak’s Istanbul and Cihan’s Istanbul?

I also think Cihan is a character that symbolizes loyalty in his relationship with everybody.

Fidelity is also important for him. But he has conflicts as well because he is human. We all have conflicts. On one side, Cihan has fragile innocence. We first meet him in his childhood and we observe how he grows up. He is open to learning and hard work. However, he is also a thief, makes mistakes and commits sins. And he learns lessons from his mistakes. Frankly speaking, I do not think that humans can learn without making mistakes. I do not believe in absolute characters and heroes. I think no one is like that. Any person who seems to be perfect certainly has weaknesses and faults. Writing about these faults and weaknesses is the work of the novelist. If we do not describe our characters in this way, we will be writing about sculptures and soulless heroes. But our duty is to understand humanity and that human beings are made up of layers. Presenting the contrasting sides of Cihan was important for me in this novel.

There are lots of similarities. I have had a bond with this city for many years. Sometimes, Istanbul hurts me very much. There were times I wanted to be far away from this city. But when I was away from Istanbul, I missed it greatly and I returned. And then, again, I was exhausted with the city. In fact, I was exhausted with [some] Istanbulites, not the city. It is not possible to be exhausted with the city. Istanbul is a wonderful city and there is no equal to it. But there were times I was tired of [some] people’s nagging and evil tongues. But my respect for this city has never diminished. Maybe I unknowingly described my feelings about this city via Cihan. He also likes this city, but he finds some characteristics of some Istanbulites strange.

Cihan’s İstanbul is also a city of conflicts.

When he first meets Istanbul, Cihan thinks of it as a city of wonders and mysteries. But Istanbul starts to hurt Cihan the more he learns about it. However,

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Maybe he is a real Istanbulite.

Maybe he is. I strongly believe that sometimes people who arrive in a city afterward know its value better [than those born there]. But one does not always need to have relocated to a place to [recognize its value]. Some arrive during childhood and some in adulthood, but what is important is to see the city with a fresh perspective. Some people are in a city for a very

long time, but they can still be aware of its value. What really matters is the ability to “see.” One who can see knows its value. Istanbul is not a city where one is likely to not see value. But we still look around and move on [with life] -- we look at it without seeing it. This is the reason why I wanted to draw our attention to mosques in this novel. We look at mosques, but we do not know the story behind them and how they were constructed.

So, seeing and presenting was important for me in this book.

there is heartache as well. In one part of the novel, Cihan … confesses that sometimes love ends with nothing. Legends and epics do not want to support that, but love does not always end with happiness. I think this novel is a realistic work that takes these things into consideration. It is both like a tale and reality.

Cihan’s elephant Çota helps with the construction of Sinan’s buildings. But surely, there must be other animals that people used in the old times to put up structures. Why did you choose to write about an In this novel, you write of the refined charac- elephant instead of choosing some other animal? ter and art of Sinan through the stories of other people. But why did you not prefer to focus I particularly chose an elephant for three reasons. The first: mostly on the architect?

An elephant is the symbol of stability. It is also like that in legends and mythologies. Architecture is also the art of staIn my opinion, great people can only be told of through bility. In addition, Sinan is a person of stability. The sectheir relationships with others. The people around them ond: We are a part of a society that forgets things easily. hold mirrors to [the inner worlds] of these great peo- Elephants do not forget anything, so they are symbols of ple. To be more precise, in order to tell the story of a memory as well. I wanted to shed light on the people and master like Sinan, I need to tell the story of his relation- topics our history has forgotten. The third: We always apship with his apprentices. I also need to tell the story of proach the Ottomans from the West. This time, I wanted how he treated the laborers who worked for him. The to approach this empire from the East. The fact that Çota greatness of Sinan was not only on paper. There were comes from the East was really important for me. letters he sent to sultans, asking them to increase the salaries of the labourers. He was working hard in order How did you make the decision to write this novel? to improve conditions. He could just as well have chosen Was it a spontaneous decision? not to deal with such details, but instead he did not step away from construction sites until the end of his long I started to read and take notes about Sinan three years ago. life. When I think of Sinan, I see a person who showed But I had always wondered what it would be like to dream the utmost respect to his art and the people who did up an elephant that works in the construction of mosques their jobs. These are the values that we have long for- and to add a boy [to the story]… I needed to read and gotten. I wanted to write about the working principles research while writing the novel. That is the reason why I of Sinan in this novel. I needed to prepare an environ- spent more time writing this novel than my others. ment to achieve this. So, I included the apprentices and animals in this story.

What were other difficulties you experienced while writing this novel?

Where does your admiration for Sinan come from?

Writing a historical novel is more challenging for a writer since you need to research every detail. … But after a while, Like many of us, I have a respect for and interest in him. I set myself free. I dreamed, and this is a world of dreams. I But I started to read about him more than three years liked the colourful panorama of Ottoman life [that I creatago because I was obsessed with the issue of the love ed] and forgetting about the people in this world. … There of learning and historical figures who really had a love were some parts that affected me while I was writing them. for learning. They stood out among others. The love of One part was the demolition of the observatory Sinan’s aplearning is an awesome thing. It is wonderful for a mas- prentices built. ter to see himself still as a student. We are talking of a person who spent his life with a love for learning, some- What is the secret of being so involved as a writer? one who constantly improved himself and was never lazy. We have always been interested in the structures he I do not know. I wish I knew. It is not a thing I do consciousbuilt. The more we learn about him, the more we learn ly. It is [as if] I write with my subconscious and intuitions. what kind of a soul constructed these buildings. What I have been saying it for years, but I do not know whether kind of a person was Sinan? That question was really we as the novelists are the ones who write these books or important to me. He lived in a period during which the stories are being revealed to us. Writers are like scribes. there were big rises, falls and suppressions. But in spite Stories constantly come from somewhere. The world is full of all this, he never went to the extremes or became ill of stories. But I do not think the writer is their inventor. I tempered. He was always balanced. How is it possible? need to listen to the rhythm of the world. I need to be a How can an artist succeed in being so? To be honest, I good listener. I think there’s a mystical state of being, a state wanted to learn from him, and I think all of us should of being the human experiences, and that needs to be told. learn from such a personality.

