Podcasts about turkish president recep tayyip erdo

On the eve of the U.N. Human Rights Council's vote on whether to renew the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Fabiana Leibl of the International Service for Human Rights, trans activist Best Chitsangupong, Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights senior fellow Jessica Stern; and scholar-activist Ignacio Saiz discuss the significance of the position and its chances of passage (interviewed by David Hunt). And in NewsWrap: as many as 50+ are arrested in Istanbul for defying Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ban on Pride events, at least 30 more women are detained during an apparent second wave in China's continuing crackdown on “danmei” gay male erotica, the U.S. Congress sends the slash-and-burn Budget Reconciliation Bill to be signed by President Donald Trump, two U.S. Supreme Court rulings threaten the rights of transgender people in four states, trans school sports bans will be on the U.S. Supreme Court's docket next session, Australia's National Men's Field Hockey Kookaburras Team took to the pitch wearing rainbow socks to support a gay teammate during Pride month, and more international LGBTQ+ news reported this week by John Dyer V and Ava Davis (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the July 7, 2025 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's June visit to Turkey marks the latest step in the ongoing rapprochement between the two countries. The move comes as Ankara seeks to expand its influence in the Caucasus, amid the waning power of regional rivals Iran and Russia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's hosting of Pashinyan in Istanbul last month represents a notable diplomatic effort to normalise relations. Ankara had severed diplomatic ties and closed its border with Armenia in 1993 following the war between Armenia and Turkey's close ally, Azerbaijan, over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. However, Pashinyan's Istanbul visit is being hailed as groundbreaking. “I believe it was very significant for several reasons. It was the first bilateral diplomatic summit between the Turkish and Armenian leaders,” explains Richard Giragosian, Director of the Regional Studies Centre, a Yerevan-based think tank. Until now, interactions between the two leaders had been limited to multilateral engagements—such as Erdoğan's inauguration and meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. But Giragosian argues that the Istanbul meeting carries deeper significance. “This is the first bilateral invitation from Turkey to the Armenian leader. That reflects a second important development: Turkey is seeking to regain its options with Armenia,” observes Giragosian. Armenia looks to reopen border with Turkey as potential gateway to the West Zangezur corridor at centre One of the key issues discussed was the creation of a land bridge through Armenia to connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave, which borders Turkey. Known as the Zangezur Corridor, this project is a strategic priority for Ankara. It would not only link Turkey directly to its key ally and vital trade partner Azerbaijan, but also open a new route for Turkish goods to Central Asia. “It is especially important now from an economic standpoint,” notes international relations professor Hüseyin Bağcı of Ankara's Middle East Technical University. Pashinyan's visit is seen as part of a broader Turkish diplomatic push to secure regional support for the Zangezur Corridor. “This is why Prime Minister Pashinyan came to Turkey,” says Bağcı, who suggests Erdoğan is attempting to counter Iranian resistance. “The Zangezur Corridor should not be held hostage by Iranian opposition. It shouldn't be conditional on Iran's stance,” he adds. Iran, Armenia's powerful neighbour, strongly opposes the corridor. Currently, Turkish goods must transit through Iran to reach Central Asia—giving Tehran significant leverage. Iran has often restricted this trade during periods of diplomatic tension with Ankara. More critically, Tehran fears the proposed 40-kilometre corridor would cut off a vital route it uses to bypass international sanctions. Despite Turkish diplomatic efforts, Iran remains firmly opposed. “Nothing has changed in Tehran's position regarding the Zangezur Corridor. Iran is still against the project,” warns Prof Dr Zaur Gasimov of the German Academic Exchange Service. Growing military buildup in Azerbaijan and Armenia a concern for peace talks Gasimov notes, however, that recent geopolitical developments—particularly Israel's ongoing conflict with Iran—have shifted the regional balance in Ankara's favour. “As of July 2025, Iran's diplomatic, political, and military capabilities are far more constrained than they were just a few years ago, due to Israel-led and US-led operations,” says Gasimov. “In both military and political terms, Iran is now significantly limited.” Yet Azerbaijan's insistence that the Zangezur Corridor operate independently of Armenian control remains a major sticking point for Yerevan, says Giragosian. Still, he believes the broader aim of establishing a new trade route—combined with Turkey's willingness to reopen its border—offers the region both economic incentives and a path towards stability through mutual dependence. “The reopening of closed borders, and the creation of trade and transport links, reshapes strategic thinking. It makes any renewal of hostilities far more costly,” says Giragosian. “In this context, it lifts all boats. It's a win-win for everyone,” he continues. “And I do think the real sticking point now will be Russia's reaction, more than any resistance from Turkey, Armenia, or Azerbaijan.” Russia and Iran push back Initially, Moscow supported the Zangezur Corridor, particularly since Russian personnel were envisioned to administer it under the original proposals. But Gasimov notes that Russia's enthusiasm has cooled as it grows increasingly wary of Turkey's expanding influence in a region it still considers part of its traditional sphere. “Moscow is very concerned about Ankara–Yerevan relations. Turkey, after all, is a NATO member—even if Russia cooperates with it in several areas,” says Gasimov. France pushes for peace in the Caucasus amid heat over Iran detainees   Despite being heavily engaged in its war in Ukraine, Gasimov suggests Russia still has leverage in the South Caucasus “After three years of war and sweeping sanctions, Russia's capabilities in the region are diminished. But it continues to try to assert itself—by intimidating vulnerable regional economies and exploiting internal political instability, as it did in Armenia just two weeks ago,” says Gasimov. Last month, Armenian security forces arrested several opposition figures, claiming to have foiled a coup attempt. As Moscow remains bogged down in Ukraine, Yerevan may have only a limited window of opportunity to capitalise on Russia's distraction and weakness. “We do see a storm on the horizon,” warns Giragosian. “With an angry and vengeful Putin lashing out at Russia's neighbours, he's seeking to reassert Russian power and influence across the near abroad—from Central Asia to the South Caucasus.” Armenia reconsiders alliances Giragosian argues that such threats could be the catalyst for historic diplomatic realignments. “From an Armenian perspective, it's deeply ironic. For decades, Armenia feared Turkey and turned to Russia for protection. Now, Armenia is looking to Turkey for a greater role—and seeking to distance itself from the Russian orbit.” Pashinyan has made no secret of his intent to pivot Armenia away from Russia and towards Europe. But with neighbouring Georgia increasingly under Moscow's sway, and with Iran and Azerbaijan offering few viable alternatives, Turkey may now represent Armenia's best chance to achieve that strategic realignment.

At a gathering of Muslim-majority states in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has condemned Israel's military strikes on Iran, accusing it of violating international law and risking “total disaster” in the region. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also at the summit, warned that any US involvement in the conflict would be “very dangerous.” Also in the programme: In the UK, the launch of a new scheme to map the DNA of newborn babies; and 50 years after the hit film Jaws was released, we ask if it's finally time for a PR makeover for sharks.Photo: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Istanbul Credit: REUTERS/Umit Bektas

The European Union is working more closely with Turkey on defence, aiming to build military independence as fears grow over Russia and doubts linger about continued US support. Earlier this month, EU and Turkish officials met under the bloc's Common Security and Defence Policy for the first time in three years. The talks are part of a push to develop a more independent European defence system, amid concerns that a second Donald Trump presidency might weaken NATO's guarantee to protect Europe. Many see Turkey as well-placed to help meet the EU's defence goals. “We have huge potential for cooperation with Turkey,” said Federico Donelli, an international relations expert at Trieste University. He pointed out that Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO, and that “many European defence systems are in some way compatible with Turkish military hardware because the majority of EU members are NATO members”. Donelli said Turkey's fast-growing defence sector could help the EU's efforts to rearm. “Turkey is one of the emerging players in the security market. One of Turkey's key assets is producing efficiently at a lower cost compared with American or Israeli companies.” Ankara's expanding military Turkey was recently admitted to the EU's €150 billion Safety Assistance for Europe arms procurement programme. While Turkey is not yet one of the top 10 global weapons producers, it has made major advances in certain areas. It is one of the world's biggest producers of military drones and has developed a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. Last year, Turkish company Repkon built a munitions factory in the United States using technology designed to speed up production. And this month, Turkey's drone maker Baykar signed a deal with Italy's Leonardo to develop drones together. The deal is expected to help Baykar meet EU rules that require 65 percent of the value of any arms contract to go to an EU firm. Sinan Ciddi, of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, said Turkey brings valuable assets to the table. “Turkey has a vast ability not only to procure and manufacture but also to supply these, that's readily available. So, on the physical side, it's great,” said Ciddi. Concerns over Turkish politics But Turkey's position on the war in Ukraine has raised eyebrows. Ankara has kept ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, and Ciddi said this creates a dilemma for the EU. “On the political side, it puts the EU in a rather precarious position of having to rely on a country like Turkey simply because, you know, Turkey has been playing both sides of this conflict, so it's a double-edged sword,” he said. Greece and Cyprus are also worried about closer defence ties between the EU and Turkey. Both have territorial disputes with Ankara. While relations between Athens and Ankara have improved, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis insists that any defence deal with Turkey must include a clear promise to drop threats of war. Turkey has said for 30 years it might use force if Greece extends its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea. Athens says it has a legal right to do so under a UN maritime convention. Turkey has rejected the demand, saying the issue should be resolved through talks. Mitsotakis is due to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of this month's NATO summit. Greek, Cypriot objections sidelined Greece and Cyprus still have veto powers in the EU and have used them against Turkey in the past. But Federico Donelli said Russia's actions have changed the mood in Europe. “Nowadays, I think the priority of European countries – and the European Union as a whole – is more important than any concerns from Cyprus and Greece,” said Donelli. “I don't think they will be able to halt this process,” he added. “Honestly, the priority for European countries is security: to increase production and to cooperate with all actors who can help in the defence sector.” In a move widely seen as a way to get around Greek and Cypriot opposition, the EU has now made decisions on arms procurement subject to majority voting. Even so, Greece and Cyprus could still slow things down diplomatically. But with France and Germany pushing hard to boost Europe's defences, deeper ties with Turkey are likely to move ahead.

