Friday, April 30, 2021

Turkey says it will receive 1 million doses of BioNTech vaccines in May | Reuters

Turkey says it will receive 1 million doses of BioNTech vaccines in May By Reuters Staff ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey will receive a further 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech in May, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Friday, adding that there were no issues with an option to procure another 30 million in June. More:Turkey says it will receive 1 million doses of BioNTech vaccines in May | Reuters

Turkish scientist acquitted after exposing cancer risk

Turkish scientist acquitted after exposing cancer risk Sik was initially sentenced to 15 months in prison [Getty] Date of publication: 30 April, 2021 The scientist was convicted after revealing the results of a health ministry study linking cancer risks to toxic pollution.Tags:Turkey, cancer, environment, pollution A Turkish scientist has been acquitted by an appeals court after he was convicted for disclosing classified information after exposing cancer risks from toxic pollution, a legal document seen by AFP on Friday showed. Bulent Sik in 2018 revealed the results of a study undertaken for the health ministry in 2011-15 linking the toxicity in soil, water and food to high rates of cancer in several western provinces of Turkey. More:Turkish scientist acquitted after exposing cancer risk

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Full lockdown takes effect in Turkey, people leave cities | National | eastoregonian.com

Full lockdown takes effect in Turkey, people leave cities People have stocked up on groceries, shoppers have filled markets and many others left cities for their hometowns or the southern coast as Turkey’s strictest COVID-19 lockdown yet comes into effect More:Full lockdown takes effect in Turkey, people leave cities | National | eastoregonian.com

Turks see Erdogan's pious hand behind alcohol sales ban during lockdown | Reuters

Turks see Erdogan's pious hand behind alcohol sales ban during lockdown By Reuters Staff ISTANBUL, April 29 (Reuters) - The Turkish government’s decision to ban alcohol sales during a 17-day COVID-19 lockdown that starts on Thursday has angered some secular Turks who see it as President Tayyip Erdogan’s latest imposition of a religious lifestyle on all of society. More:Turks see Erdogan's pious hand behind alcohol sales ban during lockdown | Reuters

Covid: Turkey enters first full lockdown - BBC News

Covid: Turkey enters first full lockdown By Mahmut Hamsici BBC Turkish, Istanbul The streets were crowded, the shopping centres busy and the traffic heavy. Some flocked to the main bus terminal to get out of Istanbul, while others tried to stockpile alcohol amid news of a "booze ban". This was the mood in the hours before Turkey went into its first full pandemic lockdown, to curb a surge in infections and deaths. More:Covid: Turkey enters first full lockdown - BBC News

Turkish schoolbooks under scrutiny | Blitz

Turkish schoolbooks under scrutiny ByDesk BlitzPublished on April 30, 2021SHARETWEETCOMMENT In a sign of the times, Turkish schoolbooks have replaced Saudi texts as the focus of criticism of supremacist and intolerant curricula in the Muslim world. Writes Dr. James M. Dorsey More:Turkish schoolbooks under scrutiny | Blitz

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Turkish President Erdogan's Kanal Istanbul Project Draws Domestic and International Uproar

Erdogan Is Digging a Hole He Can’t Escape Plans to build a new channel through Istanbul will come with serious domestic, international, and environmental costs. More:Turkish President Erdogan's Kanal Istanbul Project Draws Domestic and International Uproar

Turkish inflation to top 17% in April, stay lofty all year: Reuters poll | Reuters

Turkish inflation to top 17% in April, stay lofty all year: Reuters poll By Reuters Staff ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s annual inflation rate is expected to rise to 17.3% in April due to a slide in the lira and only dip to 14% by year end, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, keeping up pressure for tight monetary policy as real yields continue to narrow. More:Turkish inflation to top 17% in April, stay lofty all year: Reuters poll | Reuters

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Turkey's poverty rate rose above 12% last year - World Bank | Reuters

Turkey's poverty rate rose above 12% last year - World Bank By Reuters Staff ANKARA (Reuters) - The World Bank on Tuesday estimated that Turkey’s poverty rate rose to 12.2% last year, from 10.2% in 2019, and said returning to pre-pandemic levels would be a challenge. More:Turkey's poverty rate rose above 12% last year - World Bank | Reuters

Exclusive: Turkey’s banks shy away from Erdogan’s ‘crazy’ canal – sources | WTVB | 1590 AM · 95.5 FM | The Voice of Branch County

