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Monday, September 30, 2019

Operators of Turkey’s Giant New Airport Pull Plans to Sell Stake - Bloomberg

Operators of Turkey’s Giant New Airport Pull Plans to Sell Stake
By Kerim Karakaya and Ercan Ersoy
September 30, 2019, 11:17 AM GMT+2 Updated on September 30, 2019, 1:10 PM GMT+2
Concession owners end contract with Lazard to advise on plan
Hub, which opened in April, spans area larger than Manhattan

Istanbul Airport Photographer: Kostas Tsironis/Bloomberg
Owners of a concession to operate Istanbul’s new $11 billion airport abandoned a plan to potentially sell a stake in the venture, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

More:Operators of Turkey’s Giant New Airport Pull Plans to Sell Stake - Bloomberg

Turkey shoots down drone near Syria border - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Turkey shoots down drone near Syria border

Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-30 01:40:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan
ANKARA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish army on Sunday shot down a drone that violated Turkish airspace for six times, the country's Defense Ministry said.

More:Turkey shoots down drone near Syria border - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Returning empty-handed from UN, Erdogan needs victory abroad | Ahval

Returning empty-handed from UN, Erdogan needs victory abroad
The visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the UN General Assembly, highly anticipated because of a potential face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump, resulted in an anti-climax.

As Turkey continues to be set apart from the West, Ankara is in limbo with several major foreign policy issues as key Turkish institutions, especially the Foreign Ministry, seem to be suffering from a lack of lucid strategic thinking.

More:Returning empty-handed from UN, Erdogan needs victory abroad | Ahval

Is a brand-new Turkey possible? Candidates and opportunities | openDemocracy

Is a brand-new Turkey possible? Candidates and opportunities
Who are the three candidates who could unseat Erdogan in the next election?

Ahmet Erdi Ozturk
30 September 2019

Not often emphasised is the fact that in 2013, President Erdoğan and his AKP, which he had reduced to a submissive instrument, became unable to govern Turkey. We can trace the subsequent and much discussed yet recognized authoritarianism back to those days. The fraying economy and the spoiled interest-based partnership established with the Gülen Movement propelled Erdoğan to grow combative, become further Islamicised state identity and, finally, fuse these with ethno-nationalism. In short, the structure today deemed the “New Turkey”, named for Erdoğan, his family, the nationalist MHP and the Eurasianists and dominated by segments proximate to them, assumed form in those days. But the June 2018 presidential election in which Erdoğan struggled to win 50% of the vote, the summer

More:Is a brand-new Turkey possible? Candidates and opportunities | openDemocracy

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Istanbul’s opposition mayor says not invited to gov’t earthquake meeting | Ahval

Istanbul’s opposition mayor says not invited to gov’t earthquake meeting
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has said he was not invited to a government meeting on measures against earthquakes following a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey’s largest city last week.

On Thursday, an earthquake, whose epicentre was in the town of Silivri west of Istanbul, caused panic in the metropolis of some 16 million people, with residents rushing outdoors for safety. Eight people were injured.

More:Istanbul’s opposition mayor says not invited to gov’t earthquake meeting | Ahval

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Syria demands withdrawal of U.S., Turkish forces, warns of countermeasures | News | WSAU

Syria demands withdrawal of U.S., Turkish forces, warns of countermeasures
Saturday, September 28, 2019 11:27 a.m. CDT

FILE PHOTO - Turkish and U.S. military vehicles are seen during a joint U.S.-Turkey patrol in a Syrian border village near Tel Abyad, Syria,
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem on Saturday demanded an immediate withdrawal of all U.S. and Turkish troops from his country and warned that Syrian government forces had the right to take countermeasures if they refused.

More:Syria demands withdrawal of U.S., Turkish forces, warns of countermeasures | News | WSAU

Friday, September 27, 2019

Violence against journalists increasing: Press freedom under fire in Turkey - Qantara.de

Press freedom under fire in Turkey

Journalist Levent Uysal recently survived a treacherous assassination attempt. Despite the fact that members of the press are increasingly at risk in Turkey, the government seems loath to protect them. Deger Akal has the details

More:Violence against journalists increasing: Press freedom under fire in Turkey - Qantara.de

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Powerful magnitude 5.8 tremor shakes Istanbul - Daily Sabah

Powerful magnitude 5.8 tremor
Apowerful magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook Istanbul on Thursday, causing momentary panic across the city.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said the shallow quake struck the southwest of Istanbul in the Marmara Sea at 2:00 p.m. (GMT+3). The tremor hit at a depth of 7 kilometers (4.34 miles), according to AFAD, but the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said the depth was 11.9 km.

