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Author: Zaman Australia

Turkey accused of blocking Kurdish visitors from returning home to Germany

Turkey is preventing Kurdish visitors from returning to their homes in Germany through bans on leaving the country, a Kurdish community organization said Wednesday, calling for German diplomatic intervention, Deutsche Welle reported.

The Kurdish Community in Germany (KGD) said reports had increased in recent weeks of people unable to return after vacations or family visits to Turkey, including some of its members. Those affected also included Kurdish residents of other European countries.

In an October 28 statement the organization said numerous people faced exit bans and investigations into alleged terrorist propaganda. It did not provide a total number of cases.

The group also cited reports that some people had been asked to pay up to 10,000 euros to have the bans lifted. It called for an urgent, independent investigation into those allegations but did not identify who allegedly demanded the money.

The KGD urged the German government to summon Turkey’s ambassador for an explanation and provide diplomatic assistance to those affected, particularly German citizens and permanent residents, within the scope of available consular support.

The organization said the cases reflected a longstanding pattern of questioning, detention, criminal investigations and travel restrictions targeting people visiting Turkey from Germany, particularly Kurds.

Such proceedings frequently involve accusations of insulting the president, spreading terrorist propaganda or having links to banned organizations, the group said. It said the accusations often concern criticism of the Turkish government, social media posts or participation in political events in Germany.

KGD Deputy Chairman Mehmet Tanrıverdi said people should not face prosecution during visits to Turkey for exercising freedom of expression and assembly in Germany.

The group said the pressure created a climate of intimidation beyond Turkey’s borders and called on Berlin to make protecting those affected a priority in relations with Ankara.

Germany’s Foreign Office warns in its travel advice for Turkey that German citizens can face arbitrary detention and exit bans. It says participation in demonstrations in Germany, signing petitions supporting Kurdish independence or membership in legally registered associations advocating for Kurdish rights can lead to prosecution or travel restrictions in Turkey, even years later.This article is republished from the https://stockholmcf.org/

October 30, 2026
Turkish court bars jailed preacher Alparslan Kuytul’s weekend family visits

A Turkish court upheld a prison administration’s refusal to allow the children of jailed Islamic preacher and government critic Alparslan Kuytul to visit him in prison on weekends, six days after overturning the same refusal, his lawyer said.

Kuytul asked to move his prison visiting day from Thursday to the weekend so his children would not miss school, as prison rules permit weekend visits despite the usual weekday schedule. The Erzurum 1st High Criminal Court overturned the prison administration’s refusal on October 15, finding that Thursday visits interfered with the children’s education. Although the court declared its decision final, it upheld the prison administration’s refusal on October 21, following an objection by prosecutors, citing security and staffing concerns.

Kuytul, the founder of the Furkan movement, is being held pending trial in Erzurum province, about 845 kilometers from Adana, where four of his five children attend school.

His lawyer, Ömer Hakseven, said the 15-hour journey to Erzurum for weekday visits requires the children to miss two days of school each time.

Their mother, Semra Kuytul, is also jailed pending trial in Samsun province. The Furkan movement said visiting both parents once a month could cause the children to miss about 27 school days over the nine-month academic year.

Kuytul and his wife were among 35 people jailed on August 23 in an investigation into alleged organized crime, money laundering, fraud and forgery. The Furkan movement denies the allegations and says the investigation is politically motivated.

Kuytul submitted documents confirming his children’s school enrollment, but the prison’s Administration and Observation Board denied his request for weekend visits on September 29, citing security and staffing concerns.

The Erzurum 1st Enforcement Judge upheld the decision on October 5, prompting Hakseven to appeal to the high criminal court.

In its October 15 ruling, the court found that denying weekend visits violated the right to respect for family life and that prison officials had failed to substantiate their staffing concerns or explain how weekend visits would threaten security or disrupt prison operations. Hakseven said the enforcement judge issued a certificate confirming the decision was final on October 16.