You like to explore the divine aspect of love in your In the novel, architectural structures are built and de- novels, and in one part of this book, you liken love molished, people die and different sultans reign over the to reading. Could you please elaborate on the simiOttoman lands. So, there is always dynamism. But on larities between reading and love? the other side, there is no absolute happiness and there is a feeling of incompleteness. It is as if “Ustam ve Ben” I think there are big parallels between reading and love. is a novel of sadness.

While we read, we do not actually own the things we read; we are included in their universe and we try to learn about It has sadness in it, but it is also a colourful book -- like them. Love is eternal. Reading is also permanent; it is a paslife. In life, there is melancholy, happiness and love. But sion and an addiction. … Love is about trying to understand the universe of an individual. I think a person’s ego gets smaller while reading. There are some loves that make people’s ego bigger. I do not think that they are real loves. Love also diminishes our pride. … Reading is like that as well. It both shows us how limited and infinite we are.

The novel ends with Cihan saying: “Our lifetime passed with the love of learning though we cannot learn of love.” However, we know Cihan gets closer to Sinan in soul, becomes like him, and learns about love in real terms. So why does he utter such a sentence?

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He constantly criticizes himself and others because he becomes similar to Sinan. In the beginning, he is not like Sinan.

Cihan’s character is the least similar to Sinan’s among the architect’s apprentices. But he is the one who shoulders the legacy and teachings of Sinan the most. He stays a student.

That is what I respect: being a master, but always staying a student.

The ‘democracy decorations’ set up in Middle East and North Africa For the last few years, the Arab Revolution (also known as Arab Spring) has spread from Tunisia to Syria. The aim of these uprisings was to end corrupt leaderships and demand freedom and democracy. The media coverage showed the success of these uprisings, which led to the exile of Tunisian President Zine el–Abidine Ben Ali, the escape of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the prosecution of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the death of Libya leader Muammar Gaddafi and now demands for the resignation of Syrian President, Bashar Assad.

FEATURE

by Hussain Kaya

The question I ask myself is that for 30 and 40 years these leaders were best pals with the Western nations, especially the United States of America in a more close relationship with them.

At every instance, the West praised and supported these nations despite the fact that people were far from equality, freedom, in other words no democracy. I just wonder what has changed these close relationships so that these nations are evil enemies.

Libyan doctor focussed on the importance of the revolution with these words, “All I want is a happy future when my children live in a democratic country where they will be safe and free.”

The demand for freedom, equality and democracy is echoed in the streets in the region. However, if we look at the modern history of Middle East the demand for democracy has not been achieved especially with the involvement of the Western nations.

The possible answers are that the West had enough of eye closing to the actions of the Arab leaders, which helped those people (rioters) for democracy, or was it the resources mainly known as petrol because of the economic crisis which made the Western nations search elsewhere for resources.

Firstly, the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, after the September 11 bombings, in which the Taliban was the target, as they were seen as responsible for September 11 in the name of Islamic terrorism. What is not mentioned in the media is that the Taliban were based in Afghanistan for many years especially fighting against the Soviet invasion in the 1980’s. CIA officials trained them and it was funny to see now that US is in a war with its army.

“Our country’s condition was getting worse and worse. There was corruption, torture, injustice, inequality and no freedom.” These are the words of an Egyptian student who expressed his reason for taking part in the revolution. A

Secondly, Iraq leader Saddam Hussein was used against Iran during the Gulf War, which Brit-

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ain and US was always behind and supported him all the way. He was the main customer for weapons of both countries. However, Saddam was accused of having nuclear weapons that led to an Iraq invasion in 2003. Also, the invasion would bring democracy as US President George W. Bush said, “The world has a clear interest in the spread of democratic values, because stable and free nations do not breed ideologies of murder. They encourage the peaceful pursuit of a better life.” So has the invasion provided these aims? NO After years it is understood that no nuclear weapons were found and the invasion was probably made for the country’s resources; oil in the first place. This is a strong appeal but the local residents are upset at not being able to use their resources because major international companies have already overtaken the region’s resources. A resident speaking to a local television described the democracy brought by the West to Iraq “In Saddam era we had no freedom but we had justice. Now we have freedom but no jus-

tice. Which one would you prefer? JUSTICE” The Egyptian leader, Hosni Mubarak sat in his golden throne for 30 years but he ended up in a metal cage. He was trialled for his actions. The media mainly showed the success of people gaining their freedom from a dictator. However, there is less discussion about the democratic process in the country.

The Egyptian army officials are in control of the country and refuse for elections to take place. In the meantime, few news networks show the Christian and Muslim populations killing each other, which show how democracy is provided to the country. It is bizarre to witness whenever democracy, freedom and equality are mentioned by the major Western nations to another country that it provides misery, tears and bloodshed.

