Due to the economic fall out in pandemic many people in the US don't know where there next meal will come from. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, Food Bank For New York City gave out turkeys & canned goods to hundreds of families. Many had never imagined needing handouts to survive.

Food bank for New York gives free Turkey for Thanksgiving

France has called European Union to impose financial & trade sanctions on Turkey & Pakistan. French Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jordan Bardella has expressed concerns over terrorism emanating from countries like Turkey and Pakistan.

France demands EU sanctions after terror attacks in Paris, Nice & Vienna

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Cyprus was made of "two separate states". His comments came during his visit to the breakaway Turkish held northern part of Cyprus island. The visit has already been decried as "provocation" by Cyprus. Erdogan's comments have further diminished hopes of reunification of the island into a single country.

"There are two peoples and two separate states in Cyprus," said Erdogan. "There must be talks for a solution on the basis of two separate states."

During his visit, Turkish jets left vapour trails in the sky in the shape of the star and crescent of the Turkish flag -- mirroring a huge flag painted decades ago on a rocky mountainside in the north.

Erdogan's visit to the Turkish-held statelet recognised only by Ankara comes amid heightened tensions on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean and was condemned as a "provocation without precedent" by the Republic of Cyprus.&nbsp;

His trip marked the 37th anniversary of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) where an estimated 30,000 Turkish troops are stationed. TRNC has recognition only from Turkey.

The Turkish president was later to attend a "picnic" in the disputed beachfront area of Varosha along the UN buffer zone that has divided the island since Turkey's invasion.

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Cyprus was made of "two separate states". His comments came during his visit to the breakaway Turkish held northern part of Cyprus island.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Cyprus was made of "two separate states". His comments came during his visit to the breakaway Turkish held northern part of Cyprus island. The visit has already been decried as "provocation" by Cyprus. Erdogan's comments have further diminished hopes of reunification of the island into a single country. "There are two peoples and two separate states in Cyprus," said Erdogan. "There must be talks for a solution on the basis of two separate states." During his visit, Turkish jets left vapour trails in the sky in the shape of the star and crescent of the Turkish flag -- mirroring a huge flag painted decades ago on a rocky mountainside in the north. Erdogan's visit to the Turkish-held statelet recognised only by Ankara comes amid heightened tensions on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean and was condemned as a "provocation without precedent" by the Republic of Cyprus. His trip marked the 37th anniversary of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) where an estimated 30,000 Turkish troops are stationed. TRNC has recognition only from Turkey. The Turkish president was later to attend a "picnic" in the disputed beachfront area of Varosha along the UN buffer zone that has divided the island since Turkey's invasion. (With AFP inputs)

Cyprus made up of 'two separate states', says Erdogan

Turkey asked USA to look at human rights violations within its own borders and tackle Islamophobia, racism and hate crimes. The timing of the statement has assumed importance since it has come less than a week before US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to visit Istanbul. The statement is being perceived as being emblematic of Turkey's current mood towards the US.

Pompeo will be in Istanbul next Monday. What's interesting is Pompeo will not visit any of Turkey's top officials but will meet Bartholomew I of Constantinople -- the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox world.

The State Department said Pompeo wanted to "discuss religious issues in Turkey and the region and to promote our strong stance on religious freedom around the world".

The meeting with the patriarch will come four months after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan converted Istanbul's emblematic Hagia Sophia monument into a mosque.

Pompeo publically criticised the conversion in July.

The Turkish foreign ministry called Pompeo's chosen subject matter for the visit "extremely inappropriate".

"It would be better if the United States looked in the mirror and showed the necessary sensitivity to human rights violations such as racism, Islamophobia and hate crimes in its own country," it said in a statement. 
Relations between Washington and its strategic NATO ally have run hot and cold during Donald Trump's presidency.

Erdogan has cultivated close personal relations with Trump and been able to call him up directly to try and influence specific policy decisions.

But Ankara and Washington have also sparred over US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey views as a grave security threat.

Erdogan congratulated Joe Biden with his election victory on Tuesday -- three full days after it was called by US media.

He followed that up by sending a separate message to Trump a few hours later expressing thanks for his "warm friendship" and saying he stood by his side "no matter how the official election result is certified".

Turkey asked USA to look at human rights violations within its own borders and tackle Islamophobia, racism and hate crimes. The timing of the statement has assumed importance since it has come less than a week before US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to visit Istanbul.

Turkey asked USA to look at human rights violations within its own borders and tackle Islamophobia, racism and hate crimes. The timing of the statement has assumed importance since it has come less than a week before US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to visit Istanbul. The statement is being perceived as being emblematic of Turkey's current mood towards the US. Pompeo will be in Istanbul next Monday. What's interesting is Pompeo will not visit any of Turkey's top officials but will meet Bartholomew I of Constantinople -- the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox world. The State Department said Pompeo wanted to "discuss religious issues in Turkey and the region and to promote our strong stance on religious freedom around the world". The meeting with the patriarch will come four months after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan converted Istanbul's emblematic Hagia Sophia monument into a mosque. Pompeo publically criticised the conversion in July. The Turkish foreign ministry called Pompeo's chosen subject matter for the visit "extremely inappropriate". "It would be better if the United States looked in the mirror and showed the necessary sensitivity to human rights violations such as racism, Islamophobia and hate crimes in its own country," it said in a statement. Relations between Washington and its strategic NATO ally have run hot and cold during Donald Trump's presidency. Erdogan has cultivated close personal relations with Trump and been able to call him up directly to try and influence specific policy decisions. But Ankara and Washington have also sparred over US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey views as a grave security threat. Erdogan congratulated Joe Biden with his election victory on Tuesday -- three full days after it was called by US media. He followed that up by sending a separate message to Trump a few hours later expressing thanks for his "warm friendship" and saying he stood by his side "no matter how the official election result is certified".

Turkey slams US less than a week before Mike Pompeo's visit

Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors after the earthquake in Turkey. A lucky few were pulled from the rubble, including a 3-year-old who was trapped for 65 hours under the debris. Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you the story of Turkey's miraculous survivors.

Gravitas: Turkey's Miraculous Earthquake Survivors

A three-year-old girl was rescued alive from rubble on Monday, days after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit Turkey's Aegean coast.

Turkey: 3-year-old girl rescued 65 hours after earthquake

Turkey is still reeling from the massive earthquake on Friday, with rescuers working non-stop to find survivors.

On Monday - a lucky few were rescued from under the rubble, including a three-year-old - who spent 65 hours trapped in the wreckage. In Izmir, Turkey a powerful earthquake ripped through the city on Friday, and dozens of buildings were reduced to rubble.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-turkeys-miraculous-earthquake-survivors-339963/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

At least 79 people have died, and more than 1,000 have been injured. Hundreds are possibly buried beneath the wreckage. A massive rescue operation is currently underway, and survivors are being pulled out - almost 70 hours after the quake.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/three-year-old-rescued-from-rubble-turkey-quake-death-toll-hits-81-339767" hreflang="en">Three-year-old rescued from rubble, Turkey quake death toll hits 81</a>

Some of them, as young as 3-years-old, like Elif Perincek, who was recently rescued. She was with her mother and three siblings, when her apartment came down.

Rescuers found her amid the rubble, 65 hours later. The man who rescued Elif says she did not let go of his finger - until they reached the first aid tent.

Another survivor, a 14-year-old girl was pulled out after 58 hours. The rescue teams applauded, as she was stretchered off to the hospital.

16-year-old Inci Okan is another survivor, whose dramatic rescue was captured on video.

Here’s an excerpt from when she was rescued.&nbsp; “Sister, i am really scared”, Okan said in Turkish. National medical rescue team member was then heard saying, ‘’don't be afraid. There is nothing to be afraid of."

“Can you hold my hand?”, Okan said.

“Inci, Inci look at me. How long have you been playing violin?”, the rescuer asked her, to which she replied “eleven years”.

Okan is currently in a hospital, and has promised to play violin for her rescuer. Ahmet Citim, another survivor was rescued from the rubble after 33 hours. Ahmet's home was among the 20 residential buildings that collapsed in the quake.

Animals too

Many animals are also trapped in the rubble. A rabbit was pulled out unharmed by rescuers.

And a cat was also brought to safety by firefighters. The earthquake has left hundreds homeless. Many people have sought refuge at a temporary camp in the city.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/turkeys-economy-in-free-fall-as-erdogan-pursues-world-domination-338631" hreflang="en">Turkey's economy in free fall as Erdogan pursues world domination</a>

There are more than 3,000 tents and 13,000 beds at a camp, and authorities have asked people to not enter damaged buildings.