In reversing its decision following the prosecutors’ October 19 objection, the court cited prison security, additional staffing requirements and concerns that similar requests from other prisoners could disrupt prison operations.

Hakseven questioned how the court could reverse a ruling that had already been declared final and accused authorities of interfering in the judicial process.

Under Article 271 of Turkey’s Code of Criminal Procedure, court decisions on objections are final, except for those ordering pretrial detention for the first time.

Kuytul, an Islamic scholar, founded the Furkan Education and Service Foundation in 1994. The group has frequently criticized the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and has faced repeated police interventions, administrative penalties and criminal investigations.

He was jailed in 2018 after criticizing Turkey’s military offensive in Afrin, northern Syria. He was acquitted of terrorism-related charges in 2020.

Kuytul was also arrested in 2022 in connection with the abduction of a businessman in Adana, facing charges of instigating unlawful deprivation of liberty, extortion, bodily harm and torture. He denied the charges and was released pending trial in June 2023. Stockholmcf.org

October 29, 2026
Turkey detains journalist over posts criticizing Azerbaijan’s school headscarf restrictions

Turkish police detained Ahmet Sapa, a columnist and the Hatay representative of the Islamist Köklü Değişim media outlet, at his home in southern Turkey on Tuesday over social media posts criticizing headscarf restrictions in Azerbaijani schools, the outlet’s general coordinator, Mahmut Kar, said.

Sapa’s detention followed that of Muhammed Emin Yıldırım, the outlet’s İstanbul representative, on Monday night. Yıldırım was released Tuesday morning after questioning on suspicion of insulting a foreign head of state. He had called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev a “tyrant” on social media and a “dictator” during a protest, Deutsche Welle’s Turkish service reported.

Activist Fatih Erşahin was also summoned for questioning by Ankara police over social media posts and released afterward. Another person, whose name was not disclosed, was detained and released in Ankara, bringing the number of people investigated to four, according to the same report.

Kar questioned whether Aliyev’s administration had provided Turkish officials with a list of people to target. No such list has been publicly confirmed, and Turkish officials had not publicly explained the detentions.

The cases prompted criticism from politicians and public figures. Mahmut Şahin, deputy chair of the Islamist Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR), called the detentions “unacceptable,” while Nureddin Gül, a deputy chair of the New Welfare Party (YRP), criticized the action against Yıldırım.

Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) who is among the Turkish citizens barred from entering Azerbaijan, also criticized the developments.

The detentions followed protests outside Azerbaijan’s embassy in Ankara and consulate in İstanbul organized by Köklü Değişim, an outlet associated with Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist movement seeking to establish a caliphate.

The dispute centers on school dress rules Azerbaijan amended on September 21. The rules do not explicitly mention headscarves but prohibit clothing considered inconsistent with the secular character of education. Girls wearing headscarves have since been refused entry to schools.

Azerbaijani prosecutors have cited speeches at protests on October 3 and October 13 as evidence against Rıdvan Kaya and Zekeriya Ceran. Ceran, who writes for Köklü Değişim under the name Abdullah İmamoğlu, is among seven people sought internationally after a Baku court ordered their arrest in absentia on accusations of calling for the government’s overthrow and inciting religious hostility. Prosecutors have also announced judicial cooperation with Turkey in that case.

On October 21 Azerbaijan announced an entry ban on 31 Turkish citizens, including politicians, journalists, writers and academics, accusing them of making statements targeting the country’s sovereignty, national security and constitutional order. Yıldırım and Gergerlioğlu were among those listed.

Oktay Saral, a chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who had criticized the restrictions, announced his resignation on Monday.

Aliyev criticized foreign interference in countries’ domestic affairs during a speech Tuesday at the seventh World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku, questioning the right of outsiders to tell an independent country “how to live.”

October 29, 2026
Gold Coast Suns AFLW searching for finals venue over T20 cricket clash

The Gold Coast Suns have earned their place in the AFLW finals — but their reward could be a home final away from home.

