siyasetçi, Gabon
Billboards, cologne and flowers: Turkiye's capital Ankara gets Nato makeover
Along the highway from Ankara airport to the city centre, municipal workers have been planting flowers and installing giant billboards to shield views of dilapidated homes and poorer neighbourhoods. Ahead of a high-stakes Nato summit that begins on Tuesday, the Turkish capital has had a facelift to burnish its image for the 32 heads of state who will fly in, among them US President Donald Trump. But the makeover and the strict security measures put in place — which will shut down several major roads, forcing shops to close — will make life difficult for residents and business owners in this city of nearly six million people, drawing sharp criticism from locals and opposition politicians. Police officers on horses patrol the historical part of the city ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “Ankara has practically become an open-air prison … The entire capital has been brought to a standstill to facilitate the movement of a few official motorcades,” said Tuncer Bakirhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish opposition party DEM. “There’s even talk of closing parks so a president can go jogging there! Residents are being treated like unwanted guests in their own city,” he added, making reference to the rumours — which have been denied — that several parks in the capital were to be closed, supposedly to accommodate French President Emmanuel Macron’s morning jogs. Local residents walk past billboards with the slogans “Key to Peace,” “Key to Security,” and “Shared Future in Peace”, displayed along the boulevard on the protocol route ahead of the Nato Summit in Ankara, on 26 June 2026.. —AFP $235m facelift The extensive preparations for the two-day summit — which included renovation of a military airport and building new roads — have not come cheap, costing around 11 billion Turkish lira, more than $235 million, Turkish media reports said. Authorities have presented such projects as long-term investments aimed at modernising the capital’s infrastructure. Anitkabir, the mausoleum of modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s Presidential Palace complex where the Nato summit will take place on July 7-8, in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “It’s our money that’s being squandered. They’re not spending it on us or the poor neighbourhoods hidden behind these boards, but on the presidents of other countries,” fumed Umit Orkan, manager of a convenience store whose entrance has been blocked by giant billboards promoting the summit and Ankara’s tourist attractions. “We shopkeepers are in a very difficult situation. Customers can no longer come in. We’re forced to close for a week,” he complained. “I have seven employees, insurance and rent to pay. But there is no compensation to make up for the loss of income.” And he’s not the only one, with florist Kadir Kokus saying sales had been badly hit since the boards were erected late last month. “Our business depends on visibility. Customers stop when they see our plants. These signs have reduced our sales by 95 per cent,” he told AFP. “There’s nothing we can do about it … We’ll just have to put up with it for 10 days,” he sighed. Tidying up the taxi drivers The Turkish Taxi Drivers’ Federation has pounced on the opportunity to step up their game, suggesting that its drivers observe a dress code of grey trousers and white shirt as part of an all-out charm offensive for visitors. “We will offer our guests water, Turkish Delight (a local sweet) and cologne to demonstrate Turkish hospitality,” said Federation President Mehmet Yiginer. Police officers perform security checks on a main road ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP For the first time, the city has also got its own detachment of mounted police officers, workers have filled in the potholes and manhole covers have finally been laid flush with the surrounding pavement. The extensive measures have sparked a flood of jokes on social media, where some users said the only thing left to do was bring the sea to Ankara. Some suggested beauty salons will start offering clients “Nato treatments” while others suggesting that it could become a new idiom: “Nowadays, if you go out of your way to welcome your guests, people will say you’re hosting Nato.” “All this effort is great, but I wish it had been for us and not for Nato,” sighed Cem Ozbek, who owns a bakery and cafe near a main road that is being closed for the summit. Although the road closures were known in advance, alternative ways of travelling haven’t been made clear, he said. Police officers on horses patrol the historical part of the city ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “Our customers, employees and suppliers will have a hard time getting here. Small businesses are going to suffer greatly.” Many residents have simply decided to leave, with outgoing planes and trains fully booked as the summit approaches. “I don’t plan on staying in the city: a lot of places will be closed, and public transportation will be disrupted,” said Demir Balemir, a university graduate. “All this window dressing isn’t for us,” lamented Sima, echoing a joke that went viral on social media: “If Macron could take public transport, maybe we’d finally have air conditioning on the buses!” Header image: Ankara ahead of the Nato summit to be held on July 7-8, Turkey, July 3, 2026. — Reuters
