Hurricanes, tropical storms, earthquakes … More and more, humans are being affected by natural disasters. But life’s challenges do not come only in the form of natural disasters – individuals have to face all sorts of disasters in their personal lives. Sometimes it’s the loss of a loved one or a job, or even a loss of faith; it could be having to abandon one’s home due to war or persecution at the hands of a tyrant. Some disasters may seem smaller at first glance, but can feel just as consequential – a first gray hair, a failed class, getting passed over for a promotion … the list goes on and on.
A life with no disasters is a fantasy. All of us face them – both personally and globally – sooner or later. Then, how should we face a disaster? Just as we take measures while constructing buildings on a fault line, can we be always prepared? How do we defend our inner peace when facing danger?
Tell us how you survive difficult times. Give us your best advice. Share your greatest life lesson.
Deadline for submissions: January 31, 2018
Contest open to all writers worldwide
Essay word count must be between 1,500 and 2,500
Essays must be submitted as Word document only through the essay contest page at www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest
Public Enemy No. 1: A Visit with Fethullah Gülen, Erdogan’s Chief Adversary
In a meeting at his compound in Pennsylvania, Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen defends himself against claims made by Turkey’s president that he was behind this weekend’s failed coup. He alleges that power has poisoned Erdogan.
By Extraditing Anti-Erdogan Leader, Trump Would Betray American Values
Extraditing dissident Islamist cleric Fethullah Gulen to Turkey would be a betrayal of American values and should be permanently off the table. President Trump says that handing over Gulen to Turkey is not under consideration “at this point.” But that’s not good enough.
Gulen Slams Turkey Crackdown Before Erdogan Demands Extradition
The exiled cleric accused by Turkey of orchestrating last year’s attempted coup charged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with seeking to silence critics, as the Turkish leader prepared to push for the preacher’s extradition in a White House meeting with Donald Trump.
Gulenists dismissed, purged, and tortured: Canadian Immigration Board
The findings of IRB indicated that detainees in Turkey have faced different forms of torture and ill-treatment. They include severe beatings, threats of sexual assault and actual sexual assault, electric shocks, waterboarding, punches/kicking, blows with objects, falaqa [foot beating], threats and verbal abuse, being forced to strip naked, rape with objects and other sexual violence or threats thereof, sleep deprivation, stress positions, and extended blindfolding and/or handcuffing for several days.
Government media runs riot in smear campaign against Hizmet
A news article in Daily Sabah, the new, English-language member of the government’s media lineup, claimed on Monday that the police are ratcheting up measures to patch holes in their security network in order to prevent leaks by Gülenists, a derogatory term used to describe the Hizmet movement.
WaPo publishes editorial from Fethullah Gulen on the day Erdogan meets Trump
If nothing else, the timing of this is certainly interesting. Yesterday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Washington for his meeting with President Trump scheduled for later today. It’s an encounter which I already described as problematic at best, given Erdogan’s new status as a strongman and tyrant, and it doesn’t seem to hold the promise of much benefit on our part.
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