After back-to-back seasons near the bottom of the ladder, the Suns have surged into fourth spot with eight wins, booking their first finals appearance since 2023.

A victory over GWS on Sunday would strengthen their grip on a double chance, guaranteeing a home final during the series.

Carrara Stadium is unavailable for weeks two, three and four of the finals series, due to Australia’s T20 clash with England, leaving the Suns and the AFL searching for an alternative venue.

Springfield, home of Queensland rivals the Brisbane Lions and an hour’s drive up the highway, and Southport’s Fankhauser Reserve are among the alternatives being considered.

Southport however comes with a significant caveat — any final would need to be played during the day, when November temperatures average around 28 degrees and humidity can hover around 70 per cent.

A spokesperson for the club said it is “working with all stakeholders on home venues for each week of the finals” where Carrara is not available.

“Our playing group and staff have been resolute all season in their efforts to play anywhere, anytime, across eight different venues and we know they’ll take that attitude into any scenario that presents throughout the post-season campaign,” the spokesperson said.

Despite this, coach Rhyce Shaw said on Tuesday the club is embracing the excitement of a long-awaited finals campaign.

“I took [my son] Henry to swimming the other day and all the staff were getting behind us,” Shaw said.

“It is exciting for our footy club … It’s been a bit of a tough year all round, but for our girls to pick up the slack a little bit and get going and make finals is really, really cool.”

“We’ve got a big job against the Giants and then we’ll think of finals after that.”

If the Suns were to fall to GWS on Sunday, there is the potential for them finish as low as seventh on the ladder.

However, a fifth or sixth place finish would mean they would earn a home final next weekend and the ABC can confirm Carrara Stadium would be available in this instance.

ABC Sport AFLW expert Chyloe Kurdas said regardless of the ladder outcome, the lack of venue certainty is an unwanted distraction.

“I think it is such a valuable home ground advantage [finishing in the top four] but it’s also not just that, it’s the distraction of this conversation right now that happens in the lead up to,” she said.

“It occupies bandwidth and it occupies energy from the playing group and the coaching group and the staff.”

Kurdas said not being able to play at Carrara, a venue the side has won their last three games at, would be a missed opportunity.

“I think there’s a real sweet spot right now with the number of talented kids that are Gold Coast born and raised … that are now playing at the Suns,” Kurdas said.

“Fan engagement is going to be such an important part of this Gold Coast Suns women’s team journey … they’re so talented.”

The Suns have had a 75 per cent increase in AFLW memberships for this season.

A familiar problem

The Suns aren’t the only club caught in a scheduling squeeze.

Second-placed Geelong, one win away from securing a top-two finish, also faces a venue clash, with Kardinia Park unavailable next weekend due to the AUSX Supercross Championship.

While, the AFLW Grand Final, should it be played in Melbourne, has already been locked in for Princes Park — with a capacity of 13 thousand that has sold out for the showpiece game within hours in recent seasons.

Docklands Stadium, with a 53,343-capacity is unavailable, with Harry Styles booked across the weekend, despite players calling for a bigger venue.

The Grand Final has also been scheduled for Friday night, November 27, to avoid a clash with the Victorian State Election.

It’s a familiar problem that’s haunted the competition since it started in 2017.

In the inaugural season, the Brisbane Lions earned the right to host the Grand Final but were forced to play at Carrara, with the Gabba unavailable due to cricket.

Now in its 11th season, the debate continues about where the AFLW competition belongs in the sporting calendar.

The AFL is reportedly considering an earlier start to align the women’s season with the end of the men’s competition.

“You do your due diligence and you look at where is there likely to be these kind of clashes,” Chyloe Kurdas said.

“But ultimately, whenever you choose to play it, you then have to live and die by those decisions.”

