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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu conducted phone conversations with U.S. Secretary State John Kerry and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Attiyah late Dec. 8 to discuss regional developments, particularly Iraq, according to official sources.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an is putting on a brave face and saying that Turkey has alternatives to Russia, both in terms of trade and energy supplies, not to mention the millions of Russian tourists who will most likely refuse to come to Turkey now.  

Tensions with Russia could cost Turkey's economy nine billion dollars in the worst case scenario of "zero relations", Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet ?im?ek said Dec. 7.  
   
Moscow has imposed a series of economic sanctions against Ankara after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian jet on the Syrian border on Nov. 24, sparking a big crisis between the two countries.

 Oil prices are not expected to rise next year, the head of French energy giant Total told reporters in Qatar on Dec. 7.

"We don't anticipate a recovery in 2016," Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on the sidelines of the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) in Doha.

It was not Turkey but Russia who stopped preparation for the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, the country's President said on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Moscow announced it was suspending work on Turkish Stream, calling on Ankara to clarify whether it was still interested in the project.

A planned gas pipeline project to link Russia and Turkey, dubbed the "Turkish Stream," has been shelved by Turkey because its demands were not met, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said on Dec. 5.

A senior executive of the main opposition Republican People Party (CHP) has dismissed President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's recent statements demanding the removal of Turkey's "dual-headed system," claiming that the public wants the existing parliamentary system to be strengthened, not removed.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has again said Turkey's parliamentary system should be changed to a presidential one, referring to France's semi-presidential system as a good example for the country. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said the country's "dual-headed system" of rule has to be removed, referring to the powers held by the president and the prime minister, who both come to their positions through elections. 

Turkey has agreed with Azerbaijan to accelerate the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), with an aim to have the gas project completed before the planned 2018, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu said on Dec. 3, as quoted by Reuters.