This implies that it could be months before they can return home. More than 3 days have passed since the earthquake, and with each hour the chance of finding survivors diminishes.

Turkey is still reeling from the massive earthquake on Friday, with rescuers working non-stop to find survivors. On Monday - a lucky few were rescued from under the rubble, including a three-year-old - who spent 65 hours trapped in the wreckage.

Turkey is still reeling from the massive earthquake on Friday, with rescuers working non-stop to find survivors. On Monday - a lucky few were rescued from under the rubble, including a three-year-old - who spent 65 hours trapped in the wreckage. In Izmir, Turkey a powerful earthquake ripped through the city on Friday, and dozens of buildings were reduced to rubble. At least 79 people have died, and more than 1,000 have been injured. Hundreds are possibly buried beneath the wreckage. A massive rescue operation is currently underway, and survivors are being pulled out - almost 70 hours after the quake. Also read: Three-year-old rescued from rubble, Turkey quake death toll hits 81 Some of them, as young as 3-years-old, like Elif Perincek, who was recently rescued. She was with her mother and three siblings, when her apartment came down. Rescuers found her amid the rubble, 65 hours later. The man who rescued Elif says she did not let go of his finger - until they reached the first aid tent. Another survivor, a 14-year-old girl was pulled out after 58 hours. The rescue teams applauded, as she was stretchered off to the hospital. 16-year-old Inci Okan is another survivor, whose dramatic rescue was captured on video. Here’s an excerpt from when she was rescued. “Sister, i am really scared”, Okan said in Turkish. National medical rescue team member was then heard saying, ‘’don't be afraid. There is nothing to be afraid of." “Can you hold my hand?”, Okan said. “Inci, Inci look at me. How long have you been playing violin?”, the rescuer asked her, to which she replied “eleven years”. Okan is currently in a hospital, and has promised to play violin for her rescuer. Ahmet Citim, another survivor was rescued from the rubble after 33 hours. Ahmet's home was among the 20 residential buildings that collapsed in the quake. Animals too Many animals are also trapped in the rubble. A rabbit was pulled out unharmed by rescuers. And a cat was also brought to safety by firefighters. The earthquake has left hundreds homeless. Many people have sought refuge at a temporary camp in the city. Also read: Turkey's economy in free fall as Erdogan pursues world domination There are more than 3,000 tents and 13,000 beds at a camp, and authorities have asked people to not enter damaged buildings. This implies that it could be months before they can return home. More than 3 days have passed since the earthquake, and with each hour the chance of finding survivors diminishes.

Stories of miraculous survivors from Turkey in the aftermath of earthquake

More than 800 people were injured from the earthquake that toppled buildings in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, and triggered a small tsunami in the district of Seferihisar and on Samos.

Rescue efforts under way after deadly earthquake in Turkey, Greece

Rescue teams continue to plough through concrete blocks and the debris of collapsed buildings on Sunday in search of survivors of a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey’s Aegean coast and north of the Greek island of Samos on Friday.

The death toll is on a rise -- with multiple&nbsp;reports saying at least 49 people have died.

More than 800 people were injured from the earthquake that toppled buildings in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, and triggered a 'mini' tsunami in the district of Seferihisar and on Samos.

As many as 200 people, or maybe more, were in hospital, AFAD said, and rescuers were still searching eight buildings in Izmir.

Nearly 6,000 rescuers from different agencies and cities worked together to reach survivors, at times hushing the crowds to listen into the rubble with sensitive headphones and crawling through the cracks.&nbsp;

Overnight, 33 hours after the quake, a 55-year-old man named by state news agency Anadolu as Ahmet was pulled out from underneath the rubble to applause of onlookers and taken to hospital.

A 65-year-old man was saved 26 hours after the quake. Rescue teams also saved a mother and her three children from rubble 23 hours after the earthquake.

Two other women, aged 53 and 35, were brought out from the rubble of another toppled two-story building earlier on October 31.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that 103 people have been rescued from the quake's rubble. It was unclear how many more people were trapped under buildings that were levelled.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD, said 885 people were injured in Izmir and three other Provinces. The health minister said eight people were being treated in intensive care, with three of them in critical condition.

Two teenagers were killed on the island Samos after being struck by a collapsing wall. At least 19 people were injured on the island, with two, including a 14-year-old, being airlifted to Athens and seven hospitalized on the island, health authorities said.

The small tsunami that hit the Turkish coast also affected Samos, with seawater flooding streets in the main harbour town of Vathi.

The earthquake, which the Istanbul-based Kandilli Institute said had a magnitude of 6.9, was centred in the Aegean northeast of Samos. AFAD said it measured 6.6. and hit at a depth of some 16 km.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the tremor's magnitude at 7.0 -- at a relatively shallow depth of 21 kilometers (13 miles), the USGS reported, making its impact powerfully felt at ground level around the epicentre.

It was felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as Athens and in Bulgaria. In Turkey, it shook the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul.

Authorities warned residents in Izmir not to return to damaged buildings, saying they could collapse in strong aftershocks.

Turkey has reported more than 800 aftershocks following the quake, including 40 that were above four in magnitude.

Tensions between the two nations have flared recently over energy claims in the eastern Mediterranean.

But despite this, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Friday that he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart and offered his condolences.

"Whatever our differences, these are times when our people need to stand together," Mitsotakis wrote on Twitter.

In a tweet, the Turkish president offered his condolences to Greece and said "that two neighbors show solidarity in difficult times is more valuable than many things in life."

According to Erdogan, both Turkey and Greece were ready to send aid to the other.

(with inputs from agencies)

Rescue teams continue to plough through concrete blocks and the debris of collapsed buildings on Sunday in search of survivors of a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey’s Aegean coast and north of the Greek island of Samos on Friday.

Rescue teams continue to plough through concrete blocks and the debris of collapsed buildings on Sunday in search of survivors of a powerful earthquake that struck Turkey’s Aegean coast and north of the Greek island of Samos on Friday. The death toll is on a rise -- with multiple reports saying at least 49 people have died. More than 800 people were injured from the earthquake that toppled buildings in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, and triggered a 'mini' tsunami in the district of Seferihisar and on Samos. As many as 200 people, or maybe more, were in hospital, AFAD said, and rescuers were still searching eight buildings in Izmir. Nearly 6,000 rescuers from different agencies and cities worked together to reach survivors, at times hushing the crowds to listen into the rubble with sensitive headphones and crawling through the cracks. Overnight, 33 hours after the quake, a 55-year-old man named by state news agency Anadolu as Ahmet was pulled out from underneath the rubble to applause of onlookers and taken to hospital. A 65-year-old man was saved 26 hours after the quake. Rescue teams also saved a mother and her three children from rubble 23 hours after the earthquake. Two other women, aged 53 and 35, were brought out from the rubble of another toppled two-story building earlier on October 31. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that 103 people have been rescued from the quake's rubble. It was unclear how many more people were trapped under buildings that were levelled. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD, said 885 people were injured in Izmir and three other Provinces. The health minister said eight people were being treated in intensive care, with three of them in critical condition. Two teenagers were killed on the island Samos after being struck by a collapsing wall. At least 19 people were injured on the island, with two, including a 14-year-old, being airlifted to Athens and seven hospitalized on the island, health authorities said. The small tsunami that hit the Turkish coast also affected Samos, with seawater flooding streets in the main harbour town of Vathi. The earthquake, which the Istanbul-based Kandilli Institute said had a magnitude of 6.9, was centred in the Aegean northeast of Samos. AFAD said it measured 6.6. and hit at a depth of some 16 km. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the tremor's magnitude at 7.0 -- at a relatively shallow depth of 21 kilometers (13 miles), the USGS reported, making its impact powerfully felt at ground level around the epicentre. It was felt across the eastern Greek islands and as far as Athens and in Bulgaria. In Turkey, it shook the regions of Aegean and Marmara, including Istanbul. Authorities warned residents in Izmir not to return to damaged buildings, saying they could collapse in strong aftershocks. Turkey has reported more than 800 aftershocks following the quake, including 40 that were above four in magnitude. Tensions between the two nations have flared recently over energy claims in the eastern Mediterranean. But despite this, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Friday that he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart and offered his condolences. "Whatever our differences, these are times when our people need to stand together," Mitsotakis wrote on Twitter. In a tweet, the Turkish president offered his condolences to Greece and said "that two neighbors show solidarity in difficult times is more valuable than many things in life." According to Erdogan, both Turkey and Greece were ready to send aid to the other. (with inputs from agencies)

Rescue efforts underway after Aegean Sea earthquake; at least 49 killed

A powerful earthquake hit Greece and Turkey today. The 7.0 magnitude quake has killed at least 6 people and triggered a mini-tsunami.

