Turkish Forum

Category: World

  • Turkish singer sets blind speed record in Ferrari

    Turkish singer sets blind speed record in Ferrari

    Turkish pop-singer Metin Senturk became the world’s fastest unaccompanied blind driver on Friday and said he felt he had danced with death.

    senturk
    Senturk wept as he emerged from a Ferrari F430 at Urfa airport in eastern Turkey to learn from Guinness World Records officials his average speed of 292.89 kph broke the previous record of 284 kph, held by a British bank manager.

    “I don’t think there are any words to describe this feeling. I am really happy. It was really hard, like a dance with death,” said Senturk, who has been blind since the age of three.

    Following Senturk in a separate vehicle was former rally driver Volkan Isik, who guided the blind man by radio.

    (Reporting by Emin Caliskan; Writing by Alexandra Hudson)
    Reuters

  • Education of Turkish children in Germany overshadows Angela Merkel visit

    Education of Turkish children in Germany overshadows Angela Merkel visit

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in Turkey for an official visit overshadowed by disagreements over Ankara’s plans to join the EU.

    Merkel

    Mrs Merkel opposes full EU membership for Turkey, which began negotiations to become a member in 2005.

    There are also disagreements over the education of Turkish children in Germany in the Turkish language.

    Germany is Turkey’s biggest trading partner, and nearly three million Turks live in Germany.

    Turkey’s sometimes fraught relationship with the European Union won’t be helped by this visit.

    After months of avoiding the subject, Chancellor Merkel has chosen this moment to revive her idea of offering Turkey what she calls a privileged partnership with the EU, rather than full membership.

    Mrs Merkel has stressed that she does see integration as possible in up to 28 of the 35 so-called chapters of EU law with which Turkey has to comply before it can become a full member of the union.

    But her proposal has been firmly rejected by the Turkish government as a breach of the terms agreed when membership negotiations began five years ago.

    ‘Insulted’

    “Such a thing as privileged partnership does not exist,” said Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s minister for European affairs.

    “So we do not take that option seriously because there is no legal foundation of it. At times I feel insulted for being offered something which does not exist.”

    The chancellor does have plenty of other topics to discuss here, including Iran’s nuclear programme.

    Turkey has recently strengthened its relations with Iran and opposes the tougher sanctions threatened by Western governments.

    But their differences over EU membership will cast a shadow over any common ground they do find during this visit.

    BBC

  • Andrew Dismore MP: Foreign trips and rule breaches

    Andrew Dismore MP: Foreign trips and rule breaches

    A BBC investigation has revealed that more than 20 MPs have breached rules in relation to registering and declaring overseas trips paid for by foreign governments.

    Andrew Dismore

    The trips taken by Andrew Dismore, his relevant parliamentary activities and his detailed replies to the BBC are below.

    Since 2001, Mr Dismore has been a member of the Standards and Privileges Committee, whose role includes the scrutiny of the MPs’code of conduct.

    He told the BBC that all his visits had been registered in time and in the appropriate manner, and that there was no breach of the rules on lobbying as overseas visits are excluded and his trips had been funded by the Republic of Cyprus Parliament and not the Republic of Cyprus Government.

    Cyprus

    Mr Dismore, the Labour MP for Hendon in north London, visited Cyprus in October 2005, October 2006, September 2007, November 2008 andOctober 2009, courtesy of the Municipality of Morphou and Cyprus House of Representatives.

    Within a year of registration of these trips, Mr Dismore tabled 90 questions relating to Cyprus without declaring an interest.

    They were: 31080, 48898, 72084, 95204, 95205, 96907 to 96915, 96917 to 96920, 96939 to 96941, 96958 to 96961, 96969, 96970, 96974, 96977 to 96979, 136661, 162758, 162759, 162769 to 162771, 162773, 162812, 162819 to 162822, 163110 to 163118, 163121 to 163134, 163213 to 163221, 163284, 163627, 163793 to 163798, 180049, 180051, 180052, 180056, 245049, 252915 and 293708.

    Mr Dismore also asked a further 112 questions relating to Cyprus where an interest was declared.

    They were: 245029, 245050 to 245061, 245158 to 245174, 245180 to 245182, 245190 to 245199, 245217 to 245224, 252877 to 252881, 252884, 293650, 293696 to 293707, 293709 to 293744, 295162, 312737 to 312739, and 312838 to 312840.

