12 November 2012

Barack Obama Re-elected 332 to 206

America's first black

president secured 332

votes in the electoral

college to win the

election. In his victory

speech before supporters

in Chicago, Mr Obama

said he would talk to Mr

Romney about "where we

can work together to

move this country

forward". Mr Obama

prevailed despite lingering

dissatisfaction with the

economy and a hard-fought

challenge by Mr Romney. His

Democrats also retained their

majority in the Senate, which they

have held since 2007. The

Republicans kept control of the

House of Representatives,

which analysts say will

likely result in more of

the gridlock that

characterised Mr

Obama's first term, with

the House and the

president at loggerheads

on most legislation. In his

address, the president

challenged his opponents,

asking them to work with

him. With only Florida's 29

electoral votes still undecided, Mr

Obama won 332 electoral votes to

Mr Romney's 206. The popular

vote, which is symbolically and

politically important but not

decisive in the race,

remains very close. In Bos-

ton, where his campaign

was based, Mr Romney

congratulated the

president and said he and

Mr Ryan had "left

everything on the field" and

had given their all in the

campaign. Referring to the

struggling economy, Mr

Romney said now was not

the time for "partisan

bickering and political

posturing", and that Republicans

and Democrats must "put people

before politics". "I so wish that I

had been able to fulfil your hopes

to lead the country in a different

direction but the nation chose

another leader and so I

join with you to earnestly

pray for [Mr Obama] and

for this great nation," he

said. Under the US

constitution, each state is

given a number of

electoral votes in rough

proportion to its

population.

Cont. on Page 3

THIS

WEEK

EUROPE

PAGE 2

AMERICAS

PAGE 3

OPINION

PAGE 4-5

ASIA

PAGE 6

MIDDLE EAST&AFRICA

PAGE 7

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

PAGE 8-9

TURKEY

PAGE 10

SOCIAL

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

PAGE 12

Incumbent President Barack Obama has defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney to seal four

more years in the White House

Volume 7, Issue 4

EUROPE

PAGE 2

Ongoing Tension in Greece Against

Austerity Measures

Greece cannot receive its

bailout tranche of €31.5bn

(£25bn) unless its national

debt level is deemed to be

on a path of eventual

sustainability, but Athens

will not be allowed to

default on €5bn of debt that

needs to be redeemed next

week, a senior eurozone

official said on Friday. The

Guardian / November 9,

2012

Hollande keeps his vow to

legalise gay marriage. The

French government is

pressing ahead with its

plans to legalise gay

marriage despite vociferous

opposition from religious

leaders and the political

right. The Independent /

November 7, 2012

The number of people

looking for work in Spain

rose by 2.7% in October,

marking the third month in

a row that unemployment

levels have risen. BBC /

November 5, 2012

Britain on the way of out Europe? Merkel visits London to hold emergency meetings with David Cameron concerning Britain’s

planned veto of the EU budget.

The UK in recent weeks has been making the implicit threat that it will veto any EU budget that comes

close to raise EU spending. This has increased tensions between Brussels and Westminster in a relation-

ship that has never been rosy. Angela Merkel made a speech in Brussels before leaving for London in

which she said that Britain would struggle alone and being a strong member of the EU was beneficial for

itself and Europe. Although with different ideas on EU budgets, both lead-

ers share similar ideas when it comes to fiscal responsibility. It is because

of this that there is hope for a resolution to this disagreement to ensure the

financial security of Europe is protected. However, with Cameron intent on

protecting the British taxpayer, a veto to the budget on November 22nd

when all member states are present, is very likely.

The Guardian / November 7, 2012

Everything started Tuesday with a 48 hour strike against the new

round of wage and pension cuts on Wednesday.

The government has implored Greeks to endure the cuts to avoid national bankruptcy and promised this will be the last round. Greeks, who have seen many such promises broken before, have responded with a mix of res-ignation at their fate and anger at their political leaders. Following scenes inside and outside the 300-seat house, 153 MPs supported the €13.5bn package in a vote that will be remembered as perhaps the most electrifying in the history of the Greek debt crisis. To many Greeks the cuts are unac-ceptable. Thousands of protesters descended on Syntagma Square, next to the legislative house. As part of the general strike, which was due to end yesterday, air travel was disrupted, ferries were docked and hospitals were

only treating emergency cases. The Independent / November10, 2012

Artur Mas demands to know what Brussels will do if some of the un-

ion's member states splinter for the first time in EU history.