Muammar Gaddafi was once a beloved leader, especially by former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi as he set up a tent in his visit to Italy. Gaddafi was a major target for being a bloodthirsty dictator.

He played a role of providing weapons and money for leaders in Europe when they were in crisis. The French media had revealed documents that showed Kaddafi had provided money (£40m) to French President Nicolas Sarkozy for election campaign.

Western interests are treated. So are there any difference between how Saudi Arabia is governed and the other Arab nations?

The Arab revolution or spring has not provided sunshine but dark clouds all over Middle East and North Africa. It has brought bloodshed other than democracy as it seems. It is noticeable in the uprisings there are no opposition leaders demanding democracy. Another question asked why the revolution started now but not before. The Greater Middle East Project can be the answer to this question. This is a project set up by the US with Pentagon having the responsibility for the planning and processing the project. The project aimed to divide and change the borders of countries in this region suiting the interests of the major powers. You might ask what link is there between the project and the revolution.

Well if we go back to an article written by former US Foreign Minister, Condoleezza Rice, she said “Today America and our friends and allies must commit ourselves to a long-term transformation in another part of the world: the Middle East. Our task is to work with those in the Middle East who seek progress towards greater democracy, tolerance, prosperity and freedom.” (Washington Post, 7 August 2003)

ject is plan which will extend US military control to the entire region from Morocco to Afghanistan. The aim of this imperialistic ambition is to control the oil and the economies of the region.” She describes the year of the revolution as “BLOOD YEAR”.

Afghanistan harboured Taliban, Iraq had nuclear weapons, Tunisia had a corrupt leader, Egypt had a greedy leader and Libya had a show off dictator and Syria leader played the 3 monkeys (I did not hear, see or speak). Their similarities were that all of them were blood thirsty, inhumane and evil dictators. This is because they were against the freedom and rights of their people. So the democracy songs sang in the streets of these countries turned to cries. People are now screaming against the deaths of their child, relatives or friends. They believed or dreamed of seeing heaven but they are experiencing hell everyday with the help of Western powers. As an Egyptian rioter expresses his disappointment “Hosni Mubarak’s resignation was a moment that I cannot forget. Although it was a dream that came true, I don’t think the country is moving in the right direction as the new protests show.”

The economic crisis is another reason that has led the people in Middle East and North Africa for protests and riots. The rising unemployment, the poor living conditions, the growing gaps between rich and poor and the high poverty levels make up the reasons for the uprisings. However, these are problems experienced by people worldwide because of the global recession. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand the major powers are interested in helping the population elsewhere not their people that suffer from economic crisis.

For example, 40 million people in the US are living in poverty and 15 million people are unemployed based on a report by a research institute. However, President Barrack Obama announces in a press conference “intervention (other words invading) to Libya and now Syria to bring freedom, equality etc” the same old lullaby sung every time when democracy is mentioned as the medicine for suffering patients.

It makes sense to provide help to your own people first, then to others. The passenger instructions set in aeroplanes state that in case of crisis “Firstly, you attach the oxygen mask to yourself, then the others” so why would you close your eye to your own people but open it to others?

What can be the reasons I wonder; is it the Middle Eastern people are more important than your people or is it the rich resources provided by the Middle Eastern people that suit your interests? If your own people are not provided with the equality and rights that you promised them, and then what responsibility do you have to provide democracy to others?

The help he provided did not prevent him from being lynched and his dead body was held for exhibition, which was just humiliation.

The waves of the revolution have hit Syria. The news reports showed Syrian leader Bashar Assad is using the army forces against the civilians to repress the uprisings. The Western media reports do not show especially that there is major support for Assad by his people. As Assad claims that, the rioters are supported by the outside powers.

Saudi Arabia is not representing the equality and freedom to its people especially towards women.

The Saudi government led by King Abdullah prepared an army force against any uprisings in the country and raised salaries to keep the people silent for any protests. If the Arab revolution is bringing democracy and the Western nations are supporting these actions, then what is the reason of been silent against the Saudi government? The main reason is that Saudi Arabia is one of the major oil suppliers worldwide, which there is democracy as long as the

Also in a press conference in 2006 she said “What we are seeing here in a sense is the growing birth pangs of a New Middle East and whatever we do we have to be certain that we’re pushing forward to the New Middle East not going back to the old one.”

I believe these are strange things to say is it not?

There is no sign of uprisings or unrest in the region other than invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. So why would you make such statement? The answer is provided in the US government and Pentagon files; after George W. Bush declared a War on Terror in 2001 it was called the Greater Middle East Project.

When we look at the map created for the project and compare it with the statement there is a connection. In the map, the countries include Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. These nations are subject to change within their borders. So when we look at the Arab revolution, already some of these nations have leaders changed or borders divided. Journalist Banu Avar stated, “The Greater Middle East pro-

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USA was just one example, as other major powers are struggling economically, which mainly affects the poorer, and working class. However, the focus is Middle East and North Africa. Why could this be?

One strong answer is the resources will solve not all but a major part of the economic solution. “The US ambition is to strengthen its grip on Middle Eastern oil wealth and markets and extend its network of military bases and facilities, all in the name of democratisation”, are the words of writer Gilbert Achcar.

As for the past 30 and 40 years, the loving, rich and adorable relationships between the West and the Arab leaders have ended. The hope of democracy has turned to cries of bloodshed in the region. The violence and conflict in the region is part of the imperialistic ambition of the Western super powers to gain the economic resources of the suffering people.

