Podcasts about turkish president recep tayyip erdo

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

**Secretary-General's TravelThe Secretary-General is in Lviv, where he has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two were later joined by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a trilateral meeting. In his remarks to the press just now, the Secretary-General reiterated that the United Nations will go on working in full solidarity with the Ukrainian people to mobilize all of our capacities and resources — alongside our national partners — to continue to provide humanitarian support to people in need, wherever it is required. He also underscored that the positive momentum on the food front reflects a victory for diplomacy and for multilateralism. Getting food and fertilizer out of Ukraine and Russia in larger quantities is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices, Mr. [António] Guterres said. “It is essential to provide relief to the most vulnerable people and countries,” he added.The Secretary-General said he had discussed the investigation of the tragic incident in a detention facility in Olenivka on 29 July. In relation to that, he announced that he intends to appoint General Carlos dos Santos Cruz of Brazil to lead a fact-finding mission. In order for the mission to work, he told the press, it needs to have the necessary assurances to guarantee secure access to the site and any other relevant locations. To put it simply, the Secretary-General said, a fact-finding mission must be free to find the facts. And we just put out the transcript of his press remarks.The Secretary-General arrived in Lviv yesterday evening, and, earlier today, he briefly visited the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. In speaking to reporters afterwards, the Secretary-General noted the links between the United Nations and the university, adding that today, the contributions of civil society and of academia are increasingly essential in the development of modern democracies.**UkraineStaying in Ukraine: We, along with our humanitarian partners, yesterday delivered 60 tons of critical supplies in Zaporizka oblast to help meet the most immediate needs of nearly 6,000 people who remain in the Orikhiv settlement, only 6 kilometres from the front line. The nine-truck humanitarian convoy brought food, water, hygiene kits, health supplies, shelter kits and relief items to help people stay warm in the cold season ahead. Our humanitarian colleagues note that this is the first convoy to reach this severely affected area since the war began. Across Ukraine, aid workers have provided life-saving assistance to nearly 12 million people affected by the war since February. However, assistance remains limited in areas beyond the control of the Ukrainian Government.**AfghanistanThe United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) today said that it deplores yesterday's attack on a Kabul Mosque, the latest in a disturbing series of bombings which have killed and injured more than 250 people in recent weeks, the highest monthly number of civilian casualties over the last year. The United Nations Mission noted that scores of civilians were killed and injured in Wednesday's attack. UNAMA extended its deepest sympathies to the families of the killed and a speedy recovery to the injured. With security deteriorating, the UN calls on the de facto Taliban authorities to take concrete steps to prevent all forms of terrorism in Afghanistan. The United Nations Mission stressed that vulnerable communities should be provided additional support and perpetrators brought to justice.**ArmeniaThe Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries caused by the explosion in a warehouse in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Sunday, 14 August. He extends his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Armenia. He wishes the injured a speedy recovery. The United Nations stands by the people of Armenia during this period of mourning.**SyriaTurning to Syria, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator there, Imran Riza, yesterday concluded a four-day mission to the north-eastern Al Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa Governorates. Mr. Riza warned in a statement today that north-east Syria is facing a severe water crisis - from drinking water to water for irrigation, food production, and power generation – impacting people's health and livelihoods. He said that the UN, working with all parties concerned, is committed to address this crisis. Mr. Riza also visited several camps for internally displaced persons and called for sustained access to services to help affected families in and out of camps break the cycles of poverty and crisis so they can live their lives in dignity. He expressed concern about the increasing levels of violence in Al Hol camp. This year alone, at least 26 people, including three this week, have been murdered in the camp. Twenty of those murdered were women.**HaitiIn Haiti, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says that one year after the devastating earthquake that struck the south-western part of the country, more than 250,000 children do not have access to adequate schools. Reconstruction has been delayed by insecurity and lack of funds and may take years to complete. Despite a challenging environment and limited funding, UNICEF has rebuilt or rehabilitated 234 classrooms. The agency has also provided school kits to 74,000 students. Additionally, almost 100 high performance tents were installed in damaged schools. UNICEF has also repaired 22 drinking water systems reaching 440,000 people. It also provided 23,000 hygiene kits to 121,000 people. At the end of last year, UNICEF requested $97 million through the 2022 Humanitarian Appeal for Children to reach 950,000 people, including 520,000 children in Haiti. To date, UNICEF has only received 30 per cent of the funding needed. The agency is asking for $64.6 million in urgent funding to continue helping the most vulnerable.**ComorosIn Comoros, our team, led by Resident Coordinator François Batalingaya, says there has been progress on COVID-19 vaccinations. Now, over 70 per cent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 have been fully vaccinated, following a month-long national campaign, led by health authorities with the support of the UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, our joint efforts helped the authorities vaccinate nearly half of the entire population. As a result, Comoros is now among the top ten African countries with a high percentage of fully vaccinated people. This success is also attributed to a gender-based community engagement co-led by WHO and UNICEF to involve training nearly 200 women and 140 young journalists in vaccination promotion for youth and early screening.**MadagascarAnd the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that three consecutive years of severe drought in the Grand Sud of Madagascar have led to the country's worst food crisis in the last 20 years, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of already poor populations. Despite humanitarian interventions, FAO said that the outcome of the main agricultural season in 2021 was low due to reduced cultivated areas linked to limited access to agricultural inputs and the delayed onset of rains. FAO notes that the situation was worsened by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.**Financial ContributionAnd last, I am happy to report a fresh contribution to the regular budget. Today it comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we thank our friends in Kinshasa. DRC's payment takes us to 117 fully paid-up Member States. And with that, I'm open to your questions.

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

During his visit to Kyiv last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Turkey's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity as he repeated his offer to mediate between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the current crisis. Having inked a series of agreements aimed at deepening economic ties and defense cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine, President Erdogan highlighted the importance of his upcoming meeting with Putin by stressing the multifaceted nature of Turkish-Russian relations. Turkey has also vocally opposed the Russian annexation of Crimea since 2014 and continues to increase its defense cooperation with Ukraine, displeasing Russia. As an essential NATO member, Turkey pledged to fulfill its commitments to the alliance while criticizing Western countries for being unable to contribute to the resolution of the Ukraine-Russia tensions. What are the main drivers of Turkey's approach to the Ukraine crisis? Can Turkish mediation contribute to a diplomatic solution? What can we expect from the upcoming Erdogan-Putin meeting? What are the implications of a potential conflict for Turkey and the region? The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a distinguished panel of experts to discuss Turkey's policy on the Ukraine crisis. Speakers Jeffrey Mankoff, Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University Yevgeniya Gaber, Senior Fellow, Centre in Modern Turkish Studies at Carleton University Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC Moderator Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/seta-dc/support

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

Although the Biden administration would like to continue a pragmatic relationship with Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's regime is too toxic across the U.S. political spectrum, Aykan Erdemir, a senior program director for Turkey at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) and a former opposition member of the Turkish parliament said in an interview on Thursday for Ahval's podcast series ‘12 Minutes'.

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

The Turkish lira's meltdown on Tuesday was a “train crash” long in the making caused by the unorthodox Islamist economic views of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said Aykan Erdemir, senior program director for Turkey at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) and a former opposition member of the Turkish parliament. The free-fall in the lira has been caused by a series of policy mistakes that started during the term of former Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdoğan's son-in-law, Erdemir said in an interview on Tuesday for Ahval's new podcast series ‘12 Minutes'. Albayrak resigned in November last year.

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.

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.

Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst, joins us to talk about the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, as they discuss improving relations between the two countries as rifts between Turkey, NATO and the U.S. continue to widen. We talk about the role the two countries could play in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, what this could mean for Russia and Turkey in the conflict in Syria.Angela Arias Zapata, educator, researcher, and PhD candidate in media, culture & communication at New York University, talks to us about the political situation in Colombia, where the now 5-year-old peace agreement between the government and the FARC is in peril after missteps by the government in its implementation, ongoing violence against labor and community leaders, and the chances of opposition parties in the next election. Dr. Robert Hockett, Edward Cornell Professor of Law and professor of public policy at Cornell University in New York, senior counsel at Westwood Capital, and fellow of The Century Foundation, talks to us about the dueling infrastructure bills in Congress, why the Democrats can't seem to unify the party to support the more ambitious one, who and what is behind this opposition to increased public spending beyond red and blue lines, and how parties sometimes support policies in order to just secure power without regard to actual policies that may help or harm citizens of the country.Chris Garaffa, web developer, technologist, and security & privacy consultant, talks to us about Facebook investigation into the “toxic” nature of Instagram on teenagers, Google redesigning its search engine and how this may end up pushing more traffic to Google properties like YouTube, Bill Gates's claiming naiveté after the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust released a report concluding that Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google hold monopoly power, and the YouTube scandal involving RT-Germany that could see the app banned in Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees it as a success to secure a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he may well be walking into a trap, Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) in Washington D.C., told Ahval's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar for the Hot Pursuit podcast series.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees it as a success to secure a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he may well be walking into a trap, Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) in Washington D.C., told Ahval's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar for the Hot Pursuit podcast series.

On Sunday Germany held federal elections that saw the center-left Social Democrats win the largest share of the vote, narrowly beating outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right bloc in a closely fought race. Both of Germany's traditional leading parties finished with well under 30% of the vote, while the Greens and the pro-business liberals, the Free Democratic Party, backed by young voters, are set to play the role of kingmakers in whichever future coalition gets formed. Until then, Germany could be headed toward a potentially protracted power struggle. Xenia Kounalaki, a journalist and the foreign editor at Kathimerini, joins our host Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis from the election in Germany. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here: Parties Vie for Power After Election Shakes Up German PoliticsGermany election: Coalition talks begin after close electionStrong quake hits Greek island of Crete; 1 dead, 20 injured1 person dead, buildings damaged as 5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Greek island of CreteErdogan says Turkey plans to buy more Russian defense systemsExtended interview: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on "Face the Nation"Senator Menendez's tweet about any new Turkish purchase of Russian S-400s

On this week's "Face the Nation with moderator Margaret Brennan," confusion builds over who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccine boosters and when can they receive them. We'll hear from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb. South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott discusses police reform and the migrant crisis on the Southern border and Washington Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal discusses infrastructure negotiations. Plus, interviews with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about COVID-19, China and his country's new security contract with the U.S and U.K. Finally, we sit down with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss press freedom in Turkey and the US exit from Afghanistan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Frequent Worldly guest cohost Jen Kirby talks Turkey with NBA player and activist Enes Kanter. Kanter was born in Switzerland to Turkish parents and raised in Turkey, but his criticism of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ongoing human rights crackdown has made Kanter persona non grata in that country. They discuss how President Joe Biden has handled Turkey so far; the troubling kidnapping of a Turkish-Kyrgyz schoolteacher, part of Erdogan's campaign of renditions against perceived political enemies; the personal consequences of Kanter's activism; and why he's excited to become an American citizen soon. References: A recap of President Erdoğan's political purge Enes Kanter's op-ed in the Spectator World urged Joe Biden to get tough on Erdoğan A brief overview of the Biden-Erdoğan meeting Erdoğan claims the US and Turkey have opened a “new era” in relations Kanter condemns Turkey's kidnapping campaign in the Washington Post Turkey kidnapped Orhan Inandi — and now Erdoğan is bragging about it The New York Times on Erdoğan's troubling record of kidnappings Who is Fethullah Gülen? And for more on Kanter, read Vox's 2019 profile Hosts: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox Jen Kirby (@j_kirby1), foreign and national security reporter, Vox   Consider contributing to Vox: If you value Worldly's work, please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts More to explore: Subscribe for free to Today, Explained, Vox's daily podcast to help you understand the news, hosted by Sean Rameswaram. About Vox: Vox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Follow us: Vox.com Newsletter: Vox Sentences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Hundreds of women gathered on Istanbul's Istiklal (Independence) Avenue,  carrying banners, purple flags and signs in support of the Istanbul Convention — an international treaty to prevent violence against women. Chants and slogans accompanied drums and whistles. The mood was somewhat festive, but the reason for gathering, somber: Turkey has formally withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention as of July 1. Related: Abortion increasingly hard to access in Turkey “We want to live, because we're women, because we're LGBT, that's all we want. ... We want to be free."Cemre Altin, student and protester, Istanbul, Turkey“We want to live, because we're women, because we're LGBT, that's all we want,” student protester Cemre Altin said. “We want to be free.”  People chant slogans during a protest against the government's decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention, in Istanbul, Thursday, July 1, 2021.  Credit: Emrah Gurel/AP A few hours later, after several protesters tried to cross a police barricade, Turkish police dispersed the crowd with volleys of tear gas. Some continued to march in nearby neighborhoods.  Protesters, left, clash with police officers preventing them from marching against the government's decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention, in Istanbul, Thursday, July 1, 2021.  Credit: Kemel Aslan/AP The 2011 Council of Europe treaty, originally opened for signature in Istanbul, requires participating governments to prosecute a slew of gender-based crimes, including domestic violence and forced marriage.Related: In Turkey, a conservative push to remove domestic violence legislationTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decision to withdraw from the treaty — without debate or votes in Parliament — set off months of protests throughout the country.“The number of femicides have increased since the day they said they would cancel the convention. ... The men who kill women are encouraged by this.”Sevdi Aycil, hotel worker, Istanbul, Turkey“The number of femicides have increased since the day they said they would cancel the convention,” hotel worker Sevdi Aycil said. “The men who kill women are encouraged by this.”Women's rights activists in Turkey say the country is rife with intimate partner violence that goes unpunished. The We Will Stop Femicide Platform has documented 189 killings of women since the beginning of the year — many of them by boyfriends, former partners or family members.In March, Erdoğan's conservative government defended the decision to leave, by claiming that the document had been “hijacked by group of people attempting to normalize homosexuality, which is incompatible with Turkey's social and family values.”In a speech on the day of Turkey's removal from the international agreement, Erdoğan outlined his own plan to prevent violence against women — which largely focused on raising awareness.“The fight against violence against women is also the struggle to protect the rights, law and honor of our mother, wife and daughter,” Erdoğan said. “Each of whom is a part of our lives.” Poland's right-wing government, which is closely aligned with the Catholic Church, has also signaled an intention to leave the agreement, citing objections to the treaty's “ideological nature.” A bill called “Yes to Family, No to Gender,” winds its way through the country's Parliament.LGBTQ marginalizationThe Turkish government's rationale for exiting the Istanbul Convention — that it normalizes homosexuality — is part of what activists say is a growing effort on the part of the government to marginalize the LGBTQ community. Protesters carrying rainbow flags or pro-LGBTQ signage are often forbidden from entering gatherings, or targeted by police for arrest.“Why is it a crime to carry an LGBTI flag, it doesn't make any sense. ... Being gay or lesbian or trans[gender], it isn't a crime in Turkey. It's not like Iran.”Burcu Karakaş, journalist, Turkey“Why is it a crime to carry an LGBTI flag, it doesn't make any sense,” said Burcu Karakaş, a Turkish journalist who covers the feminist movement. “Being gay or lesbian or trans[gender], it isn't a crime in Turkey. It's not like Iran.” Related: An annual pageant is the one night a year trans women in Turkey can celebrate People chant slogans during a protest against the government's decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention, in Istanbul, Thursday, July 1, 2021. Credit: Emrah Gure/AP Yildiz Tar of Kaos GL, an Ankara-based LGBTQ rights platform, said that in a 2020 report, 61% of news articles directly targeted LGBTQ people with hate speech and discriminatory language. Government officials and loyalist media repeat these messages, Tar said. Even the head of Turkey's directorate of religious affairs claimed last summer in a Ramadan sermon that homosexuality was to blame for the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases, these words translate to very real violence. According to Tar, hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ community are up in Turkey — with increasing impunity.“Hate crimes are happening in public places, and there were eyewitnesses. ... Half of them remained silent. A quarter of them joined the attackers.”Yildiz Tar, Kaos GL rights group, Ankara, Turkey“Hate crimes are happening in public places, and there were eyewitnesses,” Tar said. “Half of them remained silent. A quarter of them joined the attackers.”But Tar remains hopeful and thinks Turkey's population is more open-minded than its government. In Tar's outreach work in recent years, even conservative, Muslim communities who often oppose homosexuality on religious grounds, welcomed Tar into their spaces. Some even requested Tar to share presentations in the evening, after Friday prayers, so they could join. “It's not about LGBT vs. religion in society,” Tar said. “In society, there's a change. I think the government is trying to reverse that change — but that's a hopeless effort.”In June, local authorities banned Pride events and arrested dozens in unauthorized gatherings throughout the country.When 22-year-old Lizge Biter tried to attend a small march in one Istanbul neighborhood, the group was tear gassed and 25 people were arrested, including an AFP photographer. As recently as 2014, tens of thousands of people attended a Pride march down Istanbul's longest pedestrian thoroughfare — the largest in the Muslim world. Today, that feels like a distant reality.“The government is starting to attack [LGBTQ communities] more than usual. ... It was always unsafe, but it's becoming more [visible].”Lizge Biter, 22, LGBTQ advocate, Istanbul, Turkey“The government is starting to attack more than usual,” Biter said. “It was always unsafe, but it's becoming more [visible].”

