Turkey's President Offended

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  (above) on Sunday said he took offense at US President Barack Obama slamming eroding press freedoms in Turkey, expressing sadness that the comments were made behind his back.

"I am saddened that these kinds of comments have been made in my absence," Erdogan told Turkish reporters in Washington as he rounded off a trip to the United States.

 "These issues did not come onto the agenda in our talks with Mr Obama."

"He did not talk to me about this kind of thing. In our previous telephone conversations we talked about other more useful things than press freedom," the Hurriyet daily and other newspapers quoted him as saying.

Obama -- who met Erdogan in Washington for closed door talks on Thursday -- said on Friday it was "no secret" he was troubled by "some trends" within Turkey.

"I think the approach they have been taking toward the press is one that could lead Turkey down a path that would be very troubling," said Obama.

The US leader said he had expressed these sentiments to Erdogan "directly".

Erdogan said he had pointed out in other meetings on his trip in Washington that there was press freedom in Turkey, saying that Turkish publications were calling him things like "thief" and "killer" without being shut down.

"Those publications that make these insults still exist," he said. "If it was true that Turkey was a dictatorship, then how could such publications come out?" he asked.

"Such insults and threats are not permitted in the West."

"Had Obama put these issues (about press freedom) on the agenda in the talks, then I would have told him that," he added.

There has been growing concern about press freedoms in Turkey under Erdogan, with thousands of people prosecuted for insulting the president and two top journalists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily on trial for revealing state secrets.

Before the meeting with Obama, there were also ugly scenes when Erdogan gave a speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, with Turkish security officials clashing with protesters.

Defining Terrorism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said it is necessary to redefine terrorism to include those who support such acts.

He said there was no difference between "a terrorist holding a gun or a bomb and those who use their position and pen to serve the aims" of terrorists.

Mr Erdogan added that this could be a journalist, a lawmaker or an activist. 

He was speaking a day after a bomb attack in the Turkish capital Ankara that killed 37 people. 

No group has so far claimed the blast, but Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said evidence "almost certainly" pointed towards the banned PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) separatist group.

On Monday, Turkey launched air strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

Mr Davutoglu said 11 people had so far been detained in connection with the attack.

"There are very serious, almost certain indications that point to the separatist terror organization,'' he said, referring to the PKK. 

Four of those detained were in the south-eastern city of Sanliurfa, according to Turkish media. Officials were quoted as saying the car used in the bombing was traced to a showroom there.

One of the bombers, who also died in the blast, was "definitely" a woman, Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus said earlier on Monday.

Mr Kurtulmus told reporters that a second suicide bomber was male, but had not yet been identified.

Earlier, unnamed security officials said the female bomber was a member of the PKK from the eastern town of Kars, who joined the group in 2013.

Eleven warplanes carried out air strikes on 18 PKK targets in northern Iraq including ammunition dumps and shelters in the Qandil and Gara sectors, the army said. The PKK confirmed the strikes.

Meanwhile, curfews have been imposed in two mainly Kurdish towns in south-eastern Turkey, Yuksekova and Nusaybin, as security operations are carried out against Kurdish militants, Anadolu news agency reports. 

Another curfew is due to start in the city of Sirnak.

Funeral services have been taking place for some of those killed. Among the victims was the father of a Turkish international footballer. More than 100 people were wounded in the blast.

Controlling Freedom of Speech

A Turkish court has put Zaman newspaper - a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - under state control.

Administrators have been appointed to run the newspaper. There is no explanation for the court's decision.

Zaman is closely linked to the Hizmet movement of influential US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former Erdogan ally. 

Turkey describes Hizmet as a "terrorist organization" aiming to overthrow the government. Many of its supporters have been arrested.

Mr Erdogan's government has come under increasing international criticism over its treatment of journalists.

• Turkey ranks 149th amongst the 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index 2015
• Media organizations in Turkey say that more than 30 journalists are currently behind bars
• Most are of Kurdish origin
• The government argues journalism in Turkey is among the most free in the world

In a statement, Zaman said the country was going through its "darkest and gloomiest days in terms of freedom of the press". 

It expressed "deep concern" at the latest court order - the culmination of pressure for more than two years on Turkey's "highest circulating newspaper, Zaman, and its sister publication Today's Zaman". 

It said the pressure had been through "accreditation bans, tax inspections, meddling with its advertisers and threats to its readers".

Editor-in-chief Sevgi Akarcesme told Reuters news agency this was "the practical end of media freedom in Turkey". 

