Monday, November 30, 2015

Why some Turkish sports fans terrorize their opponents? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Why some Turkish sports fans terrorize their opponents?

Disruptive and disrespectful actions by Turkish sports fans has been in the news in recent months. On Nov. 21, the Israeli women’s national basketball team became the victim of such behavior in Ankara at the European Championships. During the singing of Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, Turkish fans threw water bottles, coins, and other objects at the Israeli players on the court. The incident, reported widely in Israel, barely made the news in Turkey.

More:Why some Turkish sports fans terrorize their opponents? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle EastM

Turkey to act 'patiently' before taking any measures against Russia: Erdogan | Reuters

Turkey to act 'patiently' before taking any measures against Russia: Erdogan
ISTANBUL

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday his government would act "patiently and not emotionally" before taking any measures in response to Russia's decision to impose sanctions on Turkey.

More:Turkey to act 'patiently' before taking any measures against Russia: Erdogan | Reuters

Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey | Reuters

Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey

Relations between Moscow and Ankara have deteriorated after Turkey shot down a Russian air force jet during an operation near the Syria-Turkey border last week.

More:Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey | Reuters

Istanbul Film Festival to Celebrate its 35th Anniversary in 2016

Istanbul Film Festival to Celebrate its 35th Anniversary in 2016

Launched as a film week 35 years ago by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), Istanbul Film Festival will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2016. In 35 years, Istanbul Film Festival becomes not only the longest-running film festival in Istanbul but also the largest-scale film event in Turkey.

More:Istanbul Film Festival to Celebrate its 35th Anniversary in 2016

Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey | Reuters

Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey

Relations between Moscow and Ankara have deteriorated after Turkey shot down a Russian air force jet during an operation near the Syria-Turkey border last week.

More:Factbox: Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey | Reuters

TASS: Business & Economy - Turkey’s export to Russia down 39% in 10 months, import of Russian commodities down 18%

Turkey’s export to Russia down 39% in 10 months, import of Russian commodities down 18%

MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Export of Turkish commodities to Russia plunged by 38.9% in January-October 2015 year-on-year to $3.065 bln, Turkish Statistical Institute reported on Monday.

More:TASS: Business & Economy - Turkey’s export to Russia down 39% in 10 months, import of Russian commodities down 18%

Despite Bold Declarations, Russia and Turkey Have Too Much to Lose - World News - Israel News - Haaretz Israeli News Source

Analysis Despite Bold Declarations, Russia and Turkey Have Too Much to Lose

While Erdogan's behavior after the downing of the Russian jet echoes Netanyahu's response to the Gaza Flotilla incident, Moscow and Ankara can't afford to break off economic and military cooperation.

More:Despite Bold Declarations, Russia and Turkey Have Too Much to Lose - World News - Israel News - Haaretz Israeli News Source

Turkish coast guard rescues over 220 refugees from Aegean Sea | Al Bawaba

Turkish coast guard rescues over 220 refugees from Aegean Sea

Published November 30th, 2015 - 06:30 GMT via SyndiGate.info

Some 222 refugees have been rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard off the Ayvalik coast of Turkey’s western Balikesir province Sunday.

More:Turkish coast guard rescues over 220 refugees from Aegean Sea | Al Bawaba

Council of Europe reacts to Turkish journalists’ arrests - DIPLOMACY

Council of Europe reacts to Turkish journalists’ arrests

İpek Yezdaniİpek Yezdaniipek.yezdani@hurriyet.com.tr

The arrest of prominent Turkish journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül has again raised concerns about media freedom in Turkey, a spokesperson from the Council of Europe has told daily Hürriyet, with the reporters urging the EU not to ignore human rights violations in Turkey as it bargains with Ankara on refugees.

More:Council of Europe reacts to Turkish journalists’ arrests - DIPLOMACY

Commentary: EU-Turkey Summit: Historic? | Opinion | DW.COM | 30.11.2015

Commentary: EU-Turkey Summit: Historic?

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu considers the summit a historic one. EU leaders call it a success. For whom is the outcome really good, asks DW’s Seda Serdar.

More:Commentary: EU-Turkey Summit: Historic? | Opinion | DW.COM | 30.11.2015

Vladimir Putin declines to meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Paris climate summit - Yahoo News UK

Vladimir Putin declines to meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Paris climate summit
International Business TimesBy Vasudevan Sridharan | International Business Times –

Kremlin has turned down Ankara's proposal for a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the UN climate change summit in Paris. Turkey had proposed the presidential meeting to ease tensions over the downing of a Russian jet near the Syrian border.

More:Vladimir Putin declines to meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Paris climate summit - Yahoo News UK

Sea of risks failing to calm troubled Turkish economy - ECONOMICS

Sea of risks failing to calm troubled Turkish economy

Mustafa Sönmez - mustafasnmz@hotmail.com
Turkey might have finally emerged from elections with a single-party government, but the economic waters are set to remain choppy

More:Sea of risks failing to calm troubled Turkish economy - ECONOMICS

Free Speech Busted? Third Turkish Journalist Arrested Amid Censorship Fears

Free Speech Busted? Third Turkish Journalist Arrested Amid Censorship Fears
© AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel

Amid growing concerns that Turkey is quashing free press and free speech, a reporter from Huriyet newspaper has been arrested on charges of slander following the controversial imprisonment of two other opposition journalists earlier this month.

More:Free Speech Busted? Third Turkish Journalist Arrested Amid Censorship Fears

E.U. expects ‘immediate’ clampdown on migrants in deal with Turkey - The Washington Post

E.U. expects ‘immediate’ clampdown on migrants in deal with Turkey

BRUSSELS — The European Union on Sunday pledged incentives to Turkey in exchange for a clampdown on the flow of refugees and migrants into Europe as it scrambles to find ways to cope with the largest displacement crisis since World War II.

More:E.U. expects ‘immediate’ clampdown on migrants in deal with Turkey - The Washington Post

Petrol bombs as Istanbul protests against killing of Kurdish lawyer


Petrol bombs as Istanbul protests against killing of Kurdish lawyer

Protests broke out in several Turkish cities following the fatal shooting of a prominent pro-Kurdish lawyer and rights activist during a gun battle in the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir. The Diyarbakir Governorate said in a statement that security forces were attacked.

More:Petrol bombs as Istanbul protests against killing of Kurdish lawyer

Kremlin Wary of Ruining New Year Holidays With Turkish Food Ban | Business | The Moscow Times

Kremlin Wary of Ruining New Year Holidays With Turkish Food Ban

The Moscow Times
Nov. 30 2015 14:04

Sanctions on food imports from Turkey may be watered down to avoid hitting Russians' menus during the New Year holidays, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Monday.

More:Kremlin Wary of Ruining New Year Holidays With Turkish Food Ban | Business | The Moscow Times

At NATO, Turkey remains defiant over Russian jet | Reuters

At NATO, Turkey remains defiant over Russian jet
BRUSSELS | By Robin Emmott

Turkey's prime minister dismissed on Monday any suggestion Ankara should apologize for downing a Russian warplane in its airspace last week, after winning strong NATO support for the right to defend itself.

More:At NATO, Turkey remains defiant over Russian jet | Reuters

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Murdered lawyer, arrested journalists, troubled neighborhood - MURAT YETKİN

Murdered lawyer, arrested journalists, troubled neighborhood

The Turkish people had not even digested the war plane crisis with Russia which broke on Nov. 24 and then the arrest of two journalists reporting on an intelligence-involved probe in relation to Syria on Nov. 26 when the bad news hit the wires from the predominantly Kurdish populated southeastern Diyarbakır province on Nov. 28.

More:Murdered lawyer, arrested journalists, troubled neighborhood - MURAT YETKİN

Dark, darker, darkest - NURAY MERT

Dark, darker, darkest

In less than a week’s time, Turkey has witnessed three major, worrying events, one after another. On Nov. 24, we learned that Turkey downed a Russian jet on the Syrian border. It was a dark day, since we did not know if we were on the verge of a war while wondering how it all happened. What was more worrying was that at first, the president and the governing party sounded jubilant as the pro-government media came out with celebratory headlines that Turkey had showed its strength. Nevertheless, even the president was surprised that there was applause in the room when he announced that Turkey had downed a Russian jet, forcing him to inform them that it was not something to celebrate. Then, he and his party tried to retreat from their first position but to no avail. Finally, Turkey ended up with a newborn crisis with Russia.

More:Dark, darker, darkest - NURAY MERT

Journalism is a fun game in Turkey… - YUSUF KANLI

Journalism is a fun game in Turkey…

As writing news has become sufficient reason to be placed behind bars or kicked out of the country, perhaps Turkish authorities may ban the distribution of Wall Street Journal in Turkey for having news on its pages.

More:Journalism is a fun game in Turkey… - YUSUF KANLI

Erdogan shot Turkey's economy in the foot when Turkey shot down Russian bomber -- Puppet Masters -- Sott.net

Erdogan shot Turkey's economy in the foot when Turkey shot down Russian bomber

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 18:37 UTC

Ankara's decision to shoot down a Russian bomber over Syria has dealt a blow to four sectors of the Turkish economy, Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov commented on Russia's sanctions against Turkey.

More:Erdogan shot Turkey's economy in the foot when Turkey shot down Russian bomber -- Puppet Masters -- Sott.net

Kremlin says Putin 'fully mobilised' to tackle threat from Turkey - bdnews24.com

Kremlin says Putin 'fully mobilised' to tackle threat from Turkey

President Vladimir Putin is fully mobilised to tackle what the Kremlin regards as an unprecedented threat from Turkey following the shooting down of one of its warplanes by a Turkish F-16, the Russian leader's spokesman said on Saturday.

