Turkey is considering bringing charges of espionage against an Israeli couple detained in Istanbul on Friday for taking photographs of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s palace.
The authorities are also considering a lesser charge of engaging in acts that harm the country’s national security, Israel's Channel 12 reported on Saturday.
Police detained the couple after a tip-off from an employee working in the Camlica TV Radio Tower on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency said. A Turkish citizen was also arrested.
They were formally arrested pending trial for “political and military espionage” by an Istanbul court, Anadolu reported.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has identified the Israeli couple as Natalie and Mordi Oknin.
Quoting their lawyer, it reported that they were taking photographs of the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce Palace while on board a ferry. Parts of the palace, on the city’s European side, are used as a presidential working office.
The employee said the couple took photographs of Mr Erdogan’s home from a restaurant at the tower earlier in the week.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has denied the couple work for an “Israeli agency".
His department has been in regular contact with the pair and is trying to organise their release, he said..
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke to their family on Saturday evening. “Officials at the highest level are engaged with this and will continue to take action to quickly bring about a solution,” he said.
Last month, Turkish media reported that 15 people had been arrested on suspicion of working with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
The suspects were arrested in September and provided Mossad with information on Turkish citizens and foreign students in the country, according to reports.
The pro-government Sabah newspaper reported that the operation to arrest the group, who it said were all Arabs, was conducted by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation following a year-long counterintelligence operation.
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Stage results
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:39:05
2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time
4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t
5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t
7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t
8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t
9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo s.t
10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t