With Ankara warning Tehran not to undermine Syria's new rulers and its ongoing peace efforts with Kurdish rebels, regional rivalry with Iran has been intensifying. However, Turkey's concerns about potential US military action against Iran over its nuclear energy programme are now providing a rare point of convergence between the two rivals. After months of diplomatic barbs and threats exchanged between Ankara and Tehran, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Wednesday praised his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, for what he described as a “constructive and supportive position” regarding the indirect US-Iranian talks in Oman over Iran's nuclear energy programme.Oman TalksThe Oman talks aim to avert a possible US military strike on Iran, an option that President Donald Trump has not ruled out. Despite the strained relations with Tehran, avoiding confrontation remains a priority for Ankara.“Turkey would be concerned for many reasons,” claims Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, who heads the German Marshall Fund's office in Ankara.“This would be just another war on Turkey's borders. Turkey would have to deal with difficult problems, and instability in Iran would almost certainly lead to an additional wave of refugees,” he added.Kurdish leader Ocalan calls for PKK disarmament, paving way for peaceTurkish diplomatic tensions with Iran have been on the rise, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issuing thinly veiled threats to Tehran, urging it not to interfere in Ankara's efforts to end the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long campaign for greater minority rights within Turkey.“Ankara believes that Iran is trying to undermine this [peace] process both in Turkey and in Syria,” observes Serhan Afacan, who heads the Centre for Iranian Studies, a research organisation based in Ankara.In February, the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, called for his organisation to disarm. With the PKK operating from bases in Iraq and having an affiliated group in Syria, Ankara has frequently accused Tehran of using the PKK as a proxy in its regional contest for power and influence. Afacan contends that Ankara fears Tehran still holds sway over the Kurdish rebels.“Especially in Syria, Iran might try to convince them not to respond positively to Öcalan's call – this has been Turkey's main concern,” warned Afacan.Iranian uneaseThe recent ousting of long-time Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has deprived Iran of a key ally, while Syria's new rulers are aligned with Ankara rather than Tehran. A peace agreement between Turkish forces and Kurdish rebels would only deepen Iran's unease over Turkey's growing regional influence.“Turkey is about to end the PKK through its policies both domestically and regionally, and this is causing a kind of panic on the Iranian side,” observes Bilgehan Alagöz, a professor of international relations at Istanbul's Marmara University. “Iran sees this as a threat to its regional influence and a development that could empower Turkey,” Alagöz added.Nevertheless, Syria's Kurdish-led militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which maintains close ties with the PKK, has stated it is not bound by Öcalan's call to disarm. Although it has agreed in principle with Syria's new rulers to merge its forces, the precise terms of the arrangement remain unclear.Syria's new leadershipTensions also persist between the SDF and Syria's new leadership. The Kurdish-led militia continues to demand greater autonomy within Syria — a position opposed by Damascus's new rulers and their backers in Ankara. Turkey suspects Tehran of favouring a decentralised and weakened Syria — a goal analysts say is also shared by Israel.“The Middle East makes strange bedfellows,” notes Gallia Lindenstrauss, a foreign policy expert at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “Sometimes, these things unfold in ways that are surprising.”Lindenstrauss also questions the Israeli government's zero-sum view of Turkey, which it sees as both a rival and a supporter of Syria's new rulers.He told RFI: “I'm not sure this idea of a decentralised Syria is fully thought through by Jerusalem. I know there's a lot of intellectual energy devoted to this line of thinking. But clearly, we don't want Iran to use Syria to its advantage. A centralised regime might be a better scenario for Syria. But that comes at a cost — and the cost is increased Turkish involvement and influence in Syria. So, there is a dilemma.”Last month, Fidan angered Tehran by warning that Iran could face instability if it attempted to destabilise Syria — a statement some analysts interpret as a veiled reference to Iran's sizeable and often restive Turkish minority, which is viewed with suspicion by Tehran.Ünlühisarcıklı believes Ankara sees itself as gaining the upper hand in its regional rivalry with Tehran, yet remains cautious about the risks posed by a potential US-Iran conflict.Turkey's Erdogan sees new Trump presidency as opportunity“Turkey has outcompeted Iran, and it has no objection to Iran being further weakened,” Ünlühisarcıklı remarked.“But Turkey would have a serious problem with Iran being targeted militarily, as that would destabilise the entire region.”Avoiding such a conflict now offers common ground for Turkey and its long-time regional competitor Iran — a relationship often described as a delicate balance between cooperation and competition.Analysts expect this balancing act to be severely tested in the months to come.

Turkey's opposition is accusing Europe of abandoning those fighting to keep democracy alive, as European leaders and the EU offer only muted criticism over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and the crackdown on protests. Rubber bullets, water cannons, and mass arrests continue to meet demonstrators protesting the detention of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main rival. Yet, the EU is treading cautiously. "The arrest of the mayor is deeply concerning. As a member of the Council of Europe and an EU candidate country, Turkey must uphold democratic rights," said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.EU and UK reactionsBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer, once a human rights lawyer, has so far remained silent on İmamoğlu's arrest. Only one of his aides issued a muted statement, saying the UK expects Turkey's judicial process to be respected.Turkey braces for more protests over Istanbul mayor's arrestÖzgür Özel, leader of the main opposition CHP party, has lashed out at Europe's response. "Those who champion democracy at home but empower autocracy in Turkey — those who say, ‘We'll give the money so the Syrians are taken care of' — will know this government will change next year. When all is said and done, Turkey will remember the silence of its friends more than the voices of its enemies," Özel told supporters.The UK and EU rely on Turkey to act as Europe's gatekeeper, hosting millions of Syrian refugees in exchange for billions of euros in aid.Erdoğan's two-decade grip on power, having repeatedly defeated the opposition at the polls, has left European leaders feeling powerless. "The consensus is that this is something we cannot change, something we cannot influence from outside. Europeans have mistakenly concluded they have no leverage over Turkey," says Aslı Aydıntaşbaş of the Washington-based Brookings Institution.But Aydıntaşbaş insists Europe still has powerful tools at its disposal. "Of course, Europeans have had — and still have — enormous leverage, particularly economic leverage, especially through Turkey's EU accession process. But they simply don't want to push."Erdoğan's importance to Europe is only growing, as European leaders scramble to strengthen their defences against a resurgent Russia and an unreliable United States. With NATO's second-largest army, Turkey is increasingly seen as critical to Europe's security."Turkey is more important than ever in this era of brutal geopolitical realities; it stands between two wars. President Erdoğan has been masterful in playing the West off against Russia, and the US against Europe. He has become an indispensable middle power — not exactly an ally, but certainly not someone you want to cross," Aydıntaşbaş explains."Europeans are interested in bringing Turkey closer into European defence plans," she adds. "The Americans, too, see Turkey as essential to stabilising Syria. Western countries simply don't want to risk pushing Erdoğan away."Further arrests as Turkey cracks down on protests over jailed Istanbul mayor EU and TurkeyEven before Europe's lukewarm reaction to İmamoğlu's arrest and the crackdown on protests, Turkey's opposition had accused the EU of abandoning Turkish democracy. Local human rights groups, still battling to defend civil liberties, claim the EU has quietly been cutting its funding since Erdoğan's election victory in 2023."There's a visible hesitation among international donors when it comes to Turkey," warns Sinan Gökçen, Turkey representative for the Sweden-based Civil Rights Defenders."When it comes to bilateral or intergovernmental funding, the refugee deal with the EU remains central to Turkey's relations with Europe. No one wants to upset that. In fact, no one wants to risk provoking Turkey," Gökçen adds.Turkey's opposition, however, shows no such restraint. As many as two million people took to the streets of Istanbul last Saturday to protest against Erdoğan and İmamoğlu's arrest. CHP Deputy Chairman İlhan Uzgel says that with Turkish democracy at breaking point, he is dismayed by Europe's silence — but remains confident in the people's resolve."We are losing our democracy. Every other day, a businessperson, a trade unionist, a student, a journalist, a doctor, an ordinary citizen, or an academic is taken into custody. We are facing our authoritarian leader alone," Uzgel declared.The CHP has vowed to continue mobilising mass protests across the country, stepping up its resistance. With Erdoğan accusing the opposition of treason and rebellion, further mass arrests are expected, along with legal moves against the party itself. Whatever the outcome of the battle for Turkey's democracy, Europe's leaders seem destined to be remembered as bystanders.

Full interview with Turkish political scientist Ezgi Basaran on rising authoritarianism in Turkey, the arrest of Istanbul's mayor and the similarities between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Donald Trump.

Full interview with Turkish political scientist Ezgi Basaran on rising authoritarianism in Turkey, the arrest of Istanbul's mayor and the similarities between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Donald Trump.