She says clubs and the AFL must also be prepared to make commercial decisions that put their women’s programs first.abcnews

October 29, 2026
Turkey’s main opposition plans European court challenge to chairman’s ouster from CHP leadership

Turkey’s main opposition New Party is preparing an application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) challenging a ruling that removed its leader, Özgür Özel, from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) leadership, the ANKA news agency reported Tuesday.

The petition is still being drafted. The party plans to apply without waiting for Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals to rule on its appeal, arguing that the courts are being used to reshape the country’s main opposition, party officials told ANKA.

The 36th Civil Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice annulled the CHP’s November 2023 congress on May 21 and ordered Özel and his leadership team removed as an interim measure, reinstating his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The ruling applied the legal concept of “absolute nullity,” meaning the congress at which Özel was elected was treated as legally invalid from the outset.

The case concerned allegations of vote buying and manipulation at the congress, where Özel defeated Kılıçdaroğlu. Özel and his allies have denied wrongdoing and described the proceedings as political interference.

The domestic appeal reached the Supreme Court of Appeals on July 17, and its Third Civil Chamber began a preliminary examination on July 26, according to ANKA.

The European Convention on Human Rights generally requires applicants to exhaust domestic legal remedies before the ECtHR can examine a complaint. ANKA did not explain the legal basis for seeking review before the domestic appeal concludes.

Özel and 90 other lawmakers left the CHP to establish the New Party on July 24 after efforts to regain control of the CHP failed. The new party began with 91 seats in Turkey’s 600-member parliament, becoming its largest opposition group, while the CHP’s representation fell to 44.

Before his removal, Özel had led the CHP to first place nationwide in the March 2024 local elections, defeating President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The party retained İstanbul and Ankara and won municipalities in provinces previously dominated by the AKP.

Özel and his allies accuse Erdoğan’s government of using the judiciary to weaken the opposition.

October 28, 2026
Ailing Turkish prisoner jailed over alleged Gülen links dies after repeated calls for medical release go unheeded

A 73-year-old Turkish prisoner convicted over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement died Monday after authorities kept him incarcerated despite his deteriorating health, repeated appeals for his release and warnings that he could die without urgent medical intervention, the TR724 news website reported.

Abdullah Tırpan died at İstanbul’s Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, where he had been transferred from Metris Prison last week. His left leg was amputated below the knee on October 22 due to advanced gangrene, but doctors subsequently considered a second operation to remove more of the limb because the infection had spread farther up his leg.

His condition worsened following the surgery, and he was transferred to intensive care and placed on a ventilator on Sunday.

His daughter, Esra Tırpan Yakut, said Sunday that the family had learned of his transfer to intensive care through Turkey’s electronic health records system because they had not been adequately informed about his condition.

“My father’s heart stopped, and they are keeping it beating with medication,” she said, describing what the family had been told. “They have already intubated him. Please pray for him. There is nothing more we can do.”

Tırpan’s death came after months of appeals from his family, lawmakers and human rights advocates for the suspension of his prison sentence on medical grounds.

Despite suffering from diabetes, hypertension, nerve damage and serious circulatory problems, Tırpan had repeatedly been found fit to remain in prison by state medical authorities.

Turkey’s Council of Forensic Medicine, a state body responsible for assessing prisoners’ fitness to remain incarcerated, concluded on December 17, 2025, that he could continue serving his sentence. Medical boards at Tekirdağ City Hospital reached similar conclusions in May and June 2026.

The June report documented several chronic illnesses but concluded that Tırpan could manage his daily activities without assistance and did not require the suspension of his sentence. Another examination on October 6 reportedly found no medical obstacle to his continued imprisonment.

Independent lawmaker Mustafa Yeneroğlu, who visited Tırpan at Metris Prison earlier this month, warned on October 9 that the prisoner could die without urgent medical intervention.

Yeneroğlu said Tırpan had advanced gangrene, severe discoloration and large open wounds on his left leg. He was unable to stand or meet his basic needs on his own, according to the lawmaker, who questioned medical assessments finding him capable of remaining in prison.

