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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Michael Flynn's lobbying firm made Fethullah Gulen documentary - Business Insider

'It was very hush-hush': Michael Flynn's lobbying firm didn't 'want anyone to know' about its work for Turkey

Natasha Bertrand

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's lobbying firm, Flynn Intel Group, reportedly did not want anyone to know that it was working on a documentary commissioned by a Turkish businessman to help bolster Turkey's image in the wake of a failed coup attempt in July.

More:Michael Flynn's lobbying firm made Fethullah Gulen documentary - Business Insider

How did NATO’s second largest army fail to see a coup coming? - SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

How did NATO’s second largest army fail to see a coup coming?

The release of a report penned by the parliamentary panel tasked with probing the deadly July 2016 coup attempt staged by the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) has ignited fresh debate on how the putsch was able to take place, why the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) and Turkish Armed Forces failed to know about coup preparations in advance, and why the inquiry ignored the role of politicians.

More:How did NATO’s second largest army fail to see a coup coming? - SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ

Gülen ordered followers to leave Turkey by disguising themselves as Syrian refugees: Report - CRIME

Gülen ordered followers to leave Turkey by disguising themselves as Syrian refugees: Report

Fevzi Kızılkoyun – ANKARA

The U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen has ordered his followers to leave Turkey by disguising themselves as Syrian refugees, according to a report prepared by intelligence units about the activities of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), widely believed to have orchestrated the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt.

More:Gülen ordered followers to leave Turkey by disguising themselves as Syrian refugees: Report - CRIME

Curfew in 43 Villages in Southeastern Turkey | Financial Tribune

Curfew in 43 Villages in Southeastern Turkey

Curfews were imposed in more than 40 villages in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir early on Tuesday as part of a security operation against the Kurdish Workers' Party, or PKK, Turkish officials said.

More:Curfew in 43 Villages in Southeastern Turkey | Financial Tribune

US begins sending weapons to Kurdish YPG in Syria | Syria News | Al Jazeera

US begins sending weapons to Kurdish YPG in Syria

Despite condemnation from Turkey, US sends arms to YPG ahead of upcoming offensive to recapture Raqqa from ISIL.

More:US begins sending weapons to Kurdish YPG in Syria | Syria News | Al Jazeera

Michael Flynn's firm apparently made an unfinished film targeting an Erdogan critic

Michael Flynn's firm apparently made an unfinished film targeting an Erdogan critic
6:33 a.m. ET

Michael Flynn, President Trump's short-tenured national security adviser, has taken the Fifth to avoid handing over personal documents subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, but he has reportedly agreed to turn over some business records demanded by the Senate panel investigating Russia's machinations in the 2016 presidential race. One thing the senators — and a federal grand jury in Virginia, and the FBI — will likely find, The Wall Street Journal reports, is a documentary-style film about Turkey that Flynn's consulting firm worked on last year but never finished. The film apparently makes up the bulk of the $530,000 the Flynn Intel Group was paid by Ekim Alptekin, a Turkish businessman close to Turkey's president.

More:Michael Flynn's firm apparently made an unfinished film targeting an Erdogan critic

Similar economic problems affect Egypt and Turkey | The National

Similar economic problems affect Egypt and Turkey

Patrick Werr

May 31, 2017 Updated: May 31, 2017 04:04 PM

Egypt and Turkey, whose economies and history have a lot in common, have become political adversaries over the last few years, with Turkey having thrown its support behind the government of Mohammed Morsi, whom Egypt’s army subsequently removed in 2013.

More:Similar economic problems affect Egypt and Turkey | The National

EU countries move to block Turkey from hosting NATO summit: report – POLITICO

EU countries move to block Turkey from hosting NATO summit: report

The alliance meets in June to finalize the location of next year’s summit.

By Saim Saeed

5/31/17, 9:28 AM CET

Updated 5/31/17, 1:45 PM CET

Eighteen EU countries and Canada will fight for Belgium to host the 2018 NATO summit instead of Turkey, Die Welt reported Wednesday.

More:EU countries move to block Turkey from hosting NATO summit: report – POLITICO

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

US Congress: Erdogan No Longer Wanted In America | The Globe Post

US Congress: Erdogan No Longer Wanted In America
By
Abdullah Ayasun

The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted a harsh language against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, revealing the depth of angst over the brutal crackdown on protesters during President Erdogan’s visit last week.

More:US Congress: Erdogan No Longer Wanted In America | The Globe Post

Monday, May 29, 2017

Contending with authoritarian Turkey: a measured realist perspective | openDemocracy

Contending with authoritarian Turkey: a measured realist perspective
Karabekir Akkoyunlu 29 May 2017

This obsession with personalities can fuel the very passions and tensions that such individuals feed on, and obscure the underlying factors that explain their rise in the first place.

More:Contending with authoritarian Turkey: a measured realist perspective | openDemocracy

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Ramadan dinner "earth table" hosted in Istanbul to mark first fasting break - Global Times

Ramadan dinner "earth table" hosted in Istanbul to mark first fasting break

A charitable Ramadan dinner known as "earth table" was hosted on Saturday evening in Istanbul's well-known Istiklal Avenue to mark the first fasting break of the holy Muslim month.

More:Ramadan dinner "earth table" hosted in Istanbul to mark first fasting break - Global Times

Turkey, EU agree on 12-month calendar in accession bid - DIPLOMACY

Turkey, EU agree on 12-month calendar in accession bid

Fikret Bila - ANKARA

Turkey and the European Union have agreed on a 12-month calendar on the future of Turkey’s accession bid, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on May 25 while returning to Turkey from meetings with the bloc’s top executives and leaders of the European powerhouses.

More:Turkey, EU agree on 12-month calendar in accession bid - DIPLOMACY

The Ala-Turca presidency: old wine in new bottles in the Kurdish case | openDemocracy

The Ala-Turca presidency: old wine in new bottles in the Kurdish case
Omer Tekdemir 27 May 2017

Erdogan may require a more pragmatic approach to the US and Russia, hence indirectly with the PYD and Assad, to open up space for himself in the region’s politics.

