Crackdowns Continue as Turkey Endures Another Turbulent Year

epa11985971 Turkish riot police use tear gas to disperse demonstrators trying to march to Taksim Square from the Istanbul Municipality headquarters during a protest against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, 24 March 2025. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) was jailed and dismissed by the Turkish Ministry of Interior on 23 March on corruption charges following his detention on March 19 along with 100 others. EPA/ERDEM SAHIN

After the arrest of Istanbul mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, protests erupted across Turkey, most intensely in Istanbul. Police intervened violently as tens of thousands demanded the mayor’s release. Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, remains in prison, deepening concerns about the country’s democratic backsliding.

Patient Extremism: The Many Faces of the Muslim Brotherhood

Introduction

In the 1988 charter that announced its existence, Hamas introduced itself as “one of the wings of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.” The charter then informs the reader that the Brotherhood “is a universal organization that constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times.”1 That is no idle boast. The Brotherhood has scores of national branches across the globe. Among those branches, Hamas stands out for its unbroken record of violence and its readiness to massacre men, women, and children, as it did in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Yet the ideas that animate Hamas are not unique; they are part of the Brotherhood’s common heritage. These ideas have also spread far beyond the Brotherhood, animating al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, and many other lethal organizations.

New Year, New Intrigue

The secret services of Israel, Turkey, China, the U.S. and UAE vie for influence in Somaliland

Since October 7, 2023, a rivalry has been unfolding between Israel and Turkey that evokes the “Great Game,” the 19th-century struggle between Czarist Russia and Britain for control and influence in Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia. Then, as now, this rivalry involves espionage and intelligence gathering, diplomatic intrigue, proxy warfare, and military missions. The U.S. is on the verge of getting more involved.

Israeli army deploys ultra-Orthodox Haredi brigade in southern Syria

The Israeli army announced today, Thursday 1 January, the deployment of forces from the “Hasmonean Brigade” in the security zone in southern Syria, marking the first time the brigade has been stationed in the area.

The Israeli army said the brigade’s infantry forces carried out field activities after a series of military drills in the area. These included “targeted searches” during which intelligence was collected, with the stated aim of “removing threats and ensuring the security of civilians in Israel, especially Golan residents.”

Face à la crise, une autre Europe

La crise est en Europe, l’Europe est en crise. Nous l’analysions en 2012. Si les choses se sont aggravées, les origines de la crise économique restent les mêmes : la crise des économies et des sociétés européennes est avant tout une crise de la domination d’une certaine économie, financiarisée au détriment des producteurs européens.

Somalie : Le président accuse Israël de vouloir installer de force des Palestiniens sur son territoire

«Après 34 ans, voir Israël surgir soudainement pour reconnaître le Somaliland est extrêmement inattendu et très étrange», déclare Hassan Cheikh Mohamud.

Le président somalien Hassan Cheikh Mohamud a mis en garde contre les ambitions d’Israël, qu’il accuse de vouloir installer de force des Palestiniens en Somalie et d’étendre son accès stratégique au golfe d’Aden et à la mer Rouge.