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Saturday, October 5, 2013

Olympic flame handed over to Sochi Games organizers; peaceful protest at Russia anti-gay law

by  Associated Press Olympic flame handed over to Russian organizers Associated Press - 5 October 2013 11:54-04:00

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Olympic flame has been handed to organizers of the Sochi Winter Olympics in a ceremony at the site of the first modern summer games.

The same actress, dressed as a high priestess, who lit the flame in Ancient Olympia last Sunday, lit a torch from a cauldron placed inside Athens' Panathinaiko Stadium. The flame, placed in a lantern, was handed over to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak.

After a seven-day run through Greece, the flame will cover 65,000 kilometers on Russian soil. The record-setting relay will start on Monday in Moscow and will finish in Sochi on Feb. 7, the opening day of the games.

A few dozen activists staged a peaceful protest earlier Saturday against Russia's law banning gay propaganda.

News Topics: Sports, 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, Protests and demonstrations, Winter Olympic games, Olympic games, Events, Political and civil unrest, General news

People, Places and Companies: Greece, Sochi, Athens, Russia, Western Europe, Europe, Eastern Europe

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Avengers anniversary: 50 moments that shaped Marvel’s mightiest


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Man injured after trying to spray slogans on moving Thessaloniki bus

A 19-year-old was injured in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, after being hit by a bus following an altercation with a bus driver in the early hours of Saturday. According to reports, the youngster and another two young men had been trying to spray slogans ... ...

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Mount Athos to celebrate 100 years since becoming part of Greek state

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, is to lead a service at the semi-autonomous monastic community of Mount Athos on October 16 to mark 100 years since it became part of the Greek state. According to a decree p... ...

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UNESCO addresses letter to British gov't regarding Parthenon Marbles return

World heritage organization UNESCO has addressed a letter to the British government regarding the return of the Parthenon Marbles. The move followed a meeting between Greek Culture Minister Panos Panayiotopoulos and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova la... ...

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Halki can reopen if Greece returns favor, says Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeated on Saturday that he expects Greece to offer a concession for Ankara approving the reopening of the Halki Seminary near Istanbul. Erdogan suggested that in return for the seminary being allowed to functi... ...

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Where To Get 7 Nutrients That Can Keep You From Going Bald

This post originally appeared on Details.com. Keep reading to see how you can tweak your diet to prevent hair loss. 

 

No, it's not your imagination. Your hair is thinning.

According to board-certified hair-restoration physician Alan Bauman, M.D., 20% of men start to lose their hair in their twenties. While genetics play a big role, you still have some control over your hairline—and we aren't talking plugs or hair-in-a-box remedies, here. We're talking food. That's right, if your reflection shows an ever-growing forehead, put down the hat and reach for the fridge instead.

"Like any other part of the body or component of health, hair needs a variety of nutrients to grow and be healthy," says nutritionist Rania Batayneh, M.P.H., author of The One One One Diet. "Because nutrients go to essential tissues first, like muscles and organs, before they go to hair, it's important to get both enough and a variety of nutrients to ensure a healthy head of hair."

Here, the nutrients you need for a full head of hair—and the foods that pack them:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Good for more than your brain, omega-3 fatty acids nourish your whole noggin. The essential nutrient reaches both the hair shaft and the cell membranes in your scalp, nourishing the follicles and promoting healthy hair growth, according to Batayneh. Plus, they add elasticity to your hair, preventing it from breaking off and ending up in your shower drain. But get this—the body can't produce omega 3-fatty acids on its own; whatever you eat is what your body gets. So dig in!

The foods to eat: Flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, tuna, kale, Brussels sprouts, rapeseed oil.

2. Zinc

Boosting tissue growth and repair, zinc helps keep your scalp and hair stay healthy. It also regulates hormones (testosterone included) in the body and helps maintain production of oil-secreting glands on the scalp that help your hair grow. There's no need to go overboard, though. High levels of testosterone are actually linked to hair loss, Bauman says. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, 11 mg a day is all you need. While it's not proven your body will go on a T rampage if you consume too much zinc, there's no need to tempt hair follicle fate.

The foods to eat: Chickpeas, wheat germ, oysters, beef, veal liver, roast beef.