The revolution will continue until it feds from more blood which if Syria is occupied then the ‘democracy decorations’ will spread across Asia.

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EVENTS

EXHIBITION

Andy Warhol: Photographs 1976-1987 The Photographers’ Gallery 17 January 2014 - 30 March 2014 This exhibition is an overview of the Andy Warhol’s involvement with the photographic medium, featuring a selection of the stitched photographs alongside shots taken on a daily basis, documenting everyday details. Andy Warhol took black and white images of the world around him from celebrity parties to street scenes. This show features over fifty photographs that encapsulate Warhol’s fascination with the repeated image.

EXHIBITION

Only in England Science Museum 21 September 13 - 16 March 14 This exhibition shows work by two photographers, Tony Ray-Jones and Martin Parr who both was fascinated by the eccentricities of English social customs. The late Tony Ray-Jones spent the 1950s and ’60s travelling across England documenting a disappearing way of life and spearing English culture with his insightful black and white snaps. The exhibition is open daily 10am-6pm, last admission 5.15pm.

EXHIBITION

Bring Me Laughter Cartoon Museum 07 January 14 - 23 February 14

FILM

The Lego Movie Cineworld, Vue & Odeon Cinemas 14 February 2014

The Cartoon Museum exhibits the very finest examples of British cartoons, caricature, and comic art from the 18th century to the present day.

Bring Me Laughter will focus on exhibiting some of the funniest items from the archives of the Cartoon Museum, with cartoons and caricatures by over 40 artists including HM Bateman, Maz Beerbohm, Walt Disney Studio, and many other

FESTIVAL

WOW - Women of the World Festival Southbank Centre 07 - 09 March 2014 The three-day festival is scheduled to take place during the weekend of International Women’s Day (on Mar 8). Through discussion, debate, music, theatre, film workshops and other events, women’s achievements are celebrated and the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their full potential and contributing to the world explored. Festival passes admit visitors to all daytime events; see the website for details of separate ticketed events.

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FESTIVAL

Imagin Childrens Festival Southbank Centre

10 - 23 February 2014

Lego finally bursts onto the big screen with this thrilling and funny mission movie, boasting a terrific voice cast including the likes of Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell and Liam Neeson.

The film is about an ordinary Lego mini-figure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil Lego tyrant from gluing the universe together.

An annual festival of music, comedy, performance, interaction and theatre taking place throughout half term, with appearances from children’s’ writers and entertainers. Confirmed guests include children’s author, poet and broadcaster Michael Rosen, lauded illustrator Quentin Blake, children’s laureates Jacqueline Wilson and Malorie Blackman. For information and tickets, visit the southbankcentre. co.uk website.

FAIR

FAIR

The Baby Show ExCel Centre 21 February 14 - 23 February 14

Art14 London Olympia

28 February 2014 - 02 March 2014

Now in its thirteenth year, the 2014 event offers expectant and new parents (and grandparents) an opportunity to check out the latest baby and toddler products and pick up information and advice on various aspects of pregnancy and parenting. Events include entertainment for kids, maternity fashion shows and talks by parenting pundits.

London has firmly established itself as the centre of the art world and the capital has become home to annual art fairs. Returning for its second year, Art 14 showcases over 140 galleries from 38 countries, which ensures there will be something for everyone from paintings to cutting-edge photography and with exciting events programme scheduled.The tickets prices varies from £8 - £18.

The remedy and benefits of the tea world

LIFESTYLE

Writer Doris Lessing said that she could not be certain whether she would be alive the next day, but that if she were, she would definitely drink tea. Tea is an all-encompassing love for many people, not least because of the wonderful warmth it gives us when we drink it in the wintertime.

There are quite a few legends concerning the history of tea. Perhaps the most famous of these is a Chinese legend.

Around 3,000 B.C., Emperor Shennong was sitting under a tree in the springtime, holding a cup of hot water. A few leaves from the tree above him fluttered down and fell into his cup. The water quickly turned a golden colour, and the Emperor found it delicious, soothing and stimulating. For thousands of years, this was recounted as the story of tea’s discovery.

In Turkey, tea drinking is just another excuse for conversation. So it’s not just coffee that brings 40 years of friendship, as we say in Turkey, but also tea. Of course, every culture has its traditions and history related to tea, but all cultures place great

importance on tea. In many eastern cultures, if tea is offered and the other rejects it, this is seen as an insult to the server. In Japanese culture, tea ceremonies are held according to strict rules and traditions. At these ceremonies, tea is prepared like a work of art before it is served to guests.

For centuries, tea has been known in China as the cure of a thousand afflictions. It used to be the drink of only the upper classes and monks.

But as time passed, it began to spread through the other ranks of society. After further time had passed - by now, the start of the 17th century - tea was brought to Europe by the Dutch. For a long while after, the British, who added milk to their tea, dominated the tea trade. This is why so many Western and Central European countries brew their tea in that way. In fact, the whole tradition of “tea at five” began during the reign of Queen

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Victoria. Nowadays, many British people enjoy both salty and sweet treats with their afternoon tea. As for tea’s entrance into Russian culture, this first occurred in the 17th century, when the Czar’s family began to drink it. As in other countries, when tea first appeared in Russia it too was a drink of the aristocrats. Brewed in samovars in Russia, people would eat jellies and marmalades with the tea for sweetness.

Those who were really devoted to getting the maximum pleasure out of tea would drink it from delicate glasses or porcelain cups. As Chinese philosopher Tien Yiheng once noted, “Tea is drunk in order to forget the chaos and confusion of the world.” There are of course many different kinds of tea consumed around the world. We decided to compile a list of at least of few of them, along with some of their most significant characteristics.

