In the blink of an eye she was taken away from us. Years of compassion, dedication, courage gone. Two little children denied of a wonderful mum, her husband of a cheerful, compassionate partner. Why is it that the impact of the death of certain people is so much more profound? I did not know Jo Cox....
As Eurovisions go, it appeared that Australia (yes, we know it's not in Europe) had it sown up this year. Way out in front with votes from the juries of the participating countries, we were looking at a comprehensive Aussie win.Though Ukraine was picking up a few 12 points, Australia was more consis...
If you had one chance to spend Eurovision in any country, it would surely be Sweden and in particular Stockholm, wouldn't it? The Swedes have got this Eurovision thing sussed. Winners of this most prestigious song contest umpteen times, no-one knows this contest better than the birthplace of th...
I heard the bad news on a cold November night. 17th November 2015 to be exact. Two friends had gone to see him at Croydon Hospital. They rang to tell me in floods of tears that we had lost him. I had visited him a few days before, and was planning to go and see him again the following day. Alas, it...
“I took early retirement to concentrate on my research and writings” said Prof. Salahi Sonyel, who sadly passed away on Christmas Day 2015, in an interview I had conducted with him back in 1998. And indeed his writings and all the research he conducted over many years made him one of the most respec...
The famous fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld turned the show for Chanel’s Spring/Summer Womenwear 2015 Collection during this autumn’s Paris Fashion Week into a staged rebellion, using leading supermodels such as Gisele Bündchen, Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner to mimic a feminist protest.&nbs...
Yet again we march. With arthiritic knees, painful backs, we march on. What are these compared to the suffering of refugees, victims of wars, destruction. Victims of Western foreign policy, western greed. We march to demand compassion, justice and humanity for refugees. Refugees, facing...
I sincerely apologise Aylan, but we shall forget you too. You, your brother Ghaleb, your mum. We shall forget you all. We human beings are like that. We forget all too easily. We have forgotten many children before you. Do you remember those poor people who met a horrible death in an air...
Dear Yonca abla, I’ve been having furious arguments with my youngest. She is 18-years-old and if she passes her exams, could be starting life at university in September. I thought I was being progressive letting her go away from home to study, but now, as if that wasn’t enough, she wants...
Since forming Istanbul Doors in 1993, Levent Büyükuğur has quietly revolutionised Istanbul’s nightlife and restaurant scene. His diners and clubs, Changa, Lucca, Kitchenette and Angelique among them, are bywords for sophisticated quality, while his compatriots have also been treated to new culinary...