More:Powerful magnitude 5.8 tremor shakes Istanbul - Daily Sabah

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

IMF’s Scorecard Says Turkey Passed Test, May Fail Its Aftermath

IMF’s Scorecard Says Turkey Passed Test, May Fail Its Aftermath
Cagan Koc

Thanks to stimulus that includes expansionary fiscal policy, the IMF now expects the economy to eke out expansion of about 0.25% in 2019, a sharp change from its previous forecast of a decline of 2.5%, according to a statement concluding the fund’s annual mission to Turkey.

Even so, it warned of grimmer prospects ahead and took issue with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s focus on turning on the credit tap again.

More:IMF’s Scorecard Says Turkey Passed Test, May Fail Its Aftermath

Uptick in Turkish exports, tourism comes at a price

Uptick in Turkish exports, tourism comes at a price
READ IN:    Türkçe
Mustafa Sonmez September 25, 2019

ARTICLE SUMMARY
Increased export and tourism revenues have helped limit the Turkish economy’s contraction in the second quarter, but the improved numbers have come at the expense of price cutting, economic data show.
REUTERS/Murad SezerTourists walk as they leave the Byzantine-era monument of Hagia Sophia, now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 31, 2019.
A notable aspect of the crisis-hit Turkish economy in recent months is the improvement in exports and tourism, which, along with increased public spending, has helped limit the second-quarter contraction to 1.5%. The uptick, however, has come at a price, with exporters and the tourism industry cutting prices, atop the sharp depreciation of the Turkish lira.

More:Uptick in Turkish exports, tourism comes at a price

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Turkey’s Reconfigured Ties with the ‘Strategic West’ - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Turkey’s Reconfigured Ties with the ‘Strategic West’
Soner Cagaptay with Deniz Yuksel

September 24, 2019

Despite diluting certain commonalities with Europe and Washington over the past decade, Ankara still relies on the West in the trade, investment, and security realms.

Turkey’s recent decision to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system has led many to wonder whether Ankara aims to exit the West. Such questions are understandable given the many steps President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken to distinguish his country politically and culturally from the United States and the European Union. Yet he also realizes how much he needs them to fuel Turkey’s economy, to keep winning elections, and to maintain keep the NATO security umbrella against Russia, a geopolitical rival whose historical enmity against the Turks runs deeper than any single arms deal can erase.

More:Turkey’s Reconfigured Ties with the ‘Strategic West’ - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Monday, September 23, 2019

Turkey Should Undertake More Reforms To Neutralize Challenges To Economic Growth - IMF - UrduPoint

Turkey Should Undertake More Reforms To Neutralize Challenges To Economic Growth - IMF
Muhammad Irfan 3 minutes ago Tue 24th September 2019 | 01:20 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2019) Turkey's economy has recovered from the difficulties it experienced since the end of last year, but the country should undertake additional reforms because it remains vulnerable to a variety of risks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Monday.

More:Turkey Should Undertake More Reforms To Neutralize Challenges To Economic Growth - IMF - UrduPoint

The Arter, art and gentrification: Modern art makeover in Istanbul? - Qantara.de

Modern art makeover in Istanbul?

A new modern art museum recently opened its doors at the heart of Istanbul's working-class Dolapdere neighbourhood. An opportunity for this culturally diverse quarter or a threat in an area recognised as a social flashpoint? Ulrich von Schwerin reports on the relationship between art, commerce and gentrification on the Bosphorus

More:The Arter, art and gentrification: Modern art makeover in Istanbul? - Qantara.de

Erdoğan may fail to hit economic growth goal with credit boost - FT | Ahval

Erdoğan may fail to hit economic growth goal with credit boost - FT
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan may fail to hit a target of 5 percent economic growth for next year, the Financial Times reported, citing analysts and economists.

Erdoğan is seeking to revive economic activity in the country by boosting access to credit and pressuring the central bank to lower interest rates.

More:Erdoğan may fail to hit economic growth goal with credit boost - FT | Ahval

Turkey turned up heat on banks after standoff over bad loans | Financial Post

Turkey turned up heat on banks after standoff over bad loans
Reuters
Orhan Coskun and Ebru Tuncay and Can Sezer and Jonathan Spicer
September 23, 2019

ISTANBUL/ANKARA — Turkey forced banks to take losses on $8 billion in bad loans this week to kick-start lending and boost its economic recovery after losing patience with them, bankers, senior government officials and industry advisers told Reuters.