Tırpan was serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for membership in an armed terrorist organization over his alleged involvement in the Gülen movement, inspired by the late Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has targeted the movement since corruption investigations in December 2013 implicated him as well as some members of his family and inner circle. He dismissed the investigations as a Gülenist conspiracy and designated the movement as a terrorist organization in May 2016, intensifying a sweeping crackdown after a coup attempt in July of that year that he accused Gülen of orchestrating. The movement denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.

Tırpan’s daughter appealed on X on October 20 for the suspension of her father’s sentence after doctors obtained the family’s consent to amputate his leg.

“We are asking for the suspension of his sentence in the name of justice and humanity,” she wrote. “Please help make our voices heard. Our entire family is devastated.”

On Monday morning, before Tırpan’s death was announced, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), shared his latest medical report on X and criticized authorities for keeping him incarcerated despite his life-threatening condition.

“Who is responsible for this?” Gergerlioğlu asked, saying authorities had failed to explain why Tırpan’s sentence had not been suspended.

The lawmaker said he was taking legal steps against those he held responsible for the handling of the case.

“Everyone will be held accountable before the courts,” he wrote.

Under Article 16 of Turkey’s Law on the Execution of Sentences, a prison sentence may be suspended in certain cases involving serious illness or disability when a prisoner cannot sustain life under prison conditions and is not considered a serious danger to society.

The Justice Ministry says authorities can reopen the medical review process if a prisoner’s health deteriorates, even after an earlier request has been rejected.

Tırpan, a father of five who worked as a butcher for 55 years in the northwestern province of Tekirdağ, was convicted on August 8, 2019. Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals upheld his conviction on March 7, 2022.

According to earlier SCF reporting, the evidence cited against him included having shares in a company operating a private school allegedly affiliated with the Gülen movement, attending religious discussion meetings, making charitable donations to the movement, subscribing to the now-closed Zaman newspaper and maintaining an account at Bank Asya, a bank formerly affiliated with the movement.

The court also cited his decision to send his children and grandchildren to movement-associated schools and his possession of religious publications.

Tırpan denied the criminal allegations.

Since the coup attempt in 2016, the Turkish government has accepted such activities as having an account at the now-shuttered Bank Asya, one of Turkey’s largest commercial banks at the time; using the ByLock messaging application, an encrypted messaging app that was available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play; and subscribing to the now-shut-down Zaman daily or other publications affiliated with members of the movement as benchmarks for identifying and arresting alleged followers of the Gülen movement on charges of membership in a terrorist organization.

He was first arrested in August 2016 and spent approximately 19 months in pretrial detention before being released pending the outcome of his legal proceedings. He was imprisoned again in February 2025 following the finalization of his sentence.

Tırpan’s death comes amid longstanding criticism of Turkey’s treatment of seriously ill prisoners. Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that delays in medical treatment and decisions by the Council of Forensic Medicine finding seriously ill inmates fit to remain incarcerated can put their lives at risk.

This article is republished from the Stockholm Center for Freedom.

October 27, 2026
THREE MEDALS, TWO GENERATIONS, ONE PROUD LEGACY AT NSW PARLIAMENT

Monday 19 October 2026 was a particularly memorable and emotional day for me. It marked my first formal engagement as Zia Ahmad OAM, attending the 2026 New Recipients Welcome Reception hosted by the Order of Australia Association NSW Branch at the historic Parliament House in Sydney.

Having received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2026 for service tojournalism and the Muslim community, I felt privileged to join fellow Australians whose contributions to society hadbeen formally recognised.

But what made the occasion especially meaningful was that, in a sense, I was carrying two generations of service and recognition with me.

On the left side of my chest, I proudly wore my own OAM medal. On the right, I wore the two medals of my late father, Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad OAM, his Medal of the Order of Australia and Centenary Medal, in accordance with the convention for wearing the decorations of deceased relatives.