Gravitas: Major Earthquake hits Turkey and Greece

The death toll in the powerful earthquake that levelled buildings across Greece and Turkey has risen to 27.

The 7.0&nbsp;magnitude quake killed 25 people and injured 804 on Turkey's western coast after it struck Friday afternoon, with its epicentre off the coastal town of Seferihisar in Izmir province.

Also killing two teenagers on their way home from school in Greece, it caused a mini-tsunami on the Aegean island of Samos and a sea surge that turned streets into rushing rivers in one Turkish coastal town.

Multiple reports say 20 buildings had collapsed, with officials focussing their rescue efforts on 17 of them. The scenes of devastation suggested the toll could rise.

The region's governor said 70 people had been pulled out alive by Friday evening, although how many more were missing remained unknown by sunset.

Felt in both Istanbul and Athens, it also created a diplomatic opening for the two historic rivals, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis placing a rare call to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to offer his condolences and support.

Much of the damage occurred in and around Turkey's Aegean resort city of Izmir, which has three million residents and is filled with high-rise apartment blocks.

Parts of entire apartments, including toys, pillows and shattered appliances, spilled out on the streets, where survivors huddled in tears, many too shocked to speak.

Aerial footage showed entire city blocks turned to rubble.

Rescuers, helped by residents and sniffer dogs, used chainsaws to try to force their way through the rubble of one destroyed seven-floor building.

Greece and Turkey are situated in one of the world's most active earthquake zones.

The two neighbours also suffer from historically poor relations despite both being members of the NATO military alliance.

(with inputs)

The death toll in the powerful earthquake that levelled buildings across Greece and Turkey has risen to 27. The 7.0 magnitude quake killed 25 people and injured 804 on Turkey's western coast after it struck Friday afternoon, with its epicentre off the coastal town of Seferihisar in Izmir province.

The death toll in the powerful earthquake that levelled buildings across Greece and Turkey has risen to 27. The 7.0 magnitude quake killed 25 people and injured 804 on Turkey's western coast after it struck Friday afternoon, with its epicentre off the coastal town of Seferihisar in Izmir province. Also killing two teenagers on their way home from school in Greece, it caused a mini-tsunami on the Aegean island of Samos and a sea surge that turned streets into rushing rivers in one Turkish coastal town. Multiple reports say 20 buildings had collapsed, with officials focussing their rescue efforts on 17 of them. The scenes of devastation suggested the toll could rise. The region's governor said 70 people had been pulled out alive by Friday evening, although how many more were missing remained unknown by sunset. Felt in both Istanbul and Athens, it also created a diplomatic opening for the two historic rivals, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis placing a rare call to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to offer his condolences and support. Much of the damage occurred in and around Turkey's Aegean resort city of Izmir, which has three million residents and is filled with high-rise apartment blocks. Parts of entire apartments, including toys, pillows and shattered appliances, spilled out on the streets, where survivors huddled in tears, many too shocked to speak. Aerial footage showed entire city blocks turned to rubble. Rescuers, helped by residents and sniffer dogs, used chainsaws to try to force their way through the rubble of one destroyed seven-floor building. Greece and Turkey are situated in one of the world's most active earthquake zones. The two neighbours also suffer from historically poor relations despite both being members of the NATO military alliance. (with inputs)

Death toll in major earthquake in Turkey and Greece hits 27

Geoffrey Berman was outraged. The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, Berman had traveled to Washington in June 2019 to discuss a particularly delicate case with Attorney General William Barr and some of his top aides: a criminal investigation into Halkbank, a state-owned Turkish bank suspected of violating U.