More:Turkey turned up heat on banks after standoff over bad loans | Financial Post

Obligation of Notification of Personal Data Violations to Turkish DPA - Gün + Partners

OBLIGATION OF NOTIFICATION OF PERSONAL DATA VIOLATIONS TO TURKISH DPA
September 16, 2019

Law on Protection of Personal Data numbered 6698 provides under the article titled “Data Security Liabilities” that, data controllers must take all necessary technical and administrative measures to ensure the appropriate level of security to:

Prevent unlawful processing of personal data,
Prevent unlawful access to personal data,
Maintain safeguarding of personal data.

More:Obligation of Notification of Personal Data Violations to Turkish DPA - Gün + Partners

Saturday, September 21, 2019

A new crisis looming at Istanbul’s new airport | Ahval

A new crisis looming at Istanbul’s new airport
Becoming fully operational in April, Istanbul`s new airport continues to be a symbol of improper planning, extravagance, and maladministration in Turkey.

A brand new crisis is appearing on the horizon for the Istanbul Airport, the city’s third, which has witnessed problems in many areas from its tender and privileges granted by the state to its construction, service quality, and flight safety. 

The due date for the payment of the first instalment of credit taken for the construction of the new airport - Turkey’s highest amount - is drawing near. It is estimated that the new airport, under the existing conditions, is to garner a much lower number of passengers than its 95 million capacity.

More:A new crisis looming at Istanbul’s new airport | Ahval

Two to watch at the UN General Assembly: Turkey’s Erdogan and Iraq’s Salih

Two to watch at the UN General Assembly: Turkey’s Erdogan and Iraq’s Salih
Week in Review September 20, 2019

ARTICLE SUMMARY
Turkish leader meets Trump ahead of safe-zone deadline; Iraqi president offers new direction for Iraq and region.

More:Two to watch at the UN General Assembly: Turkey’s Erdogan and Iraq’s Salih

Friday, September 20, 2019

Diyanet: The Turkish religious authority that makes millions | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 20.09.2019

Diyanet: The Turkish religious authority that makes millions

Turkey's highest religious authority brings in huge profits, say experts. But as a historic brewery in Istanbul faces demolition for a dormitory, critics argue that such profiteering is not in line with Islam.

More:Diyanet: The Turkish religious authority that makes millions | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 20.09.2019

EU refugee deal: Erdogan wants rid of the Syrian refugees - Qantara.de

Erdogan wants rid of the Syrian refugees

President Erdogan has threatened to ditch the EU refugee deal. After election losses and faced with escalating conflict in Idlib, the attitude towards the growing number of Syrian refugees has become increasingly harsh. Daniel Heinrich has the details

More:EU refugee deal: Erdogan wants rid of the Syrian refugees - Qantara.de

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Shaking the status quo in Turkey: #Susamam rappers: "Turkish society is on our side" - Qantara.de

#Susamam rappers: "Turkish society is on our side"

#Susamam has had more than 25 million clicks on YouTube. The musicians' message to their fellow citizens: "Don't remain silent!" The ruling AKP party in Turkey feels provoked; the Turkish press has even admonished Deutsche Welle

More:Shaking the status quo in Turkey: #Susamam rappers: "Turkish society is on our side" - Qantara.de

Turkey’s Mount Ida: who thought this would be a good idea? | openDemocracy

Turkey’s Mount Ida: who thought this would be a good idea?

Erdogan's quest for development, with its numerous high profile projects aiming for completion by the centenary of the Turkish Republic in 2023 comes with potential liabilities.

More:Turkey’s Mount Ida: who thought this would be a good idea? | openDemocracy

Turkey Implements New Personal Health Data Regulation - Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences - Turkey

Turkey: Turkey Implements New Personal Health Data Regulation
Last Updated: 19 September 2019
Article by Murat Soylu, Zekican Samlı and Duru İyem
Bezen & Partners

The Personal Health Data Regulation (the "Regulation") was published in the Turkish Official Gazette dated 21 June 2019 and numbered 30808, repealing the previous Regulation on Processing and Ensuring the Privacy of Personal Health Data published in the Turkish Official Gazette dated 20 October 2016 and numbered 29863. The new regulation sets forth the personal health data processing regime that public institutions and private legal entities must comply with.

More:Turkey Implements New Personal Health Data Regulation - Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences - Turkey

Fmr Turkey PM: Scandal If Turkish Counter-Terror Files Opened | MEMRI

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu: 'If The Counter-Terror Files [Of Turkey] Were To Be Opened, A Lot Of People Could Not Face Anyone'

In an August 23, 2019 speech in Sakarya, Turkey, former Turkish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said: "If the counter-terror files [of Turkey] were to be opened, a lot of people could not face anyone. Those who criticize us today could not face anyone. I'm telling you. When, in the future, the history of the Republic of Turkey is written, I am sure that one of the most critical few-month periods will be that of June 7 to November 1, [2015]."[1]On September 2, Davutoğlu was expelled from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's party, the ruling Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP), of which Davutoğlu had at one point been the leader.[2] Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said that Davutoğlu had been expelled from the party specifically because Davutoğlu's statement in the August 23 speech had been perceived as a threat to the AKP.[3]

More:Fmr Turkey PM: Scandal If Turkish Counter-Terror Files Opened | MEMRI

Five years with turbulent Turkey's 'militant people' - BBC News

Five years with turbulent Turkey's 'militant people'
By Mark Lowen
BBC Turkey correspondent, Istanbul

The defeat of the 2016 coup consolidated support for President Erdogan
"Istanbul never leaves you - its beauty pulls you back," a friend told me as I packed up my life here.