My father devoted much of his life to community service, and his example profoundly influenced my own journey. Wearing his medals alongside mine was both a tribute to his legacy and a reminder that service to humanity transcends generations.

It was a moment of gratitude, humility and remembrance.

Celebrating Australians who serve

The reception, held in the Strangers Dining Room at NSW Parliament House, brought together newly recognised recipients from diverse professional, cultural and community backgrounds.

The parliamentary host was Nathan Hagarty MP, Member for Leppington and Government Whip, while Martha Jabour OAM, Deputy Chair of the Order of Australia Association NSW Branch, conducted the proceedings as Master of Ceremonies.

Dr John Gullotta AM, Chair of the NSW Branch, welcomed guests and acknowledged the extraordinary voluntary and professional contributions made by award recipients throughout Australia.

He also recognised the indispensable support of families and partners, whose sacrifices often remain unseen behind the achievements being celebrated.

Dr Gullotta spoke about delays in the national honours nomination process, which had reportedly stretched to nearly four years because of resourcing constraints.

He expressed optimism that reforms initiated by the Governor-General would reduce the backlog and restore processing times to approximately 12–18 months.

Gary Smith AM, proposing a toast to the new recipients, beautifully captured the spirit of the occasion:

“Today we honor Australians who have demonstrated that the true measure of service is not what wereceive but what we give to others.”

He reminded recipients that recognition was not simply a reward for past achievements, but an encouragement tocontinue serving.

This message particularly resonated with me. An OAM is not a retirement certificate from community service. Rather, it brings an additional responsibility to contribute, inspire and help others.

From RedBalloon to the responsibilities of recognition

One of the highlights was hearing from Naomi Simson OAM, founder of RedBalloon and well-known Shark Tank investor, who spoke on behalf of the newly recognised recipients.

She humorously recalled almost missing her award notification because the email had landed in her spam folder. When she subsequently received a text message, she initially suspected that too was spam!

Beyond the humour, her reflections carried a powerful message about leadership, trust and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.

Recalling advice she had received about continuing to speak and write rather than allowing AI to dominate public discourse, she observed:

“That is the job for all of us in this room. People look to us. They trust us.”

As someone who has spent decades in higher education, journalism, community communication and public engagement, I found her observations particularly relevant.”

Technology is transforming how we communicate, but human credibility, compassion, integrity and trust remain irreplaceable.

A thoughtful gesture of halal hospitality

Amid the formal speeches and celebrations, one small incident left a particularly lasting impression on me.

During lunch and group photography dessert had already been served when the catering supervisor approached and replaced mine. The supervisor explained that the other desserts contained gelatine and that a specially prepared halal dessert had been provided for me.I had not needed to raise the issue myself. It was a simple but deeply appreciated act of thoughtfulness. This was multicultural Australia at its practical best — respecting religious dietary requirements through quiet consideration and professional duty of care.

Such gestures may appear small, but they make people from diverse backgrounds feel genuinely welcome, respected and included.

At a time when we frequently debate multiculturalism, diversity and social cohesion, this experience reminded me that inclusion is demonstrated not only through speeches and policies, but through everyday actions.

Conversations across generations and professions

Equally enjoyable were the informal conversations over lunch with fellow recipients and guests.

I met Australians whose contributions spanned pharmacy education, architecture, heritage conservation, technology and community service.

Our discussions ranged from the early days of computing in the 1970’s to the distinctive Brutalist architecture of UTS Tower building and the Biochemistry Building at the University of Sydney.

These conversations highlighted the extraordinary range of experiences and expertise represented among Order of Australia recipients.

People from very different walks of life had come together through a shared commitment to contributing something meaningful to Australian society.

The formal proceedings concluded with the Loyal Toast to King Charles III, Sovereign Head of the Order of Australia, proposed by Dianne North OAM.