The prime minister of Catalonia demanded a coherent response from EU

policy-makers in Brussels, stating "The European treaties do not say Cata-

lonia can stay in the EU, but they

don't say the opposite either." In-

creasingly at odds with Madrid over

the legality of his drive to secure a

mandate for a Catalan independence

referendum, he called early elections

for later this month, insisted that if

a new country emerged from the

Spanish turmoil a separate Catalo-

nia would be entitled to remain a

member of the EU inside the euro

zone. The Guardian / Nov. 7, 2012

Catalan Leader Artur Mas Presses

EU on Secession Issue

AMERICAS

PAGE 3

Continued from Page 1...

The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes - by prevailing in the mostly winner-takes-all state contests -

becomes president. On Tuesday, the president held the White House by assembling solid Democratic

states and a number of important swing states such as Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan,

Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin. His narrow victory in Ohio, a critical Mid-Western swing state, sealed

the victory. Mr Romney won North Carolina and Indiana, both of which Mr Obama won in 2008, as well

as the solid Republican states. But he was unable to win in Ohio or other states needed to breach the

270 threshold. Also on Tuesday's ballot were 11 state governorships, a third of the seats in the 100-

member US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Mr

Obama's victory came despite lingering high unemployment - 7.9% on

election day - and tepid economic growth. But voters gave him credit for his

2009 rescue of the US car industry among other policy accomplishments,

and rewarded him for ordering the commando mission that killed Osama

Bin Laden in Pakistan last year. He and Mr Romney have spent more than

$2bn (£1.25bn) - largely on adverts in swing states. BBC / Nov. 7, 2012

Argentina Protests: Up to Half a

Million Rally Against Kirschner

Senate, House and Gubernatorial

Elections took place in the U.S.

The European Union and

11 Latin American

countries have signed an

agreement that puts to rest

a trade dispute dating to

1991 over tariffs on

bananas, which are a vital

export for several Latin

American economies.

The Telegraph /

November 9, 2012

A slim majority of Puerto

Ricans sought to change

their ties with the United

States and become the

51st U.S. state in a non-

binding referendum that

would require final

approval from Congress.

USA Today / November 7,

2012

Marijuana has been

legalized in Colorado and

Washington, while gay

marriage have been

legalized in Maine and

Maryland.

Daily Mail / November 7,

2012

Barack Obama Re-Elected 332 to 206

The Presidential elections were not the only highlight of the night with a fierce battle between two parties taking place in three fronts

Aside from the Presidential elections, 33 Class I Senate seats, all of the House of Representatives seats and 10 Governorships were up for re-election Tuesday night. The Republicans lost 2 seats in the Senate, which ended up giving Democrats majority by 9 seats. House majority did not change, however the Republicans lost 8 seats with 7 seats still undecided as of today. Republicans managed to capture the 218 seats needed to be ma-jority in the House and are going to be participating in the 112th United States Congress with 234 Representatives. Gubernatorial elections also took place, with 8 Democrats and 3 Republicans facing re-election. Only one governorship changed hands with Republican Pat McCrory replacing retiring Democratic Bev Perdue in North Carolina. ABC News / November 7, 2012

Argentine President’s attempts for a third term met with protests

After a smaller rally in September, the noisy but peaceful protest - esti-mated at between 250,000 to 500,000 people – marks an escalation of oppo-sition to the Argentinian leader, congregating around the landmark obelisk in the centre of the capital, protesters carried handmade signs in protest

against inflation, corruption media controls, as well as suggestions Fer-nandez may want to amend the con-stitution so she can serve a third term. The unrest marks a political low in Fernández's decade in the presidential palace. A third term, however after Thursday's massive protest, looks a distant prospect. The Guardian / November 9, 2012

PAGE 4

OPINIONS

AMERICAS

President of the States? President of the People?