After five years it was time to leave, and I recalled with a smile what a senior editor in London told me back in 2014: "Ah yes, Turkey... it slightly struggles to break through on air."

More:Five years with turbulent Turkey's 'militant people' - BBC News

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Attacks on Aramco oil facilities risk higher inflation, lower growth in Turkey | News | The Mighty 790 KFGO

Attacks on Aramco oil facilities risk higher inflation, lower growth in Turkey
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 8:08 a.m. CDT

By Ali Kucukgocmen

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The weekend attack on Saudi oil production facilities could delay Turkey's efforts to contain inflation and to finally leave a recession behind if a supply shock means global oil prices stay elevated, analysts said.

More:Attacks on Aramco oil facilities risk higher inflation, lower growth in Turkey | News | The Mighty 790 KFGO

Sparkle cuts power use as it expands Istanbul data centre

Sparkle cuts power use as it expands Istanbul data centre by 40%
2h | Alan Burkitt-Gray

Sparkle has expanded its data centre in Istanbul by 40% but reduced the power consumption by 14%.

Revealing the expansion at Capacity Eurasia in Istanbul this week, Sparkle – owned by Italian operator TIM – said the Yenibosna data centre is now “the first green data centre in Turkey, thanks to its energy-efficient power and cooling systems”.

More:Sparkle cuts power use as it expands Istanbul data centre

Turkey ups pressure on visa-free entry into EU

Turkey ups pressure on visa-free entry into EU
By EUOBSERVER

TODAY, 08:57
Turkey's pro-government Anadolu Agency reported that president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is stepping up internal pressure to meet the criteria for the process of visa-liberalisation dialogue with the European Union. "In order to ensure the completion of visa liberalisation for our citizens, it is necessary to accelerate the efforts to meet the criteria registered in the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap," he said in a circular published in the Official Gazette.

More:Turkey ups pressure on visa-free entry into EU

European development bank backs organic farming in Turkey - Daily Sabah

European development bank backs organic farming in Turkey

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and a Turkish organic farming company have signed a 16 million euro ($18 million) financing deal to help take the firm to the next level.

More:European development bank backs organic farming in Turkey - Daily Sabah

Is Erdoğan Solely Responsible for Turkish Foreign Policy?

Is Erdoğan Solely Responsible for Turkish Foreign Policy?
By Dr. Spyridon N. LitsasSeptember 18, 2019

BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 1,293, September 18, 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Many believe Turkey will return to “Western normality” as soon as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan finishes his political career. But Turkey’s behavior is influenced by the systemic restructuring of the international arena after the end of the Cold War more than it is by Erdoğan’s aura, as was apparent in the 1990s prior to his advent. It is unwise to anticipate a significant change in Turkish foreign policy once Erdoğan leaves the scene.

More:Is Erdoğan Solely Responsible for Turkish Foreign Policy?

EU Turkey Delegation Head to İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu: There is Great Responsibility on You - english

EU Turkey Delegation Head to İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu: There is Great Responsibility on You

Berger and İmamoğlu have exchanged views on cooperation and problems of the city.

More:EU Turkey Delegation Head to İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu: There is Great Responsibility on You - english

Turkey’s lira firms after report of Saudi oil output normalizing faster than anticipated | canada.com

Turkey's lira firms after report of Saudi oil output normalizing faster than anticipated
REUTERS Updated: September 17, 2019

ANKARA — Turkey’s lira firmed on Tuesday, outperforming other emerging market currencies, after a Reuters report that Saudi Arabia’s oil output will return to normal levels quicker than expected following the weekend attacks on its production facilities.

More:Turkey’s lira firms after report of Saudi oil output normalizing faster than anticipated | canada.com

Don't read too much into Turkey's gag order reversal, warn free press advocates

Don't read too much into Turkey's gag order reversal, warn free press advocates
Amberin Zaman September 17, 2019

ARTICLE SUMMARY
Turkey’s highest court has struck down a reporting ban surrounding a 2013 corruption probe, but some human rights defenders warn the win for press freedom may prove minor.

REUTERSSupporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party hold a banner of four former ministers while shouting anti-government slogans during a protest in Ankara, Turkey, Dec. 17, 2014.
Turkey’s Constitutional Court has ruled unanimously that a reporting ban slapped on the work of a parliamentary commission set up to investigate corruption charges leveled against four former ministers in a quashed 2013 probe violated free expression and press freedom.

More:Don't read too much into Turkey's gag order reversal, warn free press advocates

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Rampant child abuse in Turkey’s religious schools  | Ahval

Rampant child abuse in Turkey’s religious schools 
Religious schools in Turkey have been hit by a string of sexual abuse scandals in recent years, yet due to links to the ruling party, the crimes are often hushed up. 

Islam-focused educational institutions such as state-run Imam Hatip schools have proliferated during the 17-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has worked to instil religious values in Turkey’s youth and funded an explosion in Islamist foundations in the education sector.

More:Rampant child abuse in Turkey’s religious schools  | Ahval

Monday, September 16, 2019

Turkey's steel sector could face losses after cuts to EU quotas: industry chief - Reuters

Turkey's steel sector could face losses after cuts to EU quotas: industry chief
Ceyda Caglayan

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - New restrictions on imports to the European Union next month may further damage the Turkish steel sector, even as it seeks new markets to compensate for losses from U.S. and EU tariffs, Turkey’s Steel Exporters’ Association (CIB) chief said.

More:Turkey's steel sector could face losses after cuts to EU quotas: industry chief - Reuters

Erdogan hosts Putin, Rouhani for Syria summit - World - The Jakarta Post

Erdogan hosts Putin, Rouhani for Syria summit
Raziye Akkoc and Maria Panina
Agence France-Presse

Ankara, Turkey/ Moscow, Russia   /   Mon, September 16, 2019   /   11:22 am

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host his Russian and Iranian counterparts on Monday for their latest summit on Syria, with attention focused on Damascus's push on the last rebel-held bastion of Idlib.

More:Erdogan hosts Putin, Rouhani for Syria summit - World - The Jakarta Post

Sunday, September 15, 2019

'We Don't Want To Die': Women In Turkey Decry Rise In Violence And Killings : NPR

'We Don't Want To Die': Women In Turkey Decry Rise In Violence And Killings

September 15, 20198:02 AM ET
JOANNA KAKISSIS

Emine Dirican, a beautician from Istanbul, tried to be a good wife. But her husband hated that she worked, that she socialized, even that she wanted to leave the house sometimes without him.

She tried to reason with him. He lashed out.

"One time, he tied me — my hands, my legs from the back, like you do to animals," recalls Dirican, shuddering. "He beat me with a belt and said, 'You're going to listen to me, you're going to obey whatever I say to you.' "

More:'We Don't Want To Die': Women In Turkey Decry Rise In Violence And Killings : NPR

First Step for Tunnel to Eliminate Flood Risk in Istanbul - RayHaber

First Step for Tunnel to Eliminate Flood Risk in Istanbul
15/09/2019 Levent Elmastaş 34 Istanbul, RAILWAYS, GENERAL, HIGHWAYS, URBAN Rail Systems, HEADLINE, Marmara Region, TURKEY 0

The first step was taken to eliminate the risk of flooding in Istanbul

İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu participated in the Ayvalıdere Rain Water Tunnel TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) Lowering Ceremony to save flood risk areas in 4 districts 11 in different points. Imamoğlu stated that such works were written and drawn as individual ingenuity in populations that defeated populism. I never want and wish to be remembered on my own. I want this to be examined, perceived and served by all our colleagues, all business people, all Istanbul. If we do that, if we succeed, we will truly become patriots.

More:First Step for Tunnel to Eliminate Flood Risk in Istanbul - RayHaber

The demise of democracy in Turkey | IOL News

The demise of democracy in Turkey
OPINION / 15 SEPTEMBER 2019, 07:42AM / SHANNON EBRAHIM

Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power in 2003 as a moderate and modernising Muslim leader in the region, with a large support base at home where he was largely considered the flower of democracy. How far he has fallen from that pedestal seventeen years later both at home - where even stalwarts of his own party the AKP have turned against him - and many in the region now consider him a threat to regional peace and stability.