More:The Ala-Turca presidency: old wine in new bottles in the Kurdish case | openDemocracy

Friday, May 26, 2017

Charlemagne: How Trump, Putin and Erdogan unsettle the EU | The Economist

How Trump, Putin and Erdogan unsettle the EU

Liberal values and the rule of law meet capricious populism
Print edition | Europe
May 25th 2017

THE mood is brighter in Europe these days. It has not, admittedly, taken much to lift the spirits: reckless extremists came second, not first, in elections in Austria, the Netherlands and France; economic growth has accelerated beyond a snail’s pace; and Brexit, though probably disastrous for Britain, may not be catastrophic for Europe. Still, even the return of normality is a relief for a continent that has spent the past few years battling crises.

More:Charlemagne: How Trump, Putin and Erdogan unsettle the EU | The Economist

Turkey’s Tightrope Dance | Frontpage Mag

Turkey’s Tightrope Dance
The uncertain future of U.S.-Turkish relations.
May 26, 2017
Robert Ellis

Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was recently in Washington in search of "a new era" in Turkish-U.S. relations, was also out with the begging bowl. At a meeting with 40 prominent U.S. investors, Erdoğan urged them to increase investments in Turkey and shared recent developments regarding Turkey’s investment environment and economic agenda. What he did not share was the increasingly repressive environment that Erdoğan himself has created in search of absolute power.

More:Turkey’s Tightrope Dance | Frontpage Mag

Turkish economic confidence hits two-year high

Turkish economic confidence hits two-year high

by: Mehreen Khan

Economic confidence in Turkey is at its highest since the end of 2015, underscoring the economy’s quietly growing resilience following a series of political and security shocks over the last year.

More:Turkish economic confidence hits two-year high

Senators: Turkey must waive diplomatic immunity for security guards involved in DC clash – POLITICO

Senators: Turkey must waive diplomatic immunity for security guards involved in DC clash

US lawmakers say Erdoğan’s security “engaged in a brutal, unprovoked, and inexcusable attack.”

More:Senators: Turkey must waive diplomatic immunity for security guards involved in DC clash – POLITICO

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Kurdish militants kill five Turkish security force members: military | Reuters

Kurdish militants kill five Turkish security force members: military

Four Turkish soldiers and a village guard were killed in two separate clashes with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in eastern Turkey, the Turkish military said on Thursday.

More:Kurdish militants kill five Turkish security force members: military | Reuters

Turkey: Neither Enemy Nor Ally | commentary

Turkey: Neither Enemy Nor Ally

Two of America’s illiberal allies in the Muslim world have just received expressions of support from President Trump. He rolled out the red carpet at the White House for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, and he rewarded President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey with a congratulatory phone call after Erdogan “won” an apparently rigged referendum enhancing his already vast power. But while both Sisi and Erdogan appear to be in Trump’s good graces, they have reacted in very different ways to the American support they are receiving.

More:Turkey: Neither Enemy Nor Ally | commentary

EU raises human rights in talks with Turkey's Erdogan | Reuters

EU raises human rights in talks with Turkey's Erdogan

Senior European Union officials on Thursday pressed President Tayyip Erdogan over Turkey's human rights record while he pushed Brussels to deliver on promises of visa-free travel to Europe for Turks.

More:EU raises human rights in talks with Turkey's Erdogan | Reuters

Turkey and EU Pull Relations Back From the Brink But Tensions Remain - WSJ

Turkey and EU Pull Relations Back From the Brink But Tensions Remain

Nation and bloc say they will seek to move past the diplomatic, political crises of recent years

More:Turkey and EU Pull Relations Back From the Brink But Tensions Remain - WSJ

Turkey's Leader Confronted by France, Germany at NATO Summit | World News | US News

Turkey's Leader Confronted by France, Germany at NATO Summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been confronted by key allies France and Germany with diplomatic complaints despite him traveling to Brussels to celebrate the unity of the NATO alliance.

More:Turkey's Leader Confronted by France, Germany at NATO Summit | World News | US News

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Post-Referendum Turkish Economy: How to Write the New Chapter | EconoMonitor

The Post-Referendum Turkish Economy: How to Write the New Chapter

By Hatice Karahan on May 24, 2017
The Post-Referendum Turkish Economy: How to Write the New Chapter

Turkey has left its constitutional referendum behind, along with the associated political uncertainties. In fact, not only the referendum but also certain earlier developments including the parliamentary elections in 2015 and the failed coup attempt in 2016 caused the country to deal with uncertainties for a considerable period of time. As a result, the governments in charge could not go above and beyond to implement the policies required for the transformation of the economy. Now that the country seems to have a period of at least two years without any elections on the road, it is time for the government to thoroughly focus on economic priorities. That is indeed what the interested economic agents will be watching in the months and years to come. In that respect, there is no doubt that the success of the Turkish economy in the near future and beyond will depend on how it will maintain and take advantage of its strengths while fixing the weaknesses.

More:The Post-Referendum Turkish Economy: How to Write the New Chapter | EconoMonitor

The return of Ergenekon as ultranationalists replace FETÖ - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

The return of Ergenekon as ultranationalists replace FETÖ

When the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power, the result took even its leadership by surprise. AKP leaders did not have the cadres to rule the country, as they were rather anti-establishment; they joined hands with the Gülenists.

More:The return of Ergenekon as ultranationalists replace FETÖ - BARÇIN YİNANÇ

Watchdog: EU Should Make Human Rights Central In Talks With Turkey - Finance News - London South East

Watchdog: EU Should Make Human Rights Central In Talks With Turkey
Wed, 24th May 2017 14:30

ISTANBUL (Alliance News) - EU leaders should make clear to Turkey that deeper economic cooperation will depend on the country's willingness to end human rights violations and a crackdown on dissent at home, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Tuesday.