Turkey is never going to have a great relationship with the United States as long as Erdogan continues to behave in autocratic ways, Nicholas Danforth, a non-resident senior research fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, ELIAMEP told Ahval paper's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar in Ahval's Hot Pursuit YouTube interview series on Tuesday. Baydar has interviewed Nicholas Danforth about the bilateral meeting on Monday between President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels.

Turkey is never going to have a great relationship with the United States as long as Erdogan continues to behave in autocratic ways, Nicholas Danforth, a non-resident senior research fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, ELIAMEP told Ahval paper's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar in Ahval's Hot Pursuit YouTube interview series on Tuesday. Baydar has interviewed Nicholas Danforth about the bilateral meeting on Monday between President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels.

Turkey has been on a charm offensive ahead of the planned NATO summit in Brussels on June 14, and tries to act as if there is no day-light between Ankara and the alliance, Steven A. Cook, senior fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Ahval's Nervana Mahmoud in the new episode of Turkish Trends podcast series. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will have a number of bilateral meetings during the NATO summit, including with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden to discuss crisis-ridden bilateral relations.

US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sat down on Monday for a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit. In the US, there's a growing push to require public schools to cover the histories of groups left out of history textbooks. Also, G-7 leaders pledged 1 billion vaccine doses to developing countries and agreed to step up action on climate change, but activists say they are unimpressed. And the Copa America soccer tournament kicked off in Brazil this week. A majority of Brazilians think it's dangerous to host the games amid COVID-19 concerns.

Turkey's strongman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will try to use some "magic" to reset the relationship with U.S. President Joe Biden at their upcoming meeting in June. His “magic,” however, is unlikely to work at this time, Dr. Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) in Washington D.C., told Hot Pursuit.Erdemir said that the meeting between the leaders offers little chance to fix the structural problems in the relationship between the two countries. Both countries have a number of serious issues to resolve. While the U.S. administration asks Turkey to remove the Russian-made S-400 air defence missile system from Turkish soil, Ankara wants Washington to stop Syrian Kurds who seem to be a threat to Turkey’s own national security. The Biden administration will ask the Erdoğan government to improve on its human rights records and democratic standards while the Erdoğan government asks the U.S. government to lift sanctions on some of the weapons systems.What is more, the bilateral meeting will be held under the shadow of the Belarus crisis, Erdemir added. Diplomats have told Reuters, Ankara pushed for the scrapping of any mention of support for sanctions on Belarus and calls for the release of other political prisoners in Belarus after last week’s forced landing of a passenger plane and the subsequent arrest of a dissident journalist by Belarus.There is one topic that has a chance for both leaders to make some progress and for Erdoğan to gain ground, and that is Afghanistan, Erdemir added. Biden will withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan over the coming months, U.S. officials said previously, completing the military exit by the Sept. 11, 2021. Taliban attacks had drawn the United States into the region and its longest war. Turkey has presented itself as a key partner in Afghanistan and was set to host the peace talks between the Taliban and the U.S. government. However, the talk plans have collapsed. Erdemir said that beyond some potential agreement with regards to Afghanistan, there appears to be no easy way to salvage the relationship.

Turkey's strongman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will try to use some "magic" to reset the relationship with U.S. President Joe Biden at their upcoming meeting in June. His “magic,” however, is unlikely to work at this time, Dr. Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) in Washington D.C., told Hot Pursuit. Erdemir said that the meeting between the leaders offers little chance to fix the structural problems in the relationship between the two countries. Both countries have a number of serious issues to resolve. While the U.S. administration asks Turkey to remove the Russian-made S-400 air defence missile system from Turkish soil, Ankara wants Washington to stop Syrian Kurds who seem to be a threat to Turkey’s own national security. The Biden administration will ask the Erdoğan government to improve on its human rights records and democratic standards while the Erdoğan government asks the U.S. government to lift sanctions on some of the weapons systems. What is more, the bilateral meeting will be held under the shadow of the Belarus crisis, Erdemir added. Diplomats have told Reuters, Ankara pushed for the scrapping of any mention of support for sanctions on Belarus and calls for the release of other political prisoners in Belarus after last week’s forced landing of a passenger plane and the subsequent arrest of a dissident journalist by Belarus. There is one topic that has a chance for both leaders to make some progress and for Erdoğan to gain ground, and that is Afghanistan, Erdemir added. Biden will withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan over the coming months, U.S. officials said previously, completing the military exit by the Sept. 11, 2021. Taliban attacks had drawn the United States into the region and its longest war. Turkey has presented itself as a key partner in Afghanistan and was set to host the peace talks between the Taliban and the U.S. government. However, the talk plans have collapsed. Erdemir said that beyond some potential agreement with regards to Afghanistan, there appears to be no easy way to salvage the relationship.

The accusations levelled by the exiled mafia boss Sedat Peker regarding the Turkish deep state activities, political assassination of a Cypriot journalist and many other shocking revelations paint a very complicated picture for Turkey regarding its ruling coalition. The series of video revelations by Peker indicate that the Turkish state apparatus has been overtaken by several crime rings and mafia bosses at the same time, Ahval editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar said in his Hot Pursuit podcast on Thursday. More than 100 million people, in Turkey and abroad, have locked eyes on the seven hour-long videos Peker released throughout May to understand both the current clash between the mob boss and Turkish interior minister Süleyman Soylu, and some of the past mysterious events Peker appears to be spilling beans on. Baydar said that Soylu had been instrumental in recent years in a plot to rise within the party with the help of “certain people tied to the underground world” including ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Tolga Ağar, whose father Mehmet Ağar served as both the chief of police and interior minister in previous governments. Peker promised to set off further waves of political tsunami in a series of tweets on Wedneesday. The mobster’s allegations and threats seem to have rattled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government, as Peker starts to show signs that he could change direction and target the president directly.