THE RIGHT HERB FOR EVERYTHING

Black tea: This is the most popular kind of tea in the world, and it is categorised according to where it is grown, how it is processed and, of course, its taste. Perhaps the best-known black teas in the world are Assam, Ceylon and Darjeeling.

These teas have a positive effect on blood circulation in the brain, keep people feeling healthy, help stomach and intestinal problems, reduce tension, balance cholesterol and even strengthen teeth thanks to their natural fluoride content.

Green tea: An indispensible part of Asian culture, green tea has other characteristics than those of black tea. For centuries, this tea was used for medicinal purposes in both China and Japan, but recently its popularity has risen quite a bit in America and Europe.

The reason for this, of course, is its many health benefits. It protects against cancer, increases concentration levels, nourishes the skin and even works to fight wrinkles. It also protects the heart, lungs and teeth, while helping people lose weight and controlling diabetes.

Hibiscus: Tea extracted from this delicate purple herb is good for infections of the throat and mouth, helps the digestive system and keeps the skin soft.

Chamomile: This tea is known to be a muscle relaxant as well as a great defence against infection.

It is even used as a soothing balm for wounds. People under excessive stress can also drink this tea to help their sleeping habits and find calm.

Rosehip: This tea contains high levels of vitamin C and is wonderful in the winter to fight cold and flu. Its other benefits are a strengthening of the immune system, soothing fevers, cleaning the urinary tract and kidneys and improving intestinal function.

Linden tea: Known as a soothing herb, linden tea is great for colds, coughs, stomach-aches, migraines and rheumatism-related problems.

Sage tea: Sage has been widely used as a medicinal herb since the Middle Ages, and just as it helps to rid the body of toxins, it also prevents sweating and has a soothing effect. It is also known as a remedy for throat complaints, headaches, bronchitis and asthma.

Anise tea: Anise tea is often given to babies, as it is very effective against stomach and intestinal problems. It improves swollen, bloated stomachs, clears the lungs, aids asthma and bronchitis and strengthens the appetite.

Aromatic teas: Both green and black tea can be mixed with vanilla, jasmine, cinnamon, orange or bergamot to obtain different tastes and scents. In such teas, natural or artificial flavourings may be used.

Mint tea: With all its freshness, mint tea is good for bad breath, migraines, sore throats and headaches. It also eases digestion and helps with upset stomachs.

Is loose tea better for brewing than tea bags? There are many questions about how healthy tea bags are, as suspicions remain about the materials used to make the bags. While true tea devotees may lean towards loose tea, some prefer the ease of tea bags. While loose tea uses larger bits of leaf, tea bags often use smaller, almost dust-like pieces.

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Life tips from my grandmother...

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How to make a perfect cake: The first rule from my grandmother on this matter is that you must knead the cake dough seven times. This is what allows the dough to get more air in it, which will make it rise better and be more delicious. The second rule is that the oil and sugar, which should be at room temperature, must be very well mixed. Another tip for any dried fruit you are planning to add to your cake is to place these pieces of dried fruit in a metal strainer and pour some flour over them. Since the dried fruit will now be lightly dusted in flour, they will not descend to the bottom of the cake pan but will instead spread evenly throughout the dough. Save the flour that falls through the strainer for use in the dough.

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For tender meat: Let the meat you are planning to cook sit for a few hours in some olive oil before you cook it. It gets even more tender if you do this the previous night.

What about Teflon pans?

Get rid of the yellowy stain on the base of Teflon pots and pans by putting the pans in a mixture of water and bleach, and then placing them on the stovetop to boil for a while.

Socks have so many uses!

Delicate laundry items:

One sock can be of great help when it comes to delicate laundry items. When washing delicate items in your washing machine, place them in a sock. This way, they go through the washing cycle without being damaged at all!

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Soft toys:

You can use the above method for soft toys, too, since this helps keeps the various beads and other decorations that are often sewn onto this sort of toy from falling off or disappearing in the machine.

When making pizza: If you want good soft pliable pizza dough, add some potato starch in with the flour and just observe the difference!

by Neşe Kutlutaş

A solution for rusty teapots:

After a while teapots start to get rusty on the bottom; as well as being anaesthetically pleasing, it causes the water to boil later. In order to eliminate the rust, put some vinegar in the base of the teapot and boil until the rust disappears.

You can do this for electric water boilers as well, although mix the vinegar with water. After it begins to boil, press the stop button, wait and then have it come to the boil for several minutes. You get rid of all the rust on the bottom and along the sides this way.

4 5 8 9 10 Food stuck to the bottom of pots:

When this happens, quickly transfer the food you have been cooking into another pot and do not try to scrape out the bottom. When you have transferred the food, cover the top with paper towels to make sure the burnt smell does not get into the saved food. Leave the pot with the burnt food on the bottom in salty water overnight. When you do this, it should be easy to clean the next morning.

Cooking with liver:

When you want to fry up some liver, if you add baking soda to the flour you use to cover the liver, you will find the liver very easy to cook.

Cooking with liver:

When you want to fry up some liver, if you add baking soda to the flour you use to cover the liver, you will find the liver very easy to cook.

NEWS ROUNDUP METRO Bickering parents ‘risk their children’s health

THE GUARDIAN Cost of raising a child surges past £225,000

DAILY MIRROR Most Children believe cheese grows on trees

DAILY TELEGRAPH Parents unaware as 2m children targeted by strangers online

Warring parents who fail to resolve their arguments are putting their children’s health at risk, experts claim.