In this episode of "The Caroline Glick Show," JNS senior contributing editor Caroline Glick is joined by Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli (Likud Party) for a discussion covering some of the biggest challenges facing Israel and Diaspora Jewry. Learn how Qatar and seemingly innocuous organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations have infiltrated American society to further their efforts at spreading Islamism. They also discuss Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's dream of a renewed caliphate and what the West must do today to preserve its values for the next generation. Catch every story from Israel and the Jewish world:Latest news: https://bit.ly/jewish_news_serviceSubscribe to our free newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribe_to_JNSYou can join the fight against media bias! Donate here: https://bit.ly/Support-JNS

Today Radio Schuman digs into current relations between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the newly re-elected US president Donald Trump with Gabor Tanacz, Euronews correspondent in Budapest.Orbán was been an early supporter of Trump, and the two leaders met last month at Mar-a-Lago. Although Trump once mistakenly confused Orbán with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he has described Orbán as “one of the strongest leaders anywhere in the world.”Many officials in Brussels anticipate that Orbán will serve as Trump's key interlocutor on European affairs. However, at Trump's inauguration ceremony last night, Giorgia Meloni emerged as the most prominent EU leader in attendance. The Hungarian leader was in Budapest yesterday, where he delivered a speech reflecting on his country's recent presidency of the EU.We also take a look at today's European Parliament debates and a meeting between migration European Commissioner Magnus Brunner and the president of the Canary Islands' regional government, Fernando Clavijo.Radio Schuman also brings you to countries where TikTok is fully or partially banned.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by David Brodheim. Music by Alexandre Jas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will the new President of the European Council differ from his predecessor, Charles Michel? What are his main challenges, and how does he plan to reshape the Council, representing the 27 member states? Radio Schuman focuses on António Costa today.Costa is widely recognised for his bridge-building abilities, extensive political experience—as former Prime Minister of Portugal, Mayor of Lisbon, and Member of Parliament—and seniority.He is expected to get along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU leaders, avoiding controversies like "sofagate" - von der Leyen's infamous side-lining during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.However, uniting the bloc—a key responsibility of the European Council President—will not be without difficulties.We dive into the issue with Euronews journalist Jorge Liboreiro.In the second part of the program, we take a look at today's Employment and Social Policy Council, where EU ministers are set to approve an action plan, including a section on labour migration.In the final part of the show, Radio Schuman examined the best and worst European countries for smoke-free homes.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Georgios Leivaditis and Brodheim, David. Music by Alexandre Jas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last decade, the Turkish lira has seen declines of more than 95% against the US dollar. It took just ₺1.50 to buy it dollar ten years ago. Now it takes ₺33. The lira has been one of the world's worst-performing currencies - and in a fiat world, that is saying something - rivalled only by the Venezuelan bolivar and the Argentinian peso.While in Istanbul last week, I spoke to two young professionals, Emre, 25, and İlker, 27, about life under the lira. Both are bright, articulate, and empathetic young men who speak three languages fluently - English, German, and Turkish - as well as competent French.Given that the currency has been so bad, I was expecting to see more widespread use of foreign money, but in fact, lira are changing hands everywhere - you see people all over the place with wads of them. “You have to use lira,” they explained. “It is the national currency.” Even with such dire inflation, there is still trade. The economy still functions, albeit badly. (That said everything in the airports was denominated in euros).Food, energy, travel, housing, consumer goods - everything has gone up in price, but, surprise, surprise, wages have not gone up by nearly as much. The result is that ordinary people have been impoverished.“The average wage in Istanbul is about £650 per month,” they told me. (One thing that impressed me was how immediately they could translate the lira into pounds, dollars, or euros).“What about the receptionist in my hotel or a waiter?”“Maybe £500. A taxi driver working all hours, maybe £800.”With those kinds of earnings, it is hard to make ends meet. “That's why everybody wants to meet a tourist,” they smiled in reply.“What do you do?” I asked. “Do you spend money as soon as you have it? Before it loses purchasing power?”“Yes,” they said. “There is no point saving. When we were students a few years ago, you could save for maybe three years and buy a car. Now it would take you 20 years. There is no point saving in lira. We spend the money as soon as we have it.”“Even on stupid things,” added Emre, pointing to his Casio watch. “You may as well.”Everyone is the same, apparently. They spend as soon as they earn. There is no point saving a currency that will soon be worth less. The rates of interest paid do not compensate, especially given that you usually have to tie your money up for one, two, or three years to obtain decent rates, and the inflation risk of doing that is too great.Interest rates have been quite the issue in Turkey, by the way. Mainstream Islamic finance prohibits interest, something they claimed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan exploited. Until 2023 Erdoğan kept a lid on rates (they are now 50%), arguing that high rates cause inflation. He repeatedly replaced central bank governors who resisted low rates.“How do people save?” I asked.“Gold,” came the answer straight away. Everyone who can buys gold, even tiny amounts below a gram.“Silver?” I asked.“Not so much.”I asked them if they use Revolut or similar to hold foreign currencies. They had no idea what Revolut was (probably a good thing, given what can happen), but it seems most banks also offer the ability to hold euros, pounds, and dollars, and so citizens tend to convert their lira as quickly as they can.“What about bitcoin?”“Not really,” they said. “Some young people.”I was surprised by that. I saw a few adverts for bitcoin-related products out there. But apparently gold is more common.“What about saving up to buy a house?”They both laughed at the impossibility. And there isn't even a lot of debt in the Turkish housing market. Mortgages, as we know them in the West, don't really exist, though there are ways to borrow money. Housing is still unaffordable“So people aren't starting families then?”“No, we can't. Our population growth is starting to turn negative.”“So you two are not close to starting a family.”They shook their heads sadly. “What do we have to offer?”I felt so sorry for these two young men. Both would be good husbands and fathers.“When people do start families, they rent small flats. Mum works, dad works, grandparents work.”This is something I saw directly. The taxi that met me at the airport had mum and dad in the front and their two kids asleep in the back, while dad continued working into the night.A typical one-bed flat might be about £500 per month. There is not really the same culture of flat-sharing among young professionals that we have in the UK, except maybe for students, and most young people stay with their parents until they marry.I struggled to understand how anyone could make any money in such a situation. All asset owners are doing is protecting their wealth against the currency debasement; they are not actually growing it. “Who's the richest person in the country?” I wondered.“Erdoğan,” they both said immediately. “Officially, probably the Koç family. They own Fenerbahçe, the football club. But really it is almost certainly Erdoğan.”The state of the currency and the political leadership is no doubt a huge deterrent to foreign investment.What about leaving?, I asked.That is hard too. The routes into Europe are not as easy as they once were. Far fewer Turks now go to Germany, for example. Even just getting a tourist visa can take two years, and the money they earn lasts barely a few days in Europe. Some illegals travel across the Mediterranean and up through Spain, but the US, via Mexico, is now the most common escape. Very expensive. Most are trapped in their own country. What a sad state of affairs. Isn't fiat money a terrible thing? What it can do to a country and its people, how it can make things so hopeless.The bizarre thing: there is economic activity everywhere. Everyone is hustling. Everyone is working. They all want to better themselves and their lot. People want to trade. That is the natural human way of things. Imagine if it were all underpinned by sound money.If you are interested in buying gold, check out my recent report. I have a feeling it is going to come in very handy.My recommended bullion dealer is the Pure Gold Company. I also like Goldcore.And one other thing:Charlie Morris is one of my closest mates and he writes what I think is one of the best investment newsletters out there, in fact a suite of them. I urge you to sign up for a free trial. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe

Over the last decade, the Turkish lira has seen declines of more than 95% against the US dollar. It took just ₺1.50 to buy it dollar ten years ago. Now it takes ₺33. The lira has been one of the world's worst-performing currencies - and in a fiat world, that is saying something - rivalled only by the Venezuelan bolivar and the Argentinian peso.While in Istanbul last week, I spoke to two young professionals, Emre, 25, and İlker, 27, about life under the lira. Both are bright, articulate, and empathetic young men who speak three languages fluently - English, German, and Turkish - as well as competent French.Given that the currency has been so bad, I was expecting to see more widespread use of foreign money, but in fact, lira are changing hands everywhere - you see people all over the place with wads of them. “You have to use lira,” they explained. “It is the national currency.” Even with such dire inflation, there is still trade. The economy still functions, albeit badly. (That said everything in the airports was denominated in euros).Food, energy, travel, housing, consumer goods - everything has gone up in price, but, surprise, surprise, wages have not gone up by nearly as much. The result is that ordinary people have been impoverished.“The average wage in Istanbul is about £650 per month,” they told me. (One thing that impressed me was how immediately they could translate the lira into pounds, dollars, or euros).“What about the receptionist in my hotel or a waiter?”“Maybe £500. A taxi driver working all hours, maybe £800.”With those kinds of earnings, it is hard to make ends meet. “That's why everybody wants to meet a tourist,” they smiled in reply.“What do you do?” I asked. “Do you spend money as soon as you have it? Before it loses purchasing power?”“Yes,” they said. “There is no point saving. When we were students a few years ago, you could save for maybe three years and buy a car. Now it would take you 20 years. There is no point saving in lira. We spend the money as soon as we have it.”“Even on stupid things,” added Emre, pointing to his Casio watch. “You may as well.”Everyone is the same, apparently. They spend as soon as they earn. There is no point saving a currency that will soon be worth less. The rates of interest paid do not compensate, especially given that you usually have to tie your money up for one, two, or three years to obtain decent rates, and the inflation risk of doing that is too great.Interest rates have been quite the issue in Turkey, by the way. Mainstream Islamic finance prohibits interest, something they claimed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan exploited. Until 2023 Erdoğan kept a lid on rates (they are now 50%), arguing that high rates cause inflation. He repeatedly replaced central bank governors who resisted low rates.“How do people save?” I asked.“Gold,” came the answer straight away. Everyone who can buys gold, even tiny amounts below a gram.“Silver?” I asked.“Not so much.”I asked them if they use Revolut or similar to hold foreign currencies. They had no idea what Revolut was (probably a good thing, given what can happen), but it seems most banks also offer the ability to hold euros, pounds, and dollars, and so citizens tend to convert their lira as quickly as they can.“What about bitcoin?”“Not really,” they said. “Some young people.”I was surprised by that. I saw a few adverts for bitcoin-related products out there. But apparently gold is more common.“What about saving up to buy a house?”They both laughed at the impossibility. And there isn't even a lot of debt in the Turkish housing market. Mortgages, as we know them in the West, don't really exist, though there are ways to borrow money. Housing is still unaffordable“So people aren't starting families then?”“No, we can't. Our population growth is starting to turn negative.”“So you two are not close to starting a family.”They shook their heads sadly. “What do we have to offer?”I felt so sorry for these two young men. Both would be good husbands and fathers.“When people do start families, they rent small flats. Mum works, dad works, grandparents work.”This is something I saw directly. The taxi that met me at the airport had mum and dad in the front and their two kids asleep in the back, while dad continued working into the night.A typical one-bed flat might be about £500 per month. There is not really the same culture of flat-sharing among young professionals that we have in the UK, except maybe for students, and most young people stay with their parents until they marry.I struggled to understand how anyone could make any money in such a situation. All asset owners are doing is protecting their wealth against the currency debasement; they are not actually growing it. “Who's the richest person in the country?” I wondered.“Erdoğan,” they both said immediately. “Officially, probably the Koç family. They own Fenerbahçe, the football club. But really it is almost certainly Erdoğan.”The state of the currency and the political leadership is no doubt a huge deterrent to foreign investment.What about leaving?, I asked.That is hard too. The routes into Europe are not as easy as they once were. Far fewer Turks now go to Germany, for example. Even just getting a tourist visa can take two years, and the money they earn lasts barely a few days in Europe. Some illegals travel across the Mediterranean and up through Spain, but the US, via Mexico, is now the most common escape. Very expensive. Most are trapped in their own country. What a sad state of affairs. Isn't fiat money a terrible thing? What it can do to a country and its people, how it can make things so hopeless.The bizarre thing: there is economic activity everywhere. Everyone is hustling. Everyone is working. They all want to better themselves and their lot. People want to trade. That is the natural human way of things. Imagine if it were all underpinned by sound money.If you are interested in buying gold, check out my recent report. I have a feeling it is going to come in very handy.My recommended bullion dealer is the Pure Gold Company. I also like Goldcore.And one other thing:Charlie Morris is one of my closest mates and he writes what I think is one of the best investment newsletters out there, in fact a suite of them. I urge you to sign up for a free trial. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe

Israeli protesters from various groups have come together to demand elections and the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To put pressure on the government, they've set up a tent city in front of the Knesset — Israel's parliament — in Jerusalem. And, Turkey's main opposition party, the CHP, won municipal elections in 35 of the country's 81 provinces Sunday, which included Turkey's largest cities. The results are a blow to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's party, the AKP. Also, a conversation with senior Hamas politician Bassem Naim includes a wide range of issues, such as the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the fate of the Israeli hostages and the future of Gaza. Plus, a special Sudanese beverage for Ramadan.

This week on Rational Security, Quinta and Scott were jointed by Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien to talk over some of the week's big national security news, including:“The Day After.” As the war in Gaza enters a new phase, discussions are increasingly shifting to focus on how Israel will handle a post-Hamas Gaza Strip—and what long-term impact the conflict will have on the West Bank. How is the day after this war coming into focus?“Not Just America's Mayor…” New York City Mayor Eric Adams is being investigated for accepting donations from a Turkish foundation and other organizations with ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, just before lobbying for the early opening of a Turkish consulate in the city. Has Adams done anything wrong? What else could this investigation be looking into?“Election Interference Interference Interference.” A lawsuit over the U.S. government's engagement with social media is interfering with the FBI's efforts to interfere with those hoping to interfere in our elections—including the upcoming presidential race in 2024. What threats does this chilling effect present? How should the Biden administration be responding?For object lessons, Quinta recommended “The Vaster Wilds,” Lauren Groff's new adventure story exploring the experience of colonialism. Tyler endorsed Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, the new documentary about the legendary (at least among people over 30) comedian. And Scott told readers to check out “A City on Mars” by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith for a fun (if pessimistic) exploration of all the challenges facing humanity's budding efforts to expand into outer space.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Quinta and Scott were jointed by Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien to talk over some of the week's big national security news, including:“The Day After.” As the war in Gaza enters a new phase, discussions are increasingly shifting to focus on how Israel will handle a post-Hamas Gaza Strip—and what long-term impact the conflict will have on the West Bank. How is the day after this war coming into focus?“Not Just America's Mayor…” New York City Mayor Eric Adams is being investigated for accepting donations from a Turkish foundation and other organizations with ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, just before lobbying for the early opening of a Turkish consulate in the city. Has Adams done anything wrong? What else could this investigation be looking into?“Election Interference Interference Interference.” A lawsuit over the U.S. government's engagement with social media is interfering with the FBI's efforts to interfere with those hoping to interfere in our elections—including the upcoming presidential race in 2024. What threats does this chilling effect present? How should the Biden administration be responding?For object lessons, Quinta recommended “The Vaster Wilds,” Lauren Groff's new adventure story exploring the experience of colonialism. Tyler endorsed Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, the new documentary about the legendary (at least among people over 30) comedian. And Scott told readers to check out “A City on Mars” by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith for a fun (if pessimistic) exploration of all the challenges facing humanity's budding efforts to expand into outer space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces stalls as the future of U.S. aid remains uncertain; Argentina gears up for its presidential election runoff while inflation rates soar; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives in Berlin to address refugee flows and the Israel–Hamas war with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; and David Cameron returns to the United Kingdom government as foreign secretary.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Lucy Fisher, Anna Gross, and Jim Pickard, “David Cameron Brings Experience and Baggage as He Returns to Politics,” Financial Times   Brad W. Setser, “Argentina Election Draws Wider Attention to Embattled Economy,” CFR.org   “Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief on the Breakthrough He Needs to Beat Russia,” Economist   Andrew Wilks, “Turkey's Erdogan Says He Trusts Russia as Much as He Trusts the West,” Associated Press For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/winter-stalemate-ukraine-argentinas-presidential-runoff-turkeys-president-visits-berlin 

