Police Arrest Palestinian Would-be Migrants in Tripoli

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية by Naharnet Newsdesk 30 September 2015, 11:56

The Internal Security Forces arrested on Wednesday scores of Palestinians while trying to leave the port of the northern city of Tripoli on a migrant boat, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The ISF Intelligence Branch made the arrest of 40 Palestinians, including women, who reside in the southern refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, said NNA.

Police also apprehended the boat's owner, it said.

The final destination of the migrants was Germany, the agency added.

Last month, nine people, including women and children, were killed when a boat smuggling Palestinians from Tripoli sank in Turkey's territorial waters, one of the survivors said.

The survivor told his relatives that the boat was carrying 40 Palestinians from Syrian camps, mainly Yarmuk in Damascus, who had taken refuge in Palestinian shantytowns in northern Lebanon.

But Tripoli Port authorities denied the vessel started its journey from the facility and it was not clear if the final destination of the migrants was Turkey.

G.K.

M.T.

Source: Police Arrest Palestinian Would-be Migrants in Tripoli

Kuala Lumpur and Penang among Top 10 favoured holiday destinations for Muslim travellers

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 29, 2015:

Muslim tourists spent US$62 billion on shopping and dining while holidaying, making Kuala Lumpur and Penang to be among the favoured Top 10 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.

After Dubai, Kuala Lumpur the city which boasts the iconic KL Twin Towers and numerous heritage tourist spots, topped the list in the MasterCard-Cresent Rating Muslim Travel Shopping Index 2015, with Penang clinching the ninth position after Bali.

Kuala Lumpur came in second most popular destination for shopping and dining, ahead of Singapore, on an overall list of 40 cities which came under the MTSI2015 survey on Muslim travellers and their shopping habits.

The survey comprised Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries, and non-OIC countries, with Singapore topping the list of destinations amongst non-OIC countries which included London, Paris, Bangkok, New York and Hong Kong.

The 40 cities covered in the MTSI2015 survey were scored against certain criteria which included sustainability as a shopping destination, Muslim friendly services and facilities, ease of travel.

"The report is a fascinating insight into the shopping habits of Muslim consumers and will prove to be a valuable tool to the entire sector," said CrescentRating and HalalTrip CEO, Fazal Bahardeen.

The Muslim population, with the majority coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and the Gulf region and are becoming increasingly important segment for business across all sectors.

Their preferance for products and services are influenced by their faith based requirements, and this was clearly visible by the accelerated growth seen in the halal food and Islamic banking.

"The muslim travel market was worth US$145billion last year with 108 million muslim travellers, and this is expected to grow to 150 million travellers by 2020 spending almost US$200 billion."

MTSI 2015 report revealed that Muslim travelers spent a total of US$53.7 billion USD in terms of shopping and dining here in Kuala Lumpur.

The research looks at two important expenditure components which are shopping and dining and revealed a detailed insights about consumer spending behavior.

MTSI 2015 is the latest research collaboration between MasterCard and CrescentRating on this sector following the launch of the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015 earlier this year.

Earlier this year, Malaysia was named as number one travel destination across the globe in the Muslim travel market, according to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2015 (GMTI 2015).

Source: Kuala Lumpur and Penang among Top 10 favoured holiday destinations for Muslim travellers

Walking with migrants: the diary of a journey from Greece to Berlin

Several hundred migrants resting in Victoria Square in Athens Photo: Getty

By Magdy Samaan

11:47AM BST 28 Sep 2015

Day 5 Sunday 27 September 5.00pm, train from Athens to Thessaloniki

I am moving on to Thessaloniki, close to the Macedonian border, the next step on the route to Serbia and from there Hungary or Croatia.

In the buffet of a train out of Athens, an Iraqi man was trying to ask a Greek woman when we would arrive in Thessaloniki.

When I asked him in Arabic "Can I help you?" he sighed with relief, and we sat down to talk over coffee.