There’s something that doesn’t quite feel right in the land of the democracy

Last Tuesday night, our team at News Report tweeted a prediction regarding the United States

elections. We thought that Obama would win with 314 votes with Florida being the decisive state. Every

poll and research we looked at showed us that key states with high electoral votes were swaying blue,

and after doing a basic math, we thought 314 was the number. It was not. With Florida resolved just

right now, Barack Obama has won 332 electoral college votes. Mitt Romney won 206. When you look at

these numbers, it’s easy to call it a landslide. Obama was more close to doubling Romney’s votes than he

is to Romney’s actual votes. There are 126 votes in between Obama and Romney. This shows that Obama

has huge popular support right? Has to.

Except that it doesn’t. United States uses a system they borrowed from the Romans, called

―Electoral College‖. In this system, citizens do not pick candidates, they pick voters that will pick

candidates themselves. These voters are called ―Electors‖ and they are selected by the Parties which they

later pledge to. Essentially, how it works is like this. Parties select Electors, who, by law, can not hold a

federal office at the time of choosing or could not have rebelled against the United States in the past.

People then vote in the elections. Each state has a set number of electors which are equal to the number

of Senators and Representatives they have, with the smallest number being 3 (D.C., Wyoming, North

Dakota and five more) and the highest number being 55 (California). After the votes are counted, the

electors of the party that received the highest amount of votes get the choose the president. All of them.

If California votes blue, Democrats would get 55 votes. If Texas votes red, Republicans would get 38

votes. Even if the difference is one vote. Winner-takes-all, they call it. Does the winner deserve to take all,

I ask.

This system is inherently flawed. When Al Gore lost the 2000 election to George Bush, he received

51 million votes. Bush received 50, 456, 002. That means W was in the White House despite a majority of

the country had no intention of putting him there. The idea here however is this, the Founding Fathers of

America felt like since the Senate and the House was a creation of popular voting, so they felt like the fe-

deral nature of the country should be reinforced, and states; rather than people, should vote for the

President. Their system worked. Bush received the votes of 30 states, while Gore received 20 and the

D.C. area. Well done. Except for one thing. This is not the president of the states they are choosing. This

is the president of the people. ―By the people, for the people‖, no? Then how come you end up with a

system doing wrong by the people and creating undemocratic results for the people?

Many articles can be published about the many things Americans got from the Romans, but this

has to be the most fascinating. The system does not work. Do you need more proof? 61 million people

voted for Obama. Despite a 126 vote difference, the real diference between him and Romney was 3 million

people. Now does anyone have any idea how to explain the 58 million people who did not want to see

Obama in the White House again that Obama won by a landslide?

Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN

PAGE 5

OPINIONS

ASIA

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

Middle East of America Although Barack Obama won the election, there is still ambiguity regarding the Middle East

because of Syria, Iran and Israel.

Before the U.S. Elections, the Middle East policy of Mitt Romney promised new turmoils for the Middle East because Romney would have applied more assertive foreign policy in the region, which meant military interventions and operations would again be one of the basic tools of U.S. Foreign policy. Thus, the result of the election became significant for the regional leaders and policy makers. For example, in the campaign process, Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu declared his support for Romney openly as Israel had wanted a pre—emptive strike against the Iranian Nuclear Programme. However, the different or ongoing scenarios should be analyzed again to understand the balance in the region. The first term Oba-ma administration prefered to keep a distance from regional turmoils and the effects of Arab Spring. Furthermore, even though the U.S. repeatedly claimed that Bashar al– Assad must relinquish power but he did not give any indication suggesting any type of military action. Their policy was based on the idea that solutions of the regional problems should be the creation of the regional powers. This policy could be observed in the statement of the U.S. Administration about recent Turkey—Syria relations. On the other hand, Barack Obama can apply more decisive and strict policies in the region since the U.S. Presidents usualy preferred more result-oriented policies. Furthermore, the existence of Iran and her nuclear programme is still a significant threat source against the U.S. Policies in the region. However, the possibility of any military operation is still low, so Israel will not get what she wants. In short, the name

of the U.S. President may be same but the ambiguity in the region is still a crucial problem for everyone.

