Author: Edward Rowe

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Pope Francis and President Erdoğan discuss Jerusalem at the Vatican

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed Jerusalem with Pope Francis on Monday amid the continuing upheaval caused by the US’s recognition of the city as the Israeli capital last year. President Erdoğan, who became the first Turkish head of state to visit the Vatican in almost 60 years, had a fifty minute meeting with the […]

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Nearly 1500 Daesh suspects arrested in Istanbul in 2017

Almost 1,500 people were apprehended in Istanbul last year on suspicion of links to the so-called Islamic State, or Daesh, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency. Anadolu reported last week that counter terrorism units belonging to the Istanbul Police Department carried out 58 operations against Daesh in 2017. A total of 1,447 suspects have been […]

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MEPs dash Europe-wide “daft and damaging” döner ban attempt

  MEPs backed the kebab industry on Wednesday after the European Parliament voted against banning phosphates required to keep döner meat juicy and full of flavour. The vote came after the European Commission (EC) put forward a proposal to authorise the use of the natural additives in frozen “vertical meat spits” in order to bring […]

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Turkey, Qatar, Iran sign transport agreement as Gulf Crisis continues

Ministers from Turkey, Qatar and Iran signed a transport agreement in Tehran last weekend in order to improve trade amid the continuing Gulf Crisis. Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci was present along with Iranian and Qatari counterparts Mohammad Shariatmadari and Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani as the pact was signed. Iran will act […]

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Ankara dinosaurs go with Gökçek
 

Ankara’s largest and most controversial reptilian resident was removed from public view this week on the instructions of the city’s new mayor Mustafa Tuna. A large dinosaur statue which had stood at a main road intersection in the Turkish capital since 2015 was quietly taken from its usual spot and placed into storage on Monday. […]

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New Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway brings Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia closer

Leaders from Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia launched a new Eurasian railroad link at a ceremony in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku last week. The 826-km (513 miles) Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, which includes 105-km of new track, links the three countries and establishes a new land connection between Europe and China for both passengers and freight. […]

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We don’t need the EU, says President Erdoğan
 

  Turkey doesn’t need the European Union, said the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday, echoing his comments about the US from the day before. “If you’re honest, make your statement and we will finish the job. We don’t need you,” said Erdoğan while addressing regional delegates representing his Justice and Development Party (AKP) […]