Berri heads Sunday to Turkey

Lebanon Speaker Nabih Berri will head to Turkey on Sunday with a parliamentary delegation for an official state visit, the National News Agency (NNA) reported on Saturday

During his visit Berri is expected to meet with high-ranking Turkish officials, including President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Speaker Mehmet Ali Chahine. (more…)

A car trip to Beirut via Syria

Traveling from southern Turkey to Lebanon via Syria in a car full of family members is an experience that I will never forget.

Swedish parliament labels Armenian killings in Turkey genocide

The Swedish parliament’s passage of a resolution recognizing the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide is drawing strong condemnation from Ankara. The vote comes after the U.S. Congress’s Foreign Affairs Committee passed a similar motion earlier this month. (more…)

Strong earthquake hits eastern Turkey, kills 51

A strong, pre-dawn earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Monday, killing 51 people as it knocked down stone and mud-brick houses and minarets in at least six villages, the government said.

The earthquake surprised many residents as they slept, crumpling buildings into piles of rubble. Panicked survivors fled into the narrow village streets, some climbing out of windows, as more than 50 aftershocks measuring up to 5.5 and 5.3 magnitude rattled the region. (more…)

Analysis: Neighbors eye Iraq elections

In the run-up to today’s historically significant parliamentary polls in Iraq, a a question that begs asking is where do Iraq’s neighbours stand on these critical elections.

Someone remembers this atrocity at last, to Obama’s dismay

By: Robert Fisk
Once more we have to forget the Armenian Holocaust – the first of the 20th century – in order to appease the Turks. Bill Clinton did it.

US administration to block vote on Turkey ‘genocide’

The Obama administration has said it will seek to block a controversial bill describing as genocide the World War I killing of Armenians by Turks.

A congressional panel on Thursday approved the resolution, paving the way for a possible vote by the House.

But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the administration would “work very hard” to prevent this. (more…)

Turkey Criticizes US House Committee Vote on Armenian Genocide

Turkey’s foreign minister said Friday that the vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee condemning the mass killing of Armenians early in the last century as genocide would damage ties with the Obama administration and set back reconciliation efforts between Turkey and Armenia. (more…)

Commentary: Iran’s Hopes And Fears As Iraqis Prepare To Vote

Imagine the following: The de facto independent Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq declares independence, secedes from Iraq, and inspires Kurds in Turkey and Iran to join a “Greater Kurdistan.”

Turkey pulls its ambassador in US over Armenia genocide bill

Turkey recalled its new ambassador to the United States Namik Tan Thursday after the US House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a resolution that labels as genocide the killings of ethnic Armenians by Ottomon Turks following World War I. (more…)