Exclusive: Turkey’s banks shy away from Erdogan’s ‘crazy’ canal – sources By Syndicated Content Apr 27, 2021 1:02 AM By Ebru Tuncay and Can Sezer ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Some of Turkey’s biggest banks are reluctant to finance President Tayyip Erdogan’s planned Istanbul canal due to environmental concerns and the investment risks hanging over the massive construction project, four senior bankers told Reuters. More:Exclusive: Turkey’s banks shy away from Erdogan’s ‘crazy’ canal – sources | WTVB | 1590 AM · 95.5 FM | The Voice of Branch County

Covid-19: Turkey bans alcohol sales in stores during lockdown, causing backlash | Middle East Eye

Covid-19: Turkey bans alcohol sales in stores during lockdown, causing backlash Turkish officials say the decision is based on science, but many online criticised the move as religiously motivated More:Covid-19: Turkey bans alcohol sales in stores during lockdown, causing backlash | Middle East Eye

Monday, April 26, 2021

The EU Helped Create the Erdogan of Today. Why the Shock and Awe over Sofagate?

The EU Helped Create the Erdogan of Today. Why the Shock and Awe over Sofagate? Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan frequently makes global news headlines. That is only to be expected from the leader of a G-20 country and a major regional power. Unfortunately, though, many of the headlines in question appear to be over highly questionable and regrettable comments, statements, or situations on part of or involving the ever more ambitious Turkish leader. More:The EU Helped Create the Erdogan of Today. Why the Shock and Awe over Sofagate?

Turkey announces 'full closure' from April 29 to May 17 - Turkey News

Turkey announces 'full closure' from April 29 to May 17 ANKARA Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on April 26 announced a full closure starting from April 29 evening, to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. More:Turkey announces 'full closure' from April 29 to May 17 - Turkey News

Turkey to produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine - statement | Reuters

Turkey to produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine - statement By Reuters Staff MOSCOW (Reuters) - Turkish pharmaceutical firm Viscoran İlaç will produce Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine at its plants, with production to launch in upcoming months, the company said in a joint statement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on Monday. More:Turkey to produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine - statement | Reuters

Sunday, April 25, 2021

The Fall Of Turkey, The Rise Of Bitcoin | Investing.com

The Fall Of Turkey, The Rise Of Bitcoin By Tom LuongoMarket Overview19 hours ago (Apr 25, 2021 03:39AM ET) It never ceases to amaze me how tone deaf those with power are. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in serious trouble for the first time in his political career. He’s a man staring at a massive electoral problem coming this fall. More:The Fall Of Turkey, The Rise Of Bitcoin | Investing.com

Turkish lira nears record low after cenbank comment, U.S. 'genocide' move | Reuters

Turkish lira nears record low after cenbank comment, U.S. 'genocide' move By Ece Toksabay, Jonathan Spicer ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s lira edged lower in early trading on Monday, adding to a recent slide and nearing an all-time low as a chill settled on relations with the United States and after the new central bank chief signalled that rate hikes would harm the economy. More:Turkish lira nears record low after cenbank comment, U.S. 'genocide' move | Reuters

Saturday, April 24, 2021

What is controversial about Joe Biden saying “Armenian genocide”? | The Economist

What is controversial about Joe Biden saying “Armenian genocide”? The events of a century ago still make many in Turkey bristle More:What is controversial about Joe Biden saying “Armenian genocide”? | The Economist

Biden recognizing the Armenian genocide shows how far Turkey and Erdogan have fallen

Biden recognizing the Armenian genocide shows how far Turkey and Erdogan have fallen For the first time in many years, Turkey's president needs the U.S. more than Washington needs him. Biden is seizing this opportunity. More:Biden recognizing the Armenian genocide shows how far Turkey and Erdogan have fallen

Friday, April 23, 2021

Turkey's EU candidacy must be suspended if no change, EU lawmakers say

Turkey's EU candidacy must be suspended if no change, EU lawmakers say Robin Emmott Fri, April 23, 2021, 10:01 AM·2 min read By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS, April 23 (Reuters) - Turkey's membership negotiations to join the European Union should be formally suspended if Ankara continues on its autocratic track, EU lawmakers said on Friday, saying a decision was urgent as basic freedoms in the country are curtailed. More:Turkey's EU candidacy must be suspended if no change, EU lawmakers say

Thursday, April 22, 2021

US-Turkey relations to be tested by possible Armenian genocide recognition - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

US-Turkey relations to be tested by possible Armenian genocide recognition US President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to recognize the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as genocide Saturday in a move that could further strain troubled US-Turkey relations. More:US-Turkey relations to be tested by possible Armenian genocide recognition - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Biden's watershed moment in U.S.-Turkey relations | Ahval