3. Protein

Quick chemistry lesson: Your hair is pretty much pure protein. So if you don't eat enough for both your muscles and hair, you'll have bulging biceps—but a bald head. And even if you do hang onto your hair, eating too little protein can turn it gray, Bauman says. Eat a diet rich in high-quality, naturally occurring protein. Wait, you're a veg or a vegan? No worries. As any good meatless eater knows, protein abounds in more than just animal sources.

The foods to eat: Greek yogurt, eggs yolks, kale, peanuts, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, chicken, turkey.

4. Iron

When it comes to healthy circulation, eating enough iron is clutch. Iron helps deliver blood to the body's cells. Neglect the nutrient and your blood can't carry enough oxygen to your scalp for good hair growth, says Bauman. "Many doctors have seen a correlation between treatment for iron-deficient anemia and an increase in hair growth," Batayneh adds.

The foods to eat: Dark leafy greens, whole grains, beans, red meat, turkey, egg yolks, clams, mussels, oysters.

5. Vitamins A and C

Both vitamins contribute to the production of sebum, the oily substance that your hair follicles spit out. Nature's hair conditioner, it keeps your hair from breaking off. Plus, vitamin C increases the amount of blood-boosting iron that your body can put to use, says Batayneh. While some vitamin A is good for your scalp, more than 15,000 IU a day can actually spur hair loss, says Bauman, who notes that the recommended daily allowance of the vitamin for men is 5,000 IU a day.

The foods to eat: Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, pumpkin.

6. Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions—hair growth included, according to the National Institute of Health. But research from the Medical University of South Carolina shows that 68% of U.S. adults don't get enough of the essential nutrient, contributing to increased inflammation in the body. Another result? Hair loss. Batayneh notes that magnesium deficiencies have been linked to hair loss in both men and women.

The foods to eat: Almonds, spinach, cashews, lentils, brown rice, halibut.

7. Selenium

A trace element that helps the body make selenoproteins, which regulate reproduction, metabolism, DNA synthesis, and immunity, selenium also stimulates hair follicles to encourage new growth. Scrimp on selenium and your body will churn out way too much selenoproteins, leading to hair follicle abnormalities, reduced growth, and hair loss, according to one 2010 study published in PLoS ONE.

The foods to eat: Brazil nuts, tuna, halibut, shrimp sardines, ham.

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Don't Ban Greece's Fascists

BBC NewsDon't Ban Greece's FascistsDaily BeastBecause banning political movements is illegal in Greece, the government has opted to pursue a series of 31 charges against the party that collectively cast it as a criminal organization, thereby depriving it of financing and imprisoning its leaders ...Greece mulls treatment of Golden Dawn leadersDeutsche WelleGreece should crack down on crimes, not beliefsFinancial TimesGreece: Golden Dawn's popularity from 'economic crisis and lack of immigration ...euronewsThe Times (subscription) -BBC Newsall 107 news articles »

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Activists protest Russian anti-gay law ahead of Olympic flame handover ceremony

by  Associated Press Athens activists protest at Sochi flame's passage Associated Press - 5 October 2013 08:48-04:00

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A few dozen activists peacefully protested against Russia's law banning gay propaganda as the Olympic flame made its way through central Athens on Saturday ahead of its handover to the organizers of next year's Winter Games in Sochi.

The activists sat on the steps of the Acropolis Museum, with some holding rainbow flags, while others held a banner reading "Homophobia is not in the Olympic Spirit" and "Love is not Propaganda."

Police presence was light and there were no incidents.

The official handover ceremony will take place later Saturday.

The 22nd Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place Feb. 7-23 in Sochi. Some 2,800 athletes from more than 80 countries are due to compete.