More:The demise of democracy in Turkey | IOL News

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Syrians Adopt Precautions From Home to Evade Arrest in Turkey - WSJ

Syrians Adopt Precautions From Home to Evade Arrest in Turkey

Detouring to avoid checkpoints, speaking warily even at home—‘It seems our fate to always be hunted’

More:Syrians Adopt Precautions From Home to Evade Arrest in Turkey - WSJ

Friday, September 13, 2019

How Turkish TV is taking over the world | Television & radio | The Guardian

How Turkish TV is taking over the world

‘The first agreement we should make is: don’t call them soap operas,” Dr Arzu Ozturkmen, who teaches oral history at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, scolds me. “We are very much against this.” What Turkey produces for television are not soap operas, or telenovelas, or period dramas: they are dizi. They are a “genre in progress”, declares Ozturkmen, with unique narratives, use of space and musical scores. And they are very, very popular.

More:How Turkish TV is taking over the world | Television & radio | The Guardian

Top Turkish court orders release of jailed Cumhuriyet journalists | News | The Mighty 790 KFGO

Top Turkish court orders release of jailed Cumhuriyet journalists
Thursday, September 12, 2019 11:55 a.m. CDT

FILE PHOTO: A security personnel stands guard at the headquarters of Cumhuriyet newspaper, an opposition secularist daily, in Istanbul, Turk
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals ordered on Thursday the release of six former employees of the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper who were jailed on terrorism-related charges, two of the newspaper's lawyers said.

The top court's ruling that the journalists should be released is binding and the lawyers told Reuters they expected it to be implemented immediately.

More:Top Turkish court orders release of jailed Cumhuriyet journalists | News | The Mighty 790 KFGO

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Turkey slashes key interest rate again in bid to stimulate economy | Middle East Eye

Turkey slashes key interest rate again in bid to stimulate the economy

The higher-than-expected cut comes a week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was 'allergic' to high rates

More:Turkey slashes key interest rate again in bid to stimulate economy | Middle East Eye

Turkey Can Go Big on Rate Cut Without Erdogan's Iconoclast Nudge - Bloomberg

Turkey Can Go Big on Rate Cut Without Erdogan's Nudge
By Cagan Koc
September 12, 2019, 6:46 AM GMT+2
Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars. Sign up here. 

Don’t just blame President Recep Tayyip Erdogan if Turkey’s central bank decides again to err on the side of lowering interest rates more than anticipated.

More:Turkey Can Go Big on Rate Cut Without Erdogan's Iconoclast Nudge - Bloomberg

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Erdogan Says Turkey Cannot Handle New Migrant Wave From Syria | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com

Erdogan Says Turkey Cannot Handle New Migrant Wave From Syria
by Reuters and Algemeiner Staff

Turkey cannot handle a new wave of migrants from northern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, adding that Ankara and Washington needed to establish a “safe zone” in the region as soon as possible.

More:Erdogan Says Turkey Cannot Handle New Migrant Wave From Syria | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com

Erdogan spares no punches to defeat his political opponents - The National

Erdogan spares no punches to defeat his political opponents
Backed to a corner, Mr Erdogan is fighting for political survival. However, one would be foolish to count him out

There are many uncertainties in Turkish politics - the performance of the economy, relations with the West, the future of the country’s Syrian refugees. However, there is one thing that can be said with certainty. Turkey’s firebrand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP government don't take kindly to strong opposition.

More:Erdogan spares no punches to defeat his political opponents - The National

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

President Erdogan's former ally Ali Babacan to form rival political party - The National

President Erdogan's former ally Ali Babacan to form rival political party
Turkey's former deputy prime minister said he is to form a new party after months of speculation

Former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan has announced his much-rumoured plans to form a new political party to rival President Recep Tayipp Erdogan's AKP.
Turkey's former deputy prime minister Ali Babacan is to form a new political party to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday.

Mr Babacan is a founding member of Mr Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), but he resigned from the party in July citing "deep differences". He also served as economy and foreign minister before becoming deputy prime minister between 2009 and 2015.

More:President Erdogan's former ally Ali Babacan to form rival political party - The National

Monday, September 09, 2019

Turkish Billionaire Aydin Dogan Plans to Enter Investment Banking - Bloomberg

Turkish Billionaire Dogan Plans to Enter Investment Banking
By Asli Kandemir and Kerim Karakaya
September 9, 2019, 4:22 PM GMT+2 Updated on September 9, 2019, 4:35 PM GMT+2
Dogan Holding is said to weigh buying or starting its own bank
Return to banking comes after sale of retail bank in 2005

Aydin Dogan in his office in Istanbul on Feb. 24, 2009. Photographer: Murad Sezer/AP
Turkish billionaire Aydin Dogan is planning to enter investment banking after exiting consumer lending 14 years ago and breaking up a media empire that once put him in running battles with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

More:Turkish Billionaire Aydin Dogan Plans to Enter Investment Banking - Bloomberg

Crisis-hit Turkey suffers erosion in investments

Crisis-hit Turkey suffers erosion in investments

ARTICLE SUMMARY
Turkey’s economic downturn has been marked by a dramatic decline in investments, both private and public, bearing heavily on joblessness.