Biden's watershed moment in U.S.-Turkey relations Robert Ellis Apr 22 2021 12:05 Gmt+3 Last Updated On: Apr 22 2021 02:39 Gmt+3 A year ago, Joe Biden threw down the gauntlet in Foreign Affairs magazine. In his view, democracy is under more pressure than at any time since the 1930s, and NATO, an alliance of values, is the bulwark of the liberal democratic ideal. More:Biden's watershed moment in U.S.-Turkey relations | Ahval

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Erdogan replaces Turkish trade minister, more cabinet moves expected | Reuters

Erdogan replaces Turkish trade minister, more cabinet moves expected President Tayyip Erdogan named a prominent member of Turkey's ruling AK Party, Mehmet Mus, as trade minister on Wednesday and split another ministry into two, in what officials said was the first move in an expected broader cabinet shuffle. More:Erdogan replaces Turkish trade minister, more cabinet moves expected | Reuters

Erdoğan is feeling the heat – Democracy and society | IPS Journal

Erdoğan is feeling the heat Growing economic pains and a more united opposition threaten the Turkish President's grip on power. His regime resorts to ever more state repression More:Erdoğan is feeling the heat – Democracy and society | IPS Journal

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Dozens of Turks sneak into Europe in passport scam: report

Dozens of Turks sneak into Europe in passport scam: report Dozens of Turks snuck into Europe [Getty] Date of publication: 20 April, 2021 Turkey has expanded an investigation that dozens of people have used special passports to enter Europe.Tags:Turkey, EU, passports, European Union The Turkish government on Monday widened an investigation into claims dozens of people had used special passports to enter Europe legally and never returned. The scandal has dominated local headlines since it emerged last week that 43 people with grey service passports entered Germany last November to attend an environmental workshop and never returned to Turkey. More:Dozens of Turks sneak into Europe in passport scam: report

Monday, April 19, 2021

Turkey’s ruling Islamists dogged by mounting corruption claims - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Turkey’s ruling Islamists dogged by mounting corruption claims Allegations of government corruption are adding to public anger as the economy continues to decline. More:Turkey’s ruling Islamists dogged by mounting corruption claims - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

The long struggle of Turkish women to survive | OpenGlobalRights

The long struggle of Turkish women to survive In the late Ottoman Empire, women organized protests and fought for equality. Now they are fighting to survive in Turkey. More:The long struggle of Turkish women to survive | OpenGlobalRights

Feature: COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates prices in import-reliant Turkey - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Feature: COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates prices in import-reliant Turkey Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-19 20:25:38|Editor: huaxia ISTANBUL, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Hayriye Ustun strolled around her neighborhood marketplace looking for the best prices as she suffered from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sent food prices through the roof. More:Feature: COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates prices in import-reliant Turkey - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Friday, April 16, 2021

Turkey's handle on soft power: Hit TV series from Turkey conquer the Arab world - Qantara.de

Turkey's handle on soft power Hit TV series from Turkey conquer the Arab world Televised Turkish dramas are all the rage in the Middle East. A young Ottoman TV Empire has been expanding its soft power by harnessing regional dialects, Arabic names and viewers' desire for racy-yet-traditional plots. By Jennifer Holleis More:Turkey's handle on soft power: Hit TV series from Turkey conquer the Arab world - Qantara.de

Turkey and northern Syria: Recep Tayyip Erdogan's deadly serious colonial project - Qantara.de

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's deadly serious colonial project The neo-Ottomanism propagated by Erdogan has long been more than rhetoric and symbolic politics. This can be seen from recent developments in parts of northern Syria, where Turkey is in the process of permanently securing its sphere of influence. Joseph Croitoru reports More:Turkey and northern Syria: Recep Tayyip Erdogan's deadly serious colonial project - Qantara.de

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Turkey frees journalist Altan after European rights court ruling - France 24

Turkey frees journalist Altan after European rights court ruling A Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the release of journalist and novelist Ahmet Altan after more than four years in prison on charges of involvement in a failed 2016 coup attempt that he had always denied. More:Turkey frees journalist Altan after European rights court ruling - France 24

Diplomatic double whammy as EU overtures rebuffed by Turkey, Russia – EURACTIV.com

Diplomatic double whammy as EU overtures rebuffed by Turkey, Russia DISCLAIMER: All opinions in this column reflect the views of the author(s), not of EURACTIV Media network. By Robert Ellis 10:36 The EU's hopes of rapprochements with Turkey and Russia have been rebuffed. But these diplomatic defeats have been years in the making, writes Robert Ellis. More:Diplomatic double whammy as EU overtures rebuffed by Turkey, Russia – EURACTIV.com

Show us the money: Erdogan pressed over $128 billion used to support lira | Reuters

