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Istanbul Blog

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Reflections from our correspondents on the ground in the Turkish capital.

ISTANBUL BLOG: After “conquering” Damascus, Erdogan turns his eye to the Kurds

December 9, 2024

US controls eastern Euphrates airspace. Will Trump White House return mean Kurdish forces lose their air cover? In wider picture, fears Syria will become “second Afghanistan” are all too real.

ISTANBUL BLOG: As Syria rancour rises, Putin deadpans “congratulations” to Turkey on nailing 50% official inflation

December 6, 2024

The golden rule is that whoever does business with Erdogan eventually pays through the nose. Russia’s leader is no exception to this rule.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Has Turkey “re-conquered” Aleppo?

December 5, 2024

HTS militia that led attack dwells near Turkish border under Erdogan regime patronage, while FSA was directly established by Ankara. And both are not Syrian “rebels”, they are foreign mercenaries.

ISTANBUL BLOG: How smugglers give the lie to Simsek's "golden glamour"

December 3, 2024

Finance minister’s hailed fixing of current account gap might be said to lose its sheen when Turkey’s hidden gold imports are considered.

ISTANBUL BLOG: How Ankara’s American embassy came to stand on “Ataturk” land illegally granted by Erdogan

November 30, 2024

In neat parallel, new Turkish House consulate in New York beset by FBI bribery investigation.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Stupid as it gets

November 29, 2024

Turkey’s main opposition chair asks for spymaster’s help in preventing Gulenist infiltrations.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Erdogan ally Bahceli has been posing with a gangster again

November 27, 2024

Soner Ergin turns up at MHP leader’s office on a mission to free his killer brothers.

ISTANBUL BLOG: One in four law faculty deans at Turkey’s public universities have no law degree

November 13, 2024

It’s symptomatic of a higher education system that is on its knees.

ISTANBUL BLOG: MI6 spymaster gets “healthy response” to tweet on Turkish Aerospace Industries terror attack

October 26, 2024

Sir Richard Moore left with plenty to pick through in his mailbag.

ISTANBUL BLOG: Has Erdogan's nationalist ally recklessly pushed Turkey into fresh spiral of violence?

October 24, 2024

If a viable peace process with the Kurds was indeed under way, then Devlet Bahceli vulgarised it.

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