More:Watchdog: EU Should Make Human Rights Central In Talks With Turkey - Finance News - London South East

Turkey orders detention of Ankara municipality, ministries' staff - CNN Turk | Daily Mail Online

Turkey orders detention of Ankara municipality, ministries' staff - CNN Turk

By Reuters

ISTANBUL, May 24 (Reuters) - Turkish authorities ordered the arrest of 139 staff from the Ankara municipality and two ministries in an investigation targeting supporters of the U.S.-based cleric accused of being behind last July's failed coup, CNN Turk said on Wednesday.

More:Turkey orders detention of Ankara municipality, ministries' staff - CNN Turk | Daily Mail Online

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

'Plan B' for worried Turks: move abroad

'Plan B' for worried Turks: move abroad

Since the failed coup in July, many Turks have been buying real estate in the United States and Europe to obtain residency permits. The concern grew even wider after an April 16 referendum granted the president broad powers, and there was a hike in the number of people trying to relocate.

More:'Plan B' for worried Turks: move abroad

Monday, May 22, 2017

Amid complicated relations with U.S., Turkey hires longtime Trump lobbyist Brian Ballard

Amid complicated relations with U.S., Turkey hires longtime Trump lobbyist Brian Ballard

By Marc Caputo

05/22/2017 12:21 PM EDT

MIAMI — President Donald Trump’s longtime Florida lobbyist, Brian Ballard, has expanded his practice globally and just signed a $1.5 million contract with the government of Turkey, which will be represented by the firm’s new big hire, former Florida Congressman Robert Wexler.

More:Amid complicated relations with U.S., Turkey hires longtime Trump lobbyist Brian Ballard

Can Syrians sway future elections in Turkey?

Can Syrians sway future elections in Turkey?

The political value of 3.5 million refugees in Turkey, including 3 million Syrians, appears to be on the rise. Refugees could emerge as a crucial pool of voters in the three elections — municipal, parliamentary and presidential — in 2019. How can this happen?

More:Can Syrians sway future elections in Turkey?

Turkish Businessman With Ties To Michael Flynn Hosts Conference At Trump Hotel : NPR

Turkish Businessman With Ties To Michael Flynn Hosts Conference At Trump Hotel

May 22, 20174:35 PM ET

The Turkish businessman who paid Michael Flynn $530,000 to lobby for the Turkish government is heading up a conference held at the Trump International Hotel, a few blocks from both the White House and the FBI. The event comes at a time when all of Trump's tangled interests are being scrutinized, but that doesn't seem to bother the participants.

More:Turkish Businessman With Ties To Michael Flynn Hosts Conference At Trump Hotel : NPR

Turkey coup: Alleged ringleaders face court, rowdy protesters | Middle East Eye

Turkey coup: Alleged ringleaders face court, rowdy protesters

US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen is one of the 221 suspects blamed for the attempted 15 July putsch

More:Turkey coup: Alleged ringleaders face court, rowdy protesters | Middle East Eye

Turkey and the United States: At Loggerheads

Turkey and the United States: At Loggerheads

Unlike Trump, Erdogan does know what he wants – but, like Trump, he can’t get there.

More:Turkey and the United States: At Loggerheads

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Turkey's Erdogan Extends Emergency Rule

Turkey's Erdogan Extends Emergency Rule

May 21, 2017 2:53 PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally extended the state of emergency declared after a failed 2016 military coup, saying the decree will remain in place until the country finds "welfare and peace."

More:Turkey's Erdogan Extends Emergency Rule

Two suspected ISIL militants killed in Turkish capital - CRIME

Two suspected ISIL militants killed in Turkish capital

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Two suspected militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) believed to be planning an attack in Ankara were killed in a police raid early on May 21 in the Turkish capital Ankara, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

More:Two suspected ISIL militants killed in Turkish capital - CRIME

Erdogan vows fight Turkey’s enemies as he returns to lead party - The Globe and Mail

Erdogan vows fight Turkey’s enemies as he returns to lead party

Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ercan Gurses

ANKARA — Reuters

President Tayyip Erdogan pledged to fight Turkey’s enemies at home and abroad on Sunday ahead of his election as leader of the ruling AK Party, which will make him the first Turk in nearly 70 years to serve simultaneously as head of state and of a political party.

More:Erdogan vows fight Turkey’s enemies as he returns to lead party - The Globe and Mail

Friday, May 19, 2017

Istanbul’s prime market hit as investors rethink Turkish property

Istanbul’s prime market hit as investors rethink Turkish property

Prices at the top end are falling amid the depreciating Turkish lira and deteriorating political and economic conditions

More:Istanbul’s prime market hit as investors rethink Turkish property

Turkey targets opposition newspaper over suspected coup links | Reuters

Turkey targets opposition newspaper over suspected coup links

By Humeyra Pamuk | ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have issued arrest warrants for the owner and three employees of an opposition newspaper, a police source and the paper said on Friday, part of a continuing media crackdown that has alarmed rights groups and Turkey's Western allies.

The four are accused of committing crimes on behalf of the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, they said. Gulen is blamed by Ankara for masterminding last July's failed coup against President Tayyip Erdogan, a charge he denies.

More:Turkey targets opposition newspaper over suspected coup links | Reuters

From State of Exception to Anti-Coup Dictatorship in Erdoğan’s Turkey   | The World Financial Review | Empowering communication globally

From State of Exception to Anti-Coup Dictatorship in Erdoğan’s Turkey

May 17, 2017 • GLOBAL ECONOMY, World Politics, Governance & Regulation, Middle
By Volga Can Ozben and Richard Westra

Volga Can Ozben and Richard Westra maintain Turkey under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a poster case for the modern state of exception. This is a condition where constitutional and legal provisions in democracies, designed to temporarily empower rulers with absolute authority to defend the state in the face of perceived threats against it, are paradoxically deployed in perpetuity to abrogate both constitutionality and the rule of law in a drive to impose dictatorship beyond law itself.