Show us the money: Erdogan pressed over $128 billion used to support lira By Ali Kucukgocmen, Tuvan Gumrukcu ANKARA (Reuters) - “Where is the $128 billion?” asked posters on billboards around Istanbul intended by Turkey’s main opposition to embarrass and annoy President Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party (AKP). More:Show us the money: Erdogan pressed over $128 billion used to support lira | Reuters

Turkish 'kingmaker' edges Erdogan further right - France 24

Turkish 'kingmaker' edges Erdogan further right Some call him Turkey's ultranationalist kingmaker, others see him pulling the strings of the state's security policy. Yet for a man whose far-right MHP party won only 11 percent in a 2018 election, Devlet Bahceli's influence over the government stretches far wider than his vote share. More:Turkish 'kingmaker' edges Erdogan further right - France 24

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Turkey declares partial lockdown during Ramadan - Turkey News

Turkey declares partial lockdown during Ramadan ANKARA Turkey on April 13 announced a two-week partial lockdown to help curb a recent rise in the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting that lasted three hours, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the new measures against the virus would go into effect on Wednesday evening and continue for the first two weeks of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. More:Turkey declares partial lockdown during Ramadan - Turkey News

Monday, April 12, 2021

Ottawa cancels 29 military export permits for Turkey after finding Canadian-made gear diverted to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict - The Globe and Mail

Ottawa cancels 29 military export permits for Turkey after finding Canadian-made gear diverted to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The federal government is cancelling 29 permits for exports of military goods to Turkey, saying an investigation revealed that made-in-Canada airstrike-targeting gear shipped to the Eurasian country was illegally diverted to the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. More:Ottawa cancels 29 military export permits for Turkey after finding Canadian-made gear diverted to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict - The Globe and Mail

Turkey, US in rare position of unity over Ukraine - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Turkey, US in rare position of unity over Ukraine Russia’s Turkey policy to "drive a wedge between Turkey and its NATO allies" will not likely bear fruit when it comes to Ukraine. More:Turkey, US in rare position of unity over Ukraine - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

China looms large in Turkey’s controversial waterway project - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

China looms large in Turkey’s controversial waterway project Turkey is reportedly gearing up to partner with China in the construction of an artificial waterway parallel to the Bosporus, a project with likely implications for Russia and the United States in the Black Sea. More:China looms large in Turkey’s controversial waterway project - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Crackdown on dissent highlights Turkey's drift from democracy - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Crackdown on dissent highlights Turkey's drift from democracy A recent decision to nullify a parliamentary vote and ongoing targeting of opposition lawmakers are further evidence of Turkey’s slide away from a democratic system. More:Crackdown on dissent highlights Turkey's drift from democracy - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Friday, April 09, 2021

Making Sense of Turkey’s Contradictory Behavior: Part 2

Making Sense of Turkey’s Contradictory Behavior: Part 2 Emily Hawthorne Middle East and North Africa Analyst, Stratfor Ahead of 2023 elections, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will embrace policies that appease its Islamist base by further entrenching religion into the country’s culture and economy. The AKP will also ramp up efforts to rig the country’s electoral system in its favor, pulling Turkey toward authoritarianism. More:Making Sense of Turkey’s Contradictory Behavior: Part 2

Turkish graduates in Europe: Turkey's best and brightest flee in brain drain - Qantara.de

Turkish graduates in Europe Turkey's best and brightest flee in brain drain As Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues his crackdown on dissent, increasing numbers of Turkish graduates and young professionals are seeking new lives and better prospects abroad. Germany is their No.1 destination. By Sinem Ozdemir and Daniel Derya Bellut More:Turkish graduates in Europe: Turkey's best and brightest flee in brain drain - Qantara.de

Thursday, April 08, 2021

Turkey's Talk Show Nationalists - War on the Rocks

TURKEY’S TALK SHOW NATIONALISTS RYAN GINGERASAPRIL 8, 2021 COMMENTARY Turn on Turkish television on any given night, and it is likely you will meet eyes with a former general or admiral. At first blush, their steady presence as commentators on talk shows, as well as on social media, appears unremarkable. With the Turkish armed forces deployed on a variety of fronts both at home and abroad, events appear to demand the interpretative aid of those with military experience. Watch enough programming and you discover, however, that the generals and admirals of Turkish television are by no means passive actors. Former military officers have emerged as a potent constituency in Turkey’s fragmented partisan landscape. Via television and social media, many have sought to shape the tenor, and perhaps even the direction, of Turkish foreign policy. More:Turkey's Talk Show Nationalists - War on the Rocks

