Turkey’s Tenuous Ties with Hamas Undermine Sweden’s NATO Bid

Turkey now finds itself at a disadvantage—once holding Sweden through blackmail over harboring a terrorist organization, Ankara has done the same with Hamas. No longer holding the moral high ground over combating terrorism, the Turkish Republic will continue to lose favor amongst NATO allies and Stockholm with their regional disputes with Israel.

What’s happening to Turkey’s economy?

The Turkish economy is in deep trouble. The lira lost 20% of its value against the U.S. dollar on Friday. The reasons for that were varied, and it was a storm many saw coming. However, what brought it faster than expected was the political climate and the poor state of Turkey-U.S. relations, largely due to […]

Two US men plead guilty to assault in Turkish embassy brawl

Two men pleaded guilty on Thursday to felony assault in a street brawl in May near the Turkish embassy in Washington during a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the US Justice Department said. Sinan Narin, 45, of McLean, Virginia, and Eyup Yildirim, 50, of Manchester, New Jersey, each pleaded guilty to one count […]

Turkish Supreme Military Council replaces land, air and navy commanders

Turkey on Wednesday replaced the commanders of its army, air force and navy after their terms in office expired, reshuffling the top of a military that has been shaken by last year’s failed coup. Turkey’s armed forces – like the media, civil service and police – have been convulsed by the crackdown that followed the […]

After Erdogan meets Trump, Turkey calls for ouster of American envoy to anti-ISIS coalition

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s foreign minister on Thursday called on the Trump administration to replace its envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition — the latest sign of Turkish frustration with the U.S. war strategy in Syria amid mounting tensions between the two NATO allies. Turkey has forcefully protested the Trump administration’s decision to arm a Syrian […]

Turkey’s Erdogan declares victory in referendum over presidential powers

ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory Sunday in a referendum that would grant him vast new powers as the country’s un­rivaled head of state, strengthening his influence over the judiciary and his authority over the parliament and extending his divisive tenure in office. Unofficial vote tallies published by the state news agency showed that 51 […]

Trump has first phone call with Turkey’s Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Donald Trump had their first telephone call late Tuesday, a highly anticipated conversation in which Erdogan was expected to press the new U.S. leader to reject Pentagon proposals to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria and to quickly extradite a Turkish cleric exiled in Pennsylvania and regarded by Turkey […]

Turkey to extend state of emergency by three months

Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday approved a government-backed motion to extend by another three months the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the July 15 failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The state of emergency — which has seen tens of thousands lose their jobs or be arrested on suspicion of links to […]

Turkey builds ‘traitors’ cemetery’ for insurgents who died in failed coup

Tucked in the back corner of a construction site for a new dog shelter in eastern Istanbul lies a freshly dug, unmarked grave – the first in the new “traitors’ cemetery” created specifically to hold the bodies of plotters who died in the 15 July failed coup. The following week, the city announced it intended to […]