ISTANBUL–Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly accused the Western press of reporting “lies” that misrepresent Turkey. Now his government has decided to tell its own side of the story – reaching foreign audiences directly by setting up an English-language television channel. According to the spokesman of state broadcasting company, TRT, the English-language channel is the most expensive project in the state broadcasting company’s 50-year history, costing initially $250 million to set up, with offices opening in 30 countries including the U.S., and in European, Latin American and African countries.
ANKARA — After a stunning decision to select a Chinese contender to build Turkey’s first long-range air and missile-defense system, Ankara has moved to keep the competition open to European and US bidders that came second and third, respectively. The Turkish government has asked the European and US bidders to extend the validity of their bids, a sign that the game is not yet over for these two. The fourth bidder, a Russian manufacturer, had been eliminated from the contest.
The Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) on Tuesday awarded a $200,000 grant to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon at a reception and ceremony hosted by Turkey's ambassador to Washington Namik Tan. The grant will go towards the construction of a water tank for an elementary school construction project. “It is going to help us. We’re building a new school for our kids - Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. The grant is going to help us in the construction of this new school,” said Warm Springs Chief Joseph Moses at the Turkish Residence in Washington.
The Pittsburgh-based parent of 104-store chain Vocelli Pizza has acquired Rockn’ Joe Coffeehouse and Bistro, a five-store chain in New Jersey, CEO Varol Ablak confirmed. Financials were not disclosed. The aim is to grow Rockn’ Joe via franchising. “We think we can do 10 to 15 stores the first year,” Ablak said. That includes one planned for downtown Pittsburgh by early 2014. Ablak launched Vocelli as Pizza Outlet in the late 1980s. The Vocelli name was adopted 10 years ago. In late 2009, he created Ablak Holdings, based in Green Tree.