Alper AKGÜN

Romney and Obama on China

At the presidential debate on October 22, Mitt Romney, the Republicans’ nominee, repeated his

promise to brand China a currency manipulator and to rebalance the trade relationship

Healthy US – China relations are of paramount importance for the peace and stability in the world. Eco-

nomic imbalances, allegedly brought about by Chinese currency manipulation and unfair trade practices,

are the main obstacles for the good relations between US and China. The third presidential debate re-

vealed that Obama and Romney did not dramatically differ on the policies towards China. Both expressed

willingness to cooperate as long as they play fair economically. In his first term, Obama undertook coop-

erative attempts regarding bilateral relations with China. US – China Strategic & Economic Dialogue was

launched in 2009. On the other hand, Obama administration filed complaints on China’s trade practices

at the WTO including a variety of issues ranging from the high tariffs on US goods to the restrictions on

exporting rare earth materials. In the debates, Obama reminded that the number of fair trade cases

against China has doubled during his first term in the office and stated that “China’s both an adversary

but also a potential partner in the international community if it’s following the rules.” Nevertheless, Rom-

ney criticized Obama for not revealing a tough enough stance against China. He promotes a strong mili-

tary capability in the Pacific accompanied by cooperation with regional allies against China’s rise, as well

as urging them to implement fair free trade policies. Furthermore, Romney pledged to label China a cur-

rency manipulator for they have kept their currency artificially low to benefit more from the export sector.

Officially branding China as a manipulator would benefit neither side as it would cast a shadow on the

relations with Asian countries. In fact, it poses the risk of starting a trade war. Arguably, it would be

wiser to avoid such aggressive statements at a time when leadership transition is taking place in China.

Cansu BULUKLU

PAGE 6

ASIA

ASIA

China Imposes Tariffs on Steel Russia agreed to provide

military and technical support

to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

in the form of direct

assistance. Reportedly, Russia

is prepared to spend $1.1

billion to upgrade the Kyrgyz

army and another $200

million for Tajikistan armed

forces.

Pravda / November 9, 2012

Hundreds of students have

taken to the streets in eastern

Tibet to demonstrate support

for protestors who are

demanding greater freedoms

under Chinese rule. The

protest was in reaction to the

death of 18-year-old Kalsang

Jinpa who died after setting

himself on fire.

Voice of America / November

9, 2012

More than 60,000 people have

signed a petition calling for a

Nobel peace prize for Malala

Yousafzai, the 15-year-old

schoolgirl who was shot by the

Taliban last month while

campaigning for girls'

education in Pakistan.

Guardian / November 9,

2012

India and Canada Move Closer to Uranium Trade India and Canada have finalised the terms for their nuclear deal, paving the way for Canadian firms to export

uranium to India.

Once implemented, the deal is likely to provide a boost to India's plans to increase its nuclear capacity to meet

growing energy demands.The deal was agreed in 2010, but there had been differences over supervision of the use of

uranium in India.Canada has banned the trade of nuclear materials with India since 1976. India's economy has seen

rapid expansion in recent years resulting in a surge in demand for energy in the

country. In a bid to meet its growing energy needs, India has been looking to

increase its dependence on nuclear energy. It is planning to set up some 30 reactors

over as many years and get a quarter of its electricity from nuclear energy by 2050.

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that being able to be a part of India's

nuclear power plans was "a really important economic opportunity for an important

Canadian industry... that should pay dividends in terms of jobs and growth for

Canadians down the road". BBC/ November 7, 2012

China will impose five-year anti-dumping tariffs on stainless steel tube im-

ports from the EU and Japan, highlighting commercial tensions.