Taha Hasan Salman, 27, was from Al-Za'franiya, south-east of Baghdad. He was tired of living in fear and decided to leave, even if that meant drowning in the sea. "Every now and then we have suicide bombs," he said. "You always live in fear in Iraq."

His father died in 2008 and his mother six months ago. His sister went mad after losing her parents and because of the stress of living in Baghdad. He divorced his wife last year after four years of unsuccessful marriage.

In Iraq he worked as a car electrician, wi th some extra work mending computers. Mr Salman said that shortly before he decided to leave he was attacked by a gang while walking back to his home. They stabbed him between his neck and shoulder and he was lucky to survive.

Taha Hasan Salman, an Iraqi travelling alone, in the buffet car of an Athens-Thessaloniki train. He did not want to show his full face  Photo: MAGDY SAMAAN/THE TELEGRAPH

When he arrived in Piraeus, he didn't attract the attention of the bus agents, who offer direct routes to the Macedonia-Greece border. He asked some other people how to get to the border and they told him to travel by train. Taking the train by day is more expensive than at night but he didn't know t hat and was in a hurry to move on..

He had flown to Istanbul from Baghdad, then stayed in Turkey for six days.

"I was afraid of smugglers and the stories of the people who were drowning at the sea but I had no choice.

"When I arrived at the coast near Izmir, I bought a life jacket. The smugglers told us: nobody takes bags. You put your important stuff - money, passports - in a plastic bag."

But Mr Salman had already bought an expensive bag for the journey and he didn't want to leave it, so he put his bag inside a plastic bag.

When he was told to board a rubber dinghy, he was nervous because he could see it was overloaded with people. Mr Salman dawdled but someone shouted "Go!" and he said he was afraid to turn back in case the smugglers killed him and took his money.

It was 7 pm when they left the Turkish coast. "The people on the boat were too heavy and water was coming in - we used our shoes to get the water out of the boat."

The smugglers didn't go with them, one of the refugees took the rudder. They could see lights on a Greek island, Mr Salman didn't know its name but knew that it was a military island.

When they arrived, a refugee stabbed the rubber boat with a knife so that the Greek coastguards couldn't force them to turn back. Soldiers approached them and Mr Salman, coming from Iraq, feared they might open fire. But a soldier asked if anyone spoke English and then brought them a box with some water bottles and food.

• What is the difference between a refugee, a migrant and an asylum seeker?

They were instructed to stand in three lines, and then were taken to a military camp to sleep.

Mr Salman was wearing the life jacket under his jacket. His clothes were wet but he couldn't change as his bag was taken by the Greek soldiers.

In the morning, they were given back their bags, and were taken to Leros island. They were divided into three groups: those who had passports, those who had any other ID, and third group who hadn't any ID.

When he was asked by the coastguard where he was from, he said Syria, but a Syrian man told the police that he was not a Syrian because of his accent.

In Leros, they had good treatment, they were given food and new clothes. From there they booked a ferry to Athens. In all, Mr Salman had spent four days travelling from Turkey to Athens.

When I asked him where he was heading, he said: "It doesn't matter. Any European country. The most important thing is to get rid of the nightmare and live in peace without fear."

We eventually arrived in Thessaloniki at about 10 pm. Some fellow Iraqis he had met in Turkey had arrived in Greece as well, by a different route. They called him at his whatsapp telling him that they were also about to arrive in Thessaloniki. He decided to wait for them so they could continue their journey together.

Day 4 Saturday 26 September 11.00pm Athens

I will move on to Thessaloniki tomorrow, which is about 31 miles from the Macedonian border and is a big destination for people heading north towards Hungary and Croatia.

We've had a rainy day with thunder, the worst weather for people who sleep in the streets.

One of the bus agents around Piraeus port introduced me to an Iraqi man who wants to go back to a refugee camp in Kurdistan after his money was stolen.