    The BBC put to Mr Dismore that asking ministers a total of 202 questions following visits to Cyprus – whether an interest was declared or not – might be perceived as lobbying on behalf of an overseas power from whom hospitality has recently been received. This would constitute a very serious breach of parliamentary rules.

    In addition to those questions, Mr Dismore tabled a debate on Cyprus on 8 November 2005. Records of the summary agenda, the order paper and weekly bulletin indicate that he did not declare an interest. Whenever an interest is declared, the symbol “[R]” appears on the relevant notice or order papers.

    However, Mr Dismore did declare an interest at the start of the debate.

    During the debate, Mr Dismoresaid: “What is to be done immediately? Some things are relatively easy. Earlier, I mentioned the need to find finance to deal with the issue of missing persons.

    “Two million Cyprus pounds is not too much for the UK to find, either on its own or with its partners.”

    Similarly, Mr Dismore tabled adebate on Cyprus on 10 January 2007. Records of the summary agenda, the order paper and weekly bulletin indicate that he did not declare an interest. However, Mr Dismore did declare an interest at the start of the debate.

    Mr Dismore secured a third debate about Cyprus on 15 January 2009. Again, no declaration of interest is recorded in the weekly bulletin,the summary agenda or the order paper. However, Mr Dismore did declare an interest at the start of the debate.

    During the debate, Mr Dismore said: “The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus is working well and is not politicised by either side. I visited the laboratory for the second time and was very impressed by the progress that is being made.

    “There have been 466 exhumations so far and 110 sets of remains have been returned – 78 to Greek Cypriots and 32 to Turkish Cypriots. The annual budget for the committee and its work is $3m a year.

    “In the three years from 2004 to 2007, we donated £160,000. We ought to consider further payments because the committee needs those extra bilateral donations.

    “Demining is also important for confidence building. The United Nations Development Programme has cleared 51 minefields. That has largely been funded by the EU but there is a 5m euro shortfall.

    “That money will be needed to clear the rest of the zone, and the UN says that it could do it if it had the money. We could help by making a donation towards that. The buffer zone occupies 3% of the land.

    “If that land could be liberated from the mines and from that part of the process, it would be available for civilian use, which could help towards a settlement.”

    Mr Dismore secured a further debate about Cyprus on 10 November 2009 but again did not declare an interest on the weekly bulletin, thesummary agenda or the order paper. However, Mr Dismore did declare an interest at the start of the debate.

    During the debate, Mr Dismore said: “The UN Committee on Missing Persons continues its work, although there is a significant backlog in its anthropological laboratory on the piecing together of the various remains.

    “Nonetheless, the committee told us that it was not really practical to expand the operation. Altogether the bicommunal teams have exhumed 570 sets of remains from both sides of the green line and returned the remains of 179 people to their families – 135 Greek Cypriots and 44 Turkish Cypriots.

    “They are perennially in the hunt for money, requiring between 2.2m euro and 2.4m euro a year to function. The EU has just given the teams 2m euro for the next two years, but they are still 1m euro short for next year.

    “Since the committee started its work many years ago, the UK has given it $159,000, but it is a long time since we last gave it a grant, and it is time that we gave it another one.”

    Later in the debate, he said: “I hope that the minister will be able to find a little cash in the Foreign Office budget to provide the initiatives that I mentioned with at least token support, if not more substantive support.”

    Further to these debates, on 18 December 2008, during a debate on Human Rights Mr Dismore spoke about Cyprus.

    After declaring an interest, he said: “On a positive note, the Committee on Missing Persons, which is part of the United Nations – my Hon Friend the Member for Ilford, South referred to the United Nations in his opening remarks – is functioning well, but it cannot look at the cause of death or attribute responsibility.

    “It is working on a bicommunal basis, which is one of the positive things in Cyprus. It has exhumed 450 bodies so far, out of a total of 1,996 missing people on both sides.

    “It has been able to identify and return 107 sets of remains – 31 Turkish Cypriots and 76 Greek Cypriots – and investigated 224 sites. It needs $3m to run, and is funded year by year only.

    “Does my Hon Friend the Minister think that the Government will consider putting their hand in their pocket to ensure that such vital work continues, because it has at least another two years’ worth of work to do?

    “In relation to demining, to which both reports referred, another 4m euro is needed to clear the rest of the buffer zone. Both communities and the UN have put money into demining, but it remains a significant problem to conclude. I hope that the minister can respond to those important human rights points.”