More:Kremlin says Putin 'fully mobilised' to tackle threat from Turkey - bdnews24.com

Russians Target Turkmen in Syria, Angering Ankara

Russians Target Turkmen in Syria, Angering Ankara

by John Hayward29 Nov 201511

The Turkish government has promised protection to these groups, while Russia tends to regard them as dangerous insurgents who threaten both the Syrian government supported by Moscow and Russia itself.

More:Russians Target Turkmen in Syria, Angering Ankara

Thousands Mourn Kurdish Human Rights Lawyer Killed in Turkey - WSJ

Thousands Mourn Kurdish Human Rights Lawyer Killed in Turkey
Turkish officials are investigating whether Tahir Elci was shot by accident or targeted

By Ayla Albayrak
Nov. 29, 2015 10:44 a.m. ET

ISTANBUL—Tens of thousands of mourners gathered on Sunday to bid farewell to a prominent human rights lawyer whose shooting death delivered a setback to hopes of bringing an end to months of political violence that has swept through Turkey’s Kurdish region.

More:Thousands Mourn Kurdish Human Rights Lawyer Killed in Turkey - WSJ

EU, Turkey Agree on Means to Stem Refugee Flow Swamping Europe - Bloomberg Business

EU, Turkey Agree on Means to Stem Refugee Flow Swamping Europe
Ian Wishart

November 29, 2015 — 11:46 AM EST

European Union leaders and Turkey agreed on measures to help stem the refugee crisis and counter terrorism, aided by an EU pledge to relaunch Turkey’s membership bid and provide financial support.

More:EU, Turkey Agree on Means to Stem Refugee Flow Swamping Europe - Bloomberg Business

Turkey's Prime Minister Criticizes Putin's Sanctions - Bloomberg Business

Turkey's Prime Minister Criticizes Putin's Sanctions
Constantine Courcoulas
Selcan Hacaoglu
November 29, 2015 — 6:45 AM EST

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu criticized Russian economic sanctions on Turkey after the downing of a Russian fighter jet over the Syrian border last week, saying his priority was to defuse the tension and prevent similar incidents.

More:Turkey's Prime Minister Criticizes Putin's Sanctions - Bloomberg Business

Questions raised after pro-Kurdish lawyer shot dead in southern Turkey | euronews, world news

Questions raised after pro-Kurdish lawyer shot dead in southern Turkey

29/11 08:23 CET

Questions are being asked about whether or not a top pro-Kurdish lawyer who died during a shootout in Turkey’s troubled south east was caught in crossfire or deliberately targeted .

More:Questions raised after pro-Kurdish lawyer shot dead in southern Turkey | euronews, world news

Europe goes hot Turkey – POLITICO

Europe goes hot Turkey

The migration crisis has thrown the EU and Ankara together. The next chapter will determine if the relationship can last.

More:Europe goes hot Turkey – POLITICO

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Now Is The Worst Time To Be A Journalist In Turkey - BuzzFeed News

Now Is The Worst Time To Be A Journalist In Turkey

Around 1,000 journalists have been pushed out of their jobs since the increasingly powerful Turkish president won re-election earlier this month. One leading editor talked to BuzzFeed News shortly before he was himself jailed.

MORE;Now Is The Worst Time To Be A Journalist In Turkey - BuzzFeed News

Third Turkish journalist arrested amid fears of Ankara censorship: reports | News | DW.COM | 28.11.2015

Third Turkish journalist arrested amid fears of Ankara censorship: reports

Local media has reported that a third Turkish reporter has been arrested, amid concern Ankara is cracking down on free speech. Yesterday, protesters took to the streets following the arrest of two other journalists.

More:Third Turkish journalist arrested amid fears of Ankara censorship: reports | News | DW.COM | 28.11.2015

More than 2 million refugees in Turkey pose a new question: integration and adaptation

More than 2 million refugees in Turkey pose a new question: integration and adaptation

The number of refugees who have fled to Turkey following the outbreak of the civil war in Syria has exceeded 2 million, raising concerns over integration, as it has become clear that most of them will not return to Syria.

More:More than 2 million refugees in Turkey pose a new question: integration and adaptation

Arrested journalists urge EU not to compromise on rights in Turkey talks - Yahoo News

Arrested journalists urge EU not to compromise on rights in Turkey talks

Istanbul (AFP) - Two Turkish journalists charged with "spying" over their reports about Ankara's alleged arms supplies to Syrian rebels urged the EU on Saturday not to compromise on human rights and press freedom as it looks to Turkey to help stem Europe's migrant crisis.

More:Arrested journalists urge EU not to compromise on rights in Turkey talks - Yahoo News

Recep Tayyip Erdogan wishes downing hadn’t occurred | The Asian Age

Recep Tayyip Erdogan wishes downing hadn’t occurred
Nov 29, 2015 |

Turkey’s President has told supporters that he was saddened by the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish forces.

Addressing supporters on Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again defended Turkey’s action and criticised Russia for its action in Syria before expressing his regrets.

More:Recep Tayyip Erdogan wishes downing hadn’t occurred | The Asian Age

Kurdish lawyer Tahir Elci shot dead in Turkey as Istanbul erupts in clashes | Daily Mail Online

Police fire tear gas and water cannon at protesters in streets of Istanbul in violent clashes following death of high-profile Kurdish lawyer

By Imogen Calderwood and Isabel Hunter For Mailonline

Police and protesters are clashing in violent skirmishes in the streets of Istanbul tonight, following the ‘assassination’ of a prominent lawyer and human rights defender today.

Tahir Elci, who was facing a prison term on charges of supporting Kurdish rebels, was killed in an attack in southeast Turkey which also killed at least one police officer.

More:Kurdish lawyer Tahir Elci shot dead in Turkey as Istanbul erupts in clashes | Daily Mail Online

Editorial: EU cuts Turkish deal | Boston Herald

Editorial: EU cuts Turkish deal
Herald Staff Saturday, November 28, 2015

The European Union is about to make Turkey a deal: Some $3.2 billion in EU cash and a fast-tracking of its long-awaited EU membership in exchange for tightening border security and taking back some of those migrants who don’t qualify for refugee status.

More:Editorial: EU cuts Turkish deal | Boston Herald

Russian Revenge Technology 101: How to Demoralize Turkey

Russian Revenge Technology 101: How to Demoralize Turkey
By Clapway -
November 27, 2015

Russia certainly has a reason to be livid after hearing about the latest thing that Turkey did to Russia. Per reports, a Russian jet was taken down by Turkey. This has clearly made Russia mad, but it seems like Russia does not want to retaliate via the military. However, it seems as if Russia wants to punish Turkey right where it hurts, economically.

More:Russian Revenge Technology 101: How to Demoralize Turkey

INTERVIEW: Markus Dressler on the formation of modern Turkish Alevism - BOOKS

INTERVIEW: Markus Dressler on the formation of modern Turkish Alevism

William Armstrong - william.armstrong@hdn.com.tr

Turkey’s newly elected government has given signals that it may move to address the grievances of the country’s Alevi community through a new “Alevi opening.” Following its crushing election victory on Nov. 1, some think the Justice and Development Party (AKP) now has the political cushion to pass legislative changes that - however necessary - may not be popular with its base.

More:INTERVIEW: Markus Dressler on the formation of modern Turkish Alevism - BOOKS

Moscow imposes sanctions on Ankara | The News Tribe

Moscow imposes sanctions on Ankara

MOSCOW: Russia on Friday has imposed sanctions on Turkey as the words war over a downed Russian warplane escalated.

According to details from international media, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Russia not to “play with fire”.

mORE:Moscow imposes sanctions on Ankara | The News Tribe

Turkish journalists face life term over Ankara arms supply claims - HueWire

Turkish journalists face life term over Ankara arms supply claims
donaldhamm

A court on Thursday ordered the arrest of editor-in-chief of the Cumhuriyetnewspaper Can Dundar and reporter Erdem Gul over the publication of footage purporting to show the state intelligence agency helping send weapons to Syria.

mORE:Turkish journalists face life term over Ankara arms supply claims - HueWire

Bar Association head of Turkey's Diyarbakır, two policemen killed in gun attack - CRIME

Bar Association head of Turkey's Diyarbakır, two policemen killed in gun attack

Tahir Elçi, the head of the Bar Association in Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakır and a human rights activist, was killed in a gun attack following a press meeting, as two policemen were also killed during a clash.

More:Bar Association head of Turkey's Diyarbakır, two policemen killed in gun attack - CRIME

Friday, November 27, 2015

Turkey and the EU: Old Routine and New Tensions - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Turkey and the EU: Old Routine and New Tensions
Posted by: Marc Pierini Friday, November 27, 2015
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Since Turkey started accession negotiations with the EU in 2005, a relatively predictable dialogue has unfolded about chapters, which are either opened or blocked, and political criteria, which are fulfilled either sufficiently or less so. Recently, discussions also took place on modernizing the EU-Turkey Customs Union, implementing visa liberalization, and readmitting irregular migrants. As slow or frustrating as it was at times, this comfortable routine remained immune from hard politics.

More:Turkey and the EU: Old Routine and New Tensions - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Opinion: Another attempt to silence media in Turkey | Opinion | DW.COM | 27.11.2015

Opinion: Another attempt to silence media in Turkey

While Turkey’s democracy is under attack, it also strives to jump-start negotiations with the European Union. Europe shouldn’t shy away from dealing with the real problem, writes DW’s Seda Serdar.

More:Opinion: Another attempt to silence media in Turkey | Opinion | DW.COM | 27.11.2015

Turkey Without Russian Tourists Strikes Economy Where It's Weak - Bloomberg Business

Turkey Without Russian Tourists Strikes Economy Where It's Weak
Onur Ant

Russia’s effective ban on tourist travel to Turkey in retaliation for the downing of one of its jets by Turkish F-16s this week will reverberate far beyond a Kremlin-themed hotel on the Antalya coast. These four charts show the threat to Turkey’s economy.