The accusations levelled by the exiled mafia boss Sedat Peker regarding the Turkish deep state activities, political assassination of a Cypriot journalist and many other shocking revelations paint a very complicated picture for Turkey regarding its ruling coalition.The series of video revelations by Peker indicate that the Turkish state apparatus has been overtaken by several crime rings and mafia bosses at the same time, Ahval editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar said in his Hot Pursuit podcast on Thursday.More than 100 million people, in Turkey and abroad, have locked eyes on the seven hour-long videos Peker released throughout May to understand both the current clash between the mob boss and Turkish interior minister Süleyman Soylu, and some of the past mysterious events Peker appears to be spilling beans on.Baydar said that Soylu had been instrumental in recent years in a plot to rise within the party with the help of “certain people tied to the underground world” including ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Tolga Ağar, whose father Mehmet Ağar served as both the chief of police and interior minister in previous governments. Peker promised to set off further waves of political tsunami in a series of tweets on Wedneesday. The mobster’s allegations and threats seem to have rattled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government, as Peker starts to show signs that he could change direction and target the president directly.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a personal dislike for businessman Osman Kavala, who is kept in prison based on conspiracy theories, Henri J. Barkey, an adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council of Foreign Relations, said. Barkey told Ahval podcast with journalist Nervana Mahmoud on Tuesday that Turkey had accused him of organizing the coup attempt in 2016 as they were “looking to blame the United States for it.’’

Turkey’s refusal to withdraw its foreign mercenaries from Libya illustrates a certain kind of imperialism prompted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s neo-Ottomanism, Libya expert Aya Burweila said. Turkey continues to justify its military existence in Libya as legitimate and has rejected a military withdrawal from the country, which the people of Libya will not accept, Burweila told Nervana Mahmoud in a podcast on political developments in the oil rich North African country.

Despite his signature militant rhetoric, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently signaled a more pragmatic approach to several regional issues. He has seemingly moderated his stand towards Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and even Turkey’s arch-rival, Greece. When U.S. President Joe Biden broke with his predecessors’ reluctance to recognize the Ottoman massacres of Armenians more than a century ago as genocide, Ankara was predictably angry but much less than was expected. An obvious explanation is Turkey’s historic fear of Russia, its neighbor across the Black Sea, as indicated by Erdoğan’s embrace of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky. Panel: - Jonathan Hessen, Host. - Amir Oren, TV7 Analyst and Host of Watchmen Talk. - Mr. Yusuf Erim, TRT World Editor at large. - Prof. Zeev Khanin, Expert on Russian and Middle Eastern Studies, Bar Ilan and Ariel Universities. Articles on the topic: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/turkey-us-must-reverse-armenia-policy/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/turkey-invites-israeli-minister-to-visit/ https://www.tv7israelnews.com/turkey-to-us-s400s-a-done-deal/ You are welcome to join our audience and watch all of our programs - free of charge! TV7 Israel News: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/563/ Jerusalem Studio: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/18738/ TV7 Israel News Editor’s Note: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76269/ TV7 Israel: Watchmen Talk: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/76256/ Jerusalem Prays: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/135790/ TV7’s Times Observer: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/97531/ TV7’s Middle East Review: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/997755/ My Brother’s Keeper: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/53719/ This week in 60 seconds: https://www.tv7israelnews.com/vod/series/123456/ Those who wish can send prayer requests to TV7 Israel News in the following ways: Facebook Messenger: https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Email: israelnews@tv7.fi Please be sure to mention your first name and country of residence. Any attached videos should not exceed 20 seconds in duration. #IsraelNews #tv7israelnews #newsupdates Rally behind our vision - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/donate/ To purchase TV7 Israel News merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/tv7-israel-news-store Live view of Jerusalem - https://www.tv7israelnews.com/jerusalem-live-feed/ Visit our website - http://www.tv7israelnews.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/tv7israelnews Like TV7 Israel News on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tv7israelnews Follow TV7 Israel News on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tv7israelnews/ Follow TV7 Israel News on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tv7israelnews

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is not an outlier when it comes to reacting to the genocide recognition by the foreign powers including Turkey, said Dr. Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) in Washington D.C. told Nervana Mahmoud for the Turkish Trends.

A declaration from 103 retired Turkish admirals raising concerns about the future of the Montreux Convention is potentially “gift from God” to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to Turkey expert Steven Cook. But did Erdogan’s gift have unintended consequences? With rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the debate about the convention has exposed how Erdoğan is now in an awkward position between his NATO allies and Russia. Will he be quick to lose his luck? Nervana Mahmoud interviews Turkey expert Steven Cook for Turkish Trends

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan consolidated his power at the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) recent congress in Ankara, Gökhan Bacık, a lecturer in political science at Palacky University, told an Ahval podcast. Speaking to Ahval Editor-in-Chief Yavuz Baydar, Bacık said the AKP gathering on Wednesday showed a one-party system had been established in Turkey.

Another city, another tragic shooting in the United States, this time in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday. The shooter killed 10 people in a horrific mass shooting, again capturing the global spotlight less than a week after a shooting in Atlanta left eight dead. And, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has withdrawn his country from a treaty protecting women from gender-based violence. Also, The World remembers Nawal El Saadawi, an Egyptian feminist, writer, doctor and activist who passed away on Sunday.