Geoffrey Berman was outraged. The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, Berman had traveled to Washington in June 2019 to discuss a particularly delicate case with Attorney General William Barr and some of his top aides: a criminal investigation into Halkbank, a state-owned Turkish bank suspected of violating U.S. sanctions law by funneling billions of dollars of gold and cash to Iran. For months, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey had been pressing President Donald Trump to quash the investigation, which threatened not only the bank but potentially members of Erdogan’s family and political party. When Berman sat down with Barr, he was stunned to be presented with a settlement proposal that would give Erdogan a critical concession. Barr pressed Berman to allow the bank to avoid an indictment by paying a fine and acknowledging some wrongdoing. In addition, the Justice Department would agree to end investigations and criminal cases involving Turkish and bank officials who were allied with Erdogan and suspected of participating in the sanctions-busting scheme. Berman didn’t buy it. The bank had the right to try to negotiate a settlement. But his prosecutors were still investigating key individuals, including some with ties to Erdogan, and believed the scheme had helped finance Iran’s nuclear weapons program. “This is completely wrong,” Berman later told lawyers in the Justice Department, according to people who were briefed on the proposal and his response. “You don’t grant immunity to individuals unless you are getting something from them — and we wouldn’t be here.” It was not the first time Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, had fended off attempts by top Justice Department political appointees to disrupt the Halkbank investigation. Six months earlier, Matthew Whitaker, the acting attorney general who ran the department from November 2018 until Barr arrived in February 2019, rejected a request from Berman for permission to file criminal charges against the bank, two lawyers involved in the investigation said. Whitaker blocked the move shortly after Erdogan repeatedly pressed Trump in a series of conversations in November and December 2018 to resolve the Halkbank matter. The president’s apparent eagerness to please Erdogan has drawn scrutiny for years. So has the scale and intensity of the lobbying effort by Turkey on issues like its demand for the extradition of one of Erdogan’s political rivals, a Turkish religious leader living in self-imposed exile in the United States. Erdogan had a big political stake in the outcome because the case had become a major embarrassment for him in Turkey. At the White House, Trump’s handling of the matter became troubling even to some senior officials at the time. The president was discussing an active criminal case with the authoritarian leader of a nation in which Trump does business; he reported receiving at least $2.6 million in net income from operations in Turkey from 2015 through 2018, according to tax records obtained by The New York Times. And Trump’s sympathetic response to Erdogan was especially jarring because it involved accusations that the bank had undercut Trump’s policy of economically isolating Iran, a centerpiece of his Middle East plan. Former White House officials said they came to fear that the president was open to swaying the criminal justice system to advance a transactional and ill-defined agenda of his own. “He would interfere in the regular government process to do something for a foreign leader,” John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, said in a recent interview. “In anticipation of what? In anticipation of another favor from that person down the road.” In the case of Halkbank, it was only after an intense foreign policy clash between Trump and Erdogan over Syria last fall that the United States would proceed to lodge charges against the bank, though not against any additional individuals. Yet the administration’s bitterness over Berman’s unwillingness to go along with Barr’s proposal would linger and ultimately contribute to Berman’s dismissal. The Justice Department initially declined to comment, but after this article was published online, a department spokesperson, Kerri Kupec, provided a statement emphasizing that Barr had backed the decision last fall to indict the bank. “The attorney general instructed SDNY to move ahead with charges and approved the charges brought,” she said, referring to the federal prosecutors in Manhattan. This account is based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former Turkish and U.S. government officials, lobbyists and lawyers with direct knowledge of the interactions. Representatives for the Turkish government, Halkbank, and the White House declined to comment. Turkey had mounted an elaborate influence campaign in Washington to deal with Halkbank. It predated Trump’s election but came to encompass a broad cast of players, including Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor; Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser; and Brian Ballard, a lobbyist and fundraiser for the president. After senior Turkish government officials lobbied Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trump, Mnuchin pressed the Justice Department not to impose too large a fine on Halkbank because Turkey could not afford it, two federal officials said. Mnuchin’s office declined to comment on Halkbank but added that the Treasury and Justice Departments “routinely consult and coordinate” on sanctions cases and fines. Bolton and others said they could not fully explain why Trump seemed so determined to please Erdogan. “This was a relationship that was really important for the United States to handle,” said Fiona Hill, who oversaw policy on Turkey and Europe for the National Security Council under Trump. “And at every turn, the president kept leaping in, and he wasn’t following the strategic threads of the relationship.” The Halkbank Campaign Turkey’s lobbying campaign had started before Trump took office. During a one-day visit to the country in August 2016 by Vice President Joe Biden, the Turkish president pulled Biden aside under a tree for a private conversation, according to an aide to the vice president on the trip. The investigation of Halkbank, Erdogan claimed, was a “big conspiracy” instigated by his rival Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic Muslim cleric. Gulen left Turkey in the late 1990s and moved to Pennsylvania where, in Erdogan’s telling, he plotted an unsuccessful coup attempt just a month earlier, according to a summary of the conversation provided to the Times by the Biden aide. Erdogan asked Biden to remove Preet Bharara, then the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. That office was in the early stages of an investigation into Halkbank and had already indicted a Turkish Iranian gold trader, Reza Zarrab, for helping to orchestrate the sanctions evasion scheme. Erdogan also wanted the Obama administration to remove the judge overseeing Zarrab’s case in Manhattan, the Biden aide said. And he wanted Zarrab released and allowed to return to Turkey. According to the Biden aide’s account, Erdogan said that if the United States really meant what it said about repairing relations, the case needed to go away. Speaking to reporters before he left Turkey, Biden made clear that there were limits to what the United States could or should do to address Erdogan’s requests, including any effort to extradite Gulen. “If the president were to take this into his own hands, what would happen would be, he would be impeached for violating the separation of powers,” Biden said, with Erdogan at his side. The Turkish president did not give up. He again raised Halkbank with Biden during a visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and then twice in calls with President Barack Obama in the weeks before he left office in January 2017, aides to Obama and Biden said. In an interview, Bharara said he never heard questions about the Halkbank investigation from anyone at the Obama White House or the attorney general’s office. Trump’s election brought an immediate shift in Turkey’s outreach effort. The Trump family had helped build Trump Towers Istanbul, a successful residential and retail complex that attracted Erdogan to its ribbon-cutting in 2012. “I’ve gotten to know Turkey very well,” Trump said in 2015. “They’re amazing people. They’re incredible people. They have a strong leader.” In Turkey, there was confidence that Erdogan’s agenda would now win attention and support at the highest levels of the U.S. administration. Records show that the bank and the Turkish government paid Ballard’s lobbying firm $4.6 million over two years for work on Halkbank and other matters, including meetings and phone calls with the vice president’s office, the State Department, members of Congress and Jay Sekulow, one of Trump’s personal lawyers. Ballard’s team argued that the Halkbank case was a foreign policy matter and that the need to maintain close relations with Turkey, a NATO member, had to be taken into account. But the investigation by the federal prosecutors in Manhattan ground ahead. By early 2018, it had led to the indictments of nine defendants, including Turkey’s former economy minister and three Halkbank officials, on charges such as bank fraud and money laundering related to the sanctions evasion scheme. One defendant, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, the bank’s deputy general manager for international banking, was tried and, in January 2018, convicted. Zarrab, the gold trader, had pleaded guilty and testified about how the scheme had relied on false documents and front companies and how he had paid millions of dollars in bribes to the economy minister and Halkbank’s general manager. He also testified that the operation had Erdogan’s knowledge and approval as well as that of Erdogan’s son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, who now serves as Turkey’s finance minister. When Berman was appointed U.S. attorney in January 2018, prosecutors were turning their focus to the bank itself and the possibility of charging others involved in the scheme. Halkbank’s lawyers held repeated talks in 2018 with Berman’s office over whether a “global settlement” could be reached. But the two sides were far apart, according to people briefed on the meetings. The prosecutors said they were prepared to allow the bank to avoid indictment if it agreed to pay a heavy fine, reform its operations and make a series of admissions about its conduct, the people who were briefed said. But the bank’s lawyers argued that Halkbank and its executives had done nothing wrong, that they had been deceived by Zarrab and that his testimony was untrue. They said the bank would not make the required admissions. There were indications by then that Turkey’s arguments were being heard in Washington. At the Treasury Department, Mnuchin considered the violations Halkbank had been accused of to be serious — and he believed the U.S. government was right to demand that the bank admit wrongdoing, according to one White House official involved in the negotiations. But Mnuchin raised concerns about how large a fine might be imposed on Halkbank. French banking giant Société Générale agreed that same year to pay U.S. authorities more than $2 billion to resolve charges that it had violated U.S. sanctions against Cuba and bribed officials in Libya, among other accusations. A fine on that scale would threaten the future of Halkbank, lobbyists and lawyers for the bank argued, as did top Turkish officials in conversations with members of the Trump administration. One direct appeal to Mnuchin came from Albayrak, Erdogan’s son-in-law. In 2018, Mnuchin reached out about the scale of a potential fine to Jeff Sessions, the attorney general at the time. Justice Department officials then asked Southern District prosecutors whether the size of the fine they were demanding was negotiable, one lawyer involved in the effort said. The response was affirmative: The amount was less important than securing an admission of wrongdoing. “We need an admission of liability” was the message the Manhattan prosecutors sent back to Washington, according to two lawyers involved in the matter. ‘Well, It Looks Convincing to Me’ On the second day of a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in late 2018 for the annual Group of 20 gathering of world leaders, Trump met with Erdogan for talks intended to be focused on issues like continued tensions over Islamic State group operations in Syria. But the conversation quickly went off course. Erdogan made clear that he was frustrated with the continued pestering by Southern District prosecutors concerning Halkbank, and he wanted Trump to intervene to help wrap up the investigation, Bolton said in the interview. Erdogan handed Trump a copy of a memo written by Halkbank’s lawyers explaining why Turkey believed the Justice Department had misconstrued U.S. sanctions law. It argued that Halkbank’s trading with Iran was not illegal because it was largely based on trades of gold and food that were not in dollars and did not involve U.S. banks. Trump flipped through the memo quickly, Bolton said. “Well, it looks convincing to me,” Trump said, according to Bolton, who also recounted the meeting in his recent book. By Bolton’s account, Trump also told Erdogan that he wanted to replace the prosecutors in Berman’s office in Manhattan, whom Trump considered to be holdovers from the Obama era. Two weeks later, in mid-December 2018, Trump and Erdogan spoke by phone. The president began by assuring Erdogan that the government and Halkbank were close to a resolution, and Erdogan expressed his appreciation, according to Bolton. In Turkey around this time, Erdogan told reporters that Trump, in an earlier conversation about Halkbank, had assured him that Trump “would instruct the relevant ministers immediately” to take care of the matter. Bolton said in the interview that his concern, as he listened to these conversations, was that Turkey and Halkbank now “had a direct channel in the Oval Office — they weren’t going to negotiate in good faith” with the prosecutors. “Why should they?” The prosecutors in Manhattan had just drafted a memo for Whitaker and Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, detailing why the Justice Department should give them the authority to file criminal charges against the bank, two lawyers said. Rosenstein was convinced that the evidence was compelling, perhaps even more so than in other sanctions evasion cases in which the United States had charged banks, lawyers familiar with the investigation said. The memo from the prosecutors also noted that the actions Halkbank was accused of taking were helping to support Iran’s economy, which was antithetical to Trump’s foreign policy goal of tightening economic pressure on the country. Rosenstein urged Berman to come to Washington to present the Southern District’s argument to Whitaker. The goal was not to file charges immediately against the bank. Instead, the plan was to give the Southern District more leverage to squeeze Halkbank to accept a deferred prosecution agreement that included an admission of wrongdoing. But Whitaker, who declined requests for comment, had a long-standing disdain for the Southern District, which has been called the Sovereign District for the way it guards its independence from Washington. In a book published this year, Whitaker wrote that the Southern District always “dreamed up new ways to torment President Trump throughout my tenure at the Department of Justice.” Berman arrived at the Justice Department headquarters and reported to Rosenstein’s office. But shortly before the meeting was to begin, Rosenstein was summoned to Whitaker’s office without Berman. Whitaker told Rosenstein that he did not want the case to move forward and that he wanted the matter shut down, according to lawyers involved in the investigation. Whitaker cited concern that charges against the bank might result in a threat to U.S. forces in Syria, a suggestion that others in the department said they found hard to understand. Justice Department officials decided to ignore Whitaker’s edict, concluding that they most likely would outlast Whitaker in the department, since he was serving on an acting basis. They did not see appeasing Erdogan as sufficient justification for closing the investigation. ‘This Is Not How We Do Things at the Southern District’ Barr was confirmed as the new attorney general in mid-February 2019, a few months after Whitaker had pushed to end the case. The prosecutors in Manhattan were encouraged that they might now get the charging authority they wanted. But Erdogan and his top advisers continued to lobby Trump and members of his Cabinet, including Mnuchin and now Barr. In mid-June 2019, when Berman met with Barr in Washington, the attorney general pushed Berman to agree to allow the Justice Department to drop charges against the defendants and terminate investigations of other suspected conspirators, according to a former department lawyer familiar with the session. Among the defendants with charges pending were Halkbank’s former general manager, Suleyman Aslan, and Turkey’s former economy minister, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan. The suggestion that the Justice Department would offer Turkish officials protection from criminal charges, even without their agreement to assist in the investigation, was unacceptable and unethical, Berman argued, according to lawyers close to the investigation. Justice Department policy specifically says that criminal conduct by individuals is not resolved when a company admits wrongdoing. “This is not how we do things at the Southern District,” Berman told Barr, adding that he would not agree to such a move and that his office would not be part of it. In the interview with the Times, Bolton said he did not know the details of Barr’s intervention in the Halkbank negotiations. But he said he was disturbed by the tenor of the interaction between Trump and Erdogan related to Halkbank. “It was so idiosyncratic, so personal to Trump in the pursuit of personal relationships, that it was very dangerous,” Bolton said. “And it does look like obstruction of justice.” Just how idiosyncratic became more apparent last October, when Erdogan sent troops into Syria. Trump, who had initially given Erdogan the green light to do so, then faced an intense bipartisan backlash, leading him within days to take a tougher line with Turkey, threatening economic reprisals. “You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will,” Trump wrote to the Turkish leader Oct. 9, 2019, without elaborating. On Oct. 15, the Justice Department gave the prosecutors in Manhattan approval to file charges against Halkbank, a direct slap at Erdogan. The prosecutors rushed to present evidence before a grand jury and secured a six-count indictment that same day charging Halkbank with money laundering, bank fraud and conspiracy to violate the Iran sanctions. So far, no additional individuals have been charged. When the charges against the bank were announced, Berman said in a statement that the “bank’s audacious conduct was supported and protected by high-ranking Turkish government officials, some of whom received millions of dollars in bribes to promote and protect the scheme.” In June, eight months after the indictment was returned, Trump fired Berman. Justice Department officials cited his handling of the Halkbank matter, including his blocking of the proposed global settlement, as a key reason for his removal.