"The media has always been under pressure, but it has never been so blatant," she said.

Dozens of supporters gathered outside the paper's Istanbul headquarters after the announcement of the court decision.

One held a placard saying, "We will fight for a free press."

Amnesty International's Andrew Gardner said: "By lashing out and seeking to rein in critical voices, President Erdogan's government is steamrolling over human rights.

"A free and independent media, together with the rule of law and independent judiciary, are the cornerstones of internationally guaranteed freedoms which are the right of everyone in Turkey," he said.

There's Lots of Money to be Lost

Tensions with Russia could cost Turkey's economy nine billion dollars in the worst case scenario of "zero relations", Turkish Deputy Prime Minister said Monday. 

Moscow has imposed a series of economic sanctions against Ankara after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian jet on the Syrian border on November 24, sparking the biggest crisis between the two countries since the Cold War.

"In the worst-case scenario, which is zero relations with Russia, we are talking about a loss of nine billion dollars (8.3 billion euros)," Mehmet Simsek, the deputy prime minister in charge of the economy, told private NTV television.

The current tension is likely shave 0.3 to 0.4 percent off Turkey's GDP, Simsek added.

Russia's sanctions include a ban on the import of some Turkish foods and a halt on sales of holiday packages, a major blow to Turkish tourism.

Simsek said that the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey and construction contracts with Russian companies had also significantly reduced. 

"There are 603,000 fewer (Russian) tourists," he said. 

"We have always seen Russia as an important partner and have no intention to escalate the tensions any further," he said. 

"But if Russia continues to maintain this attitude.... all kinds of dissuasive measures will be taken," he warned.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced that Turkey was seeking alternatives to Russian energy, vowing his country would "not collapse" under sanctions.

Energy-hungry Turkey relies on Russia for 55 percent of its natural gas and 30 percent of its oil. 

"It is possible to find different suppliers," Erdogan said, referring to Qatar and Azerbaijan.

Dead Pilot Returned

ANKARA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The body of the pilot killed when Turkey shot down a Russian jet was taken to Turkey late on Saturday to be handed over to Russia, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

The body is being treated in accordance with the Orthodox tradition, Davutoglu said in a news conference in Ankara on Sunday before going to Brussels for a meeting with EU leaders on migration.

He did not say how the body was delivered to Hatay in southern Turkey but said Russia's military attache was going there on Sunday as part of procedures to recover the remains.

Relations between Turkey and Russia have sharply deteriorated since Tuesday's incident, with Russia imposing economic sanctions and revoking a visa-free agreement, while Turkey has sought to cool tensions, seeing the Paris climate change talks that start this week as a chance to mend ties.

Davutoglu said that with different coalitions operating in Syria with differing objectives, similar incidents to that of the downing of the Russian jet could happen unless there was information sharing and coordination.

Both United States along with other allies, including Turkey, as well as Russia are carrying out air campaigns against Islamic State and other groups.

Russia and Turkey have accused each other of aiding Islamic State, but both say they are battling the militants who have taken swathes of land in Iraq and Syria.

However, Russia sides with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and has been accused by the West of using its bombing campaign to help him instead of targeting Islamic State.

Turkey meanwhile wants Assad gone and has been supporting rebels fighting him.

(Reporting by Dasha Afanasieva; Editing by Alison Williams)

Journalist Jailed in Turkey

ISTANBUL — Vice Media is carrying out a two-hour blackout on its websites to call attention to an Iraqi Kurdish journalist who has been held in Turkish jails without charges since being arrested while working for the news organization.

Mohammed Rasool has been in jail for nearly eight weeks. He was detained while serving as a fixer for two British journalists for Vice News covering the conflict in Turkey's Kurdish southeast. 

On Wednesday, Vice News' parent group was directing all of its digital sites to a petition addressed to Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan that calls for Rasool's release.

Vice Media organized the petition with the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon called Rasool's case "a tremendous injustice."

"It is also a reminder of the essential role of media support staff, the fixers, stringers, translators and drivers who risk their lives to bring us the news," he said.

Rasool, who marked his 25th birthday on Tuesday, was arrested Aug. 27 along with Vice's Jake Hanrahan and Philip Pendlebury. 

The three journalists had traveled to towns along Turkey's border with Iraq, the center of renewed violence between Kurdish militants and government forces.

Hanrahan and Pendlebury were released 11 days later, but Rasool has remained in a high-security jail. 

