Important note to readers
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Due the Muslim celebration of Edu-I-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice (Kurban Bayrami in Turkish), Turkey's main stock exchange and banks throughout the country will be closed for four days starting from Monday, December 8, and will reopen on Friday, December 12.
Government offices will also be closed from Monday, December 8 and will reopen on Monday, December 15.
The HDN print edition will not be published from December 7 - 12, 2008. For regular local and international news updates throughout the holidays, you may log onto HurriyetDailyNews.com.
Kurban Bayrami is the great festival of Islam and is celebrated by the sacrifice of an animal (cow, goat, sheep, or other appropriate beast) in commemoration of the ram sacrificed by Abraham in place of his son. The offering of the sacrifice has become an annual celebration to commemorate the occasion and thank God for his favors.
Eid (short for Edu-I-Adha) means recurring happiness or festivity, a day of peace and thanksgiving, a day of forgiveness and moral victory, a day of good harvest and remarkable achievements, and a day of festive remembrance.