Istanbul retained its place on the list of the top 10 convention destinations centers in the world last year, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) said yesterday. Istanbul was in seventh place in 2010 with 109 conventions, but fell to ninth place in 2011, although the number of conferences held in the city rose to 113, according to data from the International Congress and Convention Association. 
A large, headless, Roman-era bronze statue believed to represent Marcus Aurelius has reigned for 26 years as the resident philosopher-king of the Cleveland Museum of Art. With its lifelike presence, fluid drapery folds and dark, luscious patina, the sculpture is one of the museum’s signature treasures. Yet a mystery has always hovered over this exceedingly rare object. Where, exactly, did it come out of the ground, and who unearthed it?
Huntsville, Alabama is now home to one of America's fastest growing private companies, and the top Woman-Owned Federal Contractor in the United States. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), headquartered in Sparks, Nev., announced today at a reception for Huntsville business and community leaders at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, that the company has opened an office at 1525 Perimeter Parkway, in Huntsville.
The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) are pleased to invite all eligible Somali American college and graduate students to apply for the Study Abroad in Turkey Scholarship for Minority Students. These scholarships are awarded to American citizens and permanent residents who have received acceptance into a university in Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Scholarships range from $500 to $2,000 based on the duration of study and are awarded on a rolling basis. Since the program's inception in 2008, over 230 American minority students have studied in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
Felicis Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based firm run by super angel investor and former Google executive Aydin Senkut, has raised $52m for its third fund, according to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. 
Four months after a court ruled debtholders could foreclose on its Alex Hotel and Flatotel properties in Midtown, Alexico Group and its partners have filed for bankruptcy protection in connection with the two buildings, which have $368 million in liabilities, Bloomberg News reported (note: correction appended). The developer has $245 million of outstanding liabilities on the 272-room Flatotel at 135 West 52nd Street with lenders Rockpoint Group, Procaccianti Group and Atlas Capital Group. The partnership purchased the debt from Anglo Irish Bank two years ago.
Ernst & Young LLP today announced the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2012 Award in the New York region. The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Award winners will be announced at a special gala on June 19, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis. 
ATAA Past-President Günay Evinch (Övünç) spoke as the Master of Ceremonies at President Abdullah Gül's Atatürk Remembrance Reception in Chicago on May 19, 2012. Evinch called the audience of over 750 for a moment of silence and for the Turkish National Anthem: 
On Saturday, May 6, as part of the Pen World Voices Festival of International literature, the book, Anatolian Days and Nights: A Love Affair with Turkey, Land of Dervishes, Goddesses and Saints, was presented. This captivating travel book and memoir was written by authors Joy E. Stocke and Angie Brenner. It was held at Double Knot Galleries, in TriBeca NYC. The setting of this rug shop was the perfect atmosphere to showcase the book. The Turkish food, music and poetry brought to life the land that the authors fell in love with and take us through.
Dogus Group, one of Turkey's largest private-sector conglomerates with a portfolio of 126 companies in finance, media, tourism, automotive, real estate, energy and construction assets, among others and IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and entertainment company, today announced they have signed an agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture company in Turkey.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., successfully completed wind tunnel testing for Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) Space Systems of Louisville, Colo. The test will provide aerodynamic data that will aid in the design of the new Dream Chaser(r) Space System. 
With GDP growth of 6.6% Turkey was officially the fastest growing economy in Europe last year, and this followed an even stronger 8.2% GDP growth in 2010. However, now the government is preparing for and preparing us for a slowdown against the continued misery in the European economy and sluggish growth almost everywhere else. The government says it is aiming for a soft-landing on growth of 4%, that will allow it to focus on shoring up the economy after its incredible couple of years, but some are predicting no such pillows will be laid for it.
Turkey and America's top military commanders met on Wednesday in what a spokesman from the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has called a sign of the two nations' deeply rooted strategic ties. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Cdr. Scott McIlnay said Chief of General Staff Necdet Özel met with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Wednesday and plans to see US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Thursday. The talks are expected to cover the two nations' overlapping strategic interests, which include the Syria crisis and Iran's nuclear ambitions.