    The MPs’ code of conduct states that: “Members may not, for example, advocate in debate increased United Kingdom financial assistance to a government from which they have recently received hospitality.

    “Nor may any Member advocate any other measure for the exclusive benefit of the host government.”

    The BBC has put to Mr Dismore that some of his statements might be perceived as lobbying on behalf of an overseas power from whom hospitality has recently been received – a very serious breach of parliamentary rules.

    Following visits to Cyprus, Mr Dismore also have signed 24 early day motions relating to the island. In the following three cases he did not declare an interest:

    1. MR GEORGE IACOVOU / 12.12.2006 / EDM 474

    2. SOTERIS GEORGALLIS / 16.04.2007 / EDM 1273 (of which he was the Primary Sponsor)

    3. ILLEGAL SONGBIRD MARKET IN CYPRUS / 12.01.2010 / EDM 567

    Reply

    In response to the points put to him by the BBC Mr Dismore said he had declared an interest before debates and added: “There is no question of my having broken any rule in relation to lobbying, as overseas visits are excluded and I did not lobby for funding for the Cyprus government or Cyprus parliament.”

    Mr Dismore said the hosts of his visits to Cyprus were the Cyprus House of Representatives and the Municipality of Morphou, and not the government of Cyrpus.

    Mr Dismore denied that advocating increased financial assistance to the United Nations Committee for Missing Persons in Cyprus could be perceived as lobbying or amount to a breach of the rules.

    Reply on early day motions

    Mr Dismore said that the issue with EDMs (early day motions) was one of relevance. “As you rightly report, I declared an interest in relation to 24 early day motions. The other three were so remote, I did not believe that I had an interest warranting declaration.”

    Reply on the written questions

    Mr Dismore said that it was not possible for him to check if he had registered an interest in respect of the written questions, due to the way records are kept in Parliament.

    “Accordingly, although I cannot confirm or deny that I registered an interest in relation to those questions, I do not believe that there was an interest to register in relation to them. ”

    Responding to the large number of questions asked, 200 over a five-year period, Mr Dismore said an average of 40 to 50 questions a year was not excessive on an issue in which an MP has a speciality.

    He added: “I normally ask several hundred questions a year on many different issues in which I take an interest relevant to my parliamentary work and constituency, and to that extent the number of questions over five years relating to Cyprus should be seen in that context.”

    Mr Dismore also said that he had declared an interest at the start of each adjournment debate.

    BBC

  • MPs’ foreign visit rules breached

    MPs’ foreign visit rules breached

    Hundreds of breaches of parliamentary rules by MPs who accepted free overseas trips from foreign governments have been uncovered by a BBC investigation.

    Dismore

    More than 20 MPs broke rules on declaring hospitality in questions or debates after visiting locations such as the Maldives, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

    The MPs – from Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems – breached parliamentary regulations on more than 400 occasions.

    One former standards watchdog says it shows MPs cannot regulate themselves.

    Some MPs dismissed the breaches as technical errors or oversights.

    However, the former Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, told the BBC repeated rule breaches threatened to “undermine the integrity” of the democratic system.

    He said it “demonstrated the failure of the self-regulating system”, adding: “This is a very worrying situation which will further demean the standing of Parliament.”

    Conservative leader David Cameron said: “The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner must get to the bottom of what’s happened in every case and we must look at the penalties that apply when rules like this are broken.”

    He said the self-regulating system was “at the heart of the problem” and that it might be necessary to change its structure.

    Mr Cameron added that a system of imposing automatic fixed penalties on MPs who break rules might be appropriate.

    The rules on overseas visits are there to ensure that no-one can accuse MPs of accepting foreign hospitality in return for political favours, for example pressing the UK government for financial assistance.

    They require MPs to register such visits and then declare relevant trips in questions, motions or debates.

    One of those who appears to have fallen foul of the code of conduct is Labour’s Andrew Dismore, a member of the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee – the very body which polices MPs’ behaviour.

    He broke rules more than 90 times, following annual visits to Cyprus, by failing to declare the hospitality when raising issues about the island in Parliament.

    In total, he has tabled more than 200 Commons questions about Cyprus since the last election in 2005, on topics such as missing persons from the island and its victims of past conflict between Turkey and Greece.

    The Commons information office estimates it costs on average £149 to answer a written question.

    Mr Dismore has also signed motions and led debates about Cyprus. However, he denies any wrongdoing and claims his questions about Cyprus were not sufficiently relevant to his trips to require a declaration.