Turkey’s talk of pulling out of the Montreux Convention part diversion, part 'Ataturk envy' - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Turkey’s talk of pulling out of the Montreux Convention part diversion, part 'Ataturk envy' While it's unclear if the Turkish president's threat to pull out of a 1936 maritime treaty will be followed by any action, it should not be taken too lightly given his track record of doing everything he says he will. More:Turkey’s talk of pulling out of the Montreux Convention part diversion, part 'Ataturk envy' - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East

Houthis warn Turkey against Yemen intervention – Middle East Monitor

Houthis warn Turkey against Yemen intervention April 8, 2021 at 2:38 pm | Published in: Europe & Russia, Middle East, News, Turkey, Yemen A member of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen, the executive body of the Houthi-led government based in Sanaa, has warned Turkey against any intervention in the country. Should it do so, said Abdul Wahab Al-Mahbashi, it will fare no better than Saudi Arabia, which has been leading a US-supported war in the country since 2015. More:Houthis warn Turkey against Yemen intervention – Middle East Monitor

How Erdogan Got His Groove Back in Domestic Politics

How Erdogan Got His Groove Back It’s been a difficult and dizzying few months for Turkey—which is just the way the president likes it. BY STEVEN A. COOK | APRIL 8, 2021, 7:49 AM While everyone was puzzling through the who, what, and how of the coup-non-coup family drama in Jordan, it was yet another wild week in Turkish politics. On April 3, around the same time as Prince Hamzah was allegedly plotting against his half-brother King Abdullah II in Amman, 104 retired Turkish admirals released a letter expressing concern that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government apparent proposal to pull Turkey out of the Montreux Convention, which grants Turkey the right to regulate access to the Dardanelles and Bosporus straits. The letter also raised alarms over what the naval officers regard as the Islamization of the armed forces. More:How Erdogan Got His Groove Back in Domestic Politics

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

Turkey's daily COVID-19 cases hit all time high | Reuters

Turkey's daily COVID-19 cases hit all time high By Reuters Staff ANKARA, April 7 (Reuters) - Turkey recorded 54,740 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed on Wednesday, the highest daily level since the start of the pandemic. More:Turkey's daily COVID-19 cases hit all time high | Reuters

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

EU to Turkey: Human rights issues are nonnegotiable | News | DW | 06.04.2021

EU to Turkey: Human rights issues are nonnegotiable European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Ankara must respect basic human rights norms if Turkey wants to have a stronger relationship with the EU. More:EU to Turkey: Human rights issues are nonnegotiable | News | DW | 06.04.2021

Opinion: Erdogan puts Turkey into confrontation with EU | Opinion | DW | 06.04.2021

Opinion: Erdogan puts Turkey into confrontation with EU Relations between the European Union and Turkey are increasingly testy. EU leaders see a chance for diplomacy after their visit to Ankara. They should act on it, DW's Bernd Riegert writes. More:Opinion: Erdogan puts Turkey into confrontation with EU | Opinion | DW | 06.04.2021

Monday, April 05, 2021

Turkish inflation accelerates for sixth consecutive month | Financial Times

Turkish inflation accelerates for sixth consecutive month Rising prices add to pressure on central bank to keep interest rates high More:Turkish inflation accelerates for sixth consecutive month | Financial Times

Libya: The Turkish Problem

Libya: The Turkish Problem April 5, 2021: It’s been two months since the two rival Libyan governments agreed on a merger and Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was selected by the GNA (UN created Government of National Accord) and HoR (the last elected government that disagreed with the formation of the GNA) factions to head (as prime minister) the unified GNU (Government of National Unity). Dbeibeh is from Misrata, where he was born in 1959, and was educated in Canadian universities before returning to become a successful businessman in the 1980s. During the 2011 revolution Dbeibeh favored the Moslem Brotherhood but was perceived as doing so mainly to protect his family and business interests. He is known to have used corrupt behavior to keep his businesses going during the decade of fighting but is trusted enough to form the temporary government and attempt to organize the December elec More:Libya: The Turkish Problem

Turkey detains 10 retired admirals over open letter

Turkey detains 10 retired admirals over open letter PUBLISHED : 5 APR 2021 AT 17:45 ANKARA: Turkey on Monday detained 10 retired admirals after they openly criticised a canal project dear to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a country where the hint of military insubordination raises the spectre of past coups. More:Turkey detains 10 retired admirals over open letter

Thursday, April 01, 2021

Opinion: Erdogan’s disreputable coup against women | World News,The Indian Express

Opinion: Erdogan’s disreputable coup against women In terms of misogyny, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has overtaken the Catholic rulers in Hungary and Poland, who have certainly not been stingy when it came to attacking women in the recent past. More:Opinion: Erdogan’s disreputable coup against women | World News,The Indian Express