Delshar Mohamed, 32, is from Sinjar, outside Mosul. He has two wives and six children. He left for Kurdistan in August 2014 after Isil seized Mosul. Although he is Sunni Muslim, he preferred to flee his home, as he has Kurdish roots.

Delshar Mohamed, from Sinjar outside Mosul, showing that he has only 750 Iraqi dinars, which equals to 42p  Photo: MAGDY SAMAAN/THE TELEGRAPH

Two weeks ago he decided to join refugees crossing to Europe. He left his family, crossed to Turkey and then it was easy to find a smuggler in Izmir, who charged him $1,200 to cross to the Greek islands.

Mr Mohamed has no money even for food; he said that he had gone two days without food until a Syrian man helped him to buy some..

"I want to return to Erbil, my money was stolen," he said. "I have been without food or water for two days. I sleep in the street. I can't continue.

"My family is now living in a tent in Zakho [in Iraqi Kurdistan], they told me to come back. They told me we don't have money; we don't have anything to eat.

"My mother was getting a pension but she hasn't been paid for 4 months. They have only 500,000 Iraqi dinar, it equals $400."

Delshar Mohamed with his ID. He left for Kurdistan in August 2014 after Isil seized Mosul but two weeks ago decided to leave his family and go to Europe  Photo: MAGDY SAMAAN/THE TELEGRAPH

His oldest child Jina, is seven, and the youngest, Abas, is just two months.

Having been living on the streets around Piraeus for several days, he had decided that life with his family in a tent in Kurdistan was better. But a bus agent was trying to persuade him to continue the journey north so that what it had cost him so far wasn't money spent in vain.

12.00pm Athens

Before moving on from Athens, I went back to Piraeus port. A big ferry had just arrived from one of the islands. There were a lot of people coming off it exhausted, and worried.

Among them was Abo Khaled, a Syrian man in his fifties fro m outside Damascus. He wanted to leave by bus for the Macedonian border immediately.

He had been living in Turkey, while his wife and four children have been in Amman, Jordan. The war had divided them against their will.

The family fled the Damascus countryside to Daraa during regime bombing, and from Daraa they crossed the border to Jordan. At that time he was working in Aleppo. His brother was a general in the Syrian army but defected – when that happened Abo Khaled was afraid to return to Damascus and fled north, entering Turkey last year.

His son Khaled, 12, has been sick with hepatitis C. The family had been in the Zaatari refugee camp but moved to Amman to get medication for Khaled.

It was difficult for him to travel to join them in Jordan, and they hadn't found a way for them to come to Turkey.

"I don't know what my destination is yet – if I make it to Hungary I will go to Germany, if not I might go to Sweden."

When I aske d him about his name he refused to give his real one. "I have a sister still in Syria and I'm afraid she might be in danger."

Eyad, 7, from Damascus wanted to pose for a picture because he was happy to have reached Athens  Photo: MAGDY SAMAAN/THE TELEGRAPH

Day 3 Friday 25 September 8.00 pm Victoria Square, Athens

Since the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 – long before the current migrant crisis – Athens has been one of Afghan refugees' favourite destinations. But recently this community has been boosted with thousands of new migrants.

The ground road from Afghanistan to Athens is long and tough but over time it has become known to many, who even risk bringing their entire family all the way.

Today, hundreds of Afghans are camped in Victoria Square, near the centre of Athens, where a lot of their countrymen who migrated years earlier live. But Victoria Square and the area surrounding it is also famous for prostitution, drugs and crime.

He doesn't speak English but his eyes reveal his feeling of loss. His wife was holding a baby in her hands, and his 11-year-old daughter Mariam was trying to help us translate.
Source: Walking with migrants: the diary of a journey from Greece to Berlin

Seventeen migrants killed when boat sinks off Turkish coast – Anadolu

Reuters, 27/09 12:21 CET

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Seventeen migrants drowned when their boat sank on Sunday off the Turkish coast while headed for the Greek island of Kos, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The boat was carrying 37 people, 20 of whom were rescued, when it sank in the Aegean Sea, Anadolu said, citing local governor Amir Cicek.