Turkish bank case showed Erdogan’s influence with Donald Trump

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-national-named-victim-of-nice-attack-339070">Brazilian national named victim of Nice attack</a>

The Brazilian foreign ministry said the victim lived in France and was a mother of three...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-national-named-victim-of-nice-attack-339070">Read More</a>

<img alt="Nice attack victim" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22aff772-7da1-4cdd-95ed-022d45752fae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/brazilian.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-in-a-war-french-minister-says-country-must-brace-itself-for-attacks-fueled-by-islamist-ideology-339015">'We are in a war': French minister says country must brace itself for attacks fueled by 'Islamist ideology'</a>

Darmanin said France needs to reel in 'rampant Islamism which is arming people ideologically'...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-in-a-war-french-minister-says-country-must-brace-itself-for-attacks-fueled-by-islamist-ideology-339015">Read More</a>

<img alt="France" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3678012b-b59c-4064-87d7-f9b71eb2c1ba" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/France_2.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-malaysian-prime-minister-mahathir-mohamad-slams-tech-giants-for-removing-posts-on-france-attack-339044">Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad slams tech giants for removing posts on France attack</a>

After sparking outrage by his post that Muslims had the right 'to kill millions of French people', Mahathir accused social networking platforms Twitter and Facebook of unfair treatment... <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-malaysian-prime-minister-mahathir-mohamad-slams-tech-giants-for-removing-posts-on-france-attack-339044">Read More</a>

<img alt="Former Malaysia PM" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="111c5152-594b-4e42-b2b5-55dce32dea57" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/mahathir.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-hits-turkey-greece-mini-tsunami-on-aegean-island-339063">Earthquake hits Turkey, Greece; 'mini-tsunami' on Aegean island</a>

The quake was registered 14 kilometres off the Greek town of Neon Karlovasion on the Aegean Sea island of Samos... <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-hits-turkey-greece-mini-tsunami-on-aegean-island-339063">Read More</a>

<img alt="Greece Earthquake" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b83f4d26-0e11-49c8-b2b1-a4c562c7a2ec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Greece.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-to-charge-those-behind-invasive-airport-searches-of-women-339037">Qatar to charge those behind invasive airport searches of women</a>

Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights out of Doha were subject to the examinations as authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in an airport bathroom...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-to-charge-those-behind-invasive-airport-searches-of-women-339037">Read More</a>

<img alt="Qatar airways" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dae2d49c-59b7-4f5c-8f24-17e6f93eb191" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Qatar.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-huge-crowd-holds-protest-against-france-president-emmanuel-macron-339055">Bangladesh: Huge crowd holds protest against France President Emmanuel Macron</a>

The protesters marched through streets of Dhaka and called fora boycott on French products. The crowd carried banners calling Macron "the world's biggest terrorist...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-huge-crowd-holds-protest-against-france-president-emmanuel-macron-339055">Read More</a>

<img alt="Bangladesh protest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e5eae4ef-303e-4b24-b341-e1641f0f7de6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bangladesh.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-biden-square-off-in-key-midwestern-states-338994">Trump, Biden square off in key Midwestern states</a>

Even with the United States reaching another daily record in new Covid-19 infections on Thursday, President Trump stuck to his strategy of downplaying its dangerousness and calling for businesses to reopen...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-biden-square-off-in-key-midwestern-states-338994">Read More</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-biden-square-off-in-key-midwestern-states-338994"><img alt="US elections" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="876210e5-803b-4426-9dea-6e88e5ed9ee7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/us.JPG" /></a> 
&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fox-hunt-row-us-should-not-to-be-haven-for-criminals-says-china-339060">Fox Hunt row: US should not to be haven for criminals, says China</a>

China had reportedly launched a campaign in 2014 to get fugitives abroad to return to face charges...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fox-hunt-row-us-should-not-to-be-haven-for-criminals-says-china-339060">Read More</a>

<img alt="US China" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b936149a-04e2-4797-8a82-423692bf4045" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/US%20China.JPG" />

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-why-are-the-polls-crucial-for-nasas-moonshot-boeing-bezos-and-musk-339026">US election 2020: Why are the polls crucial for NASA's moonshot, Boeing, Bezos and Musk</a>

Earlier, NASA had selected Bezos's Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX to develop human landers for Artemis moon missions...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-why-are-the-polls-crucial-for-nasas-moonshot-boeing-bezos-and-musk-339026">Read More</a>

<img alt="Bezos Musk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16a1335e-de6d-4aef-b5e8-adc9d77545c4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bezos.JPG" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-skies-in-slovakia-see-car-transforming-into-airplane-339017">Watch | Skies in Slovakia see car transforming into airplane</a>

The car-cum-airplane is named as Air Car and has been manufactured by Slovakian firm KleinVision...<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-skies-in-slovakia-see-car-transforming-into-airplane-339017">Read More</a>

<img alt="Slovakia car" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b0ea4ce6-605a-4903-a978-acb4d29d7128" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Car.JPG" />

 
&nbsp;

Brazilian national named victim of Nice attack The Brazilian foreign ministry said the victim lived in France and was a mother of three...Read More 'We are in a war': French minister says country must brace itself for attacks fueled by 'Islamist ideology' Darmanin said France needs to reel in 'rampant Islamism which is arming people ideologically'.

Brazilian national named victim of Nice attack The Brazilian foreign ministry said the victim lived in France and was a mother of three...Read More 'We are in a war': French minister says country must brace itself for attacks fueled by 'Islamist ideology' Darmanin said France needs to reel in 'rampant Islamism which is arming people ideologically'...Read More Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad slams tech giants for removing posts on France attack After sparking outrage by his post that Muslims had the right 'to kill millions of French people', Mahathir accused social networking platforms Twitter and Facebook of unfair treatment... Read More Earthquake hits Turkey, Greece; 'mini-tsunami' on Aegean island The quake was registered 14 kilometres off the Greek town of Neon Karlovasion on the Aegean Sea island of Samos... Read More Qatar to charge those behind invasive airport searches of women Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights out of Doha were subject to the examinations as authorities searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in an airport bathroom...Read More Bangladesh: Huge crowd holds protest against France President Emmanuel Macron The protesters marched through streets of Dhaka and called fora boycott on French products. The crowd carried banners calling Macron "the world's biggest terrorist...Read More Trump, Biden square off in key Midwestern states Even with the United States reaching another daily record in new Covid-19 infections on Thursday, President Trump stuck to his strategy of downplaying its dangerousness and calling for businesses to reopen...Read More Fox Hunt row: US should not to be haven for criminals, says China China had reportedly launched a campaign in 2014 to get fugitives abroad to return to face charges...Read More US election 2020: Why are the polls crucial for NASA's moonshot, Boeing, Bezos and Musk Earlier, NASA had selected Bezos's Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX to develop human landers for Artemis moon missions...Read More Watch | Skies in Slovakia see car transforming into airplane The car-cum-airplane is named as Air Car and has been manufactured by Slovakian firm KleinVision...Read More

Top 10 world news today: Brazilian national named Nice attack victim, earthquake hits Greece & more

Turkey's economy has contracted by nearly 10%. The popularity of Erdogan's party has dropped, over the state of the economy. Erdogan is responding - by fighting with allies.