Turkish authorities have neither indicted him nor adequately explained why they are holding him. 

His case is being conducted under a secrecy order, so his lawyers don't have access to the files against him, they say. Some colleagues and friends have seen him, but the interactions have been limited.

Vice, which calls itself a youth media company, says it is setting the blackout at peak viewing time so that millions will see the petition and video on Rasool. 

Vice says its sites get 100 million unique visitors per month.

Journalist Found Dead In Turkish Bathroom

A former BBC journalist was mysteriously found dead in a Turkish airport bathroom, immediately sparking speculation that the journalism advocate based in Iraq was murdered.

Jacky Sutton (above), 50, was flying from London to Iraq late Saturday night when a local state-run report claims she took her own life after missing a connecting flight at Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul.

According to an unsourced report by Turkey's Anadolu Agency, Sutton was distraught over not having enough money to buy a new ticket home.

Turkey's private Dogan news agency, also not citing a source, said she hanged herself with shoelaces from the hook of a bathroom door. 

Her body was reportedly discovered by three Russian tourists who alerted police early Sunday morning.

At the time of her death Sutton was serving as acting Iraq director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), an organization which promotes journalism in conflict zones, and was returning to her base in Irbil, Iraq, IWPR said.

She was appointed in June, the organization said, after the car-bombing death of their previous country director in Iraq.

"The circumstances of her death are unclear and we are trying to establish the facts," IWPR said.

In a recently released statement, she was described by them as being "full of plans for innovative new work, including projects to counter violent extremism that threatens a country to which she was so committed."

Charlie Winter, a researcher on jihadism at think tank Quilliam Foundation, said he met with her only last week to discuss projects she was working on and she appeared energized and excited while discussing his work on Islamic State propaganda.

Turkey Targets ISIS

Turkey is targeting Islamic State in investigations of a double suicide bombing in Ankara that killed up to 128 people, officials said on Sunday, while opponents of President Tayyip Erdogan blamed him for the worst such attack in Turkish history.

Government officials made clear that despite alarm over the attack on a rally of pro-Kurdish activists and civic groups, there would be no postponement of November polls Erdogan hopes can restore an overall majority for the AK Party he founded.

Thousands of people gathered near the scene of the attack at Ankara's main railway station, many accusing Erdogan of stirring nationalist sentiment by his pursuit of a military campaign against Kurdish militants, a charge Ankara vehemently rejects.

"Murderer Erdogan", "murderer police", the crowd chanted in Sihhiye square, as riot police backed by water cannon vehicles blocked a main highway leading to the district where parliament and government buildings are located.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a major presence at Saturday's march and holding seats in parliament, said police attacked its leaders and members as they tried to leave carnations at the scene. Some were hurt in the melee, it said in a statement.

The attacks have shocked a nation beset by resurgent conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in its southeast and increasingly threatened by spillover from the war in neighboring Syria.

Islamic State fighters are encamped close to its borders, which mark also the frontier of the NATO alliance, and last week Russia launched air strikes in Syria, its planes violating Turkish air space on several occasions.      Read More: 

Russia Violates Airspace

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the violation of its airspace by a Russian warplane near the border with Syria over the weekend, and demanded that Moscow avoid future infringements, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

The Russian plane violated the Turkey's airspace near the town of Yayladagi, in Hatay province on Saturday, prompting Turkey to scramble two F-16 jets which intercepted the Russian aircraft and forced it to fly back into the Syrian airspace, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

In the meeting with the Russian ambassador, Turkey demanded that Russia avoid such violations again and warned that Russia would be held "responsible for any undesired incident," that may occur, a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.

The same message was also relayed to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov by his Turkish counterpart Feridun Sinirlioglu in a telephone conversation.

The incident comes as Turkey has expressed concerns over Russian airstrikes in Syria that have targeted some foreign-backed insurgents.

Turkey and Russia also have opposed positions on the Syrian regime, with Russia backing President Bashar Assad and Turkey insisting on his ouster.

Last week, Turkey issued a joint statement with its allies involved in the U.S.-backed campaign against the Islamic State group asking Moscow to cease attacks on the Syrian opposition and to focus on fighting the IS.     Read More: 

Muslims Enjoy Capitalism

The UK company behind the McVitie's, Jaffa Cakes and Penguin brands has been bought by Turkish food group Yildiz Holdings for a reported £2bn.

United Biscuits (UB) was put up for sale by its private equity owners Blackstone and PAI Partners.