More:Turkey Without Russian Tourists Strikes Economy Where It's Weak - Bloomberg Business

Vladimir Putin is not Turkey's problem, Tayyip Erdogan's economics is | afr.com

Vladimir Putin is not Turkey's problem, Tayyip Erdogan's economics is
by Marc Champion

On the day Turkey shot down a Russian jet this week, it also formed a new government. That went little noticed, given the frisson of a NATO-Russia clash, but it may be as important as any economic sanctions Russia might impose in retaliation for its loss.

More:Vladimir Putin is not Turkey's problem, Tayyip Erdogan's economics is | afr.com

Turkey and Russia do not have 'luxury' of unfriendly ties: Turkish minister | Reuters

Turkey and Russia do not have 'luxury' of unfriendly ties: Turkish minister
ANKARA

Turkey and Russia do not have the luxury of unfriendly relations, Turkey's EU minister said on Thursday, two days after Turkish jets shot down a Russian plane along the Syria border.

More:Turkey and Russia do not have 'luxury' of unfriendly ties: Turkish minister | Reuters

Erdogan Says Syria's Assad Backs ISIL, Not Turkey | Al Jazeera America

Erdogan says Syria's Assad, not Turkey, backing ISIL
After Russia claims that Ankara was funding ISIL, Turkey's President Erdogan says Syrian regime buying oil from ISIL
November 26, 2015 8:50PM ET

Turkey's president has said the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is funding the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and denied that Ankara has purchased oil from the group.

More:Erdogan Says Syria's Assad Backs ISIL, Not Turkey | Al Jazeera America

Turkey is a Pawn on the Chessboard for US-NATO War against Russia | Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization

Turkey is a Pawn on the Chessboard for US-NATO War against Russia
By Timothy Alexander Guzman

“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way”, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Turkey’s provocation towards Russia is not surprising at all. Washington’s Fingerprints are at the Scene of the Crime. Let’s consider the facts. Syrian government forces along with Russia have turned the tide against ISIS. It is a known fact that the U.S., France, the U.K., Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar had been arming, funding, training or provided safe havens for ISIS at some point in time. Turkey was implicated in a 2012 Reuters report stating that “Turkey has set up a secret base with allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct vital military and communications aid to Syria’s rebels from a city near the border.” The report also said:

More:Turkey is a Pawn on the Chessboard for US-NATO War against Russia | Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization

Who are 'Allah's lions'? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Who are 'Allah's lions'?

For several months now, Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast seems to have been thrown back to the 1990s, a period marked by gross human rights violations, as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) pushes a new strategy extending armed confrontations to urban areas.

More:Who are 'Allah's lions'? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Erdogan gobbles up power in new Turkish government - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Erdogan gobbles up power in new Turkish government

I was waiting for the announcement of the new Turkish Cabinet on Nov. 24 when a Russian fighter jet was shot down by a Turkish F-16 on the border between Turkey and Syria. The magnitude of the international crisis that the incident may generate is still too early to predict. Hearing an angry Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said Russia was “stabbed in the back by those who abetted the terrorists” and accused Turkey of aiding the Islamic State (IS) in transporting and selling its oil, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov canceling his visit to Ankara and calling on Russians not to go to Turkey, it is not hard to predict the days ahead could hold very serious developments.

More:Erdogan gobbles up power in new Turkish government - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Will there be a 'Kurdish AKP' in Turkey? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Will there be a 'Kurdish AKP' in Turkey?

Turkey’s June 7 elections marked the end of the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) supremacy in the predominantly Kurdish southeast, where it had been the No. 1 political party since its coming to power in 2002. The rise of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) in the region, which came at the expense of big AKP losses, has prompted the AKP to redesign Kurdish politics.

More:Will there be a 'Kurdish AKP' in Turkey? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Media Freedom in Turkey

Media Freedom in Turkey

Press Statement
Mark C. Toner
Deputy Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 27, 2015

We are troubled by the pre-trial arrest yesterday of senior editors of the respected Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet.

The investigation, criminal charges, and arrest raise serious concerns about the Turkish government’s commitment to the fundamental principle of media freedom. These events are only the latest in a series of judicial and law enforcement actions taken under questionable circumstances against Turkish media outlets critical of the government.

More:Media Freedom in Turkey

EU, Turkey driving hard bargain before migration summit | Reuters

EU, Turkey driving hard bargain before migration summit
BRUSSELS/ANKARA | By Alastair Macdonald and Jonny Hogg

European and Turkish officials are working to smooth out their remaining differences on an agreement to help stem flows of migrants to Europe, which they hope will be signed on Sunday by European Union leaders and Turkey's prime minister.

More:EU, Turkey driving hard bargain before migration summit | Reuters

Russia will want to make Turkey pay (Opinion) - CNN.com

Russia will want to make Turkey pay

By Soner Cagaptay
(CNN)The shooting down of a Russian jet that Turkey says violated its airspace near the Syrian border has further ratcheted up tensions between the two countries. The move appears to reflect a determination in Ankara to adopt a more aggressive posture toward Moscow. But while it is certainly a bold shift, it is very much a symptom of the problematic nature of Turkish-Russian ties.

More:Russia will want to make Turkey pay (Opinion) - CNN.com

Turkey going through dire straits - MURAT YETKİN

Turkey going through dire straits

Turkey is currently going through dire straits - and not only due to ongoing tension with Russia over the downed jet on Nov. 24 near the Syrian border.

More:Turkey going through dire straits - MURAT YETKİN

Humble words for Turkey’s economy amid the Russia crisis - GÜNEŞ KÖMÜRCÜLER

Humble words for Turkey’s economy amid the Russia crisis

The Turkish economy is facing yet another regional crisis, with the potential to create further strains on a number of sectors.

More:Humble words for Turkey’s economy amid the Russia crisis - GÜNEŞ KÖMÜRCÜLER

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Turkey would have acted differently if it had known jet was Russian: Erdogan - Yahoo News

Turkey would have acted differently if it had known jet was Russian: Erdogan

Istanbul (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that Turkey would have acted differently if it had known a warplane its forces downed on the Syrian border was Russian.

More:Turkey would have acted differently if it had known jet was Russian: Erdogan - Yahoo News

Russia targets Turkish economy over downed warplane | Inquirer News

Russia targets Turkish economy over downed warplane

MOSCOW, Russia—Russia on Thursday vowed to carry out broad retaliatory measures against Turkey’s economy to avenge the downing of one of its warplanes as Moscow and Ankara traded furious verbal volleys.

More:Russia targets Turkish economy over downed warplane | Inquirer News

Why did it take Turkey just 17 seconds to shoot down Russian jet? | World news | The Guardian

Why did it take Turkey just 17 seconds to shoot down Russian jet?
Mark Galeotti

Ankara has delivered an incendiary message to Moscow, and while there may be too much at stake for the conflict to spill out of control it also won’t go away

More:Why did it take Turkey just 17 seconds to shoot down Russian jet? | World news | The Guardian

UPDATE 1-Turkey arrests two journalists on terrorism charges -CNN Turk | Reuters

Turkey arrests two journalists on terrorism charges -CNN Turk

Nov 26 Two prominent Turkish journalists were arrested on Thursday on charges of assisting terrorists, CNN Turk said, after they published footage that purported to show the state intelligence agency helping send weapons to Syria.

More:UPDATE 1-Turkey arrests two journalists on terrorism charges -CNN Turk | Reuters

Dutch PM backs Turkey’s account warplane incident - The Journal of Turkish Weekly

Dutch PM backs Turkey’s account warplane incident
Russian Jet Downing
November 26, 2015

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said he does not doubt information provided by Turkey over the downing of a Russian warplane which violated its airspace.

More:Dutch PM backs Turkey’s account warplane incident - The Journal of Turkish Weekly

EU to Open New Chapter in Membership Talks with Turkey

EU to Open New Chapter in Membership Talks with Turkey
By Jack Moore 11/26/15 at 9:23 AM

Turkey moved a step closer in its bid to join the European Union after its government announced fresh talks with the 28-member bloc on Thursday. The talks will focus on economic and monetary policy.

More:EU to Open New Chapter in Membership Talks with Turkey

Turkey's downing of Russian plane: Russia was warned but Turkey may have over-reacted

Turkey's downing of Russian plane: Russia was warned but Turkey may have over-reacted
26 November 2015 3:45PM

The downing of a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 is awkward timing. Signs of a rapprochement in tensions between the West and Russia looked like genuine cooperation was underway in Syria. Russia had stepped up hits directed at ISIS and related infrastructure, and Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the Russian navy to treat France like an 'ally' in Syria following the Paris attacks. Further conflict escalation relating to disagreements peripheral to the Syria crisis is in no one’s interests, as highlighted by NATO Secretary General’s call for 'diplomacy and de-escalation' as important to resolving the situation.

More:Turkey's downing of Russian plane: Russia was warned but Turkey may have over-reacted

The Age of Erdogan: Why Turkey Voted AKP | McGill International Review

The Age of Erdogan: Why Turkey Voted AKP
Posted by Kathryn Schmidt 17 hours ago

The results of Turkey’s recent parliamentary election were anything but ordinary. Within the past five months, the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) party has successfully recovered from this summer’s inconclusive election in which the party lost its majority standing. Since June, the AKP has surprisingly mobilized an additional 5 million supporters, thereby gaining the 59 representatives in the Grand National Assembly required for a majority total of 319 seats. Even senior AKP leaders were stunned by the speed with which the party rebounded from its weakened position; in-party fighting had ensued after the AKP’s loss of its parliamentary majority and as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the party’s founder and longtime driving force, dismissed talks of constructing a coalition and instead insisted upon holding this second election. However, the doubts surrounding the level of public support for Erdogan and the AKP have been emphatically dispelled: the Islamist party has successfully re-established itself as the dominant force in Turkish politics for at least four more years.

