Recep Tayyip Erdo

The Turkish parliament has adopted a government-led omnibus bill which includes various legal arrangements concerning issues such as rebuilding the conflict-hit Sur district in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r, the assertive "Kanal Istanbul" project, which foresees the building of a giant canal on Istanbul's European side to ease the aquatic traffic of the city's busy Bosphorus Strait, t

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul on April 15 witnessed a heated debate over unpaid dues and unfulfilled donation pledges, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an telling the participants that it was "time to pay up."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Turkey next week with representatives from the European Union, German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on April 15. 

Speaking to journalists, Seibert said European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans will accompany Merkel during her visit on April 23. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accepted a request from Turkey to seek the prosecution of a comedian who read out a crude poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an on German television. 

"The government will give its authorization in the case at hand," Merkel told reporters on April 15, adding it was up to the courts to decide on the comedian's guilt or innocence.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on April 15 that she accepted Turkey's request to seek prosecution of German comedian Jan Boehmermann who recited a sexually crude poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an on television. 

An Order of State of the Republic of Turkey was given to Saudi Arabia's King Salman on April 13. The phrase "throwing a sprat to catch a mackerel" springs to mind, but as far as we know Salman is not even offering the bone of the mackerel. (Of course, not including the gifts he brings for President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, but that does not concern us ordinary citizens.)

A significant strategy change has been adopted in the issue of Turkey's new constitution. Previously, the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) had accelerated constitution works and was planning to hold a referendum in September.

In the wake of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, during a visit to the U.S. capital late last month, Ankara and Washington have intensified their contacts to revitalize a program for training "moderate" Syrian rebels in favor of ramping up support for established and proven forces.

Tense relations between Turkey and Egypt could soon give way to reconciliation as Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry attended the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul and handed the term presidency to Turkey.

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released annually by the U.S.