REUTERS/Murad SezerPeople change money at a currency exchange office in Istanbul, Turkey, March 28, 2019.
Turkey’s gross domestic product shrank 1.5% year-on-year in the second quarter, according to official figures released this week, with a dramatic decrease in investments standing out as a major driver of the contraction. The decline in investments — both in the private and public sector — has been going on for 12 months, bearing heavily on joblessness.

More:Crisis-hit Turkey suffers erosion in investments

Istanbul to save $8.7 million from 1,247 mothballed cars | Ahval

Istanbul to save $8.7 million from 1,247 mothballed cars

The opposition-controlled Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has announced that it will save nearly 50 million liras ($8.7 million) a year by ending contracts for 1,247 vehicles rented by the previous ruling Islamist party administration, Turkish independent news site Diken reported.

“The yearly rental price of the cars we have returned comes to nearly 35.75 million liras, and the fuel expense came to 13.75 million liras, meaning a yearly total saving of 49.5 million liras,” Diken quoted the municipality’s general secretary Yavuz Erkut as saying.

More:Istanbul to save $8.7 million from 1,247 mothballed cars | Ahval

Susamam: Turkey's social problems laid bare in popular hip hop song - The National

Susamam: Turkey's social problems laid bare in popular hip hop song

The song, with a title that translates as 'I can't stay quiet', urges Turks to face injustices and has been viewed millions of times since its release last week, writes Andrew Wilks in Ankara

More:Susamam: Turkey's social problems laid bare in popular hip hop song - The National

Saturday, September 07, 2019

Overnight music hit turns rappers into social justice heroes in Turkey · Global Voices

Overnight music hit turns rappers into social justice heroes in Turkey
Posted 7 September 2019 13:07 GMT

Turkey woke up on Friday morning to an unstoppable musical hit that apparently struck a chord with its citizens for speaking openly about sensitive issues such as domestic violence and nepotism.

The song, Susamam [which translates as ‘cannot stay silent’], became a number one trending video on YouTube on the morning of September 6 in Turkey. Uploaded at midnight by the creator of the song, Turkish rapper Şanışer [Shanisher or Sarp Palaur], Susamam is an ode to Turkey and its most pressing social, political, and cultural issues. Within 48 hours, it has also turned into one of the most popular hashtag on Turkish social media. It proved so popular some local government Twitter accounts shared the song. There is now an Instagram filter that encourages you to take a picture and share it, and T-shirts are on sale whose profits will be donated to village schools.

More:Overnight music hit turns rappers into social justice heroes in Turkey · Global Voices

Istanbul mayor believes higher court will reverse main opposition ruling | Euronews

Istanbul mayor believes higher court will reverse main opposition ruling
By Reuters• last updated: 06/09/2019 - 16:02

ANKARA (Reuters) – Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Friday he believed a court ruling sentencing the main opposition’s Istanbul chairwoman to nearly 10 years in prison would be reversed by higher courts, adding that he was saddened by the decision.

More:Istanbul mayor believes higher court will reverse main opposition ruling | Euronews








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ANKARA (Reuters) – Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Friday he believed a court ruling sentencing the main opposition’s Istanbul chairwoman to nearly 10 years in prison would be reversed by higher courts, adding that he was saddened by the decision.

Friday, September 06, 2019

Schools in Turkey: Erdogan's youth, religious but not educated? - Qantara.de

Erdogan's youth, religious but not educated?

The Turkish school system is in crisis: pupil performance is slipping. Critics blame the Erdogan government for the trend, which has recently founded hundreds of Imam Hatip religious schools. Information from Burcu Karakas and Daniel Derya Bellut

More:Schools in Turkey: Erdogan's youth, religious but not educated? - Qantara.de

Thursday, September 05, 2019

Daring new TV show offers close glimpse into mysterious Ankara nightlife

Daring new TV show offers close glimpse into mysterious Ankara nightlife
Paul Benjamin Osterlund September 5, 2019

Having made its debut earlier this summer on the increasingly popular Turkish streaming site BluTV, the show “Pavyon” ("Nightclub") takes a close look at a deep-rooted, culturally-specific and infamous type of nightlife that is particularly prominent in the capital of Ankara.

More:Daring new TV show offers close glimpse into mysterious Ankara nightlife

Turkey threatens to ′open the gates′ to Europe for refugees | News | DW | 05.09.2019

Turkey threatens to 'open the gates' to Europe for refugees

The Turkish president has vowed to unblock what was once considered the main gateway for refugees seeking sanctuary in Europe. Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded the US and the EU create a safe zone in northern Syria.