More:From State of Exception to Anti-Coup Dictatorship in Erdoğan’s Turkey   | The World Financial Review | Empowering communication globally

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Do Turkish people still want into the EU? | All media content | DW | 18.05.2017

Do Turkish people still want into the EU?

The relationship between the EU and Ankara is under increasing strain since voters passed a referendum expanding the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. There was a time when the Turkish People sought membership in the EU. How do they feel now?

More:Do Turkish people still want into the EU? | All media content | DW | 18.05.2017

Turkey ready to retaliate against any threats, Erdogan warns | Reuters

Turkey ready to retaliate against any threats, Erdogan warns

By Humeyra Pamuk and Daren Butler | ISTANBUL

Turkey is ready to retaliate if it faces a threat from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and will not shirk from launching a military campaign if need be, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

More:Turkey ready to retaliate against any threats, Erdogan warns | Reuters

Reports: Flynn, paid by Turkey, blocked military move they opposed; told Trump team about investigation - Chicago Tribune

Reports: Flynn, paid by Turkey, blocked military move they opposed; told Trump team about investigation

Associated Press

Days before President Donald Trump took office, incoming National Security Adviser Michael Flynn blocked a military plan against the Islamic State group that was opposed by Turkey, a country he had been paid more than $500,000 to advocate for, the McClatchy news service reported.

More:Reports: Flynn, paid by Turkey, blocked military move they opposed; told Trump team about investigation - Chicago Tribune

What Emmanuelle Macron means for Turkey - Independent Turkey

What Emmanuelle Macron means for Turkey

By Mark Fuechec

The election of the strongly pro-EU Emmanuelle Macron as president of France has bolstered the bargaining position of the European Union vis-à-vis Turkey, just when a foreign policy based on liberal values is more important than ever.

More:What Emmanuelle Macron means for Turkey - Independent Turkey

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Earthquake could hit Istanbul at any moment | Daily Mail Online

Massive earthquake could hit Istanbul at any moment with just SECONDS warning, say scientists

Epicentre on the North Anatolian Fault Zone could be below Istanbul
The city is home to more than 15 million people and thousands of tourists
Marmara section has not had a bad earthquake since 1766 and is due to rupture
A new report suggest the city they might only know seconds in advance
UN estimates 7.5 magnitude earthquake would kill 70,000 - 90,000 people

More:Earthquake could hit Istanbul at any moment | Daily Mail Online

Erdoğan went to White House with ‘armored official car brought from Turkey’ - AMERICAS

Erdoğan went to White House with ‘armored official car brought from Turkey’

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opted to use his own armored official car brought from Turkey during his first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on May 16, Doğan News Agency has reported.

More:Erdoğan went to White House with ‘armored official car brought from Turkey’ - AMERICAS

Turkey tells US Syrian Kurdish fighters not welcome

Turkey tells US it won't accept Syrian Kurdish fighters in the region
Updated / Wednesday, 17 May 2017 12:32

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told US President Donald Trump that his country will not accept Syrian Kurdish fighters in the region, but stopped short of criticising a US decision to arm them.

More:Turkey tells US Syrian Kurdish fighters not welcome

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

So that meeting with Erdogan was kind of a bust, huh? - Hot Air Hot Air

So that meeting with Erdogan was kind of a bust, huh?

This morning I did a preview of today’s meeting between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spurred in large part by the Washington Post publishing an op-ed written by exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. At that time I set my expectations rather low in terms of what might come from the meeting. Having watched their joint comments and read through the press pool’s description of what was discussed I’d have to say that those low expectations were met… barely. Here’s the thumbnail description from the New York Daily News.

More:So that meeting with Erdogan was kind of a bust, huh? - Hot Air Hot Air

Spotlight: Trump, Erdogan vow to repair U.S.-Turkish relationship amid differences - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Spotlight: Trump, Erdogan vow to repair U.S.-Turkish relationship amid differences

WASHINGTON, May 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged on Tuesday to repair bilateral relationship fraught with difficulties in the past. However, division between the two sides still run deep.

More:Spotlight: Trump, Erdogan vow to repair U.S.-Turkish relationship amid differences - Xinhua | English.news.cn

The Fatal Flaw in Trump's ISIS Plan - The Atlantic

The Fatal Flaw in Trump's ISIS Plan

Robert Ford

When Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits Washington next week, he and President Donald Trump will no doubt spend considerable time discussing the future of the Syrian-Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), America’s favored contingent in the war against the Islamic State. With U.S. assistance over the past two and a half years, the YPG-dominated anti-ISIS forces have recaptured some 7,400 square kilometers of northeastern Syria from the terrorist group. From Erdogan’s perspective, this strategy, embraced by the Obama administration and now Trump, is helping a Kurdish terrorist group that threatens Turkey’s security and territorial integrity—security and territorial integrity that NATO is supposed to help defend. Erdogan’s likely response: more pressure on America’s Syrian-Kurdish allies, even if that pressure undermines Washington’s goal of reducing the Arab-extremist threat in eastern Syria.

More:The Fatal Flaw in Trump's ISIS Plan - The Atlantic

Turkish opposition urges Trump to prod Erdogan on rights - KSBY.com | San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Area News

Turkish opposition urges Trump to prod Erdogan on rights

By SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkish opposition members and human rights defenders are urging President Donald Trump to raise the issue of Turkey's deteriorating human rights and democracy in talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

More:Turkish opposition urges Trump to prod Erdogan on rights - KSBY.com | San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Area News

Monday, May 15, 2017

A Turkish TV blockbuster reveals Erdogan’s conspiratorial, anti-Semitic worldview - The Washington Post

A Turkish TV blockbuster reveals Erdogan’s conspiratorial, anti-Semitic worldview

By Aykan Erdemir and Oren Kessler

“The Last Emperor” is Turkey’s newest television blockbuster, consistently rating among Turkey’s top dramas since its February premiere. Every Friday night, 1 in 10 viewers tunes in to relive the last years of Abdulhamid II — an absolutist, pan-Islamist Ottoman sultan who resisted the secular-reformist Young Turk movement until it finally overthrew him in 1909. The series, airing on state television in three-hour episodes, promotes a worldview uncannily similar to that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: A free press, secularism and democracy are the work of foreign powers, religious minorities and godless liberals, and ultimately serve to erode national identity, honor and security.