The 8-meter boat had set off from the coastal village of Gumusluk and all those on board had been accounted for, Anadolu said.

The area is part of the larger Bodrum peninsula, a popular tourist destination where this summer the body of drowned toddler Aylan Kurdi washed up, sparking international outrage.

A record 300,000 or more Syrians and other migrants have arrived in Greece, mostly setting off from Turkey's Aegean coast, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

While Kos is just 4 km (2.5 miles) from Bodrum at its closest, the journey is perilous, as migrants often cram into rubber dinghies captained by men with little or no seafaring experience.

The coastguard has rescued more than 53,000 migrants, but 274 have died in Turkish waters, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus has said, without giving a time frame.

(Reporting by David Dolan; Editing by David Holmes)

euronews provides breaking news articles from Reuters as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes.

Copyright 2015 Reuters.

Source: Seventeen migrants killed when boat sinks off Turkish coast – Anadolu

Destination Antalya: Soak up the atmosphere of the historic Turkish resort

Gateway to the Turkish Riviera, modern Antalya, with its charming historic heart, is now one of the liveliest resorts along the stunning turquoise Coast, renowned for its sunshine, beaches and panoramic sea and mountain views.

Wrapped around the Gulf of Antalya and blessed with the longest stretch of coastline in Turkey, one of the city's most popular beaches is Konyaalti, a broad sweep of rough sand brimming with sunbeds, beach brollies and water sports.

Golden, softer sands can also be found at Lara Beach or a little further on at Alanya or Side.

Once used as protection from pirates, stroll through Hadrian's Gate to Kaleiçi (Old Antalya), a mesmerising maze of shadowy streets, shaded by palm trees and bustling with bazaars.

Many of the grand Ottoman houses have now been turned into beautiful boutique hotels or upmarket restaurants.

The district's fascinating nooks and crannies echo with the enchanting call to prayer from the fluted minarets. The old Roman harbour is a hive of activity by day, with the constant toing and froing of gulet cruises.

The popular Konyaalti Beach

In the evening, it's an atmospheric spot to watch the dramatic sunsets turning the sky deep crimson over the hazy silhouettes of the majestic Taurus Mountains.

Archaeology lovers will never tire of visiting nearby ancient sites such as Perge, Side, Olimpos and the ruined city of Termessos. Antalya Museum, one of Turkey's finest, houses a treasure trove of magical artefacts not to be missed.

Bargains galore can be found in the colourful bazaars filled with spices, jewellery, curly toed slippers and clothes tailor-made to fit in a matter of minutes. Haggling may go against the grain but you'll soon get the hang of it.

Pay in cash with Turkish Lira for the best buys, although other currencies such as euros or sterling are often accepted but, sadly, not Scottish bank notes.

Activities for all ages include walking, golf, horse riding, river rafting, jeep safaris, mountain biking and parasailing.

On the very unusual occasion that the sun doesn't shine, families should head to Antalya Aquarium, one of the biggest in the world.

Night life, too, is buzzing with a rich tapestry of everything from traditional Turkish taverns to raucous, open-air dance clubs.

Turkish slippers

Surrounded by such dramatic peaks and greenery, it's a breath of fresh air to escape the frenetic pace of the city for day trips to Düden and Kursunlu Waterfalls or the Bridge Canyon National Park and the Roman City of Selge.

Trams, minibuses and affordable hire cars make it easy to get around, while Antalya's international airport is just a few miles from the city centre.

No wonder this vibrant seaside resort with its heady mix of attractions makes such a popular getaway.

This article was brought to you in association with Turkish Airlines who operate nine flights a week to Antalya from Edinburgh. Prices start from just £196 per person, including tax.

To book or for more information, visit www.turkishairlines.com or call 0844 800 6666.