Gravitas: Why Turkey's Economy can't support Erdogan's world domination plans

On a day when the Lira hit a record low against the dollar, Turkish President Erdogan alleged that the West has launched a 'crusade' against Islam

Gravitas: As Erdogan raises war rhetoric, Turkish Lira sinks

Under Erdogan, Turkey has suffered tremendously.&nbsp;With declining foreign reserves, falling exports, a weak currency, and growing isolation, the Turkish economy is heading towards a downward spiral. Erdogan describes Turkey as an Islamic power. However, the fact is that the Turkish economy is too weak to support Erdogan's dreams to build a modern day Ottoman empire.

On Tuesday one headline dominated the front pages of Turkish newspapers. It was about Erdogan calling for a boycott of French goods. Currently, Turkey's economic woes are growing. Just like Europe, Turkey is witnessing a second wave of coronavirus cases.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/those-scoundrels-erdogan-vows-all-legal-and-diplomatic-action-against-charlie-hebdo-amid-anti-macron-wave-338600" hreflang="en">'Those scoundrels': Erdogan vows 'all legal and diplomatic' action against Charlie Hebdo amid anti-Macron wave</a>

A few days ago, it reported more than 2,000 cases. The spike has made investors anxious about the Turkish economy again, fearing that the prospects of a recovery could be fading.

Erdogan’s fight with France, a key European ally could further isolate the Turkish economy. The European Union now believes that Erdogan has contravened the spirit of trade arrangements with the EU with his boycott call against France. Some politicians are calling for a full blown suspension of the EU Customs Union with Turkey.

More targeted restrictions on Turkey cannot be ruled out. These include like the European Union shutting its doors on Turkish imports, which would mean that Turkey could lose its access to the European market.

This would mark a major setback for the Turkish economy that was struggling before the pandemic. Its gross domestic product had dropped by close to 200 billion dollars. From 951 billion dollars in 2013 to 754 billion in 2019 in nominal terms.

And coronavirus made the situation worse: The Turkish economy contracted by close to 10 per cent in August, marking Turkey's worst year on year performance in a decade.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/charlie-hebdo-caricatures-recep-erdogan-sparks-turkish-fury-338428" hreflang="en">Charlie Hebdo caricatures Recep Erdogan; sparks Turkish fury</a>

Erdogan's party, the AKP has reportedly lost its popularity. According to a poll in August, support for Erdogan's party had dropped to 31 per cent. In the 2018 parliamentary elections, Erdogan's party had secured 43 per cent of the vote.

Erdogan is planning to revive his ratings not by fixing the economy, but by picking fights with allies, nd waging proxy battles like the one in Nagorno-Karabakh. He is driving a campaign against France. Meanwhile, Turkey's currency the lira has slumped to a record low against the dollar, forcing Turkish authorities to sell billions of dollars to defend their currency.

Owing to this, there has been a major depletion in Turkey's foreign reserves. Erdogan's campaigns for world domination are bleeding Turkey's already suffering economy.

Under Erdogan, Turkey has suffered tremendously. With declining foreign reserves, falling exports, a weak currency, and growing isolation, the Turkish economy is heading towards a downward spiral.

Under Erdogan, Turkey has suffered tremendously. With declining foreign reserves, falling exports, a weak currency, and growing isolation, the Turkish economy is heading towards a downward spiral. Erdogan describes Turkey as an Islamic power. However, the fact is that the Turkish economy is too weak to support Erdogan's dreams to build a modern day Ottoman empire. On Tuesday one headline dominated the front pages of Turkish newspapers. It was about Erdogan calling for a boycott of French goods. Currently, Turkey's economic woes are growing. Just like Europe, Turkey is witnessing a second wave of coronavirus cases. Also read: 'Those scoundrels': Erdogan vows 'all legal and diplomatic' action against Charlie Hebdo amid anti-Macron wave A few days ago, it reported more than 2,000 cases. The spike has made investors anxious about the Turkish economy again, fearing that the prospects of a recovery could be fading. Erdogan’s fight with France, a key European ally could further isolate the Turkish economy. The European Union now believes that Erdogan has contravened the spirit of trade arrangements with the EU with his boycott call against France. Some politicians are calling for a full blown suspension of the EU Customs Union with Turkey. More targeted restrictions on Turkey cannot be ruled out. These include like the European Union shutting its doors on Turkish imports, which would mean that Turkey could lose its access to the European market. This would mark a major setback for the Turkish economy that was struggling before the pandemic. Its gross domestic product had dropped by close to 200 billion dollars. From 951 billion dollars in 2013 to 754 billion in 2019 in nominal terms. And coronavirus made the situation worse: The Turkish economy contracted by close to 10 per cent in August, marking Turkey's worst year on year performance in a decade. Also read: Charlie Hebdo caricatures Recep Erdogan; sparks Turkish fury Erdogan's party, the AKP has reportedly lost its popularity. According to a poll in August, support for Erdogan's party had dropped to 31 per cent. In the 2018 parliamentary elections, Erdogan's party had secured 43 per cent of the vote. Erdogan is planning to revive his ratings not by fixing the economy, but by picking fights with allies, nd waging proxy battles like the one in Nagorno-Karabakh. He is driving a campaign against France. Meanwhile, Turkey's currency the lira has slumped to a record low against the dollar, forcing Turkish authorities to sell billions of dollars to defend their currency. Owing to this, there has been a major depletion in Turkey's foreign reserves. Erdogan's campaigns for world domination are bleeding Turkey's already suffering economy.

What Erdogan's misadventures mean for the Turkish economy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday slammed his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, over his policies toward Muslims, saying he needed "mental checks."

Macron's proposal to defend his country's secular values against radical Islam has angered the Turkish government, adding to a growing list of disputes between the French leader and Erdogan.

Erdogan said in a televised address: "What can one say about a head of state who treats millions of members from different faith groups this way: first of all, have mental checks."

France did not take this lightly, and&nbsp;said it was recalling its envoy to Turkey for consultations.

"President Erdogan's comments are unacceptable. Excess and rudeness are not a method. We demand that Erdogan change the course of his policy because it is dangerous in every respect," an official told AFP.

The Elysee official&nbsp;also said that France had noted&nbsp;"the absence of messages of condolence and support" from the Turkish president after the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside Paris.

Macron this month described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France.

He also announced stricter oversight of schooling and better control over foreign funding of mosques.

(with inputs)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday slammed his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, over his policies toward Muslims, saying he needed "mental checks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday slammed his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, over his policies toward Muslims, saying he needed "mental checks." Macron's proposal to defend his country's secular values against radical Islam has angered the Turkish government, adding to a growing list of disputes between the French leader and Erdogan. Erdogan said in a televised address: "What can one say about a head of state who treats millions of members from different faith groups this way: first of all, have mental checks." France did not take this lightly, and said it was recalling its envoy to Turkey for consultations. "President Erdogan's comments are unacceptable. Excess and rudeness are not a method. We demand that Erdogan change the course of his policy because it is dangerous in every respect," an official told AFP. The Elysee official also said that France had noted "the absence of messages of condolence and support" from the Turkish president after the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside Paris. Macron this month described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France. He also announced stricter oversight of schooling and better control over foreign funding of mosques. (with inputs)

Erdogan says Macron needs 'mental checks'; France reacts

Turkey has said that "offensive caricatures" of prophet Mohammed were being used to intimidate Muslims in Europe under the guise of freedom of expression.

French President Emmanuel Macron's policies to defend his country against radical Islam have angered Turkey. Relations between Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have becoming increasingly strained over a number of issues.

"European attitudes demonising Muslims were reminiscent of how the Jews in Europe were treated in the 1920s," Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, said on Sunday.

Altun's comments came a day after France recalled its ambassador following a statement from Erdogan in which he suggested Macron needed "mental checks".

"The dog whistle politics of offensive caricatures, accusations of separatism against Muslims, and mosque raids isn't about freedom of expression," Altun tweeted in English.

"It's about intimidating and reminding Muslims that they are welcome to keep the European economy going, but they will never belong — against the backdrop of lectures about integration."

The issues between Ankara and Paris include French support for Greece in its dispute with Turkey over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, and French criticism of Turkey's involvement in Libya, Syria and the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The debate over France's policies toward Muslims was given new impetus by the murder this month in France of a teacher who showed his class a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed.&nbsp;

Macron vowed this week his country would not "give up cartoons" depicting the prophet.