News Topics: Sports, 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, Protests and demonstrations, Winter Olympic games, Political activism, Olympic games, Events, Political and civil unrest, General news, Political issues, Government and politics

People, Places and Companies: Athens, Sochi, Greece, Western Europe, Europe, Russia, Eastern Europe

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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KKE Leader: Reorganisation of Working Classes Movement our Only Hope

PAME (labour union affiliated to Communist Party) organised on Saturday an anti-memorandum and anti-fascist rally in downtown Athens Omonia square. Greek Communist party (KKE) leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas in his address said that “our only hope and prospect is the reorganisation of the working classes movement, the organisation of the people’s struggle and the promotion of […]

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Egyptian Nationalism Unites Christians And Muslims As Political Turmoil Continues

CAIRO (RNS) After decades of polarization along religious lines, Christians and Muslims in Egypt are coming together to rally behind their flag. The country is in the midst of a swell of nationalism that began during the revolution in 2011 and intensified when citizens took to the streets in June of this year to call for the removal of President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian flags adorn houses and buildings throughout the capital, and everything — from sandbags buttressing military blockades to pillars along the Nile Corniche — has been painted in the national colors of black, white and red. These sentiments have served to unite Christians and Muslims. In recent decades, Christians had become increasingly cloistered — a trend of “closed communalism” that Gamal Soltan, professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, said has been building since the 1970s. That began to change during the revolution in 2011. The 18 days of demonstrations during the first Tahrir Square uprising ushered in poignant displays of interreligious unity, with protesters sharing prayers and holding aloft Bibles and Qurans. Political writer and commentator Bassem Sabry called this the “grass-roots manifestation” of nationalistic coexistence. It was Morsi’s presidency, though, that truly gave Christians and Muslims common cause. While Christians feared the rise of an Islamist state in which they would suffer open discrimination and persecution, many Muslims also objected to the Islamization of Egypt, which has historically been a pious but moderate country. During his tenure, Morsi was viewed as disregarding Egypt’s non-Islamist majority, reneging on promises to appoint an inclusive Cabinet and pushing through an agenda that seemed to confirm suspicions he was working to enact the Brotherhood’s goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate. It was that seeming indifference to the will of the majority that led to the intense backlash. “Everybody is united against the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Youssef Sidhom, editor-in-chief of the Coptic Christian newspaper Watani. The last time nationalist sentiment was this strong was in 1919, when Egyptians staged near-daily demonstrations across the country to protest British rule. That was also a time of heightened interfaith accord. Essential to the political rhetoric of the day was the notion that Christians and Muslims were the two elements of the Egyptian nation. Known as the 1919 Revolution, those uprisings eventually led to Britain granting Egypt its independence. Once again, Christians and Muslims view themselves as coming together to fight a common enemy. “Whenever they feel a collective threat, that feeling of patriotism re-emerges and is revived,” said Saad Eddin Ibrahim, founder of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies and professor of political sociology at the American University in Cairo. “Nowadays, with the Muslim Brotherhood about to Islamicize the country … there is an overreaction by both the Copts and the majority of Muslims against the attempts of the Muslim Brotherhood to demolish or to abolish the integrity of Egypt,” he said. When Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took to the airwaves on July 3 to announce Morsi’s removal, he was surrounded by a coalition of leaders representing different sectors of Egyptian society, including the Coptic pope and the grand sheikh of Cairo’s Al Azhar, considered the highest authority of Sunni Islamic thought. Ibrahim drew a distinction between nationalism, which at times in Egypt’s past has been more about pan-Arabism and, by definition, excluded Christians, and what’s happening today, which he classified as patriotism. “That is a loyalty to the land, to a country, a sense of belonging,” he explained. “That is where the Copts feel very patriotic, because they are the original inhabitants of the country.” The word “Copt” is derived from the ancient Greek word for Egypt, Ibrahim elaborated. Arabs didn’t arrive in Egypt until the seventh century, bringing Islam with them. Egyptian nationalism is the broad umbrella under which a coalition of anti-Brotherhood forces has assembled, but there is a difference between today’s events and those of the early 20th century. Back then, the threat was external; now it comes from within Egypt and consists of Islamist internationalism. While Christians and non-Islamists may be joined in their antipathy for the Muslim Brotherhood, a significant percentage of the population in Egypt remains sympathetic to the group. And the current sectarian amity is likely largely confined to the upper and upper-middle classes, political observers said. The lower classes are more conservative and are dominated by Islamists, Soltan pointed out. So, while Egypt is enveloped in a mantle of goodwill, deep fissures still divide the country. And although the Brotherhood is off the political stage for the time being, what the future will look like is far from clear. The constitution is still being rewritten. Parliamentary and then presidential elections await. All of those things have the potential to unite, or to divide. “The question is,” Sabry said, “what happens after the euphoria subsides?”

