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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent remarksequating birth control to an act of treasonhave stirred up yet another storm in Turkey and abroad.

The comment is the latest in a series that have made headlines in both international and Turkish media outlets, and also lit up social media platforms with exchanges reflecting the divide between Turkey's secularists and conservative Muslims.

It has also prompted questioning of the media's reporting of statements by a politician who himselffrequently accuses international and domestic media ofdistorting his words.

Turkey, a NATO member and candidate for EU membership, is seen as a secular republic with a functioning democracy, bordering both Europe and the Middle East.

In the early years of his leadership in 2000s, Erdogan was widely seen by the West as a moderate conservative, aiming to improve Turkeys democratic standards and economy. He managed to set off EU membership talks 2005, but the process has been stalled for years now.

Western perception of the Turkish leader has changed in tandem with Erdogans rhetoric.

While some say that Erdogan's choice of words coupled with their interpretation by media outlets contribute to turning every statement he makes into a headline, others argue that his remarks merely reflect his hardline ideology.

RELATED:Women blast Erdogan over 'hate crime'

In his remarks on birth control, Erdogan, whose opposition to abortion and contraception is no secret, steered cleared of religious references. Hewas referring to its economic dimensions, saying birth control threatened Turkey's bloodline.

Erdogan urged a couple at their wedding on Sunday to have at least three children to help boost Turkish population figures, in keeping with this oft-repeated worries about Turkey's declining birth rate.

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Why do Erdogan's words make headlines?

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The power and perils of social media were on full display when thousands of riled up teens descended on a Brampton home last May causing $70,000 in damages and sparking a prodigious police response that saw over 60 units at the scene.

And it all started with a single Twitter hashtag, #mansionparty.

Peel police caught wind of the hashtag spreading on Twitter on Friday, May 4, and said they visited the homeowner to issue a warning before the party even began.

But no warning could stop the social media momentum and despite the teen having permission from his mother to host the party, he was ill-prepared for the onslaught of bodies that packed the spacious residence like sardines.

Instead of the few hundred people expected at the home, which was under renovation on Stanley Carberry Drive near Goreway Drive and Mayfield Road, upwards of 2,000 people crammed in.

A teen who helped plan the bash, Alistair Colville, told CityNews that party-goers soon became claustrophobic and sought desperately to escape.

It got more and more out of control, the teen admitted. Everyone was trying to get out of the house as fast as they could.

People werent blatantly trying to destroy the house, but(Ive heard) that people were smashing windows to get out.

Canice Ejoh, the 17-year-old who threw the party, ended up calling the cops when he realized the situation was out of his control.

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Rewind 2014: Brampton #mansionparty shows power and perils of social media

British media reports say a couple with ties to Canada and their teenaged granddaughter were among the six people killed by an out-of-control garbage truck in Glasgow, Scotland.

The fatal crash, which also injured 10 people including the truck driver, happened Monday in the heart of Glasgow during the height of Christmas shopping.

Media reports say Jack Sweeney, 68, his wife Lorraine, 69, and their 16-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade were among the shoppers.

The three were identified as being from Dumbarton, Scotland, but media reports identified Jack Sweeney as a former president of the Bramalea Celtic Club in Brampton.

A statement posted on the soccer supporters club Facebook page said: It is with great shock and sadness we share with you our friend and past president Jack Sweeney, his wife Lorraine and granddaughter Erin were victims of todays tragedy in Glasgow.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the Sweeney family.

Police have said the truck driver lost control of the vehicle Monday afternoon before hitting a number of pedestrians. Six people remained hospitalized Tuesday.

bcid:

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Couple with ties to Brampton reported to be among dead in Glasgow crash

The merger will involve Macquarie acquiring 100 per cent of Fairfax Radio Network's share capital in exchange for the issuance of new Macquarie ordinary shares plus $18 million cash.

Fairfax Media stands to emerge with a controlling stake in a $200-million merger of its radio business with John Singleton's Macquarie Radio Network.

Under the agreement, which has been sealed less than a year after talks collapsed, Fairfax will own 54.5 per cent of the new business's shares, with Macquarie holding the remaining 45.5 per cent.

Mr Singleton, who is Macquarie's biggest shareholder with a 71.2 per cent stake, said: "joining forces is a win for both FRN [Fairfax Radio Network] and Macquarie.

He later declined to elaborate when contacted by Fairfax Media.

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"I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'm off now. Ta ta mate. Bye bye," Mr Singleton said.

Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood said the merger would "create a genuine national talk radio network that was not previously available to advertisers".

The merged entity will control leading talkback radio stations in all mainland capital cities, except Adelaide, combining Macquarie's 2GB home of top-rated presenters Alan Jones and Ray Hadley - in Sydney with Fairfax's 3AW in Melbourne.

"The merger brings together the greatest mix of talkback talent ever assembled in a single radio network. Leading presenters engage listeners with an unprecedented quality and diversity of commentary, entertainment and sport coverage," Mr Hywood said.

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Fairfax Media, Macquarie Radio merge radio networks

Originally published December 21, 2014 at 8:30 AM | Page modified December 21, 2014 at 10:57 AM

Several independent news websites have been blocked in the former Soviet republic of Belarus, where the government exerts close control of news media.

There was no official word on who was responsible for the blockages that began Sunday, but a statement from the private news agency BelaPAN said "the decision to block IP addresses can be made only by the authorities." Three of BelaPAN's websites were blocked, along with the Internet newspaper Solidarnost and the website of the human rights organization Khartiya-97.

Last week, the Belarusian parliament passed legislation declaring Internet sites as mass media and therefore subject to closure by the government. The law takes effect next year, before presidential elections set for November.

Authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, in office since 1994, has been called Europe's last dictator.

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Belarusian independent news sites blocked