    Conservative David Amess has admitted failing to register a free trip to the Maldives – regarded as a “very serious” breach of the rules by the Committee on Standards and Privileges, according to the MPs’ code of conduct.

    He also accepts he did not register a second trip for almost a year, blaming an administrative error by his office staff.

    ‘Paradise’

    During a debate he tabled about the Maldives in 2007, Mr Amess told the Commons how his “splendid visit” had given him “an early taste of paradise”.

    “No words can describe adequately just how beautiful the islands are,” he added, before suggesting the UK Government “could be encouraged to do a little more than is being done at the moment” for the islands in the Indian Ocean.

    Despite leading two debates about UK support for the Maldives and asking 15 questions about the islands, he failed to declare an interest. Referring to the MPs’ code of conduct, Mr Amess told the BBC: “It is for the member to judge whether a financial interest is sufficiently relevant.”

    Liberal Democrat Norman Baker, who has been actively calling for a clean-up of Parliament following the expenses scandal, has admitted breaching the rules on 37 occasions.

    In a statement to the BBC, Mr Baker accepts he failed to declare an interest when leading debates and tabling questions about topics such as human rights in Tibet. He has travelled to India twice, courtesy of the Tibet Society and the Tibet government-in-exile.

    “I should have then declared a relevant interest in respect of the parliamentary activities you list,” he said. “It is an unintended oversight that I did not.”

    The MP who heads the Commons Public Administration Select Committee, Tony Wright, told the BBC that such rule-breaking was “unacceptable” and that the system should be more transparent.

    “Declarations should be the norm. It is quite proper for MPs to go on visits. Some of those visits will be financed by foreign governments. But… if they’re lobbying on behalf of governments who have paid for their visits, then clearly we need to know about it.”

    The rules are enforced by MPs themselves. Breaches are only investigated if a formal complaint is made and there is no independent body to ensure that members stick to the regulations.

    Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has admitted breaking the rules on two occasions, having visited Sri Lanka five times in the past three years courtesy of its government. He failed to declare the hospitality when asking ministers how much UK aid had been given to Sri Lanka.

    In a statement, Mr Fox said: “I should have noted an interest and will be writing to the registrar to make this clear.” He blamed a “changeover of staffing responsibilities” for registering one of his visits more than two months late.

    During the current Parliament, Gibraltar’s government has funded 31 trips for MPs to attend an annual street party on the territory.

    Street party

    Labour’s Lindsay Hoyle has been a guest at these National Day Celebrations three times. Following his visits he has asked 30 questions, tabled three early day motions and signed a further seven, all without declaring his interest.

    Mr Hoyle also broke the rules by failing to declare an interest following registered trips to the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

    “I have never received or sought any financial benefit,” he told the BBC.

    Conservative Andrew Rosindell has been a guest of Gibraltar’s government twice in recent years. He subsequently asked 48 questions and signed or sponsored nine motions related to the territory without declaring an interest.

    Thirteen of his questions about Gibraltar were before a visit had been registered. The BBC put the matters to Mr Rosindell but has yet to receive a response.

    The BBC has identified a further 10 MPs from all three major parties who have been guests of Gibraltar’s government and shortly afterwards breached rules when signing motions or tabling questions about the territory.

    The investigation has also identified three more Labour MPs and another Conservative who failed to declare an interest following visits to Cyprus.

    BBC

  • Fury as Google puts the SAS’s secret base on Street View in ‘very serious security breach’

    Fury as Google puts the SAS’s secret base on Street View in ‘very serious security breach’

    Military chiefs and MPs blasted internet giant Google today after its Street View service included detailed pictures of the headquarters of the SAS.

    Internet users can peer around the entrance to Credenhill, Herefordshire, which has never before appeared on maps for security reasons.

    The base is even marked as ‘British SAS’ on the website and offers users a detailed 180 degree view of the perimeter boundary.

    MPs and military top brass have demanded Google removes the pictures, claiming it makes the SAS a target for terrorist attacks.

    Sas1Sas2

    Lib Dem Hereford MP Paul Keetch said: ‘The footage is simply not acceptable during a time of perceived terrorism.

    ‘There needs to be a certain degree of restraint shown by people like Google.

    ‘I wouldn’t want a terrorist to be inspired by these pictures and it would be appalling if any help at all was given to our enemies.