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Chorus of volunteers at Tacoma's Greek Festival

TheNewsTribune.comChorus of volunteers at Tacoma's Greek FestivalTheNewsTribune.comA love of sweets and family compelled Annette Magnanti, right, from New York to fly across the country to help her aunt Mary Leonard, center, serve up Greek pastry Friday during the first day of the Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

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Olympic Flame for 2014 Winter Olympics Shines on Acropolis Hill

The Olympic Flame for the 2014 Winter Olympics has shone on the Acropolis hill since Friday afternoon when the torch relay across Greece ended. On Saturday, the sacred flame which was lit last Sunday at Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, will start its trip towards Russia’s Sochi. Before reaching the Acropolis in Athens, […]

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Singapore Airlines will return to Greece

Singapore Airlines will restart its Singapore-Athens service from June next year. However, the flights will only operate as a seasonal service aimed at the leisure market. After having suspended the route in 2012 after 40 years of operations, the cutback service will mean SIA will initially fly the route between June 9 and September 26, 2014. SIA will be using a 285-seater B777-200ER for ...

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Noble's Greek Cyprus gas drill at lower end of estimates

Hurriyet Daily NewsNoble's Greek Cyprus gas drill at lower end of estimatesHurriyet Daily NewsGreek Cyprus and its exploration partners, Texas-based Noble Energy, on Oct. 3 announced an around 5 trillion cubic feet (tcf) natural gas find, lowering the initial estimate of 7 tcf made in late 2011. One gas official said lower estimates could ...and more »

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Greece Will Purge Police of Racists

Greece is determined to rid its police of ?any racist elements,? Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias told CNN?s Christiane Amanpour. ?We have ordered a full-scale investigation by the internal department of the Greek police,? Dendias said. ?Please allow me to say that we are adamant in our target to clean up the Greek police from any racist elements.? Elements of the Greek police have been widely criticized as not only targeting minority groups, but being complicit with right-wing groups like the Golden Dawn, which has a neo-Nazi following. Greece has seen a rise in racist attacks, which are up 20% according over last year, according to the head Greece?s National Commission for Human Rights.

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The Risks of Greece's Golden Dawn Clampdown

Three right-wing lawmakers in Athens were released from custody pending trial, in a move that raised concerns that Greece?s crackdown on the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party could backfire. Some 35 people associated with the political party Golden Dawn, which gained 18 MPs in Parliament last spring, were arrested on Sept. 28 in a crackdown sparked by the stabbing murder of an anti-racism rapper last month. 'This government is determined not to allow the heirs of the Nazis to poison our social life, to commit crimes, to terrorize and to undermine the foundations of the country that gave birth to democracy,' Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said in a brief televised address after the death of rapper Pavlos Fyssas.

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Greece's Golden Dawn Roundup Draws Critics

NIKAIA, Greece ? For over a year, 30 Kaisareias Street bustled with activity. Burly, black-clad members of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn party converted part of the nondescript white building into a headquarters, holding frequent meetings and fanning out for military-style neighborhood patrols armed with batons and heavy poles wrapped in the Greek flag. Then, last week, the group disappeared overnight. A regular in the office, Giorgos Roupakias, was accused of killing an anti-fascist activist in a crime that shocked the nation, and the government began an effort to ?eradicate? the group, as Prime Minister Antonis Samaras put it. But already, serious questions have been raised about the planning and effectiveness of the crackdown, and whether it may actually boomerang against the government and end up generating sympathy for Golden Dawn, one of Europe?s most violent far-right groups.

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Greek tragedy funnier than you have ever seen it before

Audiences can enjoy a comedy whistle-stop tour through Greek tragedy. All the greatest Greek myths will be performed by three actors in one hour-long play, Unmythable, which comes to Richmond fresh from a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Legendary ...

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Op-Ed Contributor Saving Greek Democracy

ATHENS ...