More:The Age of Erdogan: Why Turkey Voted AKP | McGill International Review

Turkey's Main Challenge Is 'Erdoganomics' - Bloomberg View

Turkey's Main Challenge Is 'Erdoganomics'
4 Nov 26, 2015 2:00 AM EST
By Marc Champion

On the day Turkey shot down a Russian jet this week, it also formed a new government. That went little noticed, given the frisson of a NATO-Russia clash, but it may be as important as any economic sanctions Russia might impose in retaliation for its loss.

More:Turkey's Main Challenge Is 'Erdoganomics' - Bloomberg View

EU countries still bickering over Turkey – POLITICO

EU countries still bickering over Turkey

As another migration summit approaches, finding the money proves difficult.
By

Jacopo Barigazzi

11/26/15, 5:30 AM CET

Updated 11/26/15, 4:31 PM CET

The EU-Turkey summit set for Sunday in Brussels was never going to be easy, but Tuesday’s news that Turkish forces had shot down a Russian jet on the Syrian border has raised the political stakes even more in what will be an unusual effort to find solutions to Europe’s migration crisis.

More:EU countries still bickering over Turkey – POLITICO

The internet puts its own spin on the Russian-Turkish crisis - Al Arabiya News

The internet puts its own spin on the Russian-Turkish crisis

While a diplomatic crisis unfolds between Turkey and Russia, the internet has exploded in memes on Turkey’s Recep Tayip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

More:The internet puts its own spin on the Russian-Turkish crisis - Al Arabiya News

Talk of a grand coalition against Isis is heroically optimistic - FT.com

Talk of a grand coalition against Isis is heroically optimistic

David Gardner in Beirut

For a united front to work everyone must agree on a common enemy

More:Talk of a grand coalition against Isis is heroically optimistic - FT.com

Downed Russian bomber threatens NATO | National News - WCVB Home

Downed Russian bomber threatens NATO
UPDATED 6:36 PM EST Nov 25, 2015

WASHINGTON (CNN) —The cool, calm, clear thinking that kept the NATO alliance intact as it weathered the Cold War with the Soviet Union has been shattered.

More:Downed Russian bomber threatens NATO | National News - WCVB Home

Russia seeks economic revenge against Turkey over jet | Reuters

Russia seeks economic revenge against Turkey over jet
ISTANBUL/MOSCOW | By Humeyra Pamuk and Vladimir Soldatkin

Russia threatened economic retaliation against Turkey on Thursday and said it was still awaiting a reasonable explanation for the shooting down of its warplane, but Turkey dismissed the threats as "emotional" and "unfitting".

More:Russia seeks economic revenge against Turkey over jet | Reuters

Russia jet ‘circling refugee camp’

Russia jet ‘may have been preparing to strike refugee camp’

Hannah Lucinda Smith
The Times
November 26, 2015 11:00AM

Obama, Hollande want Russia, Turkey to avoid escalation

Russia fired cluster bombs around border camps housing thousands of Syrian refugees in the weeks before one of its jets was shot down by Turkish fighter jets.

More:Russia jet ‘circling refugee camp’

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

How Russia Plane Crisis Could Hurt Turkey's Economy: Lira Falls After Country Downs Russian Warplane

How Russia Plane Crisis Could Hurt Turkey's Economy: Lira Falls After Country Downs Russian Warplane
By Michelle Mark @michelleamark m.mark@ibtimes.com on November 24 2015 11:49 AM EST

The news of a Turkish fighter jet downing a Russian plane Tuesday could signal a further slump in the country’s already embattled economy, as it balances its two-pronged war with Kurdish militants and Islamic State group fighters in Syria with rapidly increasing tensions with Russia, the country’s No. 2 trading partner. Turkey’s lira weakened the most out of 24 currencies across emerging markets Tuesday, depreciating 0.6 percent to 2.8679 against the U.S. dollar, Bloomberg reported. Turkish stocks and bonds also fell, while the country’s central bank left interest rates unchanged.

More:How Russia Plane Crisis Could Hurt Turkey's Economy: Lira Falls After Country Downs Russian Warplane

Long-Time Steward of Turkey Economy Left Out of New Cabinet - Bloomberg Business

Long-Time Steward of Turkey Economy Left Out of New Cabinet
Isobel Finkel
Onur Ant

November 24, 2015 — 8:27 AM EST
Updated on November 24, 2015 — 12:10 PM EST


Ali Babacan, the minister who helmed Turkey’s $800 billion economy on and off for more than a decade, has been left out of the country’s new cabinet.

More:Long-Time Steward of Turkey Economy Left Out of New Cabinet - Bloomberg Business

Turkey's new government includes Erdogan son-in-law - US News

Turkey's president approves new government that includes son-in-law
The Associated Press

Associated Press
Nov. 24, 2015 | 8:25 a.m. EST

By SUZAN FRASER, Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish president on Tuesday approved a new government led by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, which is composed of several names close to the president, including his son-in-law.

More:Turkey's new government includes Erdogan son-in-law - US News

World War III - Twitter panic as Russian jet downed over Turkey | World | News | Daily Express

Downing of Russian jet by Turkey sparks panic with World War III trending on Twitter

THE downing of a Russian war plane said to have flown into Turkish airspace sparked panic on Twitter today, resulting in 'World War III' trending on the social network for several hours.

More:World War III - Twitter panic as Russian jet downed over Turkey | World | News | Daily Express

Obama: Turkey has the right to defend itself - CNNPolitics.com

Obama: Turkey has the right to defend itself and its airspace
Kevin Liptak-Profile-Image

By Kevin Liptak, CNN White House Producer

Washington (CNN)Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter plane shouldn't lead to further wartime escalation in the region, President Barack Obama insisted at a press conference Tuesday.

More:Obama: Turkey has the right to defend itself - CNNPolitics.com

Putin sends air defense missiles to Syria to deter Turkey

Putin sends air defense missiles to Syria to deter Turkey

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

Buy AP Photo Reprints

MOSCOW (AP) -- President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered state-of-the art air defense missile systems to be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria following the downing of one of its warplanes by Turkey, a move that raised the threat of a military confrontation between the NATO member and Moscow.

More:News from The Associated Press

Russia and Turkey Downplay Escalation after Plane Shot Down | Foreign Policy

Russia and Turkey Downplay Escalation after Plane Shot Down

By J. Dana Stuster
November 25, 2015

Russian and Syrian special forces have reportedly rescued a Russian pilot whose Su-24 warplane was shot down by Turkish F-16s along the Turkey-Syria border yesterday, according to Syrian state media. The plane’s second pilot was shot and killed as he descended by parachute, the Russian military told press. Previously, a Turkmen rebel commander had told reporters that his troops had shot and killed both pilots after they had ejected from the Su-24.

More:Russia and Turkey Downplay Escalation after Plane Shot Down | Foreign Policy

Sultans and tsars: Russia has always had an ambivalent relationship with Islam | The Economist

Sultans and tsars
Russia has always had an ambivalent relationship with Islam
Nov 25th 2015, 11:43 by ERASMUS

VLADIMIR PUTIN will get a lot of attention in the Western world, some of it approving, by lashing out against Turkey's rulers for "Islamising" the country. A day after Turkey downed a Russian fighter, the Russian president declared that:

The problem is not in the tragedy we faced yesterday, the problem is much deeper...We see—and not only we, I assure you the entire world sees—that the current leadership of Turkey has been for a number of years pursuing a purposeful policy of...Islamisation of the country.

More:Sultans and tsars: Russia has always had an ambivalent relationship with Islam | The Economist

The Russians had it coming to them - Telegraph

The Russians had it coming to them

Now the Turks have shot down a Russian warplane, Mr Putin might finally understand that if you play with fire, you end up getting burned

More:The Russians had it coming to them - Telegraph

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Video: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Downed fighter jet in line with rules of engagement - Telegraph

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Downed fighter jet in line with rules of engagement

Turkey’s President defends his country’s actions in shooting down the Russian warplane, stating the act is in "accordance with the rules of engagement"

More:Video: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Downed fighter jet in line with rules of engagement - Telegraph

Putin Has Misjudged Turkey's Erdogan - Bloomberg View

Putin Has Misjudged Turkey's Erdogan
526 Nov 24, 2015 8:09 AM EST
By Marc Champion

The details of how and why a Russian jet was shot down near the Turkish-Syrian border remain unclear, but one thing can already be said: Russian President Vladimir Putin has misjudged his Turkish counterpart and former friend, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

More:Putin Has Misjudged Turkey's Erdogan - Bloomberg View

U.S. says Turkish shootdown of Russian jet was 'at the border' | Reuters

U.S. says Turkish shootdown of Russian jet was 'at the border'
WASHINGTON

Turkey shot down a Russian warplane at the Syrian border on Tuesday but the United States is still reviewing data to determine precisely where the incident took place, U.S.-led coalition spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said.

More:U.S. says Turkish shootdown of Russian jet was 'at the border' | Reuters

Turkey believes Russian pilots still alive, seeking their release - government official | Reuters

Turkey believes Russian pilots still alive, seeking their release - government official
ANKARA

Turkey believes the two pilots from a Russian war plane it shot down close to the Syrian border on Tuesday are still alive and is working to secure their release from Syrian rebels, a Turkish government official told Reuters.

More:Turkey believes Russian pilots still alive, seeking their release - government official | Reuters

Russia shooting highlights Ankara defiance - FT.com

Russia shooting highlights Ankara defiance

By Mark Odell in London and Mehul Srivastava in Istanbul

Turkish radar image showing what it claims is the flight path of the Russian SU24 that was shot down on Tuesday

The shooting down of a Russian Su-24 strike aircraft by Turkish warplanes on Tuesday is one of the nightmare scenarios that military planners had envisaged as a result of Moscow’s decision to enter the conflict.