    ‘We all know where the Palace of Westminister is, we all know where the SAS camp is, but the issue is if you’re going into such detail in such a way that you can undermine the security of that building, that could be a problem.’

    An Army insider added: ‘Military chiefs have had concerns with Google Street View for some time.

    ‘It is highly irresponsible for military bases, especially special forces, to be pictured on the internet.

    ‘Google claims it blurs faces and number plates to avoid people being identified but one mistake could be very dangerous weapon for a terrorist.
    ‘The question is, why risk a very serious security breach for the sake of having a picture on a website?’
    Residents living near the base also expressed shock at the pictures.
    One man, who did not want to be named but has links with the base, said: ‘The SAS conducts operations where secrecy is absolutely vital to their success.
    ‘It beggars belief that the base has been made vulnerable by having such detailed pictures published on the internet.
    ‘Terrorists could potentially use their home computers to plot an attack capable of dire consequences on the base. That’s frightening.’
    The images – all taken within the last six months – show a military ambulance and a police car at the gates of the base along with three guards.
    Separate satellite pictures on Google Earth also show the layout of the buildings and even makes and models of cars in the car park.
    The MoD has never made the exact details of the base public but the location of the nearest village is available online.
    Google yesterday defended the pictures and said they had no plans to take them off their site.
    Spokeswoman Laura Scott said: ‘One in five people already use Google Street View for house hunting and the scheme has previously launched in 20 countries without any breach of security issues.
    ‘Google only takes images from public roads and this is no different to what anyone could see travelling down the road themselves, therefore there is no appreciable security risk.
    ‘We’re happy to discuss any concerns as they arise.’
    An MoD spokesman said: ‘We never confirm where any of our special forces are based.’

    ‘Google claims it blurs faces and number plates to avoid people being identified but one mistake could be very dangerous weapon for a terrorist.   ‘The question is, why risk a very serious security breach for the sake of having a picture on a website?’   Residents living near the base also expressed shock at the pictures.One man, who did not want to be named but has links with the base, said: ‘The SAS conducts operations where secrecy is absolutely vital to their success.’It beggars belief that the base has been made vulnerable by having such detailed pictures published on the internet.’Terrorists could potentially use their home computers to plot an attack capable of dire consequences on the base. That’s frightening.’   The images – all taken within the last six months – show a military ambulance and a police car at the gates of the base along with three guards.Separate satellite pictures on Google Earth also show the layout of the buildings and even makes and models of cars in the car park.The MoD has never made the exact details of the base public but the location of the nearest village is available online.Google yesterday defended the pictures and said they had no plans to take them off their site.Spokeswoman Laura Scott said: ‘One in five people already use Google Street View for house hunting and the scheme has previously launched in 20 countries without any breach of security issues.’Google only takes images from public roads and this is no different to what anyone could see travelling down the road themselves, therefore there is no appreciable security risk.’We’re happy to discuss any concerns as they arise.’  An MoD spokesman said: ‘We never confirm where any of our special forces are based.’

    The Daily Mail

  • Home Sec: Why No Panic Button On Facebook?

    Home Sec: Why No Panic Button On Facebook?

    Graham Fitzgerald, Sky News Online

    Home Secretary Alan Johnson is to meet Facebook bosses to ask why it does not have a ‘panic button’ for children concerned about paedophiles, Sky News has learned.

    The judge said the case was a “salutary lesson for teenage girls and parents rising from the now obvious dangers that can be associated with social networking”.

    Det Supt Andy Reddick, who led the investigation, cautioned against meeting strangers through sites such as Facebook.

    “It’s clear from our investigation that sexual predators are using these sites to target their next victim,” he said.

    “Our message is do not meet people who you have only met on social networking sites.”

    :: Facebook has overtaken Google to become the most visited website in the US for the first time, according to industry analysts Experian Hitwise.

    It follows the case of teenager Ashleigh Hall, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a serial sex offender she met on the social networking site.

    Paul Chapman killed the 17 year old from from Darlington after posing as a teenager himself and arranging a date with her.

    Knowing Ashleigh would suspect him when she saw him arrive as a balding, older man, he sent her a text to say his father was coming to meet her.

    He texted: “My dad’s on his way babe”, and when Chapman arrived, Ashleigh texted back: “He’s here babe.”

    Chapman, 33, of no fixed address, was sentenced to a minimum of 35 years by Judge Peter Fox QC at Teesside Crown Court.

     Sky News Online