An honour, a responsibility and a family legacy

As I reflected on the afternoon, I thought again of my late father and the values he instilled in our family.

Arriving in Australia from India in 1971 as a young man of 18, I could scarcely have imagined that, more than five decades later, I would be standing at NSW Parliament House wearing my own OAM medal alongside my father’s two decorations.

My journey through science, education, journalism and community service has been shaped by countless individuals, colleagues, volunteers and family members.

Through AMUST, we have sought to inform, connect and empower communities, promote understanding and providea platform for voices that are too often overlooked.

Recognition through the Order of Australia is therefore not simply a personal achievement. It also reflects the collective efforts of those who have worked alongside me over the years.

For me, wearing three medals that day was not merely about celebrating recognition.

It was about honouring my father’s legacy, appreciating Australia’s recognition of community service, and renewing my commitment to continue serving the wider Australian community.AMUST

October 26, 2026
Mary Fowler’s Manchester City held by United to end WSL winning start

Manchester United striker Elisabeth Terland scored a late equaliser to knock visitors Manchester City off top spot in the Women’s Super League table on Sunday evening as a hotly contested derby finished 1-1 at the Leigh Sports Ground.

Matildas star Mary Fowler slid the ball to Bunny Shaw to open the scoring for the champions in the 66th minute.

Making her 100th WSL appearance, Shaw brushed off the challenge of Dominique Janssen and powered a shot into the far corner to break the deadlock and silence the home fans, who booed and heckled her throughout.

However, Norway international Terland was on hand to blast the ball into the net to grab a point for her side in the 89th minute of the game.

It was the first time that City has dropped points this season, allowing Ellie Carpenter’s Chelsea to go top on goal difference after it came back from a goal down to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 earlier in the day.Chelsea and City both have 19 points, with London City Lionesses third on 16 and Women’s Super League fourth on 11.

On Merseyside, Liverpool’s Jana Fernandez Velasco struck deep into stoppage time to snatch a 2-2 draw at home to London City.

Aston Villa raced out to a 3-0 lead over Everton by the 50th minute with Amalie Vangsgaard scoring twice, but the home side scored twice late on to ensure a nervous finish as Villa held on for a 3-2 win.

Charlton Athletic’s miserable run continued as it slumped to its seventh straight defeat.

Substitute Wilma Leidhammar scored the only goal of the game for Birmingham City in the 68th minute to leave Charlton, who counts Matildas veteran Emily van Egmond among its ranks, still firmly rooted to the bottom of the table and searching for its first point of the season.

Reuters/ABC

October 26, 2026
Solutions-led boxing program Gloves of Hope punching above its weight to support NT youth

Encouraging young boys to put on gloves and fight each other inside a boxing ring may not seem like the most obvious way to keep them out of trouble at first glance.

But those behind this weekend’s amateur Gloves of Hope challenge in Darwin would argue the sport is helping do just that, and much more, for young people in the Northern Territory.

The event is an initiative of local grassroots organisation Hoops 4 Health — an Aboriginal-led service behind several sport programs designed to support struggling youth, including some inside NT detention centres.The free Gloves of Hope program aims to give young men and women a chance to learn boxing skills from professional coaches while building resilience, discipline and a support network in their community.

“We try to improve their mental health, but also guide them with integrity about how they live their lives,” social impact director Matthew Bonson said.

Mr Bonson said the program was based on evidence-backed models of therapy which use patterned, rhythmic exercise to help trauma-affected youth regulate their emotions.

Matthew Bonson says the patterned, rhythmic exercise has been shown to help with emotional regulation. (ABC News: Olivana Lathouris)

“Through sport and the structures around good coaches, you can help these young men stay cool longer and also help young women get more confidence about who they are,” he said.