More:Russia shooting highlights Ankara defiance - FT.com

European Council: Turkey Summit Set for Sunday - The New York Times

European Council: Turkey Summit Set for Sunday

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNOV. 23, 2015, 3:52 P.M. E.S.T.

BRUSSELS — European Council President Donald Tusk says he has called for a summit with Turkey this Sunday to "re-energize relations and stem migration flow.

More:European Council: Turkey Summit Set for Sunday - The New York Times

The price of being a journalist in Turkey

The price of being a journalist in Turkey
eng

23 November 2015

Arrested at the end of August and charged with “engagement in terrorist activities”, the journalist Mohammed Rasool is still detained in Turkey. A warning for journalism and foreign media outlets

More:The price of being a journalist in Turkey

Turkey 'turning away all Syrians who try to cross border' - Telegraph

Turkey 'turning away all Syrians who try to cross border'

Syrians in Turkey tell a human rights organisation how border guards intercepted them at or near the border – some said they were immediately beaten back into Syria, others said that they had been detained and then expelled

More:Turkey 'turning away all Syrians who try to cross border' - Telegraph

Turkey shoots down Russian warplane on Syria border: Vladimir Putin warns of 'serious consequences' - latest - Telegraph

Turkey shoots down Russian warplane on Syria border: Vladimir Putin warns of 'serious consequences' - latest

Russian president has accused Turkey of "stabbing Russia in the back", as reports say two pilots have been killed by Turkmen forces in Syria

More:Turkey shoots down Russian warplane on Syria border: Vladimir Putin warns of 'serious consequences' - latest - Telegraph

Monday, November 23, 2015

Islamist Politics and Turkey's Disunity | Stephen Schwartz

Islamist Politics and Turkey's Disunity

This post was co-authored by Veli Sirin, European director of the Center for Islamic Pluralism.

The Islamist atrocities in Paris on November 13 have overshadowed a different but relevant crisis in radical Muslim politics. In Turkey, on November 1, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regained its parliamentary majority. AKP had lost its control over the national legislature in June, when its representation fell from 327 to 258 out of 550. Erdoğan's followers have now clawed back to 317 seats.

More:Islamist Politics and Turkey's Disunity | Stephen Schwartz

The linguistics of Turkey-EU relations - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

The linguistics of Turkey-EU relations

The Economic Development Foundation (İKV) has been conducting an eye-opening series of studies on Turkey-EU relations. The first, examining the “mathematics” of the European Commission’s progress reports on Turkey, was released last year; the second, examining the “linguistics” of the reports, was recently made public.

More:The linguistics of Turkey-EU relations - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

HRW: Turkey Closes Borders to Syrian Refugees | Al Jazeera America

Turkey has ‘all but closed its borders’ to Syrian refugees, HRW says

November 23, 2015 1:22PM ET
by Philip J. Victor @philjvic

Turkey has "all but closed its borders" to Syrian refugees, many of whom say they have been beaten, detained and expelled by Turkish border guards while trying to escape the devastating civil war that has sent millions fleeing Syria, nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday.

More:HRW: Turkey Closes Borders to Syrian Refugees | Al Jazeera America

Are you defending this outdated system, opposition? - AHMET HAKAN

Are you defending this outdated system, opposition?

We understand that you are against the presidential system; I got that (by the way, I am talking to the opposition).

More:Are you defending this outdated system, opposition? - AHMET HAKAN

Europe’s ‘need for Turkey’ - SEMİH İDİZ

Europe’s ‘need for Turkey’

Developments are vindicating once again the claim that relations with Turkey have always been a function of necessity, rather than love on the part of Europe. Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Nicolas Sarkozy made it amply clear at the time what they think about “Turkey in Europe.”

More:Europe’s ‘need for Turkey’ - SEMİH İDİZ

Turkey seeks U.N. Security Council meeting on Turkmens in Syria: sources | Reuters

Turkey seeks U.N. Security Council meeting on Turkmens in Syria: sources
ANKARA

Turkey has called for a U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss attacks on Turkmens in neighboring Syria, sources in the prime minister's office said, days after Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against the bombing of their villages.

More:Turkey seeks U.N. Security Council meeting on Turkmens in Syria: sources | Reuters

Turkey fishes in troubled waters | GulfNews.com

Turkey fishes in troubled waters

In Erdogan’s mind, consensus means adding Kurdish forces to the EU list of terrorist organisations
By Fehim Tastekin

Opportunism may be one of the accepted facts of life in foreign policy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. The Turkish government is busy right now trying to make the most of two pieces of the Syrian crisis that have come to the fore: The recent flood of refugees to Europe, and the Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) attacks in Paris. They are both likely to backfire.

More:Turkey fishes in troubled waters | GulfNews.com

Turkey Asks 'What Happened to Us' Over Fans' Disrespect - The New York Times

Turkey Asks 'What Happened to Us' Over Fans' Disrespect

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNOV. 23, 2015, 6:40 A.M. E.S.T.

ANKARA, Turkey — On a night of European soccer matches between national teams, the scenes in London and Istanbul were a study in contrast. The British and French fans at London's Wembley Stadium sang the French national anthem in solidarity over the Paris attacks, while in Istanbul hundreds of Turkish fans booed the Greek national anthem and disrupted a moment of silence for those killed in Paris.

More:Turkey Asks 'What Happened to Us' Over Fans' Disrespect - The New York Times

Stung by attacks, Turkey toughens stance against IS | The Guardian Nigeria

Stung by attacks, Turkey toughens stance against IS

By AFP on November 23, 2015 11:28 am

Long criticised by its allies for taking too soft a line against jihadists, Turkey is taking firmer action against the Islamic State (IS) on the border with Syria after being shaken by attacks on its soil and the Paris assaults.

More:Stung by attacks, Turkey toughens stance against IS | The Guardian Nigeria

EU rapporteur says Turkey not yet ready to join Union

EU rapporteur says Turkey not yet ready to join Union
23 November 2015, 12:56 (GMT+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 23

By Elena Kosolapova – Trend:

Turkey is not ready to join the EU, as it has not yet met all the standards set for membership, Member of the European Parliament, European Parliament Rapporteur on Turkey Kati Piri told Trend in an interview.

More:EU rapporteur says Turkey not yet ready to join Union

Turkey: Syrians Pushed Back at the Border | Human Rights Watch

Turkey: Syrians Pushed Back at the Border

(Istanbul) – Turkey has all but closed its borders to Syrian asylum seekers and is summarily pushing back Syrians detected as they try to cross, Human Rights Watch said today. Syrians described Turkish border guards intercepting them at or near the border, in some cases beating them, and pushing them and dozens of others back into Syria or detaining and then summarily expelling them along with hundreds of others.

More:Turkey: Syrians Pushed Back at the Border | Human Rights Watch

Turkey Helps To Change African Lives For The Better | The Star

Turkey Helps To Change African Lives For The Better

BY FERIDUN H SINIRLIOGLU
November 23, 2015

Souleiman is a Darfuri young man who lacked skills and was unemployed. In 2013, he learnt about the vocational training centre in Khartoum set up by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency. After attending an acclimatisation course for six months, he is now earning a living.

More:Turkey Helps To Change African Lives For The Better | The Star

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Brussels bows deeply to Erdogan to relieve migrant crisis - FT.com

Brussels bows deeply to Erdogan to relieve migrant crisis

Alex Barker in Brussels

Turkey’s president has been showered with goodies in a desperate attempt to find a solution

More:Brussels bows deeply to Erdogan to relieve migrant crisis - FT.com

Will Turkey get tougher on ISIL? | The National

Will Turkey get tougher on ISIL?

Joseph Dana

November 22, 2015 Updated: November 22, 2015 10:14 PM

Turkey is slowly starting to reveal how it intends to fight ISIL, both inside the country and beyond. Last weekend, Turkish security forces arrested three suspected ISIL fighters including one Belgian national of Moroccan origin with alleged ties to last week’s attacks in Paris.

More:Will Turkey get tougher on ISIL? | The National

Plane Headed From U.S. to Turkey Diverted Due to Bomb Scare - NBC News

Plane Headed From U.S. to Turkey Diverted Due to Bomb Scare

by Phil Helsel and Molly Roecker

A plane headed to Turkey from New York was diverted to Nova Scotia over a bomb scare on Saturday.

More:Plane Headed From U.S. to Turkey Diverted Due to Bomb Scare - NBC News

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Turkish admiral warns Greek counterpart against sinking migrant boats - LOCAL

Turkish admiral warns Greek counterpart against sinking migrant boats

A Turkish admiral has shown footage of a migrant boat being sunk on the Aegean Sea by a Greek Coast Guard boat to a Greek Coast Guard commander, urging them to refrain from such acts, daily Hürriyet reported on Nov. 19.

More:Turkish admiral warns Greek counterpart against sinking migrant boats - LOCAL

OPP.Today - Turkey to launch its own 'Golden Visa'

Turkey to launch its own ‘Golden Visa’

November 20th, 2015 Adrian Bishop Asia, News 0 comments

Turkey has announced that it plans to launch its own ‘Golden Visa’ property-for-residency scheme.

Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci says the country is set to follow in the footsteps of Portugal and Cyprus and launch its very own ‘Golden Visa’ scheme.

More:OPP.Today - Turkey to launch its own 'Golden Visa'

Friday, November 20, 2015

Don’t give Islamists the Islamophobia they want – and more - BURAK BEKDİL

Don’t give Islamists the Islamophobia they want – and more

My column neighbor and ex-sparring partner (if I may?) Mustafa Akyol was perfectly right in his piece “Don’t give ISIL the Islamophobia it wants,” when he wrote that the French “should not give the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) what it wants, which is an irrational and disproportionate response.” He was also right when he wrote that “in a nutshell, this would mean ‘total war’ against ISIL, which would kill many civilians, and thus only embolden the zeal for jihad, deepening an already vicious cycle,” and that “it would also mean more Islamophobia in the West, which will make more Muslims believe that the West is their enemy.” No doubt.