Source: Destination Antalya: Soak up the atmosphere of the historic Turkish resort

Wave of refugees into Greece, Turkey showing no sign of abating

Syrian refugees frantically run off an overcrowded dinghy moments after arriving on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast.

A tide of refugees from the Middle East and Asia showed no sign of abating on Thursday (Friday NZ Time), after European Union leaders began the task of trying to prevent tens of thousands of people fleeing war or poverty from streaming unchecked through the continent.

After weeks of recrimination and buck-passing, a summit on Wednesday (Thursday NZT) produced a glimmer of political unity on measures to help the refugees closer to home, or at least register their asylum requests as soon as they enter the EU.

However, all attempts in recent weeks to stem the flow have only prompted more desperate people to make a dash for Europe before the doors are shut or winter makes the trip too perilous.

A group of refugees walk through a rocky beach towards a nearby village after arriving in a dinghy after crossing part of the Aegean Sea from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos.

On Thursday, about 1200 crossed from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos on 24 boats in under an hour, following the 2500 who had made the dangerous crossing the previous day.

Weeks ago, most would have found the quickest route into the EU and their preferred destination of Germany was from Serbia into Hungary.

But since Hungary took unilateral action by sealing its border with razor-wire, an overwhelmed Serbia has passed the problem to the EU's newest member, Croatia, which says it also cannot keep pace with the influx.

Demanding that Serbia send at least some of the refugees and migrants to Hungary or Romania, Croatia barred all Serbian-registered vehicles from entering.

Serbia compared those restrictions to racial laws enforced by a Nazi puppet state in Croatia in World War Two. It blocked Croatian goods and cargo vehicles in the escalating dispute, which has dragged relations between the former Yugoslav republics to their lowest ebb since the overthrow of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

MONEY FOR MIDDLE EAST

In an attempt to forestall such rows, EU leaders on Wednesday night pledged at least €1 billion (NZ$1.8 billion) for Syrian refugees in the Middle East and closer cooperation to stem the flow of people.

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The summit also decided that EU-staffed "hotspots" would be set up in Greece and Italy by November to register and fingerprint new arrivals and start the process of relocating Syrians and others likely to win refugee status to other EU states, while deporting those classed as economic migrants.

The meeting eased some of the acrimony seen on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT) when four eastern European countries were overruled in their opposition to a plan to distribute 120,000 asylum seekers proportionally among member states. That number is still only a fraction of the almost half a million who have arrived in the EU this year.

Already, the wealthier countries of northern Europe are starting to push back some of the thousands of people who have crossed their borders, reasserting the principle that refugees must request asylum at the point where they enter the bloc - a demand of overwhelmed transit countries such as Hungary.

Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner said her country, which together with Germany temporarily waived the rule for Syrian refugees three weeks ago, had sent back more than 5000 migrants to safe EU countries that they had crossed.

RUNNING BEHIND EVENTS

"For a functioning asylum system, you need an effective return policy, and there's still a lot of work to do on this," she said.

But Bulgaria, until now a secondary transit country for refugees, feared that the EU's latest actions would only divert more of the migrants coming from Turkey onto its territory.

"Should we wait until 300,000 refugees enter Bulgaria before we summon an extraordinary sitting for Bulgaria, too?" Prime Minister Boiko Borisov told reporters.

"We are running behind events ... In the EU we gather only to say how many billions should be allocated and where to relocate the migrants. We cannot take any other decisions that get ahead of events."

Germany has offered the warmest welcome to refugees, especially those from Syria, with business leaders and the government saying migration can help to counter the effects of an ageing population and prevent a shortage of labour.

Nevertheless, many Germans are concerned about how easily the newcomers can be integrated, not least some of Chancellor Angela Merkel's political allies.

Germany expects to receive 800,000 migrants in 2015, but even last year the population rose by 430,000 to 81.2 million, its biggest increase since 1992, the German statistics office said.

