One thousand 202 project entries in total from across the country were received months ahead of the event. 160 of them qualified for the finals passing a jury of eminent names. The finalists will be ultimately judged by academics from the top five universities of the country. Top 25 projects will receive their awards at a ceremony this Thursday and represent Indonesia in international science olympiads.
Seasoned journalist Cüneyt Özdemir has said he was threatened by two members of pro-government media outlets and pressured to jump on the bandwagon by lashing out at the Hizmet movement and hosting a commentator who Özdemir said is a staunch supporter of conspiracy theories.
The Taraf daily published a document on Wednesday in supports of its allegations that the government recruits public sector employees using “color lists” to avoid people affiliated with groups such as the Hizmet movement.
Nurullah Albayrak, the lawyer of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, released several recorded phone conversations of his client on Wednesday, saying they were illegally wiretapped in violation of individuals’ privacy and that some politicians are using them as an instrument in their shady plan to finish off the Hizmet movement.
Socialist Group leader and one of the most veteran politicians of the European Parliament Hannes Swoboda harshly reacted to the new law on the HSYK. Swoboda said the law was an outright attack on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.
Fethullah Gülen, the inspiration behind the Hizmet movement, which Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to insult and target with a smear campaign, threatening to pursue criminal proceeding against it, has urged his followers to remain calm and avoid making inflammatory remarks about those who appeal to insults.
Discussing the recent developments in Turkey and the Muslim world during the “Arab-Turkish Intellectuals Forum” in İstanbul on Tuesday, a scholar from Egypt likened the smear campaign conducted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against the Hizmet movement to the suppression of a civic movement in Egypt.
Erdoğan put the blame on the “parallel state,” claiming that the whole thing was a plot against the government. Instead of explaining why manager of public bank Halkbank had $4.5 million placed in shoeboxes and why son of former minister of interior, had TL 1.5 million ($0.7 million) in safety boxes in his house when police arrived to take them under custody.
Aid materials were collected from various provinces in the Marmara Region and the TIRs arrived in Bolu province. The aid material will be given to around 117, 000 Syrians in the refugee camps. 300 tons of flour, 25 tons of milk, 200 tons of dry food and clothes have been loaded in trucks.
Kimse Yok Mu Foundation continues its efforts to meet the water, hot meal, clothing and medication needs in Somalia, stricken with terror and famine. The foundation’s school in the capital Mogadishu and scholarships too are aimed at securing a better future for Somalis.
A National Security Council (MGK) plan — dated Aug. 24, 2004, titled the “Plan to Crack Down on the Fethullah Gülen Group in Turkey” and undersigned by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ministers and military commanders of the time — is already being implemented. Though the government claims it was not put into action, there are several indications to suggest that the MGK plan is in effect.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has tried to scapegoat the Hizmet movement via conspiracy theories to evade attention stemming from the corruption allegations. A number of news stories broke soon after Ala’s claims, reporting that Bank Asya’s accounts were being scrutinized for misconduct.