More:Don’t give Islamists the Islamophobia they want – and more - BURAK BEKDİL

100kg of Explosives Seized in Ankara - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk

100kg of Explosives Seized in Ankara 2

20.11.2015, 11:59 4,466

Turkish police in an operation in Ankara on November 19 seized a hundred kilos of explosives, hidden in the ground by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

More:100kg of Explosives Seized in Ankara - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk

Turkey football coach slams booing during minute's silence

Turkey football coach slams booing during minute's silence

However, in Istanbul a number of Turkey fans did not observe the minute's silence ahead of kick-off at the 17,000-capacity sold-out Basaksehir Stadium, instead booing, whistling and chanting.

More:Turkey football coach slams booing during minute's silence

ROBERT FISK, BETWEEN FRANCOPHOBIA AND TURKOPHOBIA - Maxime GAUIN

ROBERT FISK, BETWEEN FRANCOPHOBIA AND TURKOPHOBIA - Maxime GAUIN
20.11.2015 - 00:00

Robert Fisk is relatively well known for his recurrent hostility toward Turkey and the Turkish people, particularly as far as the Armenian issue is involved. He has used, as “evidence” of a “genocidal intent”, the forged “documents” published in 1920 by Aram Andonian,[1] the false “interview” with Atatürk published by The Los Angeles Examiner,[2] and the absurd book written by an Armenian American, Sarkis Torossian, who pretended to be a former officer of the Ottoman, British and French armies.[3]

More:ROBERT FISK, BETWEEN FRANCOPHOBIA AND TURKOPHOBIA - Maxime GAUIN

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Erdogan: Anti-Refugee Sentiment Will Backfire on the West

Erdogan: Anti-Refugee Sentiment Will Backfire on the West
By Ashish Kumar Sen 11/19/15 at 3:37 PM

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey on November 19 criticized the growing backlash against refugees in the wake of the attacks in Paris, saying this will only deepen the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the war in Syria.

More:Erdogan: Anti-Refugee Sentiment Will Backfire on the West

Turkey's informal ISIS support | MACINTYRE | Columnists | Opinion | Toronto Sun

Turkey's informal ISIS support

Sara MacIntyre
By Sara MacIntyre, Postmedia Network

The macabre spectacle of world leaders meeting for the G20 in Turkey was another chapter in the ironic dissonance that is all too common place in the war on terror.

More:Turkey's informal ISIS support | MACINTYRE | Columnists | Opinion | Toronto Sun

EU-Turkey refugee talks turn sour as Erdogan belittles Juncker - FT.com

EU-Turkey refugee talks turn sour as Erdogan belittles Juncker

Alex Barker in Brussels and Mehul Srivastava in Istanbul

The potential deal between the EU and Turkey to stem the migrant flow to Europe is floundering as Ankara pushes Brussels to deliver on a multibillion-euro aid package and other elements of the bargain.

More:EU-Turkey refugee talks turn sour as Erdogan belittles Juncker - FT.com

Erdogan urges united Muslim front

Erdogan urges united Muslim front
November 20, 2015

ISTANBUL - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday called for a united front by Muslim leaders to fight extremism after the Paris attacks, warning that otherwise jihadists will commit further atrocities.

More:Erdogan urges united Muslim front

Insights Into the Resistance Movement in Turkey (Second in a Series) - FPIF

Insights Into the Resistance Movement in Turkey (Second in a Series)

Turkish President Erdogan has created a cult of personality in which he is the ultimate protection against the chaos he plans.

More:Insights Into the Resistance Movement in Turkey (Second in a Series) - FPIF

How Erdogan lost the liberals - Yahoo Maktoob News

How Erdogan lost the liberals
Al JazeeraBy Mustafa Akyol | Al Jazeera – 20 hours ago

About five years ago, Turkey was the shining star of the Muslim world, gaining praise from both East and West. It was a booming economy and rising democracy that had finally put its overbearing military back in its barracks, overcome its age-old fears about minorities, and even decided to have "zero problems with its neighbours".

More:How Erdogan lost the liberals - Yahoo Maktoob News

European Body: Turkey Must Safeguard Rights Battling Rebels - ABC News

European Body: Turkey Must Safeguard Rights Battling Rebels

By The Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey — Nov 18, 2015, 12:43 PM ET

A European human rights body has criticized Turkey for imposing dayslong curfews in towns in southeast Turkey as its security forces battle Kurdish militants, calling on the country to uphold human rights even as it battles the rebels.

More:European Body: Turkey Must Safeguard Rights Battling Rebels - ABC News

Arthur I. Cyr: Paris Terrorism Increases Importance of G20 — and Turkey - News - Journal Standard - Freeport, IL

Arthur I. Cyr: Paris Terrorism Increases Importance of G20 — and Turkey

By Arthur I. Cyr

Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris have dominated the discussions of top representatives of the Group of 20 (G20) nations held November 15-16 in Antalya, Turkey. Related to providing effective security, the gathering has devoted focused attention to helping the massive flow of refugees from the Middle East, stemming primarily from the Syria civil war.

More:Arthur I. Cyr: Paris Terrorism Increases Importance of G20 — and Turkey - News - Journal Standard - Freeport, IL

Greece and Turkey hopeful of deal to end Cyprus split - Independent.ie

Greece and Turkey hopeful of deal to end Cyprus split
Ercan Gurses and Angeliki Koutantou Ankara in Athens

The prime ministers of Turkey and Greece yesterday said they saw an opportunity to move toward a solution on the 40-year division of Cyprus, and Athens indicated it would lend support to Ankara's bid to join the EU.

More:Greece and Turkey hopeful of deal to end Cyprus split - Independent.ie

T-shaped stones tell story of Göbeklitepe - ARCHAEOLOGY

T-shaped stones tell story of Göbeklitepe

ŞANLIURFA
As part of a Turkish-UNDP joint project, sculptors have engraved the findings of Göbeklitepe on T-shaped stones to show both the way to the site and the first steps of human civilization

More:T-shaped stones tell story of Göbeklitepe - ARCHAEOLOGY

Yet another catch-22 for Antalya G-20 Summit - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

Yet another catch-22 for Antalya G-20 Summit

There is a catch-22 situation for the G-20 summits.

The world’s biggest economies gather to talk about economic problems, yet most of the time the agenda is dominated by the most pressing political issue of the day.

More:Yet another catch-22 for Antalya G-20 Summit - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Turning back Syrian refugees in wake of Paris attacks not a solution: UNICEF head | Business Standard News

Turning back Syrian refugees in wake of Paris attacks not a solution: UNICEF head

Turning back Syrian refugees in the wake of the Paris attacks is "not a solution" and will pile huge pressure on neighboring Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, the head of the UN children's agency has said.

More:Turning back Syrian refugees in wake of Paris attacks not a solution: UNICEF head | Business Standard News

Turkish authorities arrest eight Daesh suspects at Istanbul airport | Al Bawaba

Turkish authorities arrest eight Daesh suspects at Istanbul airport

Published November 18th, 2015 - 10:30 GMT via SyndiGate.info

Turkish police have detained eight Daesh-linked suspects who arrived at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport from Casablanca, police said Wednesday.

More:Turkish authorities arrest eight Daesh suspects at Istanbul airport | Al Bawaba

Turkish society cannot deal with this many refugees: Bundestag vice chair - EUROPE

Turkish society cannot deal with this many refugees: Bundestag vice chair

İpek Yezdani - BERLIN
Bundestag Vice President Claudia Roth criticizes German Chancellor Merkel’s bargaining with Turkey, saying it will result in more Syrian refugees staying in Turkey

More:Turkish society cannot deal with this many refugees: Bundestag vice chair - EUROPE

Turkey, US continue to differ on ISIL fight after G-20 - SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey, US continue to differ on ISIL fight after G-20

The G-20 Summit wrapped up its Antalya meeting on Nov. 16 after a roughly 48-hour marathon of intense diplomatic activity with scores of multilateral and bilateral meetings between the participating world leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the host and U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

More:Turkey, US continue to differ on ISIL fight after G-20 - SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Turkey and South Korea: Blood brothers for 60 years | Fulton News

Turkey and South Korea: Blood brothers for 60 years

By David Fisher on November 18, 2015No Comment

- 2017 anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations marks six decades of military, economic, and cultural cooperation

More:Turkey and South Korea: Blood brothers for 60 years | Fulton News

Turkey: a “laboratory” of democracy | The Concordian

Turkey: a “laboratory” of democracy

Posted by: Gregory Todaro in News 17 hours ago 0 Comments 135 Views

Thinking Out Loud series looks at journalism and human rights

“Turkey is a graveyard for journalists,” said veteran Turkish journalist Amberin Zaman, speaking to the crowd at a lecture in Concordia’s D.B. Clarke Theatre Monday night.

More:Turkey: a “laboratory” of democracy | The Concordian

Turkey and Greece must work together on refugees - Greek PM | Reuters

Turkey and Greece must work together on refugees - Greek PM
ISTANBUL

Greece and Turkey must fight human trafficking together and coordinate the work of their police and coast guards to help tackle the refugee crisis, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wrote in a Turkish newspaper on Tuesday.

More:Turkey and Greece must work together on refugees - Greek PM | Reuters

Has Erdogan polarised Turkey? | GulfNews.com

Has Erdogan polarised Turkey?

The president’s expansive regional policy has boiled down to a single issue: How to stop Syrian Kurdish militia from conquering more territory

More:Has Erdogan polarised Turkey? | GulfNews.com

U.S., Turkey working to finish shutting northern Syria border: Kerry | Reuters

U.S., Turkey working to finish shutting northern Syria border: Kerry
PARIS | By David Brunnstrom

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday the United States is starting an operation with Turkey to finish securing the northern Syrian border, an area that Islamic State militants have used as a lucrative smuggling route.

