ISIL threatens attacks on Jewish kindergartens, schools in Turkey

ISIL threatens attacks on Jewish kindergartens, schools in Turkey

Special to WorldTribune.com Turkish officials said Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) have threatened to attack Jewish schools and kindergartens in Turkey. “It is more than credible threat. This is an active plot,” an intelligence official told Sky News. Turkish intelligence officials said the information on ISIL’s planned attack was obtained after the arrest […]

Turkey bans media from trial of journalists who criticized government

Turkey bans media from trial of journalists who criticized government

Special to WorldTribune.com In a case seen as a test of press freedom under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish government has prohibited the media from covering the trial of two journalists who face possible life terms for espionage charges. Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of leading opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, and Erdem Gul, his Ankara bureau chief, […]

Report: Israel warned Belgium of lax airport security

Report: Israel warned Belgium of lax airport security

Special to WorldTribune.com As recently as a few weeks before the March 22 terror attacks in Brussels, Israel had warned Belgian officials of numerous security deficiencies at Zaventem Airport. Israeli security officials who assess safety measures at international airports that operate flights to Tel Aviv found “significant shortcomings” at Zaventem, Israel’s Channel 2 reported on […]

U.S. arrest of Iranian trader shakes Turkish government, markets

U.S. arrest of Iranian trader shakes Turkish government, markets

Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty The U.S. arrest of Iranian-born Reza Zarrab reverberated in Turkey on March 22 as the well-connected gold trader was at the center of a bribery scandal that once engulfed Turkey’s leadership. The U.S. charges that Zarrab helped the Iranian government and businesses get around economic sanctions […]

Word on the street in Istanbul was that an attack was imminent

Word on the street in Istanbul was that an attack was imminent

Special to WorldTribune.com Istanbul residents believed an attack was coming after a similar terrorist strike in Ankara, a leader of Turkey’s Jewish community said. “This is what everyone was talking about on the street,” said Eyal Peretz, who heads the Arkadash organization. “Everyone talked about how a terror attack was about to happen.” Three Israelis […]

Kurds declare federal region in Syria, sparking multilateral backlash

Kurds declare federal region in Syria, sparking multilateral backlash

Special to WorldTribune.com Syria’s Kurds on March 17 declared areas under their control a federal region, sparking an immediate backlash from Syria’s government, Turkey and the United States. More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties meeting in Syria agreed to create a “federal system” unifying territory run by Kurds across several northern Syrian provinces. […]

Russia claims Turkish troops are on Syrian soil

Russia claims Turkish troops are on Syrian soil

Special to WorldTribune.com Turkish troops have entered Syrian territory, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov, in comments to Ren-TV on March 13, said Moscow has evidence that Ankara has sent troops to Syria and is conducing a “creeping expansion” on the border with Syria. Related: Erdogan denies reports Turkey is secretly collaborating with […]

Turkish government seizes control of best-selling opposition newspaper

Turkish government seizes control of best-selling opposition newspaper

Special to WorldTribune.com One of the few remaining independent voices that routinely published viewpoints opposite of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been taken over by the Turkish government. Zaman, Turkey’s best-selling opposition newspaper, came under government control on March 4 as Erdogan’s government continued its assault on press freedom. Protesters opposed to the takeover were […]

EU’s migrant deal with Turkey said to ignore ‘root cause’ of crisis

EU’s migrant deal with Turkey said to ignore ‘root cause’ of crisis

Special to WorldTribune.com The European Union has agreed to pay Turkey an additional 3 billion euros to help Ankara deal with the Syrian migration crisis. The agreement was made during a EU migration summit in Brussels on March 7, according to a report by Reuters. The agreement included a proposal that “Turkey would take back […]

Turkey has opened over 1,800 cases against those who insulted Erdogan

Turkey has opened over 1,800 cases against those who insulted Erdogan

Special to WorldTribune.com Insulting the president in Turkey is a crime. Apparently, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan doesn’t like being insulted – and a lot of people are doing it. “The justice ministry has allowed 1,845 cases on charges of insulting Erdogan to go ahead,” Bekir Bozdag said, responding to questions in parliament. “I am unable […]