This is the web version of Foreign Exchanges, but did you know you can get it delivered right to your inbox? Sign up today:Friends, for family reasons and also because of my own mental exhaustion I will be taking a longer than usual break from the newsletter for this year's Thanksgiving holiday. The newsletter will be going quiet following Thursday's roundup and will return to our regular schedule on Tuesday, November 28. As I've written before here I can always tell when it's time for me to take a bit of a break from the newsletter and the truth is we probably passed that point around three or four weeks ago so I'm running on fumes. Thanks for reading and for supporting this venture!TODAY IN HISTORYNovember 14, 1965: The Battle of Ia Drang, the first major engagement between the United States and the North Vietnamese Army, begins. It ended on November 18 with both sides claiming victory, though the NVA's ability to fight the much better armed US Army to a draw was a boost to their morale and probably the battle's most important effect.November 14, 2001: Fighters with the Northern Alliance rebel coalition enter and occupy the city of Kabul, marking the end of the US war in Afghanista—just kidding. I had you going there for a second, didn't I?INTERNATIONALWith deaths due to “extreme heat” projected to increase five-fold by 2050, according to The Lancet Countdown, you'll no doubt be pleasantly surprised to learn that an AP investigative report shows that the “green transition plans” being formulated by most major fossil fuel companies are not green, not transitional, and not even really plans. Without any serious government pressure to force them to invest in genuinely renewable technologies, these firms are able to do things like, say, classify natural gas development as a “green” investment. That's absurd, of course, but who's counting?The main problem with these plans has long been, and continues to be, the fact that fossil fuel companies exempt the products they sell when assessing their progress toward “net zero” carbon emissions. Firms only account for “Scope 1” emissions, which are their direct carbon outputs, and “Scope 2” emissions, the indirect output that results from their production process. The emissions that ensue when people burn the products they sell are considered “Scope 3” and energy firms disavow any responsibility for them. Like tobacco companies, they argue that what the customer does with their products is the customer's business, not theirs. Maybe people just want to buy a barrel of oil and place it in their foyer as a conversation piece or put it to some other use that doesn't emit carbon. Who's to say?MIDDLE EASTISRAEL-PALESTINEEarly Wednesday morning Israeli forces began what they called “a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa hospital” involving “medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to the civilians.” There are hundreds of patients and thousands of other people who have been trapped in the hospital by the IDF and the chances that “no harm” will come to any of them in the next several hours are probably slim. Israeli officials have been insisting that Hamas's lair is located underneath the hospital but at this point it's too soon to know if that's the target or if this is a more limited operation. This is a developing story so there's not much more I can say about it at this time.What I can say is that the Biden administration gave a green light to this operation earlier in the day, when White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the administration has “independent intelligence” (which is code for “we didn't get this from the IDF”) that “Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip — including Al-Shifa — and tunnels underneath them to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.” According to Kirby this intelligence shows that the militant groups have a “command and control” center in Shifa and “have stored weapons there.” Kirby insisted that that the administration was not endorsing an Israeli attack on the hospital, but anybody with ears to hear or eyes to read what he said should have no doubt as to what the intent was.I wrote everything below prior to news of the Israeli assault breaking so some of it might no longer be relevant but I think most of it still is:Gazan health authorities said on Tuesday that some 40 patients at Shifa—three of them babies—have died since that facility ran out of generator fuel on Saturday. Without electricity the hospital cannot maintain its incubator units and so there are now 36 newborns who are at critical risk. With the IDF surrounding the hospital it's also become impossible to transfer the dead to a cemetery, so personnel are planning to bury some 120 bodies in a mass grave on site. Gazan officials have proposed evacuating the facility under the auspices of the Red Cross/Red Crescent and sending its remaining patients to Egypt but there had been no movement on that front at time of writing. The Israeli government has apparently offered to send the hospitals more incubators, a fascinating attempt at a humanitarian gesture that would be completely pointless because the problem isn't the incubators, it's the electricity.In other news:* David Ignatius at The Washington Post reported (I use that term loosely) on Monday that “Israel and Hamas are close to a hostage deal.” With the caveat that if David Ignatius told me the sky was blue I'd glance out the window to double check, the terms he reported are that Hamas would release (or facilitate the release) of the women and children that it and other Gazan militant groups took hostage during their October 7 rampage through southern Israel. This would be done in stages and be matched by the release of Palestinian women and children being held by Israeli authorities. It would also involve a ceasefire of unspecified duration but “perhaps five days” according to Ignatius. The ceasefire could allow some time to address humanitarian issues in Gaza though I don't know what that would entail and whatever it was would almost certainly be inadequate.* Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on Tuesday and later told reporters that the ICRC has had no access to the aforementioned hostages. It's highly unlikely that the Israelis would agree to anything involving hostages without at least proof of life, so this could be a big sticking point with respect to the potential prisoner deal outlined above. Families of the hostages, meanwhile, are marching from Tel Aviv to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem to pressure him to take some action to secure the hostages' release.* Israeli occupation forces killed at least eight Palestinians in the West Bank on Tuesday, seven of them in Tulkarm. The IDF carried out a drone strike in that city, an occurrence that's still relatively rare in the West Bank though it's certainly become more common over the past year and in particular the past month.* Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a statement on Tuesday endorsing what he laughably termed the “voluntary emigration of Gaza Arabs to countries around the world.” I guess “leave or die” is a choice, right? A couple of Israeli politicians floated this idea on Monday in a Wall Street Journal editorial that was less a serious proposal than a written middle finger to Western critics of the Israeli military campaign. That piece didn't go into extensive detail about what a mass relocation would look like—again, it wasn't meant as a serious proposal—but Smotrich's intent is much easier to guess, and that's the permanent ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the relocation of its population as far away from Israel as possible. Smotrich, whose ministerial brief also includes running the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories office, isn't part of Netanyahu's “war cabinet” but that doesn't mean he's completely lacking in influence.* The US and UK governments on Tuesday announced new sanctions targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members along with a Lebanese entity that allegedly facilitates money transfers from Iran to Gazan militant groups. This is the third round of sanctions the Biden administration has imposed since October 7. Also on Tuesday, over 400 employees of the Biden administration sent a joint letter to their boss, Joe Biden, expressing opposition to the administration's approach to the Gaza conflict.YEMENHouthi rebels say they fired another barrage of missiles toward Israel on Tuesday. There's no confirmation of this, though the IDF did say that its air defenses downed a single missile near Eilat that we can probably assume was of Houthi provenance. The leader of Yemen's Houthi movement, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, delivered a speech on Tuesday pledging that his rebel fighters would continue attacking Israel. In particular, Houthi suggested that they could target Israeli commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which would certainly be an easier target for them than Israel itself.IRAQA Turkish drone strike killed two people, both allegedly members of the Sinjar Resistance Units militia, in northern Iraq's Nineveh province on Monday evening. The Sinjar militia was formed in 2014 with assistance from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and is still allied with that group, which makes its personnel potential targets for the Turkish military.Elsewhere, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court removed two members of the Iraqi parliament on Tuesday, one of whom just happened to be speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi. It's not clear why, though another MP named Laith al-Dulaimi had reportedly sued Halbusi alleging that the speaker forged Dulaimi's name on a resignation letter. Dulaimi was, as it happens, the other MP who had his term ended by the court (I assume that's not a coincidence). The ruling created a potential political crisis for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaʿ al-Sudani. As speaker, Halbusi was Iraq's leading Sunni Arab politician, and his support was important to Sudani's government. Three members of his Progress Party quit their cabinet posts after the court ruling and it remains to be seen how that will impact Sudani's position.ASIAAFGHANISTANAfghan Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi apparently visited Pakistan this week, where—according to the Afghan government—he pressed Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on the issue of all those Afghan migrants the Pakistani government is presently deporting. Specifically it sounds like Azizi raised the issue of allowing deportees to at least take some of their money and/or possessions to Afghanistan with them. Deportees are currently arriving with nothing and are being housed in what are effectively refugee camps—leaving aside the incongruity of being a “refugee” in one's home country—on the Afghan side of the border.MYANMARReports on Monday only hinted at some new fighting in western Myanmar's Chin state, but as more details are emerging the situation there sounds pretty serious. According to the Chin National Front, rebel fighters had by the end of the day seized two Myanmar military outposts and were working to seize control of the Myanmar-Indian border. According to Indian media the fighting has sent some 2000 people streaming across that border to escape. In neighboring Rakhine state, the rebel Arakan Army has also been seizing military outposts and authorities have imposed a curfew in the state capital, Sittwe, as a result. Rebel factions across Myanmar have launched new offensives in recent weeks, starting with the “1027” (for October 27) operations by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army in Shan state. Myanmar's ruling junta is clearly struggling to mount a response.CHINAJoe Biden told reporters on Tuesday that his main goal in meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco this week is to restore “normal” communications between their governments. In particular this would involve a return to regular military-to-military contacts, something Beijing ended in the wake of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year. Any prospect of resuming those contacts was complicated by the fact that former Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu was under US sanction. But as he's no longer defense minister that complication is no longer an issue.AFRICALIBERIALiberian voters turned out on Tuesday for the second round of that country's presidential election, pitting incumbent George Weah against Joseph Boakai. Both candidates finished with just under 44 percent of the vote in last month's first round. Such a close finish might augur poorly for the incumbent in a head to head matchup, though that's just one of many factors that could sway this vote in either direction. Polls have closed in that contest but I have yet to see anything by way of preliminary or partial results.MALIMali's ruling junta says its security forces have seized control over the northern town of Kidal after battling with rebels in that region for several days. The Malian military and mercenary auxiliaries marched on Kidal after United Nations peacekeepers vacated the region as part of their ongoing withdrawal from Mali. Kidal has been a rebel stronghold since the initial northern Mali uprising in 2012 and government control there has been nebulous at best since then. There's been no comment as far as I know from the rebels and it's unclear what their disposition is at this point.ETHIOPIAAccording to Addis Standard, Fano militia fighters attacked a predominantly Oromo community in Ethiopia's Amhara region last week, killing at least 25 people and displacing some 3000 into the Oromia region. The Fano militia is still battling the Ethiopian government but Amhara paramilitary groups have also made a pastime of preying on ethnic Oromo communities (likewise, Oromo militias have preyed on ethnic Amhara). In this case they apparently demanded grain from the community and attacked after residents refused to comply.On a more upbeat note, the US Agency for International Development is reportedly planning to resume food distribution across Ethiopia next month under a “one-year trial period.” The agency suspended its Ethiopian food program earlier this year amid allegations that the aid was being diverted. It resumed providing food aid to Ethiopian refugees last month and is now planning to spend the next year testing whether procedural changes adopted by aid groups and the Ethiopian government are enough to stop that alleged diversion. Solid data is hard to come by but it's possible that hundreds or thousands of Ethiopians have died because of the decision (which the UN World Food Program joined) to suspend food aid.DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOThe death toll from Sunday's Allied Democratic Forces attack on a village in the eastern DRC's North Kivu province has risen to 33, according to provincial officials. ADF fighters are also believed to have been responsible for attacking a village in neighboring Ituri province on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people.EUROPERUSSIAVladimir Putin signed a new law on Tuesday that permits elections to be held even in parts of Russia that are under martial law. This apparently clears the way for the portions of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed to participate in next year's presidential election. The effect will be to try to stitch those regions a little more tightly to Russia and complicate any possible return to Ukrainian authority.UKRAINEThe European Union promised back in March to supply the Ukrainian military with 1 million 155 mm artillery shells within 12 months. You'll never guess how that went. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told a meeting of EU defense ministers on Tuesday that the bloc isn't going to fulfill its commitment and even went so far as to criticize the fact that it was made in the first place. The will was apparently there, but EU member states still don't have the collective capacity to churn out that many shells that quickly. The effort has apparently sparked a boost in production capacity but not enough to meet the 12 month deadline.SWEDENSweden's NATO accession may be moving slightly forward, as the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee will take up the issue on Thursday. It's been about three weeks since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan submitted Sweden's accession to parliament and it should be clear by now that the folks in Ankara are in no particular hurry to work their way through that process. There may be some impetus on the part of other NATO members to have the issue resolved in time for the alliance foreign ministers summit on November 28, but Erdoğan has proven himself to be fairly impervious to that sort of pressure in the past.AMERICASUNITED STATESFinally, TomDispatch's William Hartung wonders whether the “Arsenal of Democracy” really cares all that much about the “democracy” part:The list of major human rights abusers that receive U.S.-supplied weaponry is long and includes (but isn't faintly limited to) Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Such sales can have devastating human consequences. They also support regimes that all too often destabilize their regions and risk embroiling the United States directly in conflicts.U.S.-supplied arms also far too regularly fall into the hands of Washington's adversaries. As an example consider the way the UAE transferred small arms and armored vehicles produced by American weapons makers to extremist militias in Yemen, with no apparent consequences, even though such acts clearly violated American arms export laws. Sometimes, recipients of such weaponry even end up fighting each other, as when Turkey used U.S.-supplied F-16s in 2019 to bomb U.S.-backed Syrian forces involved in the fight against Islamic State terrorists.Such examples underscore the need to scrutinize U.S. arms exports far more carefully. Instead, the arms industry has promoted an increasingly “streamlined” process of approval of such weapons sales, campaigning for numerous measures that would make it even easier to arm foreign regimes regardless of their human-rights records or support for the interests Washington theoretically promotes. These have included an “Export Control Reform Initiative” heavily promoted by the industry during the Obama and Trump administrations that ended up ensuring a further relaxation of scrutiny over firearms exports. It has, in fact, eased the way for sales that, in the future, could put U.S.-produced weaponry in the hands of tyrants, terrorists, and criminal organizations.Now, the industry is promoting efforts to get weapons out the door ever more quickly through “reforms” to the Foreign Military Sales program in which the Pentagon essentially serves as an arms broker between those weapons corporations and foreign governments.Thanks for reading! Foreign Exchanges is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foreignexchanges.news/subscribe