A strong economy means many will find work. German unemployment is expected to fall by 100,000 this year, although the labour office research institute IAB said it could rise again by 70,000 in 2016 under the influx of newcomers.

 - Reuters

Source: Wave of refugees into Greece, Turkey showing no sign of abating

Syrian refugees in Turkey try to cross border to Europe

Refugees shout slogan at a park in Edirne, western border city of Turkey, on Sept. 22, 2015. As the Syrian conflict enters its fifth year, millions of Syrians who seek refuge in neighboring Turkey will spend their Eid al-Adha far away from familiar surroundings and their loved ones. Recently, thousands of refugees rushed to Turkey's border with Europe, demanding to travel to Greece for more welfare, but their appeal was met with prevention by riot police. Hundreds are still waiting in northwestern Edirne and Istanbul provinces. (Xinhua/He Canling)

EDIRNE, Turkey, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- As Muslims are preparing to celebrate the traditional festival Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, thousands of Syrian refugees gathered in Turkey's western border city of Edirne, shouting desperately again and again "We want to cross the border!"

This is one picture depicting the life of more than 1,000 Syrian refugees who have waited over 10 days near the Turkish border with Greece and Bulgaria in an attempt to reach Europe.

Above the shouting crowds are banners reading in English and Arabic: "Open the border," "EU save children" and "I don't want to die in sea."

Edirne, which is known for Turkey's traditional oil wrestling, has turned into a new hot spot in the escalating refugee crisis.

Many refugees have built makeshift camps outside of the wrestling fields, waiting for their chances for a new life.

"I have waited here for eight days. I just want to cross the border to my final destination Germany," Mohamed Mohsin, from Syrian town of Deir Ezzor, told Xinhua.

"If I can not cross the border in land, I will try to go by sea despite the danger of life. Life now is difficult in Turkey," he said.

As his wish for the Eid al-Adha, he said "I wish European countries will find solution to our problems and accept us as legal migrants."

When addressing a large crowd of refugees, Edirne Governor Dursun Ali Sahin tried to convince the refugees to return to Istanbul, claiming that both Greece and Bulgaria have sent additional forces in order to prevent refugees from crossing their borders with Turkey.

As the civil war in Syria has now entered its fourth year, about two million refugees have fled from the war in their country. About 300,000 Syrian refugees are living in camps in southern Turkish cities close to the Syrian border.

In the first five months of 2015, over 42,000 people arrived by sea in Greece, most of them refugees, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The UNHCR said more than 300,000 people have risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, with around 2,500 refugees and migrants have died or gone missing trying to reach Europe.

Related:

Spotlight: EU pushes through plan to relocate 120,000 refugees amid oppositions

BRUSSELS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The governments of European Union (EU) member countries approved the proposal to relocate 120,000 migrants by a majority vote on Tuesday amid fierce oppositions from several countries in central and eastern Europe.

The European Commission has proposed resettling the 120,000 refugees on top of the 40,000 refugees that member states have already agreed to relocate from EU countries exposed to massive migratory flows.Full Story

EU's Juncker urges efforts on solving refugee crisis at budget meeting

BRUSSELS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday continued to urge efforts on solving refugee crisis at a budget meeting.

Juncker made the fresh appeal in his address to afternoon's conference "EU Budget focused on Results", while the EU's interior ministers were struggling to iron out difference on relocating another 120,000 refugees.   Full story

More than 23,000 asylum seekers cross Austrian border over weekend

VIENNA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 23,700 migrants crossed into Austria over the past weekend, Austrian authorities revealed Monday.

The figures were revised upward from earlier estimates, authorities initially having stated that 11,000 of the asylum seekers had crossed the Austrian border in the east and south of the country, which are now believed to have in fact been 13,000 people.   Full story

Source: Syrian refugees in Turkey try to cross border to Europe

Putin opens huge new mosque in Russian capital

Turkey, Marmara, Istanbul, Middle East, Mediterranean area, Bosphorus, Travel Destination, Blue Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Mosque (the only mosque in Turkey to have six minarets)Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday opened one of the biggest mosques in Europe, warning against the lure of jihadists as the government frets over its citizens fighting for the Islamic State group.

Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas were the guests of honour at the unveiling of the 20,000-square metre mosque in the Russian capital.

"This mosque will become an extremely important spiritual centre for Muslims in Moscow and the whole Russia," Putin said in a televised speech.

"It will be a source for education, spreading humanist ideas and the true values of Islam."

The turquoise-domed mosque can host over 10,000 worshippers and is one of the largest in the country that will help to serve Russia's estimated 20 million muslims.

The $170 million (150 million-euro) project, which took a decade to complete, caused controversy over the destruction of an earlier mosque that stood on the site.

Moscow — which has battled an Islamic insurgency in its volatile southern Caucasus region — is worried about the pull of extremist groups, especially Islamic State jihadists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev last week estimated that some 1,800 Russian citizens are fighting for the radical group.

Putin in his speech lashed out at jihadist groups for their "attempts to cynically exploit religious feeling for political ends."

"We see what is happening in the Middle East where terrorists from the so-called Islamic State group are compromising a great world religion, compromising Islam, in order to sow hate," he said.

Putin was later set to meet Erdogan for talks that were expected to focus on the Syrian conflict, as the West frets about a buildup of Russian forces in the war-torn country.

The United States says Moscow has recently sent troops, tanks and fighter jets to Syria, sparking fears that Russia could be looking to join the fight alongside its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey and Russia stand on opposing sides over the crisis in Syria, with Ankara fiercely backing the rebels trying to oust Assad.

Turkey is currently waging what Ankara describes as a two-pronged "war on terror" against both IS and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), although so far air strikes have overwhelmingly focused on bases of the Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.

Moscow has been on a diplomatic push to try to get Western and regional powers involved in a coalition against IS to join forces with Assad.

Source: Putin opens huge new mosque in Russian capital

EU ministers meet to break deadlock on migrant crisis

A plan to share out refugees across the European Union was rejected outright by the Czech Republic on Tuesday and criticized by a United Nations agency for not going far enough.

Hours before a meeting of EU interior ministers to discuss the proposal, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said his country would reject any quota system for redistributing 120,000 refugees across the 28-nation bloc.

Nearly half a million people fleeing war and poverty, two-fifths of them from Syria, have crossed the Mediterranean this year to reach Europe, overwhelming the EU's southern states and plunging them into furious rows over border controls.

The U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR, said the 120,000 people the bloc is seeking to share out were equivalent to just 20 days' worth of arrivals at the current rate.

"A relocation program alone, at this stage in the crisis, will not be enough to stabilize the situation," UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said, calling on the EU to set up reception facilities for tens of thousands of refugees at any one time.

Amid bitter recriminations between member states, EU leaders want to focus at an emergency summit on Wednesday on ramping up aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey and the rest of the Middle East and tightening control on the bloc's frontiers.

Officials are hoping that some compromise on the relocation scheme can be found when interior ministers meet at 2:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m EDT) on Tuesday, to prevent the summit being consumed by the same thorny issue.

But despite seeking consensus for weeks on the quota plan, diplomats said it was still unclear whether a deal could be reached.

Senior officials have voiced growing exasperation with the feuding -- notably between Germany, the main destination for the refugees, which wants governments to accept mandatory national quotas for housing the newcomers, and ex-Communist eastern states vehemently opposed to such demands.

The EU's executive Commission backs the quota scheme, but opponents call it a distraction, irrelevant to the problem of targeting aid to the neediest and reducing the numbers risking dangerous sea crossings.

After a failed interior ministers meeting last week, it is clear that the dissenters, notably Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, can be out-voted. But diplomats said they were working to find consensus to avoid such an outcome, arguing that on such a sensitive issue it could further poison relations in the