More:Turkey threatens to ′open the gates′ to Europe for refugees | News | DW | 05.09.2019

How Sincere Is the Turkey-Iran Friendship?

How Sincere Is the Turkey-Iran Friendship?
By Dr. Alon J. Doenyas September 5, 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: If the world press is anything to go by, the Turkey-Iran courtship is getting serious, and Russia is playing best man. The two countries’ strengthening ties are based on shared regional goals, the most prominent of which is Syria. But how sincere is the burgeoning relationship?

More:How Sincere Is the Turkey-Iran Friendship?

Erdogan says it's unacceptable that Turkey can't have nuclear weapons

Erdogan says it's unacceptable that Turkey can't have nuclear weapons
Reuters Ankara Updated: 05-09-2019 00:54 IST Created: 05-09-2019 00:52 IST

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday it was unacceptable for nuclear-armed states to forbid Ankara from obtaining its own nuclear weapons, but did not say whether Turkey had plans to obtain them. "Some countries have missiles with nuclear warheads, not one or two. But (they tell us) we can't have them. This, I cannot accept," he told his ruling AK Party members in the eastern city of Sivas.

More:Erdogan says it's unacceptable that Turkey can't have nuclear weapons

Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Turkish steelmaker Koc to stop production

Turkish steelmaker Koc to stop production
Published date: 04 September 2019

Turkish steelmaker Koc Celik will fully halt production at its Iskenderun plant from the end of September until January 2020 unless the market situation in Turkey improves, it said today.

More:Turkish steelmaker Koc to stop production

Turkey says it faces up to $3 billion in trade losses with Britain under no-deal Brexit - Reuters

Turkey says it faces up to $3 billion in trade losses with Britain under no-deal Brexit
Can Sezer

FILE PHOTO: A flag depicting the British Union Jack design and the EU design is seen outside of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, January 14, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey may lose trade with Britain worth up to $3 billion in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said on Wednesday, adding that many Turkish companies lacked information on the consequences of such a scenario.

More:Turkey says it faces up to $3 billion in trade losses with Britain under no-deal Brexit - Reuters

Turkey’s strongman sets a grim standard | Comment | The Times

Turkey’s strongman sets a grim standard
hannah lucinda smith

President Erdogan has inspired a generation of European populists to downgrade democracy

You may wonder why Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, continues to hold elections.

His party steals state resources for campaigning and he stamps out internal rivals with intimidation. His family and allies control most of Turkey’s television channels, and face little if any opposition in the press. In the run-up to polling day, Erdogan gets ten times more airtime than his nearest rival.

More:Turkey’s strongman sets a grim standard | Comment | The Times

Tuesday, September 03, 2019

Turkey’s Inflation Slips More Than Forecast as Slowdown Resumes - Bloomberg

Turkey’s Inflation Slips More Than Forecast as Slowdown Resumes
By Cagan Koc
September 3, 2019, 9:03 AM GMT+2

Turkey’s inflation rate resumed its decline as a more stable lira and the effect of a high base of comparison restrain price growth.

More:Turkey’s Inflation Slips More Than Forecast as Slowdown Resumes - Bloomberg

Turkey Bracing for New Jihadi Threat | Voice of America - English

Turkey Bracing for New Jihadi Threat
By Dorian Jones
September 3, 2019 01:15 PM

FILE - A Syrian army soldier holds a Syrian flag as he stands on a military vehicle in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria, Aug. 24, 2019.
ISTANBUL - Thousands of jihadis are set to seek sanctuary in Turkey with Damascus' forces laying siege to Idlib, the last Syrian rebel enclave. With Damascus determined to take control of all of Syria, analysts warn it's only a matter of time before Turkey faces an exodus of not only refugees, but also the arrival of extremist fighters, posing a significant security threat to the country.

More:Turkey Bracing for New Jihadi Threat | Voice of America - English

Monday, September 02, 2019

Turkish economy shrinks 1.5% yoy in Q2, less than expected - Reuters

Turkish economy shrinks 1.5% yoy in Q2, less than expected

ISTANBUL, Sept 2 (Reuters) - The Turkish economy contracted 1.5% year-on-year in the second quarter, better than expectations, and it recorded another positive quarter-on-quarter reading as the economy looks to shake off the effects of recession after last year’s currency crisis.

More:Turkish economy shrinks 1.5% yoy in Q2, less than expected - Reuters

Sunday, September 01, 2019

Erdogan’s Russian Pipe Dreams - The Globalist

Erdogan’s Russian Pipe Dreams

While Turkey’s President dreams big power dreams, Putin plays Erdogan like a fiddle.

More:Erdogan’s Russian Pipe Dreams - The Globalist