The Istanbul office of Turkey’s largest Kurdish news agency is on the top floor of an old building. The location of Mesopotamia Agency isn’t exactly a secret — but the doorbell isn’t marked, either. It’s not easy being a journalist in Turkey where accusations of colluding with a terrorist organization is only a byline away. Being Kurdish only deepens the pressure. Related: An American journalist was murdered in Turkey. Why didn't the US investigate?“All of us have been arrested at least once. ... There’s even a joke saying that every Kurd will be arrested once in his life.”Sadık Topaloğlu, journalist, Istanbul bureau, Mesopotamia Agency “All of us have been arrested at least once,” said Sadık Topaloğlu, a journalist who leads the Istanbul bureau. “There’s even a joke saying that every Kurd will be arrested once in his life.” Coverage by the Kurdish press of Turkey’s longtime struggle against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) — a designated terrorist group angling for Kurdish autonomy in the southeast — often places them at odds with the government’s narrative about the conflict. At the same time, it makes their work a crucial voice in an increasingly homogeneous media landscape. Occasionally, the Mesopotamia Agency will break stories that other outlets refuse to touch. Related: Russian journalist found guilty for 'justifying' terrorism Now in its third year of existence, this digital news agency employs about 100 journalists in eight bureaus around Turkey, covering a mixture of politics, human rights and general news in three languages: Turkish, Kurdish and English. Related: Report on murdered Saudi journalist to be releasedThe agency largely functions as a wire service — Kurdish newspapers throughout the country reprint their stories — but they also reach readers directly through social media, YouTube broadcasts and direct-messaging apps like Telegram.  Sadık Topaloğlu stands in the Istanbul office of the Mesopotamia Agency, where he serves as bureau chief.  Credit: Durrie Bouscaren/The World  “Our system is similar to the other media outlets, except that the hierarchical structure is not so sharp for us,” Topaloğlu said. “Every day starts with meetings about the day’s agenda, and we discuss how to prioritize them.” Occasionally, judges will issue a decision to block the website, an echo of state closures of Kurdish papers in the 1990s. But in today’s digital age, they simply copy their content over to a new URL to buy themselves more time. So far, they’ve done this 29 times. “We’re advocating for democratic and individual rights of the Kurdish people and the working class. ... The Kurdish media gets more pressure, because it exposes what the government doesn’t want to be seen.”Sadık Topaloğlu, journalist, Istanbul bureau, Mesopotamia Agency “We’re advocating for democratic and individual rights of the Kurdish people and the working class,” Topaloğlu said. “The Kurdish media gets more pressure because it exposes what the government doesn’t want to be seen.” Related: As more journalists stand trial in Turkey, the truth becomes more elusiveFacing the 'consequences of the news' This tension came to a head in September when two Kurdish men were captured during a military raid on their village in the eastern district of Van as the Turkish army sought out PKK suspects. They were then thrown to the ground from a military helicopter. One of the men died after several weeks in intensive care. Another survived, but barely. It was a horrifying reminder of torture methods used during anti-PKK operations in the '90s. Officials refused to comment for several days. The mainstream Turkish press hardly covered it. But the Mesopotamia Agency was there to interview families and gather witness testimony and medical reports. “We have a publishing policy. We are not focusing on the consequences of the news, we are focusing on its accuracy. ...Because the smallest manipulation, the smallest error — that gives the government a chance to create propaganda against us.”Sedat Yılmaz, editor-in-chief, Mesopotamia Agency“We have a publishing policy. We are not focusing on the consequences of the news, we are focusing on its accuracy,” said Sedat Yılmaz, Mesopotamia Agency’s editor-in-chief, from his post in the largely Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. “Because the smallest manipulation, the smallest error — that gives the government a chance to create propaganda against us.”Related: Ressa: Duterte's 'weaponization of the law' is a threat to democracy“Whether we are punished or arrested is not a priority for our agency,” he added. Four of his colleagues were detained over their coverage of the helicopter story: Two from the Mesopotamia Agency, and two from an affiliated agency staffed entirely by women. Their homes were raided, and police searched the Mesopotamia Agency office in Van. Co-workers brought them sweaters and blankets in prison. In the words of the prosecutor, Cemil Uğur, Andan Bilen, Şehriban Abi and Nazan Sala were accused of being members of a terrorist organization and making propaganda for an illegal organization. They denied the charges. “I work as a journalist,” Uğur told the prosecutor. “There is no crime and concrete evidence in the file. Most of the scope of the file is newsworthy.” Weeks later, Turkey’s Minister of the Interior, Suleyman Soylu, publicly accused the surviving victim of hosting PKK members at his home, saying the government had records of his guilt. But the minister provided no explanation of why it was necessary to throw a suspect from a helicopter. Tensions have been particularly high lately for Kurdish journalists as Turkey continues a military campaign against the PKK in northern Iraq.Related: Exiled journalists in Germany find home with Amal magazineAn effort to make peace with the PKK under the new Justice and Development (AKP) government collapsed in 2015, after the assassination of two Turkish policemen in the town of Ceylanpınar. Nine suspects were later acquitted of the murders in 2019.  The situation has only gotten worse. Last month, a failed operation to rescue Turkish hostages in northern Iraq led Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to vow an expansion of military operations as he criticized Western allies for turning a blind eye. Turkey’s government sees the United States as tangentially responsible for ongoing PKK attacks due to its support of Kurdish-led militias in the war against ISIS. “The Turkish government does not want to solve the Kurdish issue. It wants to govern by polarizing society."Eren Keskin, longtime human rights activist“The Turkish government does not want to solve the Kurdish issue. It wants to govern by polarizing society,” said Eren Keskin, a longtime human rights activist who worked as an attorney for Özgür Gündem, a Kurdish newspaper, at the height of violence between the PKK and the Turkish military in the 1990s. “The distribution of the newspaper was banned, and children were distributing it illegally in the neighborhoods and streets,” Keskin recalled. “Three of those children were murdered, they were all between the ages of 9 and 11. Their killers were never found.” Turkey’s struggles with the PKK are entrenched in popular memory. Leaders from both sides of the political spectrum have tried and failed to bring peace. They’ve also failed to reconcile with Turkey’s approximately 16 million Kurdish citizens, many of whom want more political autonomy and cultural freedom.  Kurdish media has come a long wayKurdish media in Turkey has come a long way in the past 30 years, Keskin said. Those years of normalized violence, murders on the street, and people who going missing are largely in the past, but they’ve been replaced by political pressure, arbitrary detentions and lawsuits that drag on for years. Keskin herself faces a 26-year prison sentence, which she’s appealing. “For the sake of those times, and the people who were murdered, I’m still keeping up my fight,” Keskin said.While the current Turkish government sees the PKK as a dangerous and unpredictable nonstate actor, the Kurdish press tends to view it differently. The Mesopotamia Agency, for example, does cover the violence of PKK attacks, but they also devote a fair amount of coverage to hunger strikers protesting the jail conditions of PKK’s imprisoned leader.Some Kurdish journalists say it’s hard to stay neutral when the state sees you as an enemy. “When they see the press card of Mesopotamia Agency, they see us as anti-state reporters, and either push us out [of a protest] or arrest us. ... Sometimes we pretend that we’re from a Turkish media outlet, so we won’t get arrested or beaten up.”Semra Turan, reporter, Mesopotamia Agency“When they see the press card of Mesopotamia Agency, they see us as anti-state reporters, and either push us out [of a protest] or arrest us,” said Semra Turan, a reporter. “Sometimes, we pretend that we’re from a Turkish media outlet, so we won’t get arrested or beaten up.”The hardest stories to write, Turan said, are the ones where she interviews people who have lost family members during the conflict. There’s a war going on in Turkey, she said, and both sides are losing their lives. When she sees their mothers at a funeral, it breaks her heart. “It takes me so long to write about those funerals,” she said. “Thinking about how I can write it so that those mothers don’t have to live through it again.” Translations provided by Jafar Najafli. 

Guest Michael Cole joins Right Rising to break down how right-wing populist leaders are using some of the world's most popular footballers for political gain. Along with host Augusta Dell'Omo, Michael takes us on a deep dive into some of the most famous examples of this budding relationship - like German footballer Mesut Özil and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Michael helps us understand how these relationships emerged and what these new partnerships could look like in the context of the 2021 European Championships. Special Guest: Michael Cole.

This week on GeoPod, Tenjin Consulting's Alexander Downer and Georgina Downer discuss the implications of second wave lockdowns in the UK and Europe. These economies will take a hammering and become seriously diminished. 3 November is D-Day for US politics. Alexander has endorsed Trump but thinks he'll lose, while Georgina sees a narrow path to victory for Trump through the Sun Belt states and Pennsylvania. Still, predictions are a mugs game especially if 2016 was anything to go by. Terror has once again visited France, with two Islamist terror attacks in the last month. French President Emmanuel Macron's response to the attacks was to diagnose Islam as a religion in crisis. This brought the ire of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistan's President Imran Kahn. France hosts the largest Muslim population in Europe and these ethnic and religious tensions will continue to grow in the lead up to the 2022 French presidential election where far-right leader Marine Le Pen will once again run. Australia's policy on China has hardened over the last few years, with the influence of Australia's security and intelligence services taking the lead over Foreign Affairs types in Canberra. China's reaction to Australia's hawkishness has been tough and Australia is now grappling with the economic consequences of standing its ground when it comes to political and commercial interference by China.   At the Fifth Plenum of the Communist Party of China we got a glimpse into China's priorities for the next five years. Expect more focus on technological self-reliance and innovation and prioritising domestic consumption over an export-led economy while China navigates an uncertain strategic landscape and changing regional power balances. 