More:U.S., Turkey working to finish shutting northern Syria border: Kerry | Reuters

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Censorship: Turkey’s tangled relationship with social media

Censorship: Turkey’s tangled relationship with social media

On Saturday, a sudden ban on the social media network Reddit in Turkey was reported by The Verge, causing many to wonder what could have sparked this latest move by authorities to crack down on the Internet. At the time, the site was said to have been blocked on the DNS level, meaning that it was possible to circumvent the ban with a simple foreign DNS service.

More:Censorship: Turkey’s tangled relationship with social media

Toughter Int'l Stance on Terrorism is the Main G20 Summit Outcome - Erdogan

Toughter Int'l Stance on Terrorism is the Main G20 Summit Outcome - Erdogan

According to Turkey's president, the G20 countries are resolved on taking a tougher stance on terrorism following the Antalya summit.

More:Toughter Int'l Stance on Terrorism is the Main G20 Summit Outcome - Erdogan

Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey

As Paris was experiencing a series of bombings and explosions Nov. 13 that left at least 132 dead, Turkish social media and pundits were quick to comment. While a majority simply shared their feelings of sympathy, sorrow and prayers, there are a few groups whose reactions were almost cheerful and celebratory in Turkey. Indeed, these groups are not exclusive to Turkey, but can be seen in various parts of the world, from Egypt to the United States.

More:Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Erdogan’s march to one-man power - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Erdogan’s march to one-man power

In a March 12, 2013, article for Al-Monitor, I wrote, “Turkey’s future is to be decided by the nation's three most powerful men, by the equilibrium they shape among themselves and by deals they forge with each other.” The three powerful men at the time were then-Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan; the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) jailed founding leader, Abdullah Ocalan; and Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, the head of the Hizmet Movement or “the Community,” who lives in self-exile in the US.

More:Erdogan’s march to one-man power - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Monday, November 16, 2015

The End of Turkey's Experiment With Democracy | Sinan Ciddi

The End of Turkey's Experiment With Democracy
Posted: 11/16/2015 4:13 pm EST Updated: 11/16/2015 4:59 pm EST
ERDOGAN

A broad consensus is emerging among observers that the process and outcome of Turkey's parliamentary elections on November 1 accurately reflected voter preferences. At least, that is the message that we are being given by individual election monitors at ballot boxes and independent monitoring bodies such as Oy ve Otesi (Vote and Beyond). Despite instances of impropriety, few will contest the outcome of the election, which has ensured a near 50% vote share for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and a commanding majority of seats in parliament (317/550).

More:The End of Turkey's Experiment With Democracy | Sinan Ciddi

Why Facebook’s ‘Safety Check’ deployed in Paris — but not in Beirut, Garissa or Ankara - The Washington Post

Why Facebook’s ‘Safety Check’ deployed in Paris — but not in Beirut, Garissa or Ankara

By Caitlin Dewey November 16 at 3:16 PM

On Friday, Nov. 13, in the wake of a string of brutal attacks that left 129 people in Paris dead, Facebook did something extremely unusual: It activated its much-hyped “Safety Check.”

More:Why Facebook’s ‘Safety Check’ deployed in Paris — but not in Beirut, Garissa or Ankara - The Washington Post

Moderate quake rattles Istanbul | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

Moderate quake rattles Istanbul

Agence France Presse

ISTANBUL: A moderate earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale rattled Turkey's biggest city Istanbul on Monday, causing a short panic but no initial reports of damage or injuries.

More:Moderate quake rattles Istanbul | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

World leaders vow to step up anti-terror efforts after Paris

World leaders vow to step up anti-terror efforts after Paris
VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and JOSH LEDERMAN, The Associated Press Published: November 16, 2015

ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — World leaders vowed Monday to boost intelligence-sharing, cut off terrorist funding and strengthen border security in Europe, as they sought to show resolve and unity following the deadly terror attacks in Paris.

More:World leaders vow to step up anti-terror efforts after Paris

Six remanded in custody after Daesh arrests in Istanbul | Fulton News

Six remanded in custody after Daesh arrests in Istanbul

By Kristoff Saunders on November 16, 2015No Comment

- Turkish police investigate allegations that one of the suspects was an associate of Mohammed Emwazi AKA ‘Jihadi John’

More:Six remanded in custody after Daesh arrests in Istanbul | Fulton News

How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations? | Watch the video - Yahoo Finance

How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations?
by Bloomberg Video 4:09 mins

Nov. 16 -- Marc Pierini, former EU ambassador to Turkey and Syria, discusses the impact of the Paris attacks on EU relations with Turkey. He speaks with Bloomberg's Anna Edwards.

More:How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations? | Watch the video - Yahoo Finance

Turkey a Rare Bright Spot in Islamic Finance's Forgettable Year - Bloomberg Business

Turkey a Rare Bright Spot in Islamic Finance's Forgettable Year
Daria Solovieva
dariasolo
November 16, 2015 — 2:55 AM EST

In a year to forget for the Islamic finance industry, this month’s Turkish election may prove the high point.

Two Turkish banks, Kuveyt Turk and Albaraka Turk, are marketing international sukuk issues this week in what may herald a revival of the Shariah-compliant industry in the country after the AK Party regained its parliamentary majority this month. The government’s Islamic drive had foundered following a previously inconclusive election in June as sukuk sales dwindled and the largest-listed state lender halted plans to set up a Shariah-compliant unit.

More:Turkey a Rare Bright Spot in Islamic Finance's Forgettable Year - Bloomberg Business

Jeremy Corbyn criticises media for lack of coverage of Beirut and Ankara terrorist attacks

Jeremy Corbyn criticises media for lack of coverage of Beirut and Ankara terrorist attacks

The Labour leader said the events were given "hardly any publicity".
By
Barbara Speed

Jeremy Corbyn has accused the British media of failing to give adequate coverage to terrorist attacks in Beirut and Ankara. Twin explosions in Beirut on 12 November killed 43 people and wounded more than 200, while 128 people were killed and 400 injured in an attack on the Turkish capital in October.

More:Jeremy Corbyn criticises media for lack of coverage of Beirut and Ankara terrorist attacks

How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations? - Bloomberg Business

How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations?
1:06 AM EST
November 16, 2015

Marc Pierini, former EU ambassador to Turkey and Syria, discusses the impact of the Paris attacks on EU relations with Turkey. He speaks with Bloomberg's Anna Edwards. (Source: Bloomberg)

More:How Will the Paris Attacks Affect EU-Turkey Relations? - Bloomberg Business

Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror - WSJ

Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror

G-20 host Erdogan says Paris attacks reflect need to merge competing agendas on Syrian conflict, Islamic State and migrant crisis

More:Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror - WSJ

Sunday, November 15, 2015

NewsRoomAmerica.com - Remarks by President Obama and President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey after Bilateral Meeting

Remarks by President Obama and President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey after Bilateral Meeting

By Newsroom America Feeds at 1:01 pm Eastern

Regnum Carya Resort Antalya, Turkey

PRESIDENT ERDOGAN: (As interpreted.) Distinguished members of the press, we have just completed our meeting with my dear friend, President Barack Obama.

More:NewsRoomAmerica.com - Remarks by President Obama and President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey after Bilateral Meeting

Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey

As Paris was experiencing a series of bombings and explosions Nov. 13 that left at least 132 dead, Turkish social media and pundits were quick to comment. While a majority simply shared their feelings of sympathy, sorrow and prayers, there are a few groups whose reactions were almost cheerful and celebratory in Turkey. Indeed, these groups are not exclusive to Turkey, but can be seen in various parts of the world, from Egypt to the United States.

More:Paris attacks expose tensions in Turkey - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror - WSJ

Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror

G-20 host Erdogan says Paris attacks reflect need to merge competing agendas on Syrian conflict, Islamic State and migrant crisis

More:Turkish President Presses World Powers to Coordinate Efforts Against Terror - WSJ

Where does Turkey stand in the EU’s new trade and investment strategy? - CONTRIBUTOR

Where does Turkey stand in the EU’s new trade and investment strategy?

Selen Akses

In October 2015, the European Commission revealed its new priorities for the upcoming year in terms of its trade and investment policy. The commission aims to conduct a more responsible trade policy based on efficiency, transparency and the diffusion of European values. Although trade liberalization within the multilateral trading system is its main priority, in parallel, the EU is also pursuing its bilateral and regional trade agreement negotiations which will subsequently serve the basis of the progress in multilateral talks.

More:Where does Turkey stand in the EU’s new trade and investment strategy? - CONTRIBUTOR

Turkey ends missile deal talks with China | WNCN

Turkey ends missile deal talks with China
The Associated Press Published: November 15, 2015, 2:08 pm Updated: November 15, 2015, 2:12 pm

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s state-run news agency says Turkey has ended negotiations with China on building a missile defense system.

More:Turkey ends missile deal talks with China | WNCN

Tsipras visits Turkey a chance not be missed - ARIANA FERENTINOU

Tsipras visits Turkey a chance not be missed

If there was something that became obvious last week during the Malta Summit on Migration between the EU and African countries, it was that Europe is still in a deep policy dilemma over its migration problem.

More:Tsipras visits Turkey a chance not be missed - ARIANA FERENTINOU

Thousands of residents flee Silvan amid ongoing conflict - CRIME

Thousands of residents flee Silvan amid ongoing conflict

ANKARA

Thousands of residents sought to flee for their lives in the southeastern district of Silvan yesterday, the 10th day of a continuing military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants.

More:Thousands of residents flee Silvan amid ongoing conflict - CRIME

G-20 enters politics in Turkey Summit - MURAT YETKİN

G-20 enters politics in Turkey Summit

It is the first time in the G-20’s history that its leaders made a strong call on a major political crisis, the Syria civil war and its consequences as terrorism and migration. In fact, the G-20 was founded in 1999 as a platform to bring industrial and developing actors to discuss global economic issues.