The tariff will range from 9.2% to 14.4% and will become effective on Friday, the

Ministry of Commerce said. China, the world's biggest steel producer and consumer,

was repeatedly cited by major trade partners for alleged dumping in its massive

exports of steel products before the financial crisis in 2008. China still relies on

imports of some high-grade steel products.In May, China issued a preliminary rul-

ing saying that the EU and Japan have been dumping the seamless tubes into the

Chinese market. Trade relations between China and the European Union, China's

biggest trading partner, have been tense due to the imposition of tit-for-tat anti-

dumping tariffs. Earlier this week, China lodged a complaint with the World Trade

Organization to challenge policies that Beijing argues favour firms in Italy

and Greece. China's business relations with Japan have also deteriorated in recent

months after Japan purchased a few uninhabited islands located in the East China

Sea that are claimed by both countries. Reuters/ November 9, 2012

The UK is to end financial aid to India by 2015, international development

secretary Justine Greening has said.

British aid to India had already been frozen in March 2011 at 350 million euros a

year until the end of this parliament.While existing grants that have already been

signed off will continue, the fact that no new projects will be started means the UK

will spend 250 euros less between 2013 and 2015 than it had projected.The move

marks a change in relations between the

two countries 70 years after India gained

independence from Great Britain. Ms

Greening, Secretary of State for

International Development referred to the

―tremendous progress‖ being made there

and said ―our own bilateral relationship

has to keep up with 21st century India.‖

Euronews/ November 9, 2012

UK to End Foreign Aid to India

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

PAGE 7

The Red Cross has said it "can't cope" with the worsening situation in Syria.

"The humanitarian situation is getting worse despite the scope of the operation increasing," said Peter

Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). "We can't cope with the

worsening of the situation." "There is an unknown number of people in Syria

who do not get the aid they need," Maurer said. By the way , president of

UK, Mr Cameron, who flew into the camp on Syrian-Jordanian border said

UK humanitarian support for the victims of the 18-month conflict in Syria

would be increased by £14m to more than £50m - making it the second

largest donor after the United States , and with a newly-elected American

president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help

Syria achieve transition world.

Globalpost / BBC / November 8 , 2012

Western officials warn that minority elements on both sides have

vested interest in triggering 'spoiler' incident that leads to war

A mid-air incident in which Iranian warplanes opened fire on a US surveil-

lance drone high over the Persian Gulf has brought home how nuclear ten-

sions and increased military hardware in a confined area can lead to a clash

that could escalate out of control. Western officials are concerned that mi-

nority elements on both sides of the confrontation in the region have a

vested interest in triggering such a clash. Some Israeli leaders would like to

see Washington drawn in so that superior US forces could strike a crippling

blow to Iranian nuclear facilities, while a "war party" in Tehran sees a con-

flict as a means of rallying support

for the regime and cracking down

yet further on dissent, officials

say. They believe the risk of a

"spoiler" incident will rise if a new

diplomatic push aimed at reaching

a peaceful settlement of the Ira-

nian nuclear crisis appears to

show progress. The Guardian /

November 8-9, 2012

Iran Fighter Jets Fired on US Drone

Blast Rocks Somali Parliament One soldier is dead after an explosion that went off outside the Somali

parliament building in Mogadishu Wednesday.

A car full of explosives blew up in the parking lot of the building while

lawmakers were meeting inside. All members of parliament were reported to

be safe and unharmed. No one claimed responsibility for the blast, but So-

mali militant group al-Shabab carries out periodic bombings and suicide

attacks in Mogadishu. The group has vowed to continue fighting despite

losing most of its territory over the past two years to African Union and So-

mali government forces. a purported message from al-Qaida chief Ayman al-

Zawahiri urged al-Shabab to wage guerilla warfare against foreign troops in

the country. Voice of America / November 7, 2012.