Exposure to family feuds can lead to long-term mental health problems, as well as headaches, stomach pains and reduced growth, according to research. ‘Destructive’ conflict – including sulking, walking away or slamming doors – puts youngsters at greater risk of a range of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, said relationship charity OnePlusOne. The study examined the differences between destructive and constructive conflict and their effect on children. It showed they reacted better when parents related to each other more positively when quarrelling and when they managed to resolve disputes.

Annual Cost of a Child report says raising a child to age 21 has risen 62% since the first survey was carried out in 2003. The cost of raising a child and supporting them through university has risen by £5,000 over the past 12 months to £227,266, according to figures put together by the Centre of Economic and Business Research (CEBR).

The research, commissioned by the insurer LV=, looked at expenses over the first 21 years of someone’s life, from food and clothing to hobbies and education. Parents now spend an average of 28% of their household income on their children, with the biggest chunk – £73,803 – going on education, followed by childcare, which adds up to £66,113.

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Supermarket giant Tesco is to teach children about food after a study found a third of under 11s think cheese grows on trees. One of Britain’s biggest grocer is pumping £15 million into a “field to fork” project to take a million primary school kids around farms and factories and show them where meat, produce and dairy products come from. The back to basics Eat Happy project comes as research by the Future Foundation revealed a fifth of five-to-11-year-olds think carrot cake or tomato ketchup count as one of their five-a-day. Worryingly, one in five believe chicken is the main ingredient in fish fingers yet nine out of 10 think they know which food is good for them.

Almost two million British children under the age of 16 have targeted by strangers on the internet, often without their parents knowing, new research suggests. A study on internet safety found that children as young as eight routinely come across upsetting, violent or sexually explicit material while using tablet computers and mobile phones or are contacted directly by strangers. It found that parents are often oblivious to the risks young people are facing online – with children roughly twice as likely to encounter potentially harmful content, as their parents are to be aware. The BBC, the UK Safer Internet Centre and a group of charities, carried out the studies.

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Turkey of the regions 1: Safranbolu and the traditional Ottoman house ‘Turkey of regions’ series will focus on Turkey’s beautiful nature, landscapes and architecture. The historical journey starts from Safranbolu...

by Pat Yale At the turn of the 20th century, Turkey was still very much a country of the regions. Geographically vast and physically varied, the heartland of the Ottoman Empire was hard to get around with far fewer roads than today and those that existed often in a wretched condition. In such circumstances, it was hardly surprising that communities developed more or less in isolation from each other. Their clothes varied. Their food varied. The design of their houses varied. In some cases, even the words they spoke were different.

Cappadocia) where they live in caves.

There are places where they live in adobe houses. And there are places where they live behind mighty stonewalls that conceal magnificent internal courtyards with glorious carvings or dramatically striped floors.

There are still parts of the country where you can see women with their heads and shoulders draped in maroon-and-black-striped shawls or wearing flimsy headscarves tied with bands and hung with coins.

There are places where women go to market clad in şalvar pants decorated with tartan. There are places where men and women walk around in matching violet headscarves. And there are places where women wear more bling in daytime than most of us would put on for a night on the town.

Fast forward, a century and modern visitors often comment on the dull uniformity of Turkish architecture in particular. From the 1980s onwards, the coastal towns were developed for tourism in much the same way as they had been in Spain, which meant serried ranks of cookie-cutter hotels tracking the shoreline. Then during the 1990s and 2000s, every inland town acquired an outer shell of concrete high-rise apartment blocks especially as the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ), the government’s social housing arm, got into its stride, throwing up tower blocks all over the country.

L i n g u i s t i c a l l y, while there may be many more young people speaking the standard Turkish of Istanbul now, there are also pockets of the country where you will hear Laz being spoken, or Georgian, or even forms of Greek.

It goes without saying that throughout most of the Southeast you will hear as much Kurdish and Arabic spoken, as you will Turkish.

Even on the culinary front, there remain some local quirks that have not travelled. There are, for example, parts of the country where roast goose is a popular winter treat. There are places where cheese fondue is still all the rage and where the locals make a fetish of cabbage. And there are places where hummus is as commonplace a menu item as it is throughout the Middle East.

For the next few weeks, this column is going to be celebrating the rich diversity of the Turkish regions starting with the architecture that is the most lasting legacy of the past.

The glories of the Ottoman House Think of the modern Turkish town and you can hardly fail to think of the concrete high-rise. But throughout Western and Central Anatolia, the highrises circle like defensive wagons around town centres full of quintessential Ottoman houses.

Built using a wooden frame filled with brick, stone or mud-brick often on a ground floor of stone, these houses usually stood two or three stories high with the upper stories projecting out over the street. The front doors of the typical Ottoman house were big enough to allow carts to pass through but had smaller doors set into them that could be opened for guests. Windows were shielded with grilles so that female members of the family could look out without being seen by passers-by.

Internally, rooms were designed to be used without freestanding furniture. Built-in bench seats running round the walls doubled up as beds and the walls were studded with niches and cupboards where almost everything could be stored away out of sight; even bathrooms were mere cupboards in the walls.

Throughout the 1990s, almost the only place where visitors could see large numbers of Ottoman houses in a decent state of repair was Safranbolu, a town that remains a Mecca for those who want to understand them. Nowadays, though, many other towns are al

Simultaneously, an increase in the time people spent at school and the proliferation of television channels tended to iron out linguistic differences and encourage greater conformity of dress. Inevitably, too, more sophisticated ideas about sales and marketing ensured that once local culinary delicacies were soon being eaten countrywide.

