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© Cenk Uygur photo © Gage Skidmore from Surprise, Hasan Piker cropped photo © Poisonwithahawks

Why Britain barred Turkish-American broadcasters Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur from entering the UK

The pair say they were punished for their outspoken criticism of Israel, while supporters of the decision accuse them of promoting antisemitic ideas and extremist rhetoric. The controversy has divided Jewish organisations, politicians and free-speech campaigners.Two of America’s best-known Turkish-o...

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© Supplied by CTCA

Music, food and community spirit shine at London’s annual Turkish Cypriot Festival

Thousands of people flocked to this year’s Turkish Cypriot cultural festival on the Donkey Lane playing fields in Enfield, North London, and once again they left with smiles and happy memories.Now a firm feature in the British Turkish social calendar following its first event back in 2017, the festi...

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Two men jailed for 25 years each over killing of Londoner Hüseyin Mavideniz in North Cyprus

Two men have each been sentenced to 25 years in prison over the killing of London resident Hüseyin Mavideniz outside a nightclub in İskele, North Cyprus, three years ago.The Famagusta Assize Court found Mehmet Yazıcı and Doğu Ömer Alçıner guilty of manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm and seri...

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© Mathias Schulz / ZUMA Press / Alamy

Turkish tennis star Zeynep Sönmez wins admirers at Wimbledon with seeded victory and show of solidarity with Palestine

Turkish tennis star Zeynep Sönmez made her presence felt at Wimbledon this summer, combining an impressive opening-round victory with a discreet but powerful gesture of support for the Palestinian people that has put her firmly in the international spotlight.The 24-year-old Turkish number one arrive...

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© Supplied by CTCA

Get ready for the Turkish Cypriot Festival 2026

We’re a week away this year’s Turkish Cypriot Festival, which again returns to the Donkey Lane site in Enfield, North London. Now firmly embedded in the British Turkish social calendar, this annual event is organised by the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations (CTCA) UK.If you’re a newcomer to th...

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Centre-left candidate Tufan Erhürman sweeps to landslide victory in TRNC presidential election

Republican Turkish Party leader Tufan Erhürman has defeated incumbent President Ersin Tatar by almost 27 percentage points, securing enough support to win the presidency outright in the first round.Centre-left politician Tufan Erhürman has been elected the new President of the Turkish Republic of No...

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© The Divided Island

Special Buffer Zone screening for Cyprus documentary ‘The Divided Island’

Cypriots will have the chance to watch award-winning documentary The Divided Island about the Cyprus Conflict at a special screening in the capital Nicosia later this month. The event is being held at the Home for Co-operation, in Cyprus’ Buffer Zone, on Saturday, 20 September, and will include...

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The day I humiliated a racist without starting a fight

It was a scorching day in 2006. England was playing in the World Cup. If I remember correctly, it was a Saturday. I was at work at our fish and chip and kebab shop, located just north of London. I knew we would get a massive rush of customers at half time from the pub, so we all prepared for that....

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Turkish government blocks Instagram after platform censors Hamas leader commemoration posts

The Turkish government has blocked access to Instagram, preventing the country’s nearly 60 million users from seeing or posting on the popular social media platform. The decision was announced by the country’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kur...

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© T-VINE/Ipek Ozerim

Barnet Council rejects accusations of “institutionalised racism” against Turks in the borough

The Leader of Barnet Council Barry Rawlings has rejected accusations from local residents of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot descent that the local authority is “racist”, calling them “unsubstantiated claims” at a recent council meeting. Councillor Rawlings’ comments prompted an angry exchange with a gr...

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