French President Fracois Hollande (left) with Turkish President Abdullah Gul

No need for special courts, says Turkish President Gül

President Gül has welcomed the government?s move to abolish specially authorized courts

Court rejects controversial police officer?s removal over negligence in Dink’s murder

The court challenged the interior ministry?s defense and recalled that Akyürek received two promotions in the aftermath of Dink?s murder

Islamic scholar Gülen sues interior minister over coup accusation

Interior Minister Efkan Ala stirred debate with a speech in which he staunchly defended PM Erdoğan, accusing Gülen of attempting to stage a coup

Turkey’s main opposition welcomes government move to scrap special courts

‘We will give our contribution to any legal arrangement that will ensure the independence and neutrality of [the judiciary],’ CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said

France?s Hollande praises Turkish youth?s ‘desire for democracy’

President Hollande praised Turkish youngsters with a veiled reference to the Gezi protests

Was Gezi a Middle Class Movement?

A study carried out by SAMER (Political and Social Research Center) in December 2013 in Istanbul and Izmir analyzes the characteristics of the electorate in a number of dimensions, including their participation in or support of the Gezi movement. Contrary to the AKP government?s claims, it seems that a representative cross-section of the population participated in or supported Gezi, including a sizable percentage of Kurds. The study (in Turkish) is here. I?ve translated a rundown of the Gezi-related results from Erdem Yoruk?s column on T24.

16% (1.5 million) of Istanbul?s population participated in the Gezi protests. The study only counted respondents above age 18, so the participation of under-18s will presumably drive this number higher.

Turkey?s population exceeds 76 million

The population of Turkey increased to 76.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2013, with an annual growth rate of 13.7 per thousand

Seven Fenerbahçe fans detained after Turkish football match

Daily Hürriyet reported there were claims that the fans detained after chanting political slogans

Ailing Ergenekon convict transferred to hospital for medical report

An Ergenekon convict diagnosed with cancer has been transferred to hospital for a medical report as a result of an individual application to Turkey’s top court

Measures Meant to Defend Currencies Backfire

Turkish and South African currencies plummet, despite emergency measures by their central banks. And the contagion has infected the Russian ruble

Turkey finally enters France?s strategic vision

There was a time when Nicolas Sarkozy was the president of France, and members of his Cabinet would shy away from being seen in the same picture as Turkey’s EU minister

EU can help Turkey transform: French President Hollande

Turkey’s EU bid is back on the agenda during the French president’s Ankara trip, the first official visit of a French head of state to Turkey in 22 years

Better to keep Turkey closer to Europe

The relations between France and Turkey had turned into a mess under Nicholas Sarkozy. Replacing him, François Hollande has been the first French President to officially visit Turkey after 22 years

Hollande prêt à avancer sur l?adhésion de la Turquie

Les Echos (France) no. 21614, mardi 28 janvier 2014, p. 5 Yves Bourdillon, Envoyé spécial à Ankara Il assure que le peuple français serait consulté en cas d?adhésion turque à l?Union européenne. François Hollande a entamé hier sa visite d?Etat en Turquie, la première depuis 1992, par des entretiens avec son homologue turc, Abdullah Gü

Better to keep Turkey closer to Europe

The relations between France and Turkey had turned into a mess under Nicholas Sarkozy. Replacing him, François Hollande has been the first French President to officially visit Turkey after 22 years

Turkey, Iran to establish high level cooperation council during Erdoğan’s Tehran visit

Both countries will tighten ties as Western sanctions are eased

Israeli general accuses Turkey of sheltering al-Qaeda’s Syria fighters

Israel’s military intelligence chief presented a map showing three al-Qaeda bases inside Turkey