As France mourns a beloved teacher murdered after showing controversial cartoons in class, a diplomatic rift between Europe and the Muslim world over secularism and religious freedom is widening. Railing against Islamophobia in the West, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined a regional call for a boycott of French imports on Monday. He was cheered on by a Turkish national newspaper, which published lists of French brands to avoid at the market. Before his gruesome murder on Oct. 16, Samuel Paty, 47, a history teacher in a suburb of Paris, had shown cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a class about freedom of speech. In response to the fatal attack, French authorities swiftly launched investigations into Muslim groups and called for the dissolution of a pro-Palestinian group in France that officials claim is fomenting violence. Over the weekend, Erdoğan blamed French President Emmanuel Macron for attacks against Muslims in France, and quipped Saturday that Macron didn’t understand religious freedom and needed “mental health treatment.”  France recalled its ambassador to Turkey the next day.“I am calling on my nation. Don’t compliment French brands, don’t buy them.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan“I am calling on my nation. Don’t compliment French brands, don’t buy them," Erdoğan said to a crowd gathering for a religious celebration at a civic center in Ankara. He added that Muslims are “subjected to a lynching campaign similar to that against Jews in Europe before World War II.” Related: Turkey passes 'draconian' social media legislationAccording to parents of students in Paty’s class who spoke to Agence France-Presse, Muslim students were told they could leave the room while the cartoons were shown. But an 18-year-old man of Chechen descent, who allegedly heard about the incident from disgruntled parents online, followed Paty home after school and beheaded him. The suspect was later shot and killed by police. The cartoons were originally published by the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which was later the target of a 2015 massacre that killed 12 people. During a national period of mourning for Paty, the Charlie Hebdo cartoons were projected onto public buildings.It is this aftermath that has drawn the ire of Ankara. “The boycott calls are pointless and must stop immediately, as well as all the attacks directed against our country, instrumentalized by a radical minority."French Foreign Ministry statementIn a statement, the French Foreign Ministry said its critics are distorting France’s values of freedom of expression and religion and its rejection of all forms of hatred. “The boycott calls are pointless and must stop immediately, as well as all the attacks directed against our country, instrumentalized by a radical minority,” it read.  Related: Expulsions, pushbacks and extraditions: Turkey's war on dissent France’s hardline approach to secularism often goes beyond what US policymakers would consider a legal separation of church and state. It is often at odds with the beliefs of the country’s growing Muslim population. The wearing of religious symbols, such as a headscarf, is banned in French schools and for public employees. Turkey, whose secular founders were inspired by the French system in the 1920s, overturned its headscarf ban in 2008. Speaking at a memorial for Paty, President Macron said the 47-year-old teacher had become “the face of the Republic.”“We will defend the freedom that you taught so well, and we will uphold secularism,” Macron said. “We will not renounce caricatures, drawings, even if others move backward… We will continue, teacher.”In The World’s limited survey of grocery stores in the Istanbul neighborhood of Kasimpaşa, as of Monday night French products remained on the shelves. Many Turkish social media users appeared more concerned about the continued devaluation of the Turkish lira, which reached a new low of 8.09 TL against the US dollar. But protests against France were scheduled for Tuesday in several Turkish districts. Based on a quick, v unscientific review of grocery stores in Istanbul’s Kasımpaşa neighborhood, French brands remain on the shelves and are still being purchased, despite a markup compared to local brands.Tbh people are more concerned about the USD-TL exchange rate hitting 8. pic.twitter.com/rErrxzdsoh— durrie bouscaren (@durrieB) October 26, 2020“I think that [Erdoğan’s] harsh reaction is instrumentalizing Islam to score political gains."Sinem Adar, analyst, Center for Applied Turkey Studies, German Institute for International and Security Affairs“I think that [Erdoğan’s] harsh reaction is instrumentalizing Islam to score political gains,” said Sinem Adar, an analyst of domestic Turkish politics at the Center for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Adar points to pro-government Turkish newspapers, which offered little coverage of Paty’s murder but copious reporting on French condemnations of Islamic violence. Eventually, Adar says, some columnists suggested that the crime itself was staged by the French government as a pretext for going after Muslims.“The ways in which the Turkish government has been engaging with and interacting with the Turkish diaspora, trying to mobilize them and instrumentalize them. At the end of the day, I think it really harms the people living here,” Adar said.Related: Turkey's president formally makes Haghia Sophia a mosqueIslamophobia continues to rise in France and other parts of the West. Hate crimes are increasing, especially against women who wear headscarves and other types of coverings to mark their faith. But polarizing rhetoric like Erdoğan’s, Adar says, can backfire on Muslims living in Europe. Europeans see Erdoğan’s rhetoric as alarming, she says, forcing Muslims in Europe to choose between supporting an increasingly conservative view of Islam espoused by the region’s leaders, or assimilate into European-style secularism. “You’re either a supporter of Erdoğan, or you’re not,” she said.  

The resurfacing of a video of U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden, in which he heavily criticises Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has very peculiar timing, said Aykan Erdemir, a former deputy in the Turkish parliament and senior director of the Turkey programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said.

The resurfacing of a video of U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden, in which he heavily criticises Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has very peculiar timing, said Aykan Erdemir, a former deputy in the Turkish parliament and senior director of the Turkey programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said.

Cuban officials haven’t reported any new COVID-19 deaths for two weeks. At the same time — and not unlike in the US — Cuba is also seeing a grassroots movement to combat police brutality, which is more complicated amid the coronavirus. And, earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said social media companies are immoral and unfit for the Turkish nation. Now, Turkey’s Parliament has taken up legislation to crack down on the tech companies. Plus, an online project, Window Swap, lets you toggle through views out windows all around the world, from Egypt to Greece to Australia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 10 announced that Hagia Sophia will be opened to Muslim worship after the Council of State – the highest administrative court in the country – ruled that the building's conversion to a museum by modern Turkey's founding statesman was illegal. The first prayers at the iconic sixth-century structure will be held on July 24. “With this court ruling, and with the measures we took in line with the decision, Hagia Sophia became a mosque again, after 86 years, in the way Fatih the conqueror of Istanbul had wanted it to be,” Erdoğan said. In this week's episode, Duvar English's editor-in-chief Cansu Çamlıbel and pollster Can Selçuki discuss the underlying factors behind President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decision to convert Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. They analyze the possible reasons for Erdoğan to risk burning bridges with the West as well as the significance of the timing of the announcement. Çamlıbel and Selçuki seek an answer to the key question: whether this move indicates Erdoğan is poised to call for a snap election before the end of this year.

Several Turkish government-linked columnists and talking heads said this week that Turkey's top court has already approved the re-conversion of the Hagia Sophia from museum to a mosque. These insider accounts have not been confirmed by an official decision yet. Turkey’s top administrative court, the Council of State, said it will make its ruling by or before mid-July, which also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016. There is practically no opposition in Turkey to plans to re-convert the Hagia Sophia, one of the most important monuments of the Orthodox Christian church constructed in the 6th century during the Byzantine empire, into a mosque. Even the secular main opposition Republican People’s Party, (CHP) and a majority of Turks are either supportive of or indifferent to the idea. CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was even cited as saying there was no court ruling necessary for the conversion, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could just issue a decree and be done with it. The presidential palace-linked columnists' and talking heads' predictions on the conversion might well be to test the waters before the final decision, Ahval's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar said on the Hot Pursuit podcast. Baydar expects that the top court will move the ball to Erdoğan's court, one way or another. What exactly Erdoğan expects to gain from the decision at this time is unknown. There appears to be no election planned in the next year or two. However, it could be a distraction from the fact that the Turkish economy has been in a dire situation due to the pandemic. Foreign tourism, the lifeline of the Turkish economy, is practically non-existent due to the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to haunt both Turkey and the world. Even though Turkey's official figures on pandemic infections and deaths are relatively good, the country’s non-transparent reports on the pandemic has undermined Turkey's credibility. There also remain some 20,000 active cases throughout the country, with most focused in Istanbul. The European Union, Russia, and most if not all Gulf states have restricted travel to Turkey until the end of the summer. There are not many optimistic scenarios in the near- or mid-term for Turkish economy to bounce back. If anything, the economic situation gets more dire every day. Therefore, it remains to be seen what such a historic decision - which cannot be seen as cultural war against a certain segment of society - could bring for Erdoğan. It is also too early to see how the re-conversion decision will resonate among the Turkish public, as the majority of the country continues to struggle economically. Baydar said in the podcast that the decision to convert the Hagia Sophia would deal another blow to the secular foundations of the country. Christian groups across the world and many Western countries, as well as the Russian government, have reacted negatively to the potential conversion. Russia feels especially sensitive to the decision due to its Orthodox population. The second big item on the agenda in Turkey this week was a set of amendments to a law which is clearly aimed at weakening powerful and often critical bar associations across the country by permitting the establishment of multiple lawyer associations in a given province. With these proposed amendments, the government expects to prop up new bar associations and likely pit them against each other, as well as supporting allied lawyer groups against independent ones. The Turkish judiciary, for all intents and purposes, has long been considered to be under the influence of Erdoğan, but the lawyers’ organisations have been able to maintain autonomy and critical stances so far. These amendments might cripple them as well. Baydar called the government’s move an extension of the "divide and rule" strategy which it has been pursued in many other areas for years. Baydar also noted that lawyers' marches and protests since the matter was brought forth had not been supported by many segments of society, and they had been left alone for the most part. “Two opposition parties are whining loudly but not doing a lot,” said Baydar. “Instead, CHP said it would take the law to the Supreme Court. The same court has yet to rule over the amnesty bill which the CHP had appealed two months ago.” Baydar lamented that the CHP and the centre-right opposition Good (İYİ) Party had been lacking innovative ways to counter-attack in their tactics against the government. Opposition parties are hoping to win in the next election, but that election may never come for them, Baydar saidI, as it is also possible that the government would bring forth new conditions and make it impossible for dissidents to run in elections, much like in Central Asia and Iran. There has been talk about an alliance for democracy which would unite the CHP, İYİP, and conservative and liberal AKP breakaway parties, as well as the pro-Kurdish left-wing opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). However, discussions among these opposition parties have not led anywhere so far. “Their understanding of alliance is only for the ballot box, but not for a wider and current understanding of the democratic spirit and principles," Baydar said.