NATO Zirvesi Öncesi Ankara'da Görüntü Temizliği: Yoksul Mahalleler Billboardlarla KapatıldıBillboards, cologne and flowers: Turkye's capital Ankara gets Nato makeover
Along the highway from Ankara airport to the city centre, municipal workers have been planting flowers and installing giant billboards to shield views of dilapidated homes and poorer neighbourhoods. Ahead of a high-stakes Nato summit that begins on Tuesday, the Turkish capital has had a facelift to burnish its image for the 32 heads of state who will fly in, among them US President Donald Trump. But the makeover and the strict security measures put in place — which will shut down several major roads, forcing shops to close — will make life difficult for residents and business owners in this city of nearly six million people, drawing sharp criticism from locals and opposition politicians. Police officers on horses patrol the historical part of the city ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “Ankara has practically become an open-air prison … The entire capital has been brought to a standstill to facilitate the movement of a few official motorcades,” said Tuncer Bakirhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish opposition party DEM. “There’s even talk of closing parks so a president can go jogging there! Residents are being treated like unwanted guests in their own city,” he added, making reference to the rumours — which have been denied — that several parks in the capital were to be closed, supposedly to accommodate French President Emmanuel Macron’s morning jogs. Local residents walk past billboards with the slogans “Key to Peace,” “Key to Security,” and “Shared Future in Peace”, displayed along the boulevard on the protocol route ahead of the Nato Summit in Ankara, on 26 June 2026.. —AFP $235m facelift The extensive preparations for the two-day summit — which included renovation of a military airport and building new roads — have not come cheap, costing around 11 billion Turkish lira, more than $235 million, Turkish media reports said. Authorities have presented such projects as long-term investments aimed at modernising the capital’s infrastructure. Anitkabir, the mausoleum of modern Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s Presidential Palace complex where the Nato summit will take place on July 7-8, in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “It’s our money that’s being squandered. They’re not spending it on us or the poor neighbourhoods hidden behind these boards, but on the presidents of other countries,” fumed Umit Orkan, manager of a convenience store whose entrance has been blocked by giant billboards promoting the summit and Ankara’s tourist attractions. “We shopkeepers are in a very difficult situation. Customers can no longer come in. We’re forced to close for a week,” he complained. “I have seven employees, insurance and rent to pay. But there is no compensation to make up for the loss of income.” And he’s not the only one, with florist Kadir Kokus saying sales had been badly hit since the boards were erected late last month. “Our business depends on visibility. Customers stop when they see our plants. These signs have reduced our sales by 95 per cent,” he told AFP. “There’s nothing we can do about it … We’ll just have to put up with it for 10 days,” he sighed. Tidying up the taxi drivers The Turkish Taxi Drivers’ Federation has pounced on the opportunity to step up their game, suggesting that its drivers observe a dress code of grey trousers and white shirt as part of an all-out charm offensive for visitors. “We will offer our guests water, Turkish Delight (a local sweet) and cologne to demonstrate Turkish hospitality,” said Federation President Mehmet Yiginer. Police officers perform security checks on a main road ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP For the first time, the city has also got its own detachment of mounted police officers, workers have filled in the potholes and manhole covers have finally been laid flush with the surrounding pavement. The extensive measures have sparked a flood of jokes on social media, where some users said the only thing left to do was bring the sea to Ankara. Some suggested beauty salons will start offering clients “Nato treatments” while others suggesting that it could become a new idiom: “Nowadays, if you go out of your way to welcome your guests, people will say you’re hosting Nato.” “All this effort is great, but I wish it had been for us and not for Nato,” sighed Cem Ozbek, who owns a bakery and cafe near a main road that is being closed for the summit. Although the road closures were known in advance, alternative ways of travelling haven’t been made clear, he said. Police officers on horses patrol the historical part of the city ahead of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 3, 2026. —AFP “Our customers, employees and suppliers will have a hard time getting here. Small businesses are going to suffer greatly.” Many residents have simply decided to leave, with outgoing planes and trains fully booked as the summit approaches. “I don’t plan on staying in the city: a lot of places will be closed, and public transportation will be disrupted,” said Demir Balemir, a university graduate. “All this window dressing isn’t for us,” lamented Sima, echoing a joke that went viral on social media: “If Macron could take public transport, maybe we’d finally have air conditioning on the buses!” Header image: Ankara ahead of the Nato summit to be held on July 7-8, Turkey, July 3, 2026. — Reuters