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Greek Cyprus gas field smaller than initial estimate

Hurriyet Daily NewsGreek Cyprus gas field smaller than initial estimateHurriyet Daily NewsNoble Energy company's offshore oil and gas rig is seen some 115 miles (185 kilometers) off Cyprus' south coast, in this Monday Nov. 21, 2011 file photo, provided by the Cyprus Press and Information office. AP photo / Cyprus Press and Information Office.and more »

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Ten Ways To Exit The Crisis

Greek businesses that are still open – more than 110,000 aren’t, closing in the last 3 1/2 years of the country’s deep recession – have a new tool on how to survive the crushing economic crisis. Research by Professor Ioanni Papadopoulos recommends a list of 10 Business Commandments for them, and for new graduates to […]

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Greek Universities Continue Striking

The administrative staff of eight Greek Universities in its fifth week of striking. They are protesting against the government’s decision to cut jobs as part of its bailout commitments. The unrest in the academic world is due to the implementation of the controversial mobility scheme, which will affect more than 1,300 administrative staff members in […]

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Thessaloniki’s Fountain Is a Monument

Thessaloniki’s Fountain Square is one of the most famous meeting points in the city. The outstanding fountain, which is located between Egnatia and Ethnikis Aminis street, was classified yesterday as a monument by the Central Council of Modern Monuments. This fountain of historical and urban significance is directly linked to the Ottoman Empire and specifically […]

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Suspects give evidence in Skouries attacks case

All 27 suspects alleged to have committed a range of offenses during protests against gold mining in Skouries forest in Halkidiki had completed their depositions by Friday afternoon.The suspects started their depositions on Thursday and all denied being involved in any offenses and rejected accusations that they had formed a criminal organization, a felony under Greek law.Residents of Skouries ...

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Greece Israel to Perform Joint Aeronautical Exercises

Greek and Israeli Air Forces will carry out joint aeronautical exercises in the Aegean and the Peloponnese in the coming week of October. According to the Hellenic Air Force, Greece and Israel will conduct in common the following activities as part of a Greece – Israel Military Cooperation Program: On October 8 and 9 in the area of the Central and South flight information ...

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Live dining report: 52nd annual Tacoma Greek Festival

It’s one of a dozen or so pastries for sale at the St. Nicholas Greek Festival ... You could head to the church’s dining room where volunteers serve sit-down meals, full plated dinners with chicken, fish or lamb (see below for more details).

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New Democracy, SYRIZA in war of words over Golden Dawn

An ongoing crackdown on Golden Dawn appears to have shifted the center of gravity in the confrontation between Greece’s ruling conservative New Democracy and the leftist SYRIZA opposition as both camps seek to capitalize on the apparent decline of the ult... ...

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S&P expects recession to spill into 2014 too

Standard & Poor’s stated on Friday that it would retain Greece’s credit rating at B-, but forecast that the economy would continue to contract for a seventh consecutive year in 2014, by 1 percent, while unemployment would break yet another record, climbin... ...

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Progress in talks on Larco and ELVO, but not on EAS

Greece’s creditors now appear to be more flexible toward the government’s proposal concerning the restructuring of the Hellenic Vehicle Industry (ELVO) and Larco mining company, but there is still quite a distance between the positions of the two sides on... ...

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Ankara fails to deliver on democracy

This week's reform package was not enough, because Turkish society has changed faster than its politicians

'It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they killed people on the streets, and I didn't know what I was doing in Istanbul …" There was something about Turkey's Taksim Square protests that often made me think of the opening line in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. The same gloom was in the air; heavy with pepper spray and tear gas.

As difficult as last summer was for the nation, autumn brings new hope. The long-awaited "democratisation package" was announced this week at a huge press conference, and translated into Arabic and English simultaneously. The details tell a lot. The fact that it was named "democratization package" gave the impression that it would have something for every religious, ethnic and political group. Thus, like eager children, all 76 million of us gathered around the presents, expecting there to be something for us. Writers and journalists wanted freedom of expression. Tired of being sued and brought to court for our words, we hoped that the package would recognise the importance of a free, diverse press in a democracy The Alevi minority wanted equal rights and the recognition of their cemevi as houses of worship. Students and academics wanted universities to be places where science and free thought flourish, as well as the right to peaceful demonstration. And the Kurds? They wanted serious steps to be taken now that they have invested so much in the peace process. It is significant that Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned head of the PKK, was watching the press conference live from his prison cell.