Several Turkish government-linked columnists and talking heads said this week that Turkey's top court has already approved the re-conversion of the Hagia Sophia from museum to a mosque. These insider accounts have not been confirmed by an official decision yet.Turkey’s top administrative court, the Council of State, said it will make its ruling by or before mid-July, which also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016. There is practically no opposition in Turkey to plans to re-convert the Hagia Sophia, one of the most important monuments of the Orthodox Christian church constructed in the 6th century during the Byzantine empire, into a mosque. Even the secular main opposition Republican People’s Party, (CHP) and a majority of Turks are either supportive of or indifferent to the idea. CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was even cited as saying there was no court ruling necessary for the conversion, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could just issue a decree and be done with it.The presidential palace-linked columnists' and talking heads' predictions on the conversion might well be to test the waters before the final decision, Ahval's editor-in-chief Yavuz Baydar said on the Hot Pursuit podcast.Baydar expects that the top court will move the ball to Erdoğan's court, one way or another. What exactly Erdoğan expects to gain from the decision at this time is unknown. There appears to be no election planned in the next year or two. However, it could be a distraction from the fact that the Turkish economy has been in a dire situation due to the pandemic. Foreign tourism, the lifeline of the Turkish economy, is practically non-existent due to the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to haunt both Turkey and the world. Even though Turkey's official figures on pandemic infections and deaths are relatively good, the country’s non-transparent reports on the pandemic has undermined Turkey's credibility. There also remain some 20,000 active cases throughout the country, with most focused in Istanbul.The European Union, Russia, and most if not all Gulf states have restricted travel to Turkey until the end of the summer. There are not many optimistic scenarios in the near- or mid-term for Turkish economy to bounce back. If anything, the economic situation gets more dire every day. Therefore, it remains to be seen what such a historic decision - which cannot be seen as cultural war against a certain segment of society - could bring for Erdoğan. It is also too early to see how the re-conversion decision will resonate among the Turkish public, as the majority of the country continues to struggle economically.Baydar said in the podcast that the decision to convert the Hagia Sophia would deal another blow to the secular foundations of the country. Christian groups across the world and many Western countries, as well as the Russian government, have reacted negatively to the potential conversion. Russia feels especially sensitive to the decision due to its Orthodox population.The second big item on the agenda in Turkey this week was a set of amendments to a law which is clearly aimed at weakening powerful and often critical bar associations across the country by permitting the establishment of multiple lawyer associations in a given province. With these proposed amendments, the government expects to prop up new bar associations and likely pit them against each other, as well as supporting allied lawyer groups against independent ones. The Turkish judiciary, for all intents and purposes, has long been considered to be under the influence of Erdoğan, but the lawyers’ organisations have been able to maintain autonomy and critical stances so far. These amendments might cripple them as well.Baydar called the government’s move an extension of the "divide and rule" strategy which it has been pursued in many other areas for years. Baydar also noted that lawyers' marches and protests since the matter was brought forth had not been supported by many segments of society, and they had been left alone for the most part. “Two opposition parties are whining loudly but not doing a lot,” said Baydar. “Instead, CHP said it would take the law to the Supreme Court. The same court has yet to rule over the amnesty bill which the CHP had appealed two months ago.”Baydar lamented that the CHP and the centre-right opposition Good (İYİ) Party had been lacking innovative ways to counter-attack in their tactics against the government.Opposition parties are hoping to win in the next election, but that election may never come for them, Baydar saidI, as it is also possible that the government would bring forth new conditions and make it impossible for dissidents to run in elections, much like in Central Asia and Iran. There has been talk about an alliance for democracy which would unite the CHP, İYİP, and conservative and liberal AKP breakaway parties, as well as the pro-Kurdish left-wing opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). However, discussions among these opposition parties have not led anywhere so far. “Their understanding of alliance is only for the ballot box, but not for a wider and current understanding of the democratic spirit and principles," Baydar said.