Arab Digest editor William Law's guest this week is the Turkish analyst and writer Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington DC. Their conversation focusses on the efforts that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made to position himself as a leading voice in resolving the Gaza war, efforts that have thus far backfired badly for him. Sign up NOW at ArabDigest.org for free to join the club and start receiving our daily newsletter & weekly podcasts.

[00:30] Trump Takes Out Emmer (10 minutes) Although the RINOs don't want to admit it, Donald Trump and his supporters have a lot of power in Congress. Yesterday, Tom Emmer won the Republican Conference's nomination for speaker of the House. Donald Trump criticized Emmer on Truth Social for being a RINO and called some members of Congress to express his disapproval of the choice. Emmer dropped out of the race a few hours later. [10:00] America's Youth Support Hamas Murderers (23 minutes) A new poll from Harvard CAPS/Harris revealed that half of American young people support Hamas in its war against Israel. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Hamas a “liberation group,” Jordan's queen publicly defended Hamas on CNN, and Pope Francis called for the war to end without criticizing Hamas directly. While these world leaders ignore Hamas's bloody crimes, more evidence of the terrorists' atrocities on October 7 has been released—including an audio recording of a terrorist bragging to his parents about murdering 10 Jews with his own hands. The Israel Defense Forces showed reporters 43 minutes of grisly footage from the attack filmed by Hamas terrorists, which the Atlantic calls “A Record of Pure, Predatory Sadism.” [33:20] WorldWatch (4 minutes) [37:00] Urgent Prayer (18 minutes) End-time Christians are admonished to watch and pray. Watching world events proves that Christ's return is imminent, and this knowledge should inspire urgency and zeal in our prayer lives.

Twenty years ago this month, the marriage equality storyline in Canada was poised at a frustrating turning point (reported by Heather Kitching). The world's largest folk festival has for two decades included queer events, including Gay Sunday (reported by Agnes Kruger). And in NewsWrap: U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the U.N. General Assembly on the Universal Convention on Human Rights, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan makes an embarrassing mistake confusing U.N. development summit banners with LGBTQ rainbow flags, “The Nigerian 69” who were arrested for a “same-sex wedding” are released on bail, a Hong Kong court orders the legal recognition of both lesbian moms on their baby's birth certificate, Kim Kyu-jin is hailed as South Korea's first open lesbian to give birth, the U.S. military announces an initiative to upgrade the status of queer service members who were discharged under “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the U.S. federal judge who tried to ban the abortion pill launches an unhinged attack on family-friendly drag shows, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and Maarcos Najera (produced by Brian DeShazor).  All this on the September 25, 2023 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

Weekly outlook by Adam Jasser and Wojciech Przybylski: The official Polish election campaign for the October 15 parliamentary vote is now in full swing. Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, has levelled accusations against the opposition, branding them as traitors. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Hungary on August 20 to discuss "security issues", a Hungarian government spokesman said. Special guest: Piotr Łukasiewicz, Former Poland Ambassador to Afghanistan, sits down to discuss the importance of Wagner group mercenaries in Belarus from a military and political perspective.

On this week's episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia wrap up some of the most important events from the eastern flank and look ahead at the next few weeks as the Ukrainian counteroffensive begins to pick up steam. Dalibor fills his co-hosts in on his experience at this year's GLOBSEC Forum, including what it reveals about the Western consensus around a clear path towards Ukraine's NATO membership. The co-hosts also discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech at the second Summit of the European Political Community, as well as what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's re-election might mean for Black Sea policy and Turkey's dependence on Russia (hint: more of the same). Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front's bi-weekly newsletter here and follow us on Twitter here; "Spinal Tap - All Stonehenge scenes."

This week, Alan, Quinta, and Scott were joined by their Brookings and Lawfare colleague Molly Reynolds to talk all things Congress in the week's national security news, including:Shattering the Must-Pass Ceiling.” Earlier this week, President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced a deal on raising the debt ceiling, and thereby avoiding a potential financial catastrophe. The question now is whether they can sell it to enough members of Congress, where right-wing members of McCarthy's caucus are promising to sink it. Will the deal make it through? And if not, what might come next?“Recep Tayyip Erdo-won.” After a close fought contest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emerged victorious from run-offs in Türkiye's national elections, positioning him for a third term in office and a third decade in power. Does the reelection of the increasingly autocratic figure mean the further decline of Turkish democracy? And Türkiye's flagging relationship with the West?“I'm Sorry, Dave. I'm Afraid That's Not Regulation.” The head of several leading AI developers are actively urging Congress to regulate the industry—even as they continue to roll out new products to the public with untested capabilities. How seriously should we take this plea? And is it aimed at the right risk?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta, and Scott were joined by their Brookings and Lawfare colleague Molly Reynolds to talk all things Congress in the week's national security news, including:Shattering the Must-Pass Ceiling.” Earlier this week, President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced a deal on raising the debt ceiling, and thereby avoiding a potential financial catastrophe. The question now is whether they can sell it to enough members of Congress, where right-wing members of McCarthy's caucus are promising to sink it. Will the deal make it through? And if not, what might come next?“Recep Tayyip Erdo-won.” After a close fought contest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emerged victorious from run-offs in Türkiye's national elections, positioning him for a third term in office and a third decade in power. Does the reelection of the increasingly autocratic figure mean the further decline of Turkish democracy? And Türkiye's flagging relationship with the West?“I'm Sorry, Dave. I'm Afraid That's Not Regulation.” The head of several leading AI developers are actively urging Congress to regulate the industry—even as they continue to roll out new products to the public with untested capabilities. How seriously should we take this plea? And is it aimed at the right risk?For object lessons, Quinta shared Suzy Hansen's excellent article on the recent earthquake in Turkey and its aftermath. Alan recommended the Pulitzer-winning “American Prometheus,” a biography of Robert Oppenheimer, which he is listening to on audiobook. Scott passed along an article about the “Succession syndrome” plaguing the world's super rich and the elite rehab facilities helping to save them. And Molly shared the biggest story in gold bar news of the week, another possible corruption scandal involving Sen. Bob Menendez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's unorthodox monetary policies have caused surging inflation and a currency crisis. And, yet, most voters don't seem to mind. Adam and Cameron analyze Turkey's economy and politics in this episode. Also on the show: Why is olive oil suddenly so expensive? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is headed for a tense election runoff which could end his 20-year rule. Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, joins Chuck to detail the strongman's legacy as he fights to extend his legacy into a third decade.

The Turkish presidential elections look to be headed to a runoff. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu didn't reach the majority of votes needed for Sunday's election. Plus, planning for the next COVID-level shock to the economy. Guests: Axios' Dave Lawler and Felix Salmon. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go Deeper: Turkey election: Erdoğan leads but runoff likely Felix Salmon on what he got wrong about the COVID economy The Phoenix Economy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When polls opened in Turkey on Sunday, opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu seemed poised to unseat Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in power for 20 years. Now, the two are headed to a runoff. And, US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said the South African government sent arms to Russia in December 2022 aboard a ship under US sanctions. Also, the United Kingdom's schemes to help settle Ukrainian refugees helped house over 170,000 Ukrainians since last year. Now, one of the creators is calling on the UK government to support a similar scheme for Sudan. Plus, the UN marks the 75th anniversary of the "Nakba" for the first time, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faces off with his main opponent Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in Turkey's presidential election; Thais vote in their first general election since 2019; the Black Sea grain deal faces possible expiration due to Russia's demands; international film makers step forward at the Cannes Film Festival; and Ukraine fends off Russia's recent kamikaze drone attack.    Mentioned on the Podcast   Steven Cook, “What if Kemal Kilicdaroglu Wins Turkey's Election?,” Foreign Policy   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/momentous-elections-turkey-and-thailand-black-sea-grain-initiative-and-more  