The result has been a growing sameness in terms of clothing, housing, food and language throughout the country. At the same time, however, there has also been a pull in the opposite direction as local authorities rediscovered their crumbling historic housing stock and set about renovating it, often as a way to attract tourists. Unfortunately, the old houses are usually right in the heart of the cities so that those whizzing through on the main roads rarely so much as glimpse what is going on.

The good news is that behind the veneer of conformity much of Turkey’s old regional diversity still survives. In the days before concrete people built with what came to hand so there are still parts of the country where people live in lovely wooden chalets with beautifully carved balconies. There are places (and not just

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most equally inviting and in many of them, you can stay the night in Ottoman houses restored with varying degrees of authenticity.

Safranbolu Midway between Istanbul and Ankara, the world heritage site of Safranbolu flourished as a result of its position on a major trade route to the Black Sea. Wealthy merchants built themselves huge konaks (mansions) in what is now the low-lying Çarşı area, then added a second summer konak in the higher Bağlar area to which they could retreat to take advantage of the large gardens and cool breezes. When they did this, they left their grain stores and other valuables locked at home in sturdy stone rooms that acted as safe boxes against the ever-present risk of fire.

Today, half a dozen Safranbolu houses have been opened to the public along with another in neighbouring Yörükköy. Since these houses have not had to be adapted for the needs of modern visitors, they are the best places to inspect the many clever ways in which they were designed for the needs of a lost lifestyle.

Most have stonewalled ground-floor courtyards where farming equipment could be stored, carts parked and animals stabled, often with built-in wooden mangers running around the walls. Upstairs, the wood-panelled walls are inset with cupboards designed to store bedding during the day, as well as the low tables that were taken out and set on the floor whenever people wanted to eat.

Other cupboards were designed for the storage of specific items: short stubby ones for clay pipes, tall thin ones for rifles.

Other intriguing adaptations include swivel cupboards inserted between a room and the corridor to enable staff to place hot meals on shelves, then rotate them into the room without having to enter it and ground-level wooden tunnels through the kitchen that would permit a cat to chase a mouse without entering the cooking space.

The many fireplaces of Safranbolu are mainly built of stone and the need for them will

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be obvious to anyone visiting at this icy time of year. Less obvious will be the need for the large indoor pools that can be seen in some of the houses including the lovely Havuzlu Asmazlar Konağı, one of the first of the houses in Safranbolu to have been renovated for tourism. Many visitors readily assume that these were installed so that householders could take a dip. In fact, they were there to cool the air in summer and so that the soft tinkling sound of water cascading from a fountain could soothe fevered brows.

As well as its houses, Safranbolu also clings to a local culinary tradition, that of the kuyu kebab, a pit-roasted kebab that emerges from many hours of being cooked underground a melt-in-themouth delight.

Samsung Galaxy S5 to be unveiled The long wait for Samsung’s Galaxy Smartphone series latest edition is soon to be over as it is going to be revealed to the media in an event entitled ‘Unpacked 5’ at the Mobile World Congress on 24 February held in Barcelona. According to leaked information, the Galaxy S5 will feature a more powerful processor, a slick metal casing and an ultra-high-resolution smart-screen that will demonstrate Samsung’s determination to compete with Apple at the top end of the Smartphone market. Here are the details of the features expected to be included in Galaxy S5.

Design

TECHNOLOGY

Screen

The highly anticipated Galaxy S5 is rumoured to have a 5- to 5.2-inch HD screen that would give the Smartphone a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. However, it is very unlikely that it will be curved or flexible like the recent Galaxy Round and LG G Flex.

Operating System

Samsung’s ‘TouchWiz’ user interface is also getting a big refresh by the look of some of the leaked images. The revamped interface features brightly coloured tiles with sports results, messages from contacts, flight updates, fitness monitor, maps and local events.

Performance

There have been a couple of rumours suggesting that the Galaxy S5 will launch running Samsung’s Tizen operating system, but this is highly unlikely.

It is generally assumed that the S5 will arrive running ‘Android 4.4 KitKat’ – although Samsung might launch a ‘Tizen’ device in parallel.

DAILY MIRROR Worst passwords of 2013 was ‘123456’ If your internet password is easy as one, two, three then the chances are that it’s not just you who knows it, according to new research. Password application maker Splashdata revealed that ‘123456’ was the easiest to guess password in its release of the 25 worst passwords of 2013.

It compiled the list from files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online during the previous year in a bid to make people rethink their internet security. The numeric password pushed the eponymous ‘password’ into second place and beat others such as ‘querty’ and ‘abc123’. The list revealed that infatuated internet users’ choice of ‘iloveyou’ was the ninth worst code, followed by ‘monkey’, ‘sunshine’ and ‘princess.’

A couple of leaked images suggest that the S5 might be designed with a combination of aluminium and the faux-leather look of the Note 3, giving it a more premium feeling than the plastic Galaxy S4.

Few months ago Samsung’s co-chief executive Shin JongKyun told journalists in South Korea that the company’s next smart-phones will have ‘64-bit processing functionality’, like Apple iPhone 5s, but it is not known whether this will arrive with the Galaxy S5. Other leaks have pointed to octo-core or even quad-core chips instead with 2GB or 4GB of RAM.