UB employs employs about 7,100 people, with 4,600 in the UK at sites including London, Manchester, Carlisle, Glasgow, Halifax and Liverpool.

Yildiz owns Belgium's Godiva Chocolate and America's De Met's Candy Company.

The company has no operations in the UK, but has a presence in the US, Middle East, North Africa, China, and Japan.

America's Kellogg's is thought to have been among several firms interested in buying UB, whose other products include Twiglets and Mini Cheddars.

Yildiz said it would look to drive UB's growth using its own global distribution network.

Chairman Murat Ulker said: "We want to grow United Biscuits to be a global player as part of Yildiz.

"This will include enhancing its position in the UK, where Yildiz currently has minimal presence, so we will continue to invest in the UK and Europe," he said.

Although no sale price was disclosed in United Biscuits' statement,several reports said the figure was around £2bn.

Lionel Assant, European head of private equity at Blackstone, said: "United Biscuits is a great business and has been an excellent investment for us. Yildiz is the best home for the company and will allow UB to fulfil its international growth ambitions."

Turkish Retaliation

ISTANBUL -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (below) is widely feared in Turkey’s business world. From the country’s billionaires to its bankers, people worry their political stances will draw the ire of the controversial leader and that their businesses will suffer as a result.

"We have seen growing authoritarian rule and increasingly the prime minister has become the only actor," said a source close to the industrial conglomerate Dogan Holding who requested anonymity out of fear of the government. "Even companies supporting the government are feeling the pressure."

Erdogan has a history of lashing out at businesses when they don't fully support the state. He slapped Dogan Holding, which has stakes in everything from the media to energy industries, with a nearly $4 billion tax fine in 2009 for its media coverage of a corruption scandal implicating members of the government.

As Turkey prepares for highly-anticipated municipal elections, widely seen as a referendum on the prime minister's 11-year rule, many business owners are increasingly fearful they'll face retaliation from the state if they're deemed to be anti-government. 

Amid another corruption scandal and recently renewed anti-government protests, Erdogan is trying to root out any opposition to his party and maintain his grip on the state. The election is expected to set the tone for upcoming presidential elections in August (which Erdogan may enter) and parliamentary elections next year.

Erdogen claims that Fetullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Islamic preacher in exile who has become his staunch enemy in recent years, is trying to overthrow the government. He says Gulen is responsible for leaking recordings to social media that appear to tie him and the government to money laundering. 

Some companies say they have been labeled as Gulen supporters -- considered treasonous by Erdogan -- just because they are perceived as government opponents.

Fadi Hakura, a Turkey analyst for the international think tank Chatham House, says that businesses viewed as anti-government -- and especially pro-Gulen -- could soon come under increased pressure from the prime minister and his ruling party.

"We have seen in the past and today that the favorite method used by the government to put pressure on business opponents is via tax investigation," he said. "The Turkish state has enormous amounts of legal regulatory and political power in its hands."

"It is a highly centralized country with weak checks and balances, so businesses do not have the recourses afforded to them like in the United States to go to the courts to fight against government overreach," he continued. "Power is concentrated in the hands of the prime minister. And right now, the Gulen companies are the main companies in the firing line."

Trucker's Salute

Turkish police detained two women believed to have flashed an obscene hand gesture at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (above) in an anti-government protest, local media reported on Sunday.

The detention came after Erdogan lashed out at an unidentified woman for making an "ugly" hand gesture as he was on his way to an election rally in the western city of Izmir.

"You did this when the prime minister of this country was passing by. I would understand if it was a man, but I do not understand how a woman could do it," he told the huge crowd of supporters.

Was this the gesture?

Or... was this?

Author Intrusion:  I find the above statement absolutely incredulous.  I mean it is one thing to suppress women but it is quite another to perceive them as not being as obscene as a man...  and, for that matter why should anyone need to be obscene in the first place?

Following Erdogan's remarks, police detained two women on charges of "insulting a statesman", Hurriyet newspaper reported.

The second woman reportedly made her gesture from a nearby balcony.

Erdogan has faced street protests since a corruption scandal erupted in mid-December, implicating his key allies and posing the biggest challenge to his 12-year rule ahead of local elections on March 30.

Izmir, a port city on the Aegean coast, is seen as a bastion of secularism where Islamic parties fare poorly.

Turkish riot police fired water cannons at a group of protesters who said they did not want the prime minister in their city and chanted, "Tayyip, the thief".