More:A Turkish TV blockbuster reveals Erdogan’s conspiratorial, anti-Semitic worldview - The Washington Post

Turkey support for EU membership waning - BBC News

Elif Shafak: Turkey support for EU membership waning

Elif Shafak, the Turkish novelist and writer who lives much of her life in London, says public support in Turkey for joining the EU has waned recently amid anti-Western rhetoric.

More:Turkey support for EU membership waning - BBC News

Authorities aim for smart Istanbul - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Authorities aim for smart Istanbul

ISTANBUL, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The authorities on Monday spoke of transforming Istanbul into a smart city by means of high technology and innovation.

More:Authorities aim for smart Istanbul - Xinhua | English.news.cn

A new reality: Kurdish statehood - YUSUF KANLI

A new reality: Kurdish statehood

However Turkey would like to perceive it, and despite Turkey’s great efforts, a Kurdish reality has been created in northern Iraq over the past two decades.

Is there anyone who remember the operation “Poised Hammer” or the “No-fly zone” in that region to protect the Kurds from the wrath of Saddam Hussein, the ruthless dictator of Iraq? Who was behind those efforts?

More:A new reality: Kurdish statehood - YUSUF KANLI

UPDATE 2-Turkish jeans retailer Mavi to list on Istanbul bourse | Reuters

Turkish jeans retailer Mavi to list on Istanbul bourse

By Dasha Afanasieva and Ezgi Erkoyun

May 15 Turkish clothing retailer Mavi Giyim plans to list on Istanbul's stock exchange, the company said on Monday, in what will be a test for the exchange 10 months after a coup attempt shook investor confidence in the region.

More:UPDATE 2-Turkish jeans retailer Mavi to list on Istanbul bourse | Reuters

Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and how democracies die

Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and how democracies die

Turkey’s slide into a repressive autocracy serves as a warning to American citizens

More:Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and how democracies die

Erdogan visits Trump, amid much friction between US, Turkey - ABC News

Erdogan visits Trump, amid much friction between US, Turkey

By josh lederman and vivian salama, associated press

WASHINGTON — May 15, 2017, 7:36 AM ET

The United States is on a collision course with its NATO ally Turkey, pushing ahead with arming Syrian Kurds after deciding the immediate objective of defeating Islamic State militants outweighs the potential damage to a partnership vital to U.S. interests in the volatile Middle East.

More:Erdogan visits Trump, amid much friction between US, Turkey - ABC News

Sunday, May 14, 2017

What Mr. Trump should say in his toughest meeting yet with a foreign leader - The Washington Post

What Mr. Trump should say in his toughest meeting yet with a foreign leader

PRESIDENT TRUMP will face what may be his toughest meeting yet with a foreign leader this week when he welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House. Mr. Erdogan is a blustery and autocratically minded man, rather like Mr. Trump, and he comes to Washington with a list of demands that senior U.S. officials rightly regard as unacceptable. Mr. Trump would do best by saying so directly — while urging the Turkish ruler to consider a change of course.

More:What Mr. Trump should say in his toughest meeting yet with a foreign leader - The Washington Post

Interregnum in Turkey-EU Relations | Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies

Interregnum in Turkey-EU Relations

Turkey’s three decade dream of European Union membership is on the brink. Turkey’s EU accession is dying, but neither side has officially called for termination. This deteriorating situation can also be referred to as an interregnum that has placed precarious Turkey-EU relations in limbo. Never before in the history of the modern Turkey have Turkish decision-makers and European leaders made critical public statements about each other, expressing uneasiness over the current state of relations. The only way out of this impasse is the renewal of committed EU accession talks for Turkey.

More:Interregnum in Turkey-EU Relations | Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies

Turkey's Erdogan and Trump: Kindred spirits, divergent agendas | TheHill

Turkey's Erdogan and Trump: Kindred spirits, divergent agendas
By Edward G. Stafford, opinion contributor - 05/14/17 09:00 AM EDT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet President Trump in the White House on Tuesday, May 16. Although the two countries are NATO allies since 1952, the relationship has never been a fully harmonious one, requiring compromises and tolerance for behavior the other party opposed, or at least did not support (for example, the invasion of Cyprus in 1974 by Turkey; the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the U.S.).

More:Turkey's Erdogan and Trump: Kindred spirits, divergent agendas | TheHill

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Tour bus tips over in Turkey, killing at least 24 people | The Seattle Times

Tour bus tips over in Turkey, killing at least 24 people
Originally published May 13, 2017 at 4:34 am Updated May 13, 2017 at 10:36 am

ISTANBUL (AP) — A tour bus tipped over Saturday on a serpentine mountain road in Turkey, killing 24 people as it fell off a cliff and hit a car, Turkish authorities said.

More:Tour bus tips over in Turkey, killing at least 24 people | The Seattle Times

Why a Washington visit by Turkey’s president might be awkward | Colorado Springs Gazette, News

Why a Washington visit by Turkey’s president might be awkward
By: Laura King, Associated Press
May 12, 2017 Updated: May 12, 2017 at 7:29 am

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Washington next week for his first face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump. A White House statement announcing the visit next Tuesday gave no hint of tensions, saying the two will “discuss how to further strengthen our bilateral relationship and deepen our cooperation to confront terrorism in all its forms.”