NATO Zirvesi Öncesi Ankara'da Görüntü Temizliği: Yoksul Mahalleler Billboardlarla KapatıldıWar leaves Islamic republic intact and opponents divided
PARIS: The Iran war was cast as a catalyst for the Islamic republic’s collapse, but months of fighting failed to dislodge its leadership and left its opponents out in the cold. President Donald Trump said in launching the war on Feb 28 that it would pave the way for Iranians to rise up, having pledged support to anti-government protests that peaked in January and were the most serious challenge to the Islamic republic in years. The fractured opposition movements outside Iran clambered to position themselves as successors to the ruling system when the war began with the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. But Tehran exited the war intact, with opposition groups outside the country more divided than ever and dissidents in Iran facing a new wave of repression, experts and rights groups say. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah, failed to emerge as a unifying figure, while prominent dissidents inside Iran, including Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, are still under pressure from the authorities. Weakened opposition “There could have been an extra motivation for the various factions in opposition to really try to seize the moment, but that has simply not been the result,” said University of Ottawa professor Thomas Juneau. “If anything, infighting among the opposition in exile has intensified,” he added, while domestic opposition “has been severely weakened” after decades of repression. Some inside Iran voiced hope in foreign intervention after the nationwide protests that were spurred by severe economic pains and ended in a violent crackdown that rights groups said killed thousands of people. But hope dimmed as the Islamic republic not only endured, but imposed fresh security crackdowns and an internet blackout that along with the war’s death and destruction only deepened economic suffering. “This war was never about the human rights of the Iranian people,” said Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, director of Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, as authorities instead “used the war as a pretext to intensify domestic repression”. “Democratic change must come through the Iranian people, not through foreign military intervention,” he said. US Vice President J. D. Vance insisted this week the war was about ending Iran’s nuclear programme and that Trump’s stance had always been that if the “Iranian people want to rise up, great. That’s their business”. Still, Iranians inside the country and opposition leaders have voiced a sense of betrayal at the US-Iran deal to end the war. “However hard they try to decorate the deal in pretty bows, it will only empower them (Iran’s leadership) to oppress us more,” said Tehran resident Sima, 34. “Any form of peace with the Islamic republic would feel like making peace with my executioner.” The deal’s reception from prominent opposition figures was chilly. “Dealing with this regime will fail and we will all face the consequences,” Pahlavi wrote on X, warning that negotiating with the Islamic republic after the protest crackdown “is morally wrong and strategically misguided”. Pahlavi saw the biggest boost in media attention from the January demonstrations after protesters shouted the name of the family dynasty. But he failed to win the backing of Trump, who has not thrown his weight behind any Iranian opposition figure. The protests and their fallout also did not spur new efforts to build an opposition coalition, Juneau said, with different factions organising their own solidarity rallies abroad. Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Peoples Mujahedin opposition group, hit out at both the Islamic republic and monarchists in a reaction to the US-Iran deal, saying only that they had “wished for war”. She welcomed “any agreement aimed at ending the war and the suffering of the Iranian people”, and called for it to include ending executions of political prisoners. Rights groups and the United Nations have sounded the alarm over a surge in Iran in executions — more than 40 since the war started — and arrests in recent months, including many in connection with the protests the authorities called “terrorist riots”. Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2026
İran Savaşı İslam Cumhuriyeti'ni Çökertemedi, Muhalefeti Dağıttı