jQuery(document).ready(function(){ cab.clickify(); }); Original Podcast with clickable words https://tinyurl.com/2azdnoxa Contact: irishlingos@gmail.com Thousands are fending for themselves in Turkey, in Syria without help. Na mílte ag seiftiú dóibh féin sa Tuirc, sa tSiria cheal cuidithe. RTÉ News and Current Affairs There are many people who survived - or rather crippled - from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria are fending for themselves in the open while they are left homeless, without their needs met in the desert. Nuacht agus Cúrsaí Reatha RTÉ Tá an t-anrud daoine a tháinig slán – nó easlán ba chirte a rá – ón gcrith talún sa Tuirc agus sa tSiria ag seiftiú dóibh féin amuigh faoin spéir agus iad fághta gan dídean, gan riar a riachtanais sa dúluachair. The disaster is currently estimated to have killed over 17,500 people – 14,351 in Turkey and 3,162 in Syria, including Kurdistan – but the truth is that it is still an untold number. Áirítear faoi láthair barr ar 17,500 duine a bheith maraithe mar gheall ar an tubaiste – 14,351 sa Tuirc agus 3,162 sa tSiria, lena n-áirítear an Chordastáin – ach is é a fhíor gur líon gan áireamh fós é. As for the poor survivors, many of them are on standby next to their homes and hope to God that their family members will come out of the crossroads in their lives. Maidir leis na marthanóirí bochta, tá a lán acu ar fuireachas taobh lena n-iaráiteanna cónaithe agus súil le Dia acu go dtiocfaidh a ndaoine muinteartha amach as an treascarnach ina mbeatha. In the most deplorable cases, a forbidding call is reported coming from the debris bin in the hearing of loved ones, before the mournful voice is completely silenced by the failure of the equipment that would rescue the victim from his fate. Tuairiscítear sna cásanna is truamhéalaí glao coscrach ag teacht ó dhuibheagán an smionagair in éisteacht na ngaolta, sula dtiteann an glór faonlag ina thost ar fad de cheal an trealaimh a d'fhuasclódh an donán óna chinniúint. The temperature is below five degrees in the city of Gaziantep which is located close to the epicenter of the earthquake in southeastern Turkey. Faoi bhun cúig chéim atá an teocht i gcathair Gaziantep atá suite gar d'eipealár an chreatha in oirdheisceart na Tuirce. Despite the cold, people preferred to spend the night moving from post to pillory and back again to keep themselves warm, rather than staying still in undressed tents or rough-made fireplaces. Ainneoin an fhuachta, b'fhearr le daoine an oíche a chaitheamh ag gluaiseacht ó phost go piléar agus ar ais arís le hiad féin a choinneáil te, seachas fanacht i bhfos i bpubaill neamhchóirithe ná i dteáltaí garbhdhéanta. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan admitted yesterday that there were "flaws" in the way the state dealt with the emergency, but said that it was by nature impossible in situations like this to make all preparations in advance. D'admhaigh Uachtarán na Tuirce Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inné go raibh "lochtanna" ar an gcaoi a ndeachaigh an stát i ngleic leis an éigéandáil go trásta, ach dúirt go raibh sé dodhéanta de réir nádúir i gcásanna mar seo gach úmachan a dhéanamh roimh ré. It seems, however, that the Turkish Government is very sensitive about any fault found in the state system. Dealraíonn sé, áfach, go bhfuil Rialtas na Tuirce an-ghoilliúnach faoi aon locht a fhaightear ar an státchóras. Twitter was taken offline in the country for much of last night and this morning due to the disdain that was being made on that medium for the government's emergency operation. Baineadh Twitter as líne sa tír ar feadh scaithimh aréir agus ar maidin inniu mar gheall ar an díspeagadh a bhíothas a dhéanamh ar an meán sin ar oibríocht éigeandála an rialtais. In that one, the police arrested eighteen people for publishing "intentional" posters. Ina cheann sin, ghabh na póilíní ocht nduine dhéag faoi phóstalacha "cointinneacha" a fhoilsiú. In terms of international relief,

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast we are discussing the tension between Turkey and Sweden, specifically how Turkey is blocking Sweden's accession to NATO. We're also looking at the reasons behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's objections to Sweden's bid for membership in the alliance, the electoral tricks and when Sweden might be able to overcome this deadlock.With us this week are professor and founding director of the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies, Paul Levin, and Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV's editor for Global Europe.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to destabilize the area around Turkey, breaching the borders of Greece, threatening to invade northern Syria, and waging a proxy war against Armenia. To stop this reckless adventurism, American activists and policy experts are using grassroots mobilization and government outreach to stand up to Turkish aggression. What are the successes and failures of this effort? What are current trends?

Trump's pandemic border restriction — Title 42 — is set to expire next week. Thousands of migrants have traveled to the US-Mexico border, mostly to seek asylum. And, on Wednesday, a Turkish court sentenced the mayor of Istanbul to two years for using the term "fool" to describe election officials. The mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, is a political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Also on Wednesday, a lawsuit in Kenya was launched against the American social media giant Facebook. Ethiopian petitioners, along with a Kenyan legal organization, are arguing that the platform is putting profits over human rights by fueling hate and violence. Plus, New Zealand places a lifetime ban on cigarette sales. We are able to bring you the human-centered journalism that you've come to expect, because listeners like you financially support our independent newsroom. Will you make a donation today to keep The World going strong? Give now: https://on.prx.org/3FhIeDG.

"Turkey convinced Ukraine grain deal will continue, urges EU to do its part The Ukraine grain deal is expected to continue, though the EU should also do its part in maintaining it, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Tuesday (15 " "--START AD- #TheMummichogblogOfMalta Amazon Top and Flash Deals(Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://amzn.to/3CqsdJH Compare all the top travel sites in just one search to find the best hotel deals at HotelsCombined - awarded world's best hotel price comparison site. (Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://www.hotelscombined.com/?a_aid=20558 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."""" #Jesus #Catholic. Smooth Radio Malta is Malta's number one digital radio station, playing Your Relaxing Favourites - Smooth provides a ‘clutter free' mix, appealing to a core 35-59 audience offering soft adult contemporary classics. We operate a playlist of popular tracks which is updated on a regular basis. https://smooth.com.mt/listen/ Follow on Telegram: https://t.me/themummichogblogdotcom END AD---" "November). Read the original French article here. At the G20 summit in Bali, global leaders were calling for the Russia-Ukraine grain deal signed in Turkey in July to be prolonged past its end-date set for 19 November, with US President Joe Biden making a formal request in a communiqué. Prolonging the deal would indeed ensure global food security as the deal allowed 10 million tonnes of grain to be exported from the “world's bread basket” from July to September, helping countries, particularly in Africa, deal with food shortages. “Turkey and France will continue to work to ensure that exports continue unhindered,” Macron said on Twitter following his Tuesday meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit with Erdogan, who reportedly urged the EU to take responsibility and work towards reopening the Black Sea grain corridors. Biden also met with Erdogan and thanked him for his efforts in renewing the deal as it is “critical to improving global food security amid Russia's war”. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded for an “infinite” extension of the agreement. Turkish diplomacy The summit may result in a statement calling for the grain deal to be extended and for a clear and unanimous condemnation of Russia's actions – though China still refuses to condemn Russia – according to information from AFP. Besides, prolonging the grain deal would also require convincing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decided not to attend the summit in person. Erdogan, who managed to renegotiate reinstating the grain deal when Russia briefly withdrew from it at the end of October, is determined that the deal will be prolonged. “I am convinced that the grain deal will continue,” he told a press conference on Wednesday (16 November). Russia gives up obstructing grain exports Russia said on 2 November it would resume its participation in a deal to free up vital grain exports from war-torn Ukraine after suspending it over the weekend in a move that had threatened to exacerbate hunger across the world. Europe must do its bit Erdogan also called on the European Union to “do its part to maintain the agreement” in a statement. The Russia-Ukraine grain deal must be “prolonged”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the summit's launch, noting that the bloc “wholeheartedly” supports the deal. This was reiterated by the EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell. “Russia has no reasons, no legal ground to block food [from] going out from Ukraine to the international markets,” Borrell told a press conference after the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday. “What Russia has been doing is illegal and affecting first [of all] t

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi on Friday. It comes after a Russian proposal, leaked by Ukrainian intelligence, suggests the Kremlin is seeking help from Turkey to evade Western sanctions. And Sri Lanka's financial crisis has led to shortages of essential drugs and medical equipment, such as catheters, morphine and common antibiotics. For the past few months, donations have been keeping the country's health system running, but doctors warn that they can't last forever. Also, ahead of Kenya's presidential election, Sauti Sol, one of Kenya's biggest bands, is trying to rally youth to get involved. Plus, classical music is not dead — it's alive in Iceland, with wünderkind Gabríel Ólafs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Sochi; U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Cambodia, the Philippines, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda; and Kenya elects a new president amid a severe drought and the global inflation crisis.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Rachel Chason and Rael Ombuor, “A wild-card candidate in Kenya is sparking an African debate about weed,” Washington Post

In the latest edition of Insights With Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses US President Joe Biden's decision to waive Section 907, which allows for military assistance to Azerbaijan. Eric also discusses Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's recent press conference and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's move to block Sweden and Finland from joining NATO. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

Your Heard Tell show for Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 is turning down the news cycle noise and getting to the information we need on how the combined elected and police bureaucracy in Uvalde is stonewalling, delaying, distracting, and just plain doing "CYA" to any attempted by reporters to get to the truth of what happened during the massacre at Robb Elementary and the policy response to it, we'll go to Uvalde armed with a Tolstoy quote about truth. As we've been covering on Heard Tell, Sweden and Finland are poised to join NATO, but now that an "agreement" has been announced that the parties have mollified Turkey's concern the question is what did Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan get for dropping his interference. Our guest today is from Young Voice UK, our friend Alys Watson Brown returns to Heard Tell. We talk UK politics, how neither PM Boris Johnson or opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer have been covering themselves or their parties in glory, but the present status quo may go for a while. Also, the rising economic issues in the UK as with much of the world such as inflation and cost of living are dominating headlines and changing policy and political priorities. Also, Alys has been writing about America's FDA, and that government entities relentless crusade against not only smoking, but vaping and other smoking alternatives as well. Alys talks not just the duplicitous and question policy, but also puts a personal spin on how public health should be about improving the public's health, not just politically expedient crusading. Plus, a man in Alabama is dressed hilariously wrong for his drug bust, and some good news on how the people of the UK are rising to the cost of living challenges by increasing their charitable giving despite it. All that and more on this Wednesday edition of Heard Tell.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/heard-tell/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

U.S. President Joe Biden's distancing of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is becoming more tangible and a crisis within NATO, created by Turkey's objections to the membership of Sweden and Finland, begs the question of whether years of appeasement of Erdoğan by the West has reached a dead end, said Merve Tahiroğlu, Turkey Program Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED).