More:Why a Washington visit by Turkey’s president might be awkward | Colorado Springs Gazette, News

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Trump to meet with Turkey’s Erdoğan | TheHill

Trump to meet with Turkey’s Erdoğan
By Mark Hensch - 05/10/17 08:08 PM EDT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Washington on May 16, according to the White House. President Trump will meet with the Turkish leader at the White House during his visit.

More:Trump to meet with Turkey’s Erdoğan | TheHill

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Sultan Erdogan | Frontline

Sultan Erdogan

The mandate for enhanced presidential powers, notwithstanding the narrow margin of victory, tightens President Erdogan’s grip on power in Turkey. By JOHN CHERIAN

The whirlwind campaign launched by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to enhance presidential powers has succeeded narrowly. The country’s Election Commission officially confirmed the win for the “yes” camp in the referendum on the new Constitution. The Election Commission stated that 51.41 per cent of the electorate voted in favour of the amendments backed by the President and the ruling AK (Justice and Development) Party. Those who voted against the controversial amendment constitute 48.59 per cent of the electorate, showing how sharply polarised Turkey is now.

More:Sultan Erdogan | Frontline

Erdogan's authoritarian style and pragmatic foreign policy turn some Turkish Islamists against him - LA Times

Erdogan's authoritarian style and pragmatic foreign policy turn some Turkish Islamists against him

Last month’s constitutional referendum may have yielded a victory for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, enshrining vast powers for him and his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, but the results were far closer than his supporters were expecting, largely because of growing discontent within Turkey’s conservatives.

More:Erdogan's authoritarian style and pragmatic foreign policy turn some Turkish Islamists against him - LA Times

Can Syrian refugees become boon to Turkey's economy?

Can Syrian refugees become boon to Turkey's economy?

As xenophobia appears on the rise, with 3 million Syrian refugees under “temporary protection” in Turkey, the headline of this story could raise many eyebrows. But let’s emphasize immediately that a large number of the refugees in Turkey are there to stay. A 2015 report by the Ankara-based Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) shows 78% of the Syrians in Turkey would opt to stay if possible. Yet there has not been much discussion about how to minimize the social and economic impact of this humanitarian crisis.

More:Can Syrian refugees become boon to Turkey's economy?

Trump's Plan to Arm Kurds Lays Bare the Strategic Vacuum in Syria - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Trump's Plan to Arm Kurds Lays Bare the Strategic Vacuum in Syria

James F. Jeffrey

Foreign Policy

May 9, 2017

The administration's plan to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State could further inflame tensions with Turkey and Iran.

President Donald Trump has his work cut out for him next week in his first meeting with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. While many issues crowd their agenda, the situation in northern Syria will be the most difficult. Tensions remain high between the United States and Turkey about the role of the Syrian Kurdish PYD and its military wing YPG in the fight against the Islamic State, following a Turkish air attack on YPG bases along the Iraqi-Syrian border on April 23. In private and publicly, at an Atlantic Council meeting on April 28, Erdogan stressed that he is ready to act further against the PYD.

More:Trump's Plan to Arm Kurds Lays Bare the Strategic Vacuum in Syria - The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Erdogan's Fragile Referendum Coalition | Foreign Affairs

Erdogan's Fragile Referendum Coalition
Crafting a Coherent Domestic Agenda Will Be Difficult
By Galip Dalay

In an April 16 referendum, Turkish citizens voted in favor of a measure that will fundamentally change the nature of Turkey’s political system. Although the republic has a long history of such votes—seven referendums, and three of them during Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule—this one surpassed all others in terms of its political significance. By a narrow margin (only 51.4 percent voted “yes”), the tally will result in the scrapping of Turkey’s parliamentary political system, which predates the establishment of the modern Turkish republic. The new presidential system will vest significantly more power in the executive and will likely further the development of a two-party presidential system (though it will not terminate the existence of smaller parties) with an excessively powerful president holding most of the cards.

More:Erdogan's Fragile Referendum Coalition | Foreign Affairs

Odds appear stacked against success of Erdogan-Trump meeting

Odds appear stacked against success of Erdogan-Trump meeting

Omens for the long-awaited meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Donald Trump at the White House on May 16 do not bode well. Despite the smiles both leaders will no doubt have for the cameras, all the signs are that their talks will be tough.

More:Odds appear stacked against success of Erdogan-Trump meeting

Trump approves Pentagon plan to arm Syrian Kurds despite Turkish objections - LA Times

Trump approves Pentagon plan to arm Syrian Kurds despite Turkish objections
W.J. Hennigan

President Trump has authorized a controversial Pentagon plan to supply weapons to Kurdish militias fighting Islamic State in Syria despite strong objections of the Turkish government, which views the Kurdish fighters as terrorists.

More:Trump approves Pentagon plan to arm Syrian Kurds despite Turkish objections - LA Times

Monday, May 08, 2017

EU-DIGEST: Turkish US Diaspora: Meeting Congresswoman Frankel South Florida Turks deplore President Erdogan's disrespect Human Rights

Turkish US Diaspora: Meeting Congresswoman Frankel

Several local South Florida Turkish civil organization reps. met with Congresswoman Lois Frankel FL-D, at a productive and animated luncheon meeting on Tuesday May 8, in Palm Beach, Florida.

More:EU-DIGEST: Turkish US Diaspora: Meeting Congresswoman Frankel South Florida Turks deplore President Erdogan's disrespect Human Rights

Syrian Kurds are now armed with high tech US weaponry - Business Insider

Syrian Kurds have been armed with high-tech US weaponry that the Pentagon denies supplying

Daniel Brown

Syrian Kurdish fighters are now armed with high-tech American weapons and equipment, but the Pentagon denies supplying it to them, Military Times reports.

According to the Times, some Kurds are now outfitted with M4 rifles, infrared targeting lasers, night-vision goggles, advanced optics, combat helmets, body armor and first-aid kits, digital camouflage uniforms, cold-weather clothing and chest rigs that hold ammunition.