For nine hours on Wednesday, Özge Terkoğlu sat in the gallery of a Turkish courtroom hearing testimony against her husband, Barış Terkoğlu, the news director of OdaTV, an online TV channel. Watching her husband take the stand, she fretted about his weight loss over the past three months he spent in prison. Barış Terkoğlu is one of seven journalists from various media outlets facing charges over their coverage of the deaths of Turkish intelligence officers in Libya. An eighth defendant, a municipal worker in the western Turkish town of Akhisar, is accused of supplying pictures to the journalists of the funeral of one of the dead intelligence officers.Related: Maria Ressa: Duterte's 'weaponization of the law' is a threat to democracyThe deaths weren’t a secret — it was discussed in Turkey’s parliament and on social media. But these writers were accused of breaking state secrecy laws; the charges were deemed so serious that even during the pandemic, the journalists could not be released. Instead, they languished alone in their cells. It’s just the most recent example of how freedom of the press continues to shrink in Turkey — and the intense political pressure facing journalists to toe the line.“He’s very courageous in terms of writing on topics that are very hard to touch, that disturb people that have power. All those things that we have to go through as a family, we can handle it. But we don’t deserve it.”Özge Terkoğlu, wife of jailed journalist“He’s very courageous in terms of writing on topics that are very hard to touch, that disturb people that have power,” Özge Terkoğlu said of her husband. “All those things that we have to go through as a family, we can handle it. But we don’t deserve it.” Turkey is often cited by the Committee to Protect Journalists as the world’s largest jailer of media personnel in the world, alongside China and Egypt. Just this week, 19 Turkish journalists and media workers were scheduled for hearings for various offenses (including those on trial for breaking state secrecy laws), according to Expression Interrupted, a free speech tracking project. If things go as usual, some reporters will be released, others will pay fines and some cases will drag on for years. Related: How Turkey's Erdoğan went from populist hero to strongmanIn Terkoğlu’s case, the judges returned on Wednesday with a decision around 10 p.m. Three of the journalists, including Terkoğlu, were released while their trial continues. The others will likely remain in prison until the next hearing, which is scheduled for September.  Özge Terkoğlu and her husband, Barış Terkoğlu, are pictured with their young son. Credit: Courtesy of Özge Terkoğlu The ambiguity of the law and irregularity of how it is imposed is enough to make anyone rethink the work they do. Some reporters leave the industry or move abroad. Others establish alternative outlets online, like OdaTV. Little by little, political influence is reshaping how Turkish readers understand news about Turkey and its relationship with the world.  “Maybe 95% of national media, especially newspapers and TV stations, are owned by media companies that are close to the government,” said Eylem Yanardağoğlu, an associate professor of New Media at Kadir Has University in Istanbul. “What we call ‘mainstream media’ has almost disappeared.” On any given newsstand in Turkey, a casual reader will find several national newspapers with various political bents. On TV, viewers can flip through multiple news channels, including CNN’s Turkish affiliate. It’s easy to get the impression that Turkey has a healthy, diverse media environment, but this does not reflect reality, Yanardağoğlu said. This media consolidation ramped up as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan began to crack down on political rivals after the Gezi Park protests in 2013. At the time, network TV stations famously showed nature documentaries to avoid covering the events. Journalists who did venture out to cover the protests suffered injuries by police and threats from government officials, according to Reporters Without Borders. Three years later, following a bloody coup attempt on July 15, 2016, media arrests reached a nadir. At least 81 journalists were jailed in retaliation for their work the highest number in any one country counted at any time, according to CPJ.“Using your pen to serve international smear campaigns is not journalism,” Erdoğan claimed in 2017, after coming under fire for the number of reporters languishing in Turkish jails. Traditional media used to protect the public’s right to reliable information in Turkey, said Yanardağoğlu. Today, journalists who don’t toe the political line get pushed to alternative websites and social media, where the pay is lower, but there’s more freedom. “This is creating new debates: Whose job is it to tell the truth? And is it the truth?” Eylem Yanardağoğlu, Kadir Has University“This is creating new debates: Whose job is it to tell the truth? And is it the truth?” Yanardağoğlu said. As Turkey’s digital news organizations jockey for flashy news that gets clicks, the reliability of online content suffers. Dedicated fact-checking organizations try to create some semblance of order, but it has become more challenging for everyday readers to discern truth from propaganda. Even a Turkish-language news service funded by the Russian government has attained a level of popularity, due to its ability to freely criticize Erdoğan. Outside the courthouse, a group of colleagues and supporters of journalists on trial stood in the sun under a banner that depicts portraits of the six arrested writers with a cartoon of pencils turned into cell bars. “Every single morning, believe me, you wake up at 4 in the morning listening to the door and wondering if [the police] are about to come to get you.”   Zafer Arapkirli, journalist“Every single morning, believe me, you wake up at 4 in the morning listening to the door and wondering if [the police] are about to come to get you, said Zafer Arapkirli, a former BBC presenter who now hosts his own online news program. He wears a face mask with the phrase “susmayacağız” written over his mouth, which means “we will not be silent.” “I’ve been working as a journalist in this country for 43 years now. And we’ve gone through these sorts of stages … where journalists were … silenced, where all sorts of democratic institutions were … crushed. But in the end, democracy will win,” he said. “We believe in democracy.”Reuters contributed to this report. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan failed to reach an agreement with European Union officials on the future of refugees living in Turkey as thousands of them attempting to reach Europe.Erdoğan held talks with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on migration and the crisis in Syria on Monday."Neither side seemed happy with the result of a near two-hour meeting in Brussels, with Erdoğan leaving without speaking to the media, and senior EU officials warning there was a lot still to discuss, as they demanded Turkey continue implement their 2016 migrant deal," Bloomberg reported.Turkey signed a deal with Europe in 2016, agreeing to step up efforts to halt the flow of hundreds of thousands of refugees passing through the country and into Europe, mainly via Greece and Bulgaria, in return for EU funds. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain, which included the transfer to Turkey of 6 billion euros.“It remains valid, and we need to implement missing elements,” von der Leyen said.“We have indicated to President Erdoğan that we are willing to move forward as long as it is reciprocal.”Yavuz Baydar, Editor of Ahval News, discusses the content and outcome of Brussels meeting with Yannis Koutsomitis, Editor of Kappa News, based in Athens, Greece.Rather than a blocking disagreement, both sides chose to postpone the process until the EU top meeting on March 26-27, Koutsomitis says. ''The crucial part is, given the financial pressures due to Corona virus outbreak and general budget restraints, the EU can not offer a funding to Erdoğan Gov't more than 500 million euros.''

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan failed to reach an agreement with European Union officials on the future of refugees living in Turkey as thousands of them attempting to reach Europe. Erdoğan held talks with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on migration and the crisis in Syria on Monday. "Neither side seemed happy with the result of a near two-hour meeting in Brussels, with Erdoğan leaving without speaking to the media, and senior EU officials warning there was a lot still to discuss, as they demanded Turkey continue implement their 2016 migrant deal," Bloomberg reported. Turkey signed a deal with Europe in 2016, agreeing to step up efforts to halt the flow of hundreds of thousands of refugees passing through the country and into Europe, mainly via Greece and Bulgaria, in return for EU funds. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain, which included the transfer to Turkey of 6 billion euros. “It remains valid, and we need to implement missing elements,” von der Leyen said. “We have indicated to President Erdoğan that we are willing to move forward as long as it is reciprocal.” Yavuz Baydar, Editor of Ahval News, discusses the content and outcome of Brussels meeting with Yannis Koutsomitis, Editor of Kappa News, based in Athens, Greece. Rather than a blocking disagreement, both sides chose to postpone the process until the EU top meeting on March 26-27, Koutsomitis says. ''The crucial part is, given the financial pressures due to Corona virus outbreak and general budget restraints, the EU can not offer a funding to Erdoğan Gov't more than 500 million euros.''

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a tough 2019. He had to deal with rising food prices, losing local elections in his political strong hold of Istanbul, power that opposed his ambitions to build a safe zone in north Syria and even scientists who fail to understand the simplicity of calculating salinity levels of the sea.As the year ends, Hale Akay and Michael MacKenzie discuss the president’s last 12 months through his public remarks and try to understand why Erdoğan said what he did.

Few political projects in recent years have been a source of greater hope and inspiration than Rojava - the Kurdish region of north-eastern Syria. Inspired by the political philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned co-founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Rojava embodies a radical ecology, direct democracy and a deep commitment to gender equality. Although always threatened by a hostile regional geopolitics, the Kurdish people’s revolutionary social and political experiment finds itself now under renewed bombardment. On 6th October Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of US troops from the region, effectively giving the green light to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to invade, under the auspices of creating a buffer zone in which up to a million Syrian refugees who had fled to Turkey might live. Just a few weeks on and hundreds of Kurds have been killed, and hundreds of thousands forced to leave their homes. On 2nd November we spoke to two activists from the Kurdish women’s movement, Dilar Dirik and Elif Sarican, to discuss the situation in Rojava, and what meaningful action is needed in order to safeguard its future. --- For wider reading on the subject, go to plutobooks.com/podcastreading Women Defend Rojava campaign: https://womendefendrojava.net/en/

On this Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, a Textron company, our guests include Ilan Berman of the American Foreign Policy Council, Teri Schultz, a Brussels-based reporter for National Public Radio and Deutsche Welle, Defense & Aerospace Report contributing editor Christopher P. Cavas and Tony Capaccio, world renowned defense reporter for Bloomberg News. Topics: — NATO’s defense ministerial meeting in the wake of President Trump’s decision to withdraw US forces from northern Syria, clearing way for Turkish invasion — Agreement between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin to jointly patrol region abandoned by US troops — Shift in US messaging after Washington’s decision — Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., a retired nuclear-qualified US Navy commander, questions Hondo Guerts, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, and Vice Adm. Tom Moore, the commander of the US Naval Sea Systems Command, about aircraft carrier maintenance problems  — Navy Secretary Richard Spencer’s comments at the Brookings Institution criticizing Luria, Congress and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding — USS Gerald R Ford’s elevator, propulsion and electrical problems — Fixing Ford and subsequent ships of the new class