Visual representation of the prophets is strictly forbidden in Islam and to ridicule or insult the Prophet Mohammed is punishable by death in some Muslim countries.

To this end, Altun said, "Europeans need to understand - 'Muslims won't go away because you don't want us. We won't turn the other cheek when you insult us. We will defend ourselves and our own at all costs.'"

Turkey has said that "offensive caricatures" of prophet Mohammed were being used to intimidate Muslims in Europe under the guise of freedom of expression. French President Emmanuel Macron's policies to defend his country against radical Islam have angered Turkey.

Turkey has said that "offensive caricatures" of prophet Mohammed were being used to intimidate Muslims in Europe under the guise of freedom of expression. French President Emmanuel Macron's policies to defend his country against radical Islam have angered Turkey. Relations between Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have becoming increasingly strained over a number of issues. "European attitudes demonising Muslims were reminiscent of how the Jews in Europe were treated in the 1920s," Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, said on Sunday. Altun's comments came a day after France recalled its ambassador following a statement from Erdogan in which he suggested Macron needed "mental checks". "The dog whistle politics of offensive caricatures, accusations of separatism against Muslims, and mosque raids isn't about freedom of expression," Altun tweeted in English. "It's about intimidating and reminding Muslims that they are welcome to keep the European economy going, but they will never belong — against the backdrop of lectures about integration." The issues between Ankara and Paris include French support for Greece in its dispute with Turkey over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, and French criticism of Turkey's involvement in Libya, Syria and the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. The debate over France's policies toward Muslims was given new impetus by the murder this month in France of a teacher who showed his class a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed. Macron vowed this week his country would not "give up cartoons" depicting the prophet. Visual representation of the prophets is strictly forbidden in Islam and to ridicule or insult the Prophet Mohammed is punishable by death in some Muslim countries. To this end, Altun said, "Europeans need to understand - 'Muslims won't go away because you don't want us. We won't turn the other cheek when you insult us. We will defend ourselves and our own at all costs.'"

'Offensive' cartoons of prophet being used to intimidate Muslims, Turkey says

Turkey has decided to extend the seismic survey work of its Oruc Reis ship in disputed area of Mediterranean Sea till November 4. The decision is likely to increase tension with Greece and Cyprus. Turkey and Greece are locked in a dispute over the extent of continental shelves and conflicting claims to hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean. The dispute started in August when Turkey sent Orus Reis intp waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus.

Along with two other ships, the Ataman and Cengiz Han, Oruc Reis will continue work in an area south of the Greek island of Rhodes, a Turkish naval maritime notice said. As per the previous notice, the survey work was scheduled to be over by Octiber 27

Ankara withdrew Oruc Reis last month to allow for diplomacy before a European Union summit, where Cyprus sought sanctions against Turkey. It was sent back this month, prompting an angry response from Greece, France and Germany.

After the summit, the bloc said it would punish Turkey if it continued its operations in the region, in a move Ankara said further strained Turkey-EU ties. Turkey says its operations are within its continental shelf.

(With Reuters inputs)

Turkey has decided to extend the seismic survey work of its Oruc Reis ship in disputed area of Mediterranean Sea till November 4. The decision is likely to increase tension with Greece and Cyprus.

Turkey has decided to extend the seismic survey work of its Oruc Reis ship in disputed area of Mediterranean Sea till November 4. The decision is likely to increase tension with Greece and Cyprus. Turkey and Greece are locked in a dispute over the extent of continental shelves and conflicting claims to hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean. The dispute started in August when Turkey sent Orus Reis intp waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus. Along with two other ships, the Ataman and Cengiz Han, Oruc Reis will continue work in an area south of the Greek island of Rhodes, a Turkish naval maritime notice said. As per the previous notice, the survey work was scheduled to be over by Octiber 27 Ankara withdrew Oruc Reis last month to allow for diplomacy before a European Union summit, where Cyprus sought sanctions against Turkey. It was sent back this month, prompting an angry response from Greece, France and Germany. After the summit, the bloc said it would punish Turkey if it continued its operations in the region, in a move Ankara said further strained Turkey-EU ties. Turkey says its operations are within its continental shelf. (With Reuters inputs)

Turkey extends duration of survey work in disputed area of Mediterranean Sea

The US has&nbsp;suspended visa services at its missions in Turkey after it received "credible reports of potential terrorist attacks."

The embassy in Ankara said&nbsp;in a statement on its website that consular services would be suspended at the embassy in Ankara and consulates in Istanbul, the southern city of Adana and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.

It added it "has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against US citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the US consulate general, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey".

It advised US citizens "to exercise heightened caution in locations where Americans or foreigners may gather, including large office buildings or shopping malls".

In 2013, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the embassy in Ankara, killing himself and a Turkish security guard. A far-left radical group claimed the attack.

In 2016, the US government ordered all civilian relatives of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist groups.

Turkey was hit by a string of attacks in 2015 and 2016 by several groups including the Islamic State group.&nbsp;

(with inputs)

The US has suspended visa services at its missions in Turkey after it received "credible reports of potential terrorist attacks." The embassy in Ankara said in a statement on its website that consular services would be suspended at the embassy in Ankara and consulates in Istanbul, the southern city of Adana and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.

The US has suspended visa services at its missions in Turkey after it received "credible reports of potential terrorist attacks." The embassy in Ankara said in a statement on its website that consular services would be suspended at the embassy in Ankara and consulates in Istanbul, the southern city of Adana and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir. It added it "has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against US citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the US consulate general, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey". It advised US citizens "to exercise heightened caution in locations where Americans or foreigners may gather, including large office buildings or shopping malls". In 2013, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the embassy in Ankara, killing himself and a Turkish security guard. A far-left radical group claimed the attack. In 2016, the US government ordered all civilian relatives of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist groups. Turkey was hit by a string of attacks in 2015 and 2016 by several groups including the Islamic State group. (with inputs)

US suspends visa services in Turkey over reports of possible attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that almost 5,000 people have died in more than 3 weeks of fighting between Armenia-Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Russian President Putin: Almost 5,000 lives lost in more than 3 weeks of Armenia-Azerbaijan fighting

From pickled vine leaves to coffee and cheese,&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;supermarkets are taking Turkish products off the shelves after calls for a boycott, as the rivalry between Riyadh and Ankara heats up.

The two countries have long competed for supremacy in the Muslim world, but their geopolitical rivalry intensified after&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;agents murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in 2018.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-west-asia-post-boycott-turkey-campaign-in-saudi-arabia-334526/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The wealthy Gulf petro-state has sought to pressure Turkey's already struggling economy, with high-rolling&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;tourists facing calls from nationalists last year to boycott the tourism magnet and stop purchasing property there.

Now, Turkish exporters of textiles and other goods are complaining of inordinate delays at&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;customs and warning that Riyadh's attempts to block the imports could disrupt global supply chains.

This week, after an earlier call from the head of the&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;chamber of commerce to "boycott everything Turkish", multiple supermarket chains announced they were stopping the import and sale of Turkish products.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-business-leader-urges-boycott-of-goods-from-turkey-332772">Saudi business leader urges boycott of goods from Turkey</a>

"This decision has come in solidarity with the popular boycott campaign," one of them, Abdullah AlOthaim Markets, said on Twitter.

'Negative perception'

While the exact trigger for the new boycott remains unclear, the campaign targets Turkey's coronavirus-hit economy as it grapples with a currency in free fall.

The two countries are at loggerheads over a range of regional issues, from Libya and Syria to Qatar, a key Turkish ally that faces a three-year&nbsp;Saudi-led economic blockade.

Wary of rattling foreign investors and amid suspicion that Turkey could lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization, the&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;government has sought to distance itself from the boycott.

Authorities have denied placing restrictions on Turkish products and maintain that citizens have led the campaign.

But a joint statement from eight leading Turkish business groups this month claimed that many&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;companies had been "forced to sign a letter of commitment not to import goods from Turkey".

The Ankara-based Turkish Contractors Association meanwhile cited "various obstacles" at ongoing&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;projects, such as not being invited to tenders, difficulty in obtaining visas for Turkish personnel, and payment delays.

"It is estimated that the negative perception of Turkey resulted in business (losses) worth $3 billion in the Middle East for our contractors last year," the association said.

"Saudi&nbsp;Arabia, which was in second place in a list of countries with the most business in 2016-2018, has fallen to the lower tiers."

Meanwhile, on social media, accounts belonging to&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;nationalists have been whipping up a frenzy.