More:Syrian Kurds are now armed with high tech US weaponry - Business Insider

Turkey's Erdogan calls France's Macron, agrees to meet: Turkish presidential sources | Reuters

Turkey's Erdogan calls France's Macron, agrees to meet: Turkish presidential sources

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called French President-Elect Emmanuel Macron by phone on Monday to congratulate him on his victory in Sunday's presidential elections, Turkish presidential sources said.

More:Turkey's Erdogan calls France's Macron, agrees to meet: Turkish presidential sources | Reuters

Reinstating the Death Penalty Would Be 'Reddest of Red Lines' in Turkey's Plan for EU Membership

Reinstating the Death Penalty Would Be 'Reddest of Red Lines' in Turkey's Plan for EU Membership
By Josh Lowe On 5/8/17 at 1:55 PM

Reintroducing the death penalty in Turkey would completely block the country from joining the EU, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said.

More:Reinstating the Death Penalty Would Be 'Reddest of Red Lines' in Turkey's Plan for EU Membership

High-profile resignation rocks Turkey’s secular opposition CHP

High-profile resignation rocks Turkey’s secular opposition CHP

In the wake of Turkey’s historic April 16 referendum, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is facing a shakeup. The CHP’s rising star, US-educated economist Selin Sayek Boke, resigned from her positions as deputy chair and party spokesperson May 6.

More:High-profile resignation rocks Turkey’s secular opposition CHP

The Turkey Trap | Frontpage Mag

The Turkey Trap
Erdogan thinks he can blackmail Trump.
May 8, 2017
Kenneth R. Timmerman

Turkish autocrat Recep Tayyip Erdogan is coming to Washington, DC, on May 16 loaded for bear.

He has an ambitious agenda and apparently feels he can achieve it all because he holds “trump” cards against the President of the United States.

More:The Turkey Trap | Frontpage Mag

Strongmen usher in age of undiplomatic diplomacy - Livemint

Strongmen usher in age of undiplomatic diplomacy

PM Narendra Modi’s sensitive meeting with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week is perhaps a sign of how diplomacy is going to be done now

More:Strongmen usher in age of undiplomatic diplomacy - Livemint

Turkey’s new indigenous 'kamikaze' drones set to be used in anti-terror ops, to defend borders - BUSINESS

Turkey’s new indigenous 'kamikaze' drones set to be used in anti-terror ops, to defend borders

A Turkish defense company is set to introduce a series of new drones with high-tech capabilities to be used in anti-terror and security operations, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on May 7.

More:Turkey’s new indigenous 'kamikaze' drones set to be used in anti-terror ops, to defend borders - BUSINESS

Trump to Tell Turkey: We’re Going to Take Raqqa With the Kurds | Foreign Policy

Trump to Tell Turkey: We’re Going to Take Raqqa With the Kurds

The White House is poised to greenlight an Obama administration plan to seize the last bastion of the Islamic State in Syria.

More:Trump to Tell Turkey: We’re Going to Take Raqqa With the Kurds | Foreign Policy

Saturday, May 06, 2017

Turkish referendum rallies in Europe made headlines. Did they affect election results? - The Washington Post

Turkish referendum rallies in Europe made headlines. Did they affect election results?

By Fotini Christia and Tugba Bozcaga

Turkey’s recent referendum, which ended its parliamentary system by transferring all executive powers to the president, has been a source of contention within its borders, as well as outside them. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, or AKP, along with his government ministers and MPs, led active “Yes” campaigns in an array of European countries. Those rallies and public meetings targeted not only active AKP supporters, who are the overwhelming majority of Turkish immigrant populations in Europe, but all Turks eligible to vote.

More:Turkish referendum rallies in Europe made headlines. Did they affect election results? - The Washington Post

Friday, May 05, 2017

The Latest: Dutch work to prevent Turkish death penalty vote - StarTribune.com

The Latest: Dutch work to prevent Turkish death penalty vote
Associated Press

The Dutch government says it will look into ways of preventing people from voting in the Netherlands in a possible Turkish referendum on reintroducing the death penalty.

More:The Latest: Dutch work to prevent Turkish death penalty vote - StarTribune.com

Turkey's accelerated drift from Europe

Turkey's accelerated drift from Europe

There is a cloud looming over the future of Turkey-EU relations. (Photo: William John Gauthier)

By Sebnem Arsu
ISTANBUL, Today, 17:41

Once hailed as a rising Muslim democracy, aspiring to become a member of the European Union, Turkey now faces a stalemate with the bloc. Some member states consider full accession a dead deal and call for deeper economic cooperation instead.

More:Turkey's accelerated drift from Europe

As Turkey’s Erdogan savors new powers, there are whispers of dissent among his loyalists | SOFREP

As Turkey’s Erdogan savors new powers, there are whispers of dissent among his loyalists

By SOFREP 05.05.2017#Foreign Policy Email Share Tweet

ISTANBUL — The scenes of Turkey’s bloody and abortive military coup last July still scar Uskudar, an old waterside district of Istanbul that was a deadly front of violence that night and remains, nearly a year later, a wellspring of the nation’s rage.

More:As Turkey’s Erdogan savors new powers, there are whispers of dissent among his loyalists | SOFREP

Berlin would bar Turks voting in Germany on Turkish death penalty - Cyprus Mail

Berlin would bar Turks voting in Germany on Turkish death penalty

Germany said on Friday it would not allow Turks to vote on its territory in any Turkish referendum on reintroduction of the death penalty – a measure proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan after July’s failed army coup attempt.

More:Berlin would bar Turks voting in Germany on Turkish death penalty - Cyprus Mail

Erdogan Visit: A Diplomatic Disaster

Erdogan Visit: A Diplomatic Disaster
SEEMA MUSTAFA
Friday, May 05,2017

NEW DELHI: All that could possibly go wrong with a dignitary visit went wrong even before Turkish President Recep Erdogan arrived in India. It was touted as a visit by a leader who seems to be set to stay, right wing, authoritarian, controversial but clearly there was, or at least should have been, a reason for the effort undertaken by both governments to facilitate Erdogan’s trip to India.