A strong favorite to win the Jan. 22 vote, Netanyahu is coming under criticism from political rivals who accuse him of having tilted toward Mitt Romney and alienated Obama, who as a second-term president could take a firmer stance toward Israel. The Washington Post / November 9,2012

The construction of more than 1,200 new homes in Jewish settlements is to go ahead. The move is seen as a warning to the Palestinians over their bid to ask the UN to recognise Palestine as an independent state. The Independent / November 7, 2012

In an interview aired Monday, a day after he was selected patriarch of Egypt’s Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II said the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak last year has opened the way for a larger Coptic public role. The Tandd / November 9, 2012

Syria Situation Too Much for Red Cross

PAGE 8

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK Barack Hussein Obama II

President of the United States of America

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of

perfecting our union moves forward. It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed

the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of

despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we

are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people. Tonight, in this election, you,

the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have

picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of

America the best is yet to come. I just spoke with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a

hard-fought campaign. We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we

care so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give

back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight. In the weeks

ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to talk about where we can work together to

move this country forward. I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America's happy warrior,

the best vice president anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden.

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty of fodder

for the cynics that tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests.

But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along a rope line in a

high school gym, or saw folks working late in a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you'll

discover something else. You'll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who's working his

way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. You'll hear the pride in the

voice of a volunteer who's going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant

added another shift. You'll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse whose working the phones

late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their

head when they come home. That's why we do this. That's what politics can be. That's why elections matter. It's

not small, it's big. It's important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.

We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we

make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.

Victory Speech

PAGE 9

That won't change after tonight, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty. We can

never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue

about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America's future. We want our kids to

grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers. A country that lives up to

its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new

businesses that follow. We want our children to live in an America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't

weakened by inequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. We want to pass on a

country that's safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest

military on earth and the best troops this - this world has ever known. But also a country that moves with

confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every

human being. We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the

dreams of an immigrant's daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag.

To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the

furniture worker's child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an

entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president - that's the future we hope for. That's the vision we share. That's

where we need to go - forward. That's where we need to go.

By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock or solve all our

problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises

needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin. Our economy is recovering.

A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over. And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to

you, I have learned from you, and you've made me a better president. And with your stories and your struggles, I

return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the

future that lies ahead.

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're

not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain

more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America. And

together with your help and God's grace we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is

that we live in the greatest nation on Earth. Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless these United States.

Chicago, IL, U.S.A. / November 7, 2012

TURKEY

PAGE 10

Erdoğan puts the death penalty back on Turkey’s agenda, suggesting that a majority of the public

wants to see it back in force.

Erdoğan’s remarks came after he warned the hundreds of hunger strikers that their strike would not help

in the release of Abdullah Öcalan, he then referred to the issue of capital punishment with regard to Öca-

lan. ―A death penalty was handed to a terrorist chief who was the cause of death for tens of thousands of

people, but this country abolished the death penalty due to pressure from known places.‖ Erdoğan said.

―Right now a lot of people say in public surveys that capital punishment

should be reintroduced, because the relatives of the dead are hurt while

others enjoy themselves at kebab parties.‖ He once again addressed this

issue in Bali Democracy Forum recalling a Norwegian killer that was

handed down an only 21-year sentence for murdering 77 people in a

shooting and bombing incident. Today’s Zaman / November 9, 2012

Abdullah Gul confirmed that Ankara was in talks with NATO about de-

ploying a defence system on its soil.

Speaking to reporters , Gul said Turkey had no intention of going to war

with Syria but that it wanted to take steps against any possible threat from

its southern neighbor. “When these types of potential dangers are out

there, all the necessary precautions are taken. One of these precautions is

to take measures to counter ballistic missiles,” Gul told reporters. NATO

says it has not received a request from Turkey but that it would consider

any demand at the North Atlantic Council. U.S State Department spokes-

women Victoria Nuland said “As you know, in the past we have reinforced

Turkey with Patriots. So we will await a formal request and then NATO will

deliberate. But we’re obviously looking at the full range of things to ensure

that Turkey remains safe and secure.” Reuters / November 8, 2012

Erdoğan Says Death Penalty Sometimes Justified

Gül Says NATO Mulling for Turkey

In an exclusive interview President Bashar Assad accused the Turkish PM of

eyeing Syria with imperial ambitions.