More:G-20 enters politics in Turkey Summit - MURAT YETKİN

British jihadist may have planned Paris-style attack in Istanbul - CSMonitor.com

British jihadist may have planned Paris-style attack in Istanbul

Turkish authorities say a high-profile British jihadist detained in Turkey may have been planning attacks in Istanbul, similar to the ones in Paris.

More:British jihadist may have planned Paris-style attack in Istanbul - CSMonitor.com

World Leaders Pledge Strong Response to Paris Attacks - WSJ

World Leaders Pledge Strong Response to Paris Attacks

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calls for better international effort to combat terrorism

More:World Leaders Pledge Strong Response to Paris Attacks - WSJ

G20 meets in the shadow of Paris attacks – and with Turkey on the brink

G20 meets in the shadow of Paris attacks – and with Turkey on the brink
November 15, 2015 5.19am EST

Even before the horror of the November 13 attacks in Paris, the stakes for the 2015 G20 summit were high for all concerned. Now, the timing of this particular gathering could scarcely be more sensitive.

More:G20 meets in the shadow of Paris attacks – and with Turkey on the brink

Terrorist attacks ravages through the spineless world

Terrorist attacks ravages through the spineless world
By M.A. Saki

The dreadful terrorist attacks in Paris are clearly indicative of the fact that our world is confronting an extremely serious challenge.

The Paris attacks by Daesh came one day after the terrorist attacks in Beirut, 33 days after the Ankara blast which cost the lives of more than 100 innocent people, ruling out for the time being a possible connection between the barbaric group and the crash of the Russian passenger plane in Egypt’s Sinai on October 31.

More:tehran times : Terrorist attacks ravages through the spineless world

Erdogan meets leaders ahead of G20 summit | Fulton News

Erdogan meets leaders ahead of G20 summit

By David Fisher on November 15, 2015No Comment

- Turkish President Erdogan meets incoming world leaders before the upcoming G20 Summit in Turkey’s coastal province of Antalya

More:Erdogan meets leaders ahead of G20 summit | Fulton News

World leaders convene to condemn Paris terror, narrow Syria divide - Yahoo Maktoob News

World leaders convene to condemn Paris terror, narrow Syria divide
AFPBy Stuart Williams | AFP – 13 hours ago

World leaders converged Sunday for a summit in Turkey to send a message of unity in the face of the Paris attacks but confronting a gaping divide over the multiple conflicts tearing Syria apart.

More:World leaders convene to condemn Paris terror, narrow Syria divide - Yahoo Maktoob News

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Paris Attacks Add New Urgency to International Summit - WSJ

Paris Attacks Add New Urgency to International Summit

Obama to face more pressure at G-20 talks in Turkey to intensify campaign against Islamic State

More:Paris Attacks Add New Urgency to International Summit - WSJ

Kurdish Region Erupts, Kurds not allowed to Mediate

Kurdish Region in Turkey Erupts, Government Prevents Kurdish Mediation
By Nick Ashdown | The Media Line

November 14, 2015

Erdogan and company seen as ignoring causes of violence

ISTANBUL — Violence in several towns in Turkey’s mostly Kurdish southeast has resulted in civilian deaths, according to local news and human rights associations.

More:Kurdish Region Erupts, Kurds not allowed to Mediate

Turkish police detain 11 demonstrators in G-20 protests in Istanbul and Antalya | Fox News

Turkish police detain 11 demonstrators in G-20 protests in Istanbul and Antalya
Published November 14, 2015Associated Press

ISTANBUL – Turkish authorities have detained 11 people who staged demonstrations in protest of the G-20 summit meeting near the Turkish Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya.

More:Turkish police detain 11 demonstrators in G-20 protests in Istanbul and Antalya | Fox News

World Leaders in Turkey for G20 Summit -- ISTANBUL and ANTALYA, Turkey, November 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

World Leaders in Turkey for G20 Summit

Azerbaijan, Spain, Malaysia, Senegal, Singapore and Zimbabwe will also participate in the Antalya Summit together with the G20 members.

Approximately 13 thousand guests-of which 2,469 are media members-will participate in the two-day summit.

More than 70 meetings, including the ones at a ministerial level, have been held under the Turkish Presidency since 1 December, 2014.

The first Energy Ministers Meeting in the history of G20 was held in Istanbul on 2 October, 2015.

More:World Leaders in Turkey for G20 Summit -- ISTANBUL and ANTALYA, Turkey, November 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Turkey: Erdogan pushes all-out war against civilians | Green Left Weekly

Turkey: Erdogan pushes all-out war against civilians
Saturday, November 14, 2015
By Tony Iltis
The Kurdish-majority town of Silvan has been under curfew and siege since November 2.

The Turkish government has declared all-out war against the residents of the Kurdish-majority town of Silvan (Farqin) in Diyarbakir (Amed) province. The town has been under curfew and siege since November 2.

More:Turkey: Erdogan pushes all-out war against civilians | Green Left Weekly

G20 host Turkey says stands with France in fight against terrorism | Reuters

G20 host Turkey says stands with France in fight against terrorism
ISTANBUL

Turkey, which hosts a summit of world leaders this weekend, condemned attacks by gunmen and bombers in Paris as a crime against humanity, vowing full cooperation with France and its allies in the fight against terrorism.

More:G20 host Turkey says stands with France in fight against terrorism | Reuters

NEWS ANALYSIS: G-20 Summit shocked by Paris attacks, to focus on fight against ISIL - INTERNATIONAL

NEWS ANALYSIS: G-20 Summit shocked by Paris attacks, to focus on fight against ISIL

The gravest terrorist attack in the history of France that killed at least 128 people has also shaken the G-20 Summit to be held in Turkey with expectations that the agenda of the world’s richest nations will swiftly turn into the fight against ISIL.

More:NEWS ANALYSIS: G-20 Summit shocked by Paris attacks, to focus on fight against ISIL - INTERNATIONAL

Friday, November 13, 2015

Adieu, Turkish Democracy | Foreign Policy

Adieu, Turkish Democracy

By John Hannah
November 13, 2015 - 1:12 pm

It’s already become a cliché to say that the results of Turkey’s Nov. 1 parliamentary elections, officially confirmed on Thursday, were “stunning.” But that doesn’t make it any less true. Most observers believed that far and away the likeliest outcome would be a re-run of the June 7 elections, which saw the Justice and Development Party (AKP) lose the ruling majority that had empowered it to dominate Turkish politics since 2002. A few analysts allowed for the slim possibility that the AKP might yet eke out a razor-thin majority. But virtually no one — not the experts and certainly not the pollsters — foreshadowed what actually happened: a resounding AKP victory, a pickup from June of nearly 5 million votes and almost 60 seats. In just 5 months, the AKP had gone from badly weakened and on the ropes to triumphant and once again dominant. The sudden reversal of fortune was all the more shocking precisely because it was so unexpected.

More:Adieu, Turkish Democracy | Foreign Policy

AKP's Machiavellian Victory: How It Happened and What It Means for Turkey | Karabekir Akkoyunlu

AKP's Machiavellian Victory: How It Happened and What It Means for Turkey
Posted: 11/13/2015 3:51 pm EST Updated: 5 hours ago

In less than five months, Turkey's voters delivered two election results that have disproved most polls and stunned observers. Few people had anticipated the pro-Kurdish leftist Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to win as big as they did in the June election and to deny the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) the mandate to govern alone for the first time in 13 years. That poll led to a protracted government crisis and a snap re-run election on November 1 in an environment of intense polarization, violence and conflict, especially in the Kurdish southeast. This time, even senior AKP figures were caught off guard by the speed and decisiveness with which their party recaptured its lost votes and mandate.

More:AKP's Machiavellian Victory: How It Happened and What It Means for Turkey | Karabekir Akkoyunlu

Turkey detains suspected close associate of 'Jihadi John' in Istanbul: official - Yahoo Maktoob News

Turkey detains suspected close associate of 'Jihadi John' in Istanbul: official

Turkish authorities have detained a suspected close associate of the notorious Islamic State (IS) group militant known as "Jihadi John" who Washington believes was likely killed in a drone strike in Syria, a Turkish official said Friday.

More:Turkey detains suspected close associate of 'Jihadi John' in Istanbul: official - Yahoo Maktoob News

Istanbul property: prosperous on the Bosphorus - FT.com

Istanbul property: prosperous on the Bosphorus

Troy McMullen

Investors eye return to double-digit growth — provided Turkey’s political stability can hold

More:Istanbul property: prosperous on the Bosphorus - FT.com

G20 and Turkey's firsts - Yahoo Maktoob News

G20 and Turkey's firsts
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera – 13 hours ago

Turkey will be hosting the G20 Leader's Summit which is due to be held on November 15-16 in its southern city of Antalya.

More:G20 and Turkey's firsts - Yahoo Maktoob News

Chris Kilford: Time to kick-start relations with Turkey | Ottawa Citizen

Chris Kilford: Time to kick-start relations with Turkey
Chris Kilford

Fresh off his election victory, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will soon head to Antalya, Turkey for the G20 Leaders Summit where he will undoubtedly meet his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu.

More:Chris Kilford: Time to kick-start relations with Turkey | Ottawa Citizen

Amid 'fortress Europe' fears, EU offers Africa aid, Turkey talks to mitigate migrant crisis | The Japan Times

Amid ‘fortress Europe’ fears, EU offers Africa aid, Turkey talks to mitigate migrant crisis

AFP-JIJI

Nov 13, 2015

VALLETTA – EU leaders on Thursday struck an aid-for-cooperation deal with Africa and proposed a summit this year with Turkey in a two-front push with wary partners to tackle an unprecedented migrant crisis.

More:Amid 'fortress Europe' fears, EU offers Africa aid, Turkey talks to mitigate migrant crisis | The Japan Times