More:Erdogan Visit: A Diplomatic Disaster

Thursday, May 04, 2017

Erdogan’s Futile Yearning for Omnipotence - The Globalist

Erdogan’s Futile Yearning for Omnipotence

Turkey has become too diverse demographically, too big economically and too complicated politically for one person to shape in his own image.

More:Erdogan’s Futile Yearning for Omnipotence - The Globalist

No end in sight for Erdogan's purges after referendum

No end in sight for Erdogan's purges after referendum

On a flight back from India this week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the West for criticizing Turkey’s state of emergency, in place since the botched coup attempt in July 2016. Speaking to journalists accompanying him on the trip, he said, “The West, which fails to see the state of emergency in France, is attempting to criticize a process that we are carrying out in tranquility. What has the state of emergency in Turkey done? Has it taken away anything from [businesspeople]? Has it affected businesses?” He argued that without the state of emergency, the authorities would have failed to have struggled as well as they have against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara calls the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization (FETO) and holds responsible for the coup attempt.

More:No end in sight for Erdogan's purges after referendum

Erdogan’s blacklist

Erdogan’s blacklist
Voices of Turkey’s purge
By mehul srivastava. Photographs by monique jaques.
4 may 2017

‘It’s like you are a leper, nobody wants to talk to you . . . nobody wants to come close to you’

After the failed coup, came the crackdown.

And Turks have a name for the crackdown: they call it Ohal.

Ohal is short for Olaganustu Hal, a state of emergency. It was imposed in July last year after almost 250 people died when rebel military factions attempted to oust Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president.

More:Erdogan’s blacklist

Russia, Iran, Turkey sign on 'de-escalation zones' in Syria - News-Sentinel.com

Russia, Iran, Turkey sign on 'de-escalation zones' in Syria

By The Associated Press
Thursday, May 04, 2017 10:15 am

BEIRUT — Turkey, Iran and Russia on Thursday signed an agreement calling for the setting up of four "de-escalation zones" in war-torn Syria — the latest attempt to reduce violence in the Arab country — and said that President Bashar Assad's air force would halt flights over the designated areas in the country's north, center and south.

More:Russia, Iran, Turkey sign on 'de-escalation zones' in Syria - News-Sentinel.com

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Turkey stands at the crossroads of history | GulfNews.com

Turkey stands at the crossroads of history

From humble beginnings, President Erdogan has grown into a political heavyweight, reshaping the country on a scale unprecedented since Ataturk

More:Turkey stands at the crossroads of history | GulfNews.com

In Turkey, a Battle Between Press Freedom and the Cult of Erdogan

In Turkey, a Battle Between Press Freedom and the Cult of Erdogan
By Anchal Vohra on 03/05/2017

Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has jailed more than 100 journalists since the failed coup last year.

More:In Turkey, a Battle Between Press Freedom and the Cult of Erdogan

Turkey's president rejoins ruling party after referendum win - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Turkey's president rejoins ruling party after referendum win

Tuesday, May 2nd 2017, 11:53 am EDT Tuesday, May 2nd 2017, 11:53 am EDT By SUZAN FRASER

Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's president on Tuesday rejoined the ruling party he co-founded in a step on his path toward solidifying his grip on power, following his narrow victory in last month's referendum.

More:Turkey's president rejoins ruling party after referendum win - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Istanbul cancels invite for Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales after ban | News | DW.COM | 02.05.2017

Istanbul cancels invite for Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales after ban

Istanbul authorities have withdrawn an invitation sent to Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales to attend a major conference in the city. The reversal comes after Turkey blocked the website, citing objections to its content.

More:Istanbul cancels invite for Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales after ban | News | DW.COM | 02.05.2017

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Rejoins Turkey Ruling Party After Near 3-Year Absence

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Rejoins Turkey Ruling Party After Near 3-Year Absence
World | Agence France-Presse | Updated: May 03, 2017 00:52 IST

Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejoined the ruling party on Tuesday after an absence of almost three years, the first major change to come into effect following a controversial vote to boost his powers.

More:Recep Tayyip Erdogan Rejoins Turkey Ruling Party After Near 3-Year Absence

The Deadly Limits of Trump’s Dictator Diplomacy

The Deadly Limits of Trump’s Dictator Diplomacy

Turkish President Erdoğan pocketed Trump’s congratulations, started new crackdowns, and attacked Kurdish troops with U.S. advisers in Syria—a prelude to his White House visit.

More:The Deadly Limits of Trump’s Dictator Diplomacy

Monday, May 01, 2017

Wikipedia banned in Turkey for refusing to remove contents about links with Syrian civil war: Court - RIGHTS

Wikipedia banned in Turkey for refusing to remove contents about links with Syrian civil war: Court

An Ankara court ordered to ban Wikipedia in Turkey after the site’s administration refused to remove two English language pages which claimed that Turkey channeled support to jihadists in Syria, daily Habertürk reported on May 1.

More:Wikipedia banned in Turkey for refusing to remove contents about links with Syrian civil war: Court - RIGHTS

Turkey, India to ‘deepen’ economic ties: Erdoğan - ECONOMICS

Turkey, India to ‘deepen’ economic ties: Erdoğan

Turkish and Indian leaders stressed the importance of trade and direct investment during a business summit in New Delhi on May 1.

More:Turkey, India to ‘deepen’ economic ties: Erdoğan - ECONOMICS

Turkey police fire tear gas and plastic bullets at protesters in Istanbul | The National

Turkey police fire tear gas and plastic bullets at protesters in Istanbul

May 1, 2017 Updated: May 1, 2017 07:25 PM

ISTANBUL // Turkish police on Monday fired tear gas and plastic bullets at protesters seeking to march to Istanbul’s Taksim Square to celebrate May Day, in defiance of an official ban.

More:Turkey police fire tear gas and plastic bullets at protesters in Istanbul | The National