But when the presents were opened, many of Turkey's children were disappointed. Immediately a hullabaloo followed, with critics accused of being ungrateful by those in favour of what the government offered. The importance of gratitude is instilled in Turks in early childhood, and to understand how Turkish politics works you have to understand the role it plays. Criticising something that has been given to you is seen as evidence of ingratitude – and ingratitude is culturally looked down upon. That some Turks think in these terms about politics is evidence of the sad fact that we still see the state as a father and ourselves as its children.

The package had both positive and negative aspects. It returned Mor Gabriel, a 1,700-year-old monastery in Mardin, to the Christian Syriac community. A decision long overdue, since it already belonged to them and the state had no right to confiscate it in the first place. At the same time, there was no mention of the Greek Orthodox seminary in Heybeliada. Why is it that the Syriacs have been returned their monastery and the Greek Orthodox have been left out? Nobody understands. Yetvart Danzikyan, an Armenian columnist for the daily Radikal, said that "the failure to reopen the seminary has caused disappointment not only among the Greek community, but all minority groups".

The ridiculous ban on the three Kurdish letters – w, q, and x – which don't exist in the Turkish alphabet was lifted. You will no longer be in trouble if you give your child a name containing any of these letters. Names of locations that had been Turkified will now be returned to their former spelling. Kurdish language can be taught in private schools, should students opt for it. But such steps, although progressive, are far from satisfying the millions of Kurds who have felt suppressed for too long. Not surprisingly the BDP, the primary Kurdish party, expressed its displeasure.

An important step was the lifting of the ban on headscarves being worn by those in public services. Similarly there are signs that the electoral threshold will be lowered, after discussions in parliament. New regulations will be made regarding hate speech. However, this, too, is conditional. Hatred against an ethnic minority is a crime, but what about hatred against a sexual minority?

Personally, I am relieved that the student oath that we repeated every morning has been abolished. "I am a Turk, I am correct, I am diligent … May my existence be a gift to you," it reads, drumming into us that we were not individuals but part of an undifferentiated mass and had delegated our existence to the state and the nation. That mentality is changing. We are individuals. We owe this cultural shift to the young protesters of Taksim Square.

The problem with the democratisation package is that it is not enough, not any more. Society has changed: Turkey's people are changing faster than its politicians. And the gap is increasingly visible. These reforms do not embrace the whole of society, giving the impression that some citizens are being favoured and others forgotten. The Alevis, who were not even mentioned in the prime minister's speech, are massively disappointed – and rightly so.

After the summer of 2013, Turkey is more polarised than ever. Nowadays you are either "pro" or "con". People who believe we should debate both the positive and the negative things in the country are being pushed to the margins. This is our biggest loss. We don't have intellectual bridges connecting people from different sides any more. Instead, we have two angry, resentful camps. Both the government and the opposition demand "Are you one of us, or one of them?" Those who refuse this artificial duality are fast becoming Turkey's new minority, and it is no big surprise that they won't get any presents from anyone.

TurkeyProtestElif Shafaktheguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds


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Golden Dawn developments 'testing the far-right waters' in Cyprus too

The Sofia GlobeGolden Dawn developments 'testing the far-right waters' in Cyprus tooThe Sofia GlobeThe fast moving developments over Golden Dawn in Greece have stirred a domestic debate in Cyprus regarding the nature and the actions of the far-right party of the National Popular Front (NPF or ELAM in its Greek acronym). The debate heated up after the ...and more »

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Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris' Four-Bucket List

NEW YORK ? Still basking in the glow of the social and fundraising success - $1.9 million was collected - of the inaugural banquet of The Hellenic Initiative, of which he is Chairman of its Executive Committee, Andrew Liveris, the President, Chairman and CEO of the Dow Chemical Company invited The National Herald to its New York offices for an exclusive interview. ?Last night was great. I think the energy in the room was contagious,? Liveris said, adding that special guest, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said ?he would like the energy to be a catalyst,? a word that pleased the ebullient yet down-to-earth chemical company boss. He said he could also ?see a little emotion,? in the room. ?I want to harness the emotion and the passion of the people who love Greece, members of the Diaspora and friends of Greece. All that passion is there ? it just needs to be organized and the event may prove to be a tipping point for the Diaspora,? he said.

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