In one cartoon that circulated widely on Twitter, a hand wrapped in the&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;flag is pictured twisting the ears of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a gesture seen culturally as a punishment for children.

"Stop buying Turkish products. (Erdogan) is fighting our country with our money," read one demand in Arabic on a popular messaging app. &nbsp;

'Political showmanship'&nbsp;

"It's a kind of political showmanship," said Karen Young, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, referring to the campaign.

"It's a tactic for&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;domestic consumption, a signal by the state to citizens on how to perceive and construct an external adversary."

Observers say Ankara is unlikely to cave into the pressure.

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia is only Turkey's 15th biggest export market, with textiles, chemicals, furniture, and steel among the main items purchased.

But&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;nationalists have warned the boycott could spread to the kingdom's regional allies.

Observers have drawn parallels with how&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has flexed its financial muscle in diplomatic disputes with Canada, Germany, and in particular Qatar, which hosts a Turkish military base, much to Riyadh's annoyance.

In June, the WTO rapped Riyadh for failing to protect the intellectual property rights of a Qatari-owned broadcaster by not cracking down on a bootlegging network.

"Saudi-Turkish bilateral trade flows are not significant enough to make or break the economies of either country," said Robert Mogielnicki, a resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

"Turkey stands to lose more in the short term from disruptions to bilateral trade relations," he added.

"However,&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia must tread carefully to minimise any reputation-related costs associated with global perceptions of its trade policy."

From pickled vine leaves to coffee and cheese, Saudi supermarkets are taking Turkish products off the shelves after calls for a boycott, as the rivalry between Riyadh and Ankara heats up.

From pickled vine leaves to coffee and cheese, Saudi supermarkets are taking Turkish products off the shelves after calls for a boycott, as the rivalry between Riyadh and Ankara heats up. The two countries have long competed for supremacy in the Muslim world, but their geopolitical rivalry intensified after Saudi agents murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in 2018. The wealthy Gulf petro-state has sought to pressure Turkey's already struggling economy, with high-rolling Saudi tourists facing calls from nationalists last year to boycott the tourism magnet and stop purchasing property there. Now, Turkish exporters of textiles and other goods are complaining of inordinate delays at Saudi customs and warning that Riyadh's attempts to block the imports could disrupt global supply chains. This week, after an earlier call from the head of the Saudi chamber of commerce to "boycott everything Turkish", multiple supermarket chains announced they were stopping the import and sale of Turkish products. Also read: Saudi business leader urges boycott of goods from Turkey "This decision has come in solidarity with the popular boycott campaign," one of them, Abdullah AlOthaim Markets, said on Twitter. 'Negative perception' While the exact trigger for the new boycott remains unclear, the campaign targets Turkey's coronavirus-hit economy as it grapples with a currency in free fall. The two countries are at loggerheads over a range of regional issues, from Libya and Syria to Qatar, a key Turkish ally that faces a three-year Saudi-led economic blockade. Wary of rattling foreign investors and amid suspicion that Turkey could lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization, the Saudi government has sought to distance itself from the boycott. Authorities have denied placing restrictions on Turkish products and maintain that citizens have led the campaign. But a joint statement from eight leading Turkish business groups this month claimed that many Saudi companies had been "forced to sign a letter of commitment not to import goods from Turkey". The Ankara-based Turkish Contractors Association meanwhile cited "various obstacles" at ongoing Saudi projects, such as not being invited to tenders, difficulty in obtaining visas for Turkish personnel, and payment delays. "It is estimated that the negative perception of Turkey resulted in business (losses) worth $3 billion in the Middle East for our contractors last year," the association said. "Saudi Arabia, which was in second place in a list of countries with the most business in 2016-2018, has fallen to the lower tiers." Meanwhile, on social media, accounts belonging to Saudi nationalists have been whipping up a frenzy. In one cartoon that circulated widely on Twitter, a hand wrapped in the Saudi flag is pictured twisting the ears of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a gesture seen culturally as a punishment for children. "Stop buying Turkish products. (Erdogan) is fighting our country with our money," read one demand in Arabic on a popular messaging app. 'Political showmanship' "It's a kind of political showmanship," said Karen Young, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, referring to the campaign. "It's a tactic for Saudi domestic consumption, a signal by the state to citizens on how to perceive and construct an external adversary." Observers say Ankara is unlikely to cave into the pressure. Saudi Arabia is only Turkey's 15th biggest export market, with textiles, chemicals, furniture, and steel among the main items purchased. But Saudi nationalists have warned the boycott could spread to the kingdom's regional allies. Observers have drawn parallels with how Saudi Arabia has flexed its financial muscle in diplomatic disputes with Canada, Germany, and in particular Qatar, which hosts a Turkish military base, much to Riyadh's annoyance. In June, the WTO rapped Riyadh for failing to protect the intellectual property rights of a Qatari-owned broadcaster by not cracking down on a bootlegging network. "Saudi-Turkish bilateral trade flows are not significant enough to make or break the economies of either country," said Robert Mogielnicki, a resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Turkey stands to lose more in the short term from disruptions to bilateral trade relations," he added. "However, Saudi Arabia must tread carefully to minimise any reputation-related costs associated with global perceptions of its trade policy."

As rivalry for Muslim supremacy heats up, Saudi boycotts 'made in Turkey'

The hopes for a humanitarian ceasefire between Armenia & Azerbaijan sank deeper on Friday, as both sides continue to engage in new clashes. Azerbaijan accused Armenia for a missile attack in country's second largest city of Ganja.

Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire hopes sink as new clashes erupt

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President protested against Canada's suspension of drone technology export to Turkey. Erdogan said that the move by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not in the spirit of the alliance. Erdogan was quoted by his office.

Earlier this month Canada suspended export of drone technology to Turkey as it probed allegations that the equipment was used by Azeri forces against Armenia. Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region.

On Friday, Erdogan and Trudeau discussed improving relations and increasing bilateral trade, the Turkish presidency said, adding that they also talked about overcoming issues about co-operation in defense sector.

"During the call, President Tayyip Erdogan said Canada`s suspension of the export of some military goods to Turkey due to the Azerbajian-Armenia conflict... is against the spirit of alliance," the presidency said. 
Turkey and Canada are both members of NATO.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry has been strong in its response to Canada's decision. The ministry said that suspension showed a double standard.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-cyprus-told-to-wait-for-eu-action-on-provocative-turkey-335867">Greece, Cyprus told to wait for EU action on 'provocative' Turkey</a> 
 
Turkey`s military exports to its ally Azerbaijan have risen six-fold this year, with sales of drones and other military equipment rising to $77 million last month alone before fighting broke out over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, according to exports data.

Canadian arms control group Project Ploughshares says video of airstrikes released by Azerbaijan indicates the drones had been equipped with imaging and targeting systems made by L3Harris Wescam, the Canada-based unit of L3Harris Technologies Inc .

Ankara has said it stands firmly beside its close ally in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

(With Reuters inputs)

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President protested against Canada's suspension of drone technology export to Turkey. Erdogan said that the move by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not in the spirit of the alliance.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President protested against Canada's suspension of drone technology export to Turkey. Erdogan said that the move by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not in the spirit of the alliance. Erdogan was quoted by his office. Earlier this month Canada suspended export of drone technology to Turkey as it probed allegations that the equipment was used by Azeri forces against Armenia. Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently locked in conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region. On Friday, Erdogan and Trudeau discussed improving relations and increasing bilateral trade, the Turkish presidency said, adding that they also talked about overcoming issues about co-operation in defense sector. "During the call, President Tayyip Erdogan said Canada`s suspension of the export of some military goods to Turkey due to the Azerbajian-Armenia conflict... is against the spirit of alliance," the presidency said. Turkey and Canada are both members of NATO. Turkey's Foreign Ministry has been strong in its response to Canada's decision. The ministry said that suspension showed a double standard. Also Read | Greece, Cyprus told to wait for EU action on 'provocative' Turkey Turkey`s military exports to its ally Azerbaijan have risen six-fold this year, with sales of drones and other military equipment rising to $77 million last month alone before fighting broke out over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, according to exports data. Canadian arms control group Project Ploughshares says video of airstrikes released by Azerbaijan indicates the drones had been equipped with imaging and targeting systems made by L3Harris Wescam, the Canada-based unit of L3Harris Technologies Inc . Ankara has said it stands firmly beside its close ally in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. (With Reuters inputs)

Suspension of drone technology exports against alliance spirit: Erdogan to Trudeau

turkey

Turkey, News on Turkey, stories on Turkey, articles on Turkey, Turkey stories at Wion, Turkey news, Turkey latest news