Syrian President Assad, saying the last conversation between Assad and Erdoğan

was in May 2011, stated that Erdoğan’s government become a foothold for the

opposition in Syria. "Erdogan thinks that if the Muslim Brotherhood takes over in

the region - and especially in Syria - he can guarantee his own political future. He

also personally thinks he is the

new Ottoman sultan and that he

can control the region as it was

controlled during the Ottoman

Empire under a new umbrella,"

al-Assad said. "In his heart he

thinks he is a Caliph. These are

the main reasons for him to shift

his policy from zero problems to

zero friends," he added. Hürriyet

Daily News / November 9, 2012

“Erdoğan Thinks He is a Caliph”

Two Turkish citizens in the

border town of Ceylanpinar

were wounded by gunfire

from the Syrian town of Ras

al-Ain just across the

border, where Syrian rebels

are fighting government

forces, a Turkish official

said. Reuters / November

8, 2012

The legal arrangement for

presenting a defense in

court in the mother tongue

is edging its way to be

signed into a law and it will

be taken up at the Turkish

Grand National Assembly

once Turkish PM returns

from his foreign trip.

TRT English / November

9, 2012

Ex-Chief of staff Büyükanıt

testifies says the 2007

military e-memo was not a

threat against democracy,

but a warning to the

government.

Daily News / November 9,

2012

12 November 2012:

Ali Baba & 40 Haramiler (Opera)

Opera Sahnesi/20.00

13 November 2012:

Çocuk Gelinler (Exhibition)

Ttürk Ġngiliz Derneği Sanat Galerisi/18.30

Üç Yönetmen Üç Oyun(Theater)

Stüdyo Sahne/ 20.00

14 November 2012:

Janusz Szport Trio & MeltemEge

(Concert)

Hayal Kahvesi/ 22.00

33 Varyasyon (Theater)

Akün Sahnesi/ 20.00

15 November 2012:

Büyük Ev Ablukada (Concert)

Sanatolia Ankara Komedi Sahnesi/ 20.00

Güntaç Özdemir (Concert)

IF Performance Hall/ 22.00

16 November 2012:

Hürrem Sultan (Theater)

Büyük Tiyatro/20.00

Sattas (Concert)

Hayal Kahvesi/ 22.00

17 November 2012:

Dj Burak Yeter (Party)

James Dean/ 23.00

Ahmet Turgut ve Mehmet Turgut

AFSAD/ 16.00

For more information, visit:

ankaradanefesalmarehberi.blogspot.com

Without Words

PAGE 11

STATE OF FLORIDA (U.S.)

Capital: Tallahassee

Largest City: Jacksonville

Official Language: English

Governor: Rick Scott (R)

Admission to Union: March 3, 1845

Population: 19,057,542

GDP (Per Capita): $39,563.

State Budget: $73.8 Bn.

Senators: Bill Nelson (D), Marco Rubio (R)

EVENT

CALENDAR

EDITORIAL

TWITTER FEED

Moving surplus cash from Bank of Eng's

APF to Treasury cuts gov deficit by £11bn a

year - but its a cut in perceived debt, not

real debt.

Robert Peston, Business Editor for BBC

From the bottom of our hearts, Ann and I

thank you for your support, prayers,

efforts, & vote. We are forever grateful to

every one of you

Mitt Romney, Former Governor of Mass.

[Obama] lost the popular vote by a lot and

won the election. We should have a

revolution in this country!

Donald Trump, CEO of Trump Org.

GENERAL DIRECTOR

Alper AKGÜN

CO-EDITOR

Yiğitcan ERDOĞAN

COORDINATORS

Hazal AKGÜL, AyĢe ATASOY, Cansu BULUKLU,

Begüm ÇELĠKTUTAN

EUROPE CORRESPONDENTS

Ekin BOZKURT, Dan PRITCHETT, Asude Dilan

YĠĞĠT

AMERICAS CORRESPONDENT

Paddy SPICER WARD

ASIA CORRESPONDENTS

Bektur ELEBESOV, H. Sinan GÜLER

M. EAST & AFRICAS CORRESPONDENTS

R. Sinan USTA, Çağlar YILDIZ

TURKEY CORRESPONDENTS

Didem ELERMAN, Yağmur ERġAN

SOCIAL EVENTS CORRESPONDENT

Yağmur ÇĠFTÇĠ