Camera

The camera is expected to get an upgrade, with most rumours pointing towards a 16-Megapixel lens, with optical image stabilisation. The S5 is also rumoured to feature eye-scanning technology – a move that would help the South Korean smartphone maker gain the edge on the Apple iPhone 5s’ fingerprint sensor.

CITY AM Google and Samsung sign patent licensing deal Google and Samsung Electronics, which are frequently involved in patent infringement lawsuits but not against each other, yesterday announced they have reached a global patent cross-licensing agreement.

The deal covers patents currently owned by the companies, as well as any filed in the next 10 years, the companies said in a release. Financial terms were not disclosed. The companies said the deal “would lead to deeper collaboration on research and development of current and future projects”. The companies have been at the centre of the smart-phone patent wars, though more as allies than foes. Most of the litigation has been between Apple and the various companies involved in making smart-phones based on Google’s Android software.

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BBC NEWS Stratasys launches multi-material colour 3D printer The world’s first multi-material full-colour 3D printer has been launched by Stratasys, the owner of the MakerBot range of printers. t features “triple-jetting” technology that combines droplets of three base materials, reducing the need for separate print runs and painting.

The company said the ‘Objet500 Connex3’ Colour Multi-material 3D Printer would be a “significant time-saver” for designers and manufacturers. It will cost about £200,000.By incorporating traditional 2D printer colour mixing, using cyan, magenta and yellow, the manufacturer says multi-material objects can be printed in hundreds of colours. While the base materials are rubber and plastic, they can be combined and treated to create end products of widely varying flexibility and rigidity, transparency and opacity, the company said.

Battery

It is claimed by mobile phone website Phone Arena that the S5 will sport a new kind of Lithiumion battery with rapid-charging technology that will bring the handset to full power in two hours. The S5’s battery will also be more powerful than its predecessor, but the energy consumption of the new screen means that its battery life is unlikely to be any longer.

Price

The price of the new Samsung Galaxy S5 according to Sammobile, a website dedicated to Samsung news, suggests the company will follow the lead of its great rival Apple by making the Galaxy S5 available in both plastic and metal. It says the metal version will cost around £670) and the plastic version will sell at £540.

THE INDEPENDENT A robot in every home The British entrepreneur Sir James Dyson has outlined his vision for a new era of household android robots that will be able to clean the windows, guard property – and, presumably, vacuum the carpet.

The inventor announced the creation of a new £5 million robotics centre at Imperial College London, and he said a technological revolution is coming that will soon see every home in Britain filled with “robots that understand the world around them”. His team of Britishbased engineers are locked in a race to build the first multi-purpose household android with scientists in Japan, where researchers at Waseda University have already unveiled the Twendy-One robot that can obey voice commands, cook and provide nursing care.

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English and Turkish clubs set for another battle

SPORTS

by Hussain Kaya

Another historical moment waits for Turkish and English football fans, as Galatasaray and Chelsea prepare to battle out against each other in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

The game will be the 64th time that English and Turkish clubs have met in European competitions. As both teams look for victory and gain a place in the quarterfinals. Let us look back to remember some of the notable moments, famous victories and shocking defeats between the clubs of both countries.

English clubs have a major success against Turkish opposition. The games played between both

countries clubs English teams have won 30 games compared to 17 wins of Turkish clubs. Fifteen games ended as a draw. In these games, Turkish teams have scored 56 goals, which the English clubs scored 103 goals.

The highest ever score between English and Turkish clubs is Liverpool’s 8-0 win at home against Besiktas in UEFA Champions League Group Stage 2007/2008 season game. This result is also the record for highest score in a Champions League game. Besiktas’s 6-0 defeat to Leeds United, Galatasaray’s 5-0 defeat to Chelsea and Fenerbahce’s 6-2 defeat to Manchester United

are the other high scoring games. Bursaspor 4-0 win against Wimbledon in 1995 UEFA InterToto Cup was the highest ever result against an English club by a Turkish team.Galatasaray has been the side who faced the most English opposition amongst Turkish clubs. In the 17 games they played the Lions won four, drawn six and lost seven of these games. Manchester United with 14 games is the team, which has played most against Turkish clubs. The Red Devils have won seven, drawn three and lost four of the games.

Notable moments

Trabzonspor 1-0 Liverpool – 20/10/1976

Manchester United 0-1 Fenerbahçe - 30/10/1996

In 1976/77 European Cup second round game, Trabzonspor defeated a strong Liverpool side that had won the UEFA Cup in the previous season. The Blue-clarets won the game 1-0 with captain Cemil Usta’s penalty goal to give Trabzonspor a famous win. In that season Liverpool was crowned European champions and their only defeat in the competition was by Trabzonspor.

In 1996/97 Champions League Group Stage game, Fenerbahce defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford with Elvir Bolic’s goal. The result ended a record held by the Red Devils for 40 years been undefeated in a European fixture at home in front of their fans. .

Galatasaray (4) 0-0 (1) Arsenal - 17/05/2000

Chelsea 0-2 Beşiktaş - 09/12/2003

The 2000 Uefa Cup final in Copenhagen, Denmark was a historical moment for Turkish football. Galatasaray lifted the trophy to become the first Turkish club to win a European competition. They won 4-1 on penalties against Arsenal after the deadlock was not broken in 90 minutes and extra time period.

Besiktas gained a famous victory against Chelsea in Champions League Group Stage game. They won 2-0 away against a team with international football stars in the squad. Two goals by Besiktas’s star player Sergen Yalcin sealed the win for them with most of the second half Besiktas played with 10 men after a sending off.

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