“I can’t breathe”. The last words George Floyd uttered, just before he was murdered in cold blood in Minneapolis, USA. George Floyd has entered into the statistics of those many killed by this cruel State. Neither his family, nor anti-racists around the world will allow him to be just another American statistic. The cries of […]
On Thursday, 4 June, families of Sonya Kaygan and other Turkish Cypriots who died in Britain during the coronavirus pandemic gathered at Shacklewell Lane Mosque in Dalston, East London, to say goodbye to their deceased loved ones before they were repatriated to their native homeland of North Cyprus for burials. It was a deeply moving, […]
The jessamine is odorous; so Maid lilies are, and clematis And where tall meadowsweet flowers grow A rare and subtle perfume is; – What can there be more choice than these? – A rose when it doth bud and blow.” By Christina Rosetti (1830-1894) When I began interviewing people about their memory of smell […]
When compared to the enormous impact of proper funding and provision in our education sector, the argument now that certain year groups returning to school to catch a few weeks before the summer holidays will have some sort of critical benefit for learners who are vulnerable or struggling academically is a very weak one. These […]
Dear Dr Sivri, Ever since I can remember, I have had a problem with gambling. Over the years I have lost a lot of money, and it hasn’t been too big a problem because most of the time I have been single, and I have always managed to find money from somewhere or another. If […]
The Turkish government provides free universal health care, and made early investments in its health care infrastructure that are paying off now. Our efforts and strategy have been central in turning the tide. The number of new cases of coronavirus has decreased significantly in recent few weeks to its slowest pace since the first case […]
Two photographs, two family tragedies. The first of these show a three-year-old girl, Ayşe, wiping tears off her grandmother’s face with a tissue, oblivious to the tragedy her family has just suffered. The grandmother, also called Ayşe, is shedding tears for her daughter, little Ayşe’s mum Sonya Kaygan, who has just lost her life to […]
Ten days ago, I highlighted the plight of some 120 British nationals, many of Turkish Cypriot descent, stranded in North Cyprus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lots of affected individuals, their British MPs, and community groups have all been lobbying the UK Foreign Office to demand their return. Since then, there has been a flurry […]
On Easter Sunday, the number of deaths from the coronavirus in Britain passed the 10,000 mark. The impact of this deadly disease has hit every corner of the country, and affected every community. Every day, hundreds of funerals are taking place for the deceased, which are being performed under severe restrictions. These include limiting the […]
Ambassador Oya Tuncalı, the London Representative of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, has addressed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on lives in a special message to Turkish Cypriots in Britain. The message, given in full below, acknowledges the “important changes to our lives”, and describes staying at home in self-isolation as an opportunity […]