U.S. President Joe Biden's distancing of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is becoming more tangible and a crisis within NATO, created by Turkey's objections to the membership of Sweden and Finland, begs the question of whether years of appeasement of Erdoğan by the West has reached a dead end, said Merve Tahiroğlu, Turkey Program Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED).

In the latest edition of Insights With Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses the recent meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and European Council President Charles Michel. Eric also talks about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's expansionist foreign policy and how it has exposed the hypocrisy of the West.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will drop his objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO once an enormous amount of pressure is put on him, said Henri J. Barkey, an adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. “It is possible that the Europeans and the Americans would find some facesaving concessions that may not mean much but will satisfy him,” said Barkey, who is also the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University.

The transition was smooth. And the mood reflected in the visuals too, when a beaming and relaxed Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a glossy green lawn, just before the takeover. Sitting on antique cane chairs across a round glass table on the bright winter afternoon of January 27, both the leaders are likely to have discussed the future of the airline. Everything went according to the plans, barring a small departure. Tata's love for expatriate CEOs, which is almost as old as the group itself, gave it a little trouble this time. Its decision to select Mehmet Ilker Ayci -- the former chairman of Turkish Airlines – raised eyebrows in several quarters back home. Ayci's previous political links with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan led to a row. Erdoğan is considered to be a Pakistan ally. Ayci put an end to the controversy by declining the offer. Last Monday, Tata Sons approved the appointment of Chandrasekaran as chairman of Air India. With this, Air India, under the Tata Group, has taken off on several new notes. The first big development was the appointment of Chandrasekaran at the helm of the airline. Chandrasekaran or Chandra, as he's popularly known, would also be the accountable manager of the airline. Regulatory requirements say that CEO, COO or managing director should be the accountable manager Sources told that Chandra's appointment as chairman of Air India is linked to this very requirement of a senior level executive being named the accountable manager of Air India. Not only that. Chandra leading the airline, till a CEO is found, also gives confidence to the employees. The accountable manager has corporate authority for ensuring that all tasks of the airline are financed and carried out to the standard required by stipulated law. In other words, the buck stops at the accountable manager's position. Even as the hunt for Air India's CEO is on, Chandra has his hands full. International travel is resuming from March 27, which means that Air India will again face stiff competition from foreign airlines on the international front-- something which it was insulated against for the past two years under Air Bubble arrangements. While Air India firms up its much needed strategic turnaround plans, the new composition of the airline's board is a sign of things to come. This is how it looks now. While Chandrasekaran is the chairman, Sanjiv Mehta, CMD of FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever and Alice Vaidyan, former chairman and managing director of General Insurance Corporation of India have been inducted as non-executive independent directors. Air India's four functional directors- finance, commercial, operational and human resource have also been retained as of now. There have been efforts to give the Air India board a corporate makeover earlier too. But the recent changes may give wings to the airline like never before.   Watch video

The Jerusalem Post Podcast with Lahav Harkov and Yaakov Katz This week on The Jerusalem Post Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Yaakov Katz and Diplomatic Correspondent Lahav Harkov start their conversation with the Iran talks, shift to discuss the Mediterranean region and Israel's relationship with Turkey, and finish by discussing the possibility of yet another stabbing Intifada after facing six terror attacks in the last two and a half weeks. When it comes to Iran, Katz said that Israel is worried about the possibility of ending up with a "bad deal," as the US seems to be withdrawing from the Middle East, which could be disastrous for Israel if its withdraw looks anything like the Afghanistan model. Both Katz and Lahav recall how both Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid were hopeful that they could work differently with the White House than former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu - keeping their disagreements behind closed doors. But they said it is not really working out the way the leaders hoped.  They also talk to Anna Ahronheim, the Jerusalem Post Military Correspondent, about her interpretation of the Iran talks and a possible strike against the regime. Later on in the episode, they discuss how Israel is hosting leaders from Cyprus and Greece to discuss regional developments around gas and natural resources. Is having these meetings sending a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan? Next, they talk about recent terror attacks, and in particularly this week's attack in Jerusalem where a border police neutralized a terrorist and were criticized for this.   They end the episode with the role of digital diplomacy in Israel's position in worldwide through a fascinating conversation with Yiftah Curiel, director of digital diplomacy at the Foreign Ministry and former spokesmen of the UK Embassy in London. He shares with them the work the ministry in Israel's propaganda war across social media. Curiel also talks about the next challenges and goals of 2022, including having a TikTok account. Photo credit: Israel Police

The Jerusalem Post Podcast with Lahav Harkov and Yaakov Katz This week on the Jerusalem Post Podcast, Editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz and Diplomatic Correspondent Lahav Harkov share an exclusive interview with NBA superstar Enes Kanter.  Kanter, a Muslim, has been playing basketball for more than a decade and recently has been using his popularity to help heal the world - talking about issues of social justice and democracy. “Live for others” is Kanter's message, he told the Podcast. “We rise by lifting others.” He said he also has a message of respect: “It does not matter what your religion is, whatever you are, respect other religions and countries.” Kanter has most recently been tweeting about the human rights abuses in Turkey and China. He said that the young generation of Turks is growing up anti-West and antisemitic because Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regularly shares those messages at his rallies.  “It breaks my heart,” Enes said, “people growing up hating Israel, burning Israeli flags - and this is all Erdogan's fault.” Also on the podcast: We know Omicron is more contagious, however is it more dangerous? This is a question Katz and Harkov tackle as Israel closes itself from the rest of the world once again due to the Omicron variant outbreak.  They argue that Israel might be taking the Omicron variant more seriously than the rest of the world. "Maybe instead of closing the country to foreigners who contribute to the country's economy, there should be more enforcement of existing COVID-19 rules?"  Harkov said that she believes the government should be putting its efforts into convincing unvaccinated citizens to get the vaccine. They also discuss Israel's role as the Jewish state in the lives of Jews who don't live in Israel, as Diaspora leaders have expressed their dissatisfaction over the situation.  And what is a Jerusalem Post Podcast without discussion of Iran? They talk about how the Iranians are sitting down for talks - including the idea of lifting sanctions in exchange for limiting their nuclear program.  Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Washington Report Ep 21: US works on its international relations and climate crisis efforts 10:32 mins Synopsis: Every week, The Straits Times analyses the latest developments in the United States. The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh chats with Money FM 89.3's Ryan Huang and Bharati Jagdish about the following points: US President Joe Biden faced some challenges at the G20 Summit (1:20) Possible outcomes of the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (3:05) Taiwan; one of the key points of discussion in the US-China meeting between US secretary of state Anthony Blinken and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi (4:29) US mended ties with European Union, repairing post-Trump damages (7:28) What to expect from the US delegation at the COP26 climate conference from Oct 31 - Nov 12? (8:39) Produced by: The Breakfast Huddle, Money FM 89.3, Ernest Luis & Fa'izah Sani Edited by: Dan Koh Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/nirmal-ghosh Asian Insider newsletter: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider --- Discover more ST podcast series: Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington Report Ep 21: US works on its international relations and climate crisis efforts 10:32 mins Synopsis: Every week, The Straits Times analyses the latest developments in the United States. The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh chats with Money FM 89.3's Ryan Huang and Bharati Jagdish about the following points: US President Joe Biden faced some challenges at the G20 Summit (1:20) Possible outcomes of the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (3:05) Taiwan; one of the key points of discussion in the US-China meeting between US secretary of state Anthony Blinken and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi (4:29) US mended ties with European Union, repairing post-Trump damages (7:28) What to expect from the US delegation at the COP26 climate conference from Oct 31 - Nov 12? (8:39) Produced by: The Breakfast Huddle, Money FM 89.3, Ernest Luis & Fa'izah Sani Edited by: Dan Koh Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/nirmal-ghosh Asian Insider newsletter:  https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider --- Discover more ST podcast series: Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 2, 1993 a mob set fire to the Madimak Hotel in Sivas, Turkey—where a group of prominent Alevi writers, poets, and thinkers had gathered. Reports show 37 people died in what became known as the Sivas (or Madimak) Massacre. For Alevis, the incident reflected the prejudice and hate the community faced in their native homeland of Turkey, where today Alevis make up an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population. Discrimination against the Alevi community is rampant and pervasive in Turkey's government, society, and the education system. While this prejudice is hardly new, the situation under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AKP party is only getting worse. USCIRF Policy Analyst John Lechner joins us on the anniversary of the Sivas Massacre as we discuss Turkey's Alevis, their beliefs, and the challenging daily life as an Alevi in Erdogan's Turkey.

On May 16, 2017, when members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's diplomatic escort attacked peaceful protesters at a demonstration outside Turkey's foreign embassy in Washington DC, Elif Genç was one of those caught up in the melee. On this week's TrumpWatch, host Jesse Lent talks to the Kurdish women's social movement activist about her harrowing experience of being physically assaulted in plain sight by three of Erdogan's bodyguards and considers whether this signifies a change in the legal protections of peaceful protesters in the Donald Trump era.