As the NT grapples with some of the highest youth incarceration rates in the country, particularly among First Nations boys aged 10 to 14, Mr Bonson said providing young people with positive role models was a key part of the program’s success.”Particularly with young men, if you put the right older men in front of them — who they know are trying to help them — they do want to listen,” Mr Bonson said.”It’s not a magic-wand solution, but we’re trying our best to give [young people] positive examples.”

Territory boxing talent on show

On Saturday, Gloves of Hope teamed up with Boxing NT to host one of Darwin’s biggest amateur boxing events of the last decade.

The sold-out event at Marrara Stadium brought together boxing clubs from across Darwin and Alice Springs, with one team even travelling from Kununurra in Western Australia.

Declan Unwin-Walker was one of the fighters competing for the title belt on Saturday and said he was “keen, excited, nervous — but ready to go”.

Mr Unwin-Walker trained with Gloves of Hope for more than a year in the lead-up to the event and said the sport had been rewarding, physically and mentally.

“We all push each other and show up every day and its definitely about pushing each other and just yeah — keep showing up,” he said.

Jerrel O’Riley from the Kununurra Warriors Boxing Club said it was exciting to compete on a big stage.

Jerrel O’Riley and his team were visiting from Kununurra in Western Australia, with plenty of representation from rural Darwin clubs in attendance too. (ABC News: Olivana Lathouris)

“I was pretty surprised to hear there was 1,000 people coming,” he told the ABC ahead of the sold-out event.

“That’s the main thing I’m worried about, getting knocked out in front of 1,000 people.”

Richard Garling, who has coached the sport for more than four decades, was there on behalf of the Humpty Doo Boxing Club.

Mr Garling said pathways into boxing that helped kids from rural areas compete were essential to fostering NT talent.

“There’s a lot of potential in the Territory,” he said.

“Hopefully all these kids tonight can continue their journey somewhere higher — state titles, national titles or Golden Gloves.”

The event also featured a half-time performance by NT music star Yung Milla, fresh from his triumph on reality music competition show The Voice Australia.

The funds raised from ticket sales were donated to help the Gloves of Hope initiative, with organisers hopeful the event will return next year. ABCNEWS

October 26, 2026
Turkey jails journalist Mehmet Yılmaz over alleged Gülen links

A Turkish court has jailed journalist Mehmet Yılmaz, a former editor at newspapers shut down by the government following a coup attempt in 2016 over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement, the state-run TRT Haber news website reported.

Police detained Yılmaz, whom the authorities had been seeking for a decade, along with Abdullah Ilık, convicted on terrorism charges over alleged Gülen links, and Serdar Uluocak, a dismissed police officer, during raids in four İstanbul districts. The two other men were also jailed.

Yılmaz previously worked as an editor at the Bugün daily and held various positions at the Zaman newspaper before becoming editor-in-chief of the Özgür Düşünce newspaper.

Following a July 2016 coup attempt, Turkish authorities shut down more than 160 media outlets by emergency decree and jailed scores of journalists, many over alleged links to the Gülen movement.

Police accused Yılmaz of using ByLock, an encrypted messaging app, once widely available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play, that Turkish authorities claim was used as a secret communication tool for Gülen supporters.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has targeted the faith-based Gülen movement, inspired by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, who died in 2024, since corruption investigations in December 2013 implicated Erdoğan as well as some members of his family and inner circle. He dismissed the probes as a Gülenist conspiracy and designated the movement as a terrorist organization in May 2016, intensifying a sweeping crackdown after the coup attempt in July of the same year that he accused Gülen of orchestrating. The movement denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.

Ilık had been sought by authorities for three years and had previously been sentenced to more than six years in prison for membership in an armed terrorist organization over alleged links to the Gülen movement.

The report did not specify the charges against Uluocak or whether he had been previously convicted of any crime.

According to the latest figures from the justice ministry, more than 127,000 people have been convicted of alleged links to the movement since 2016, with 10,485 still in prison and legal proceedings ongoing against 83,404 individuals.

This article is republished from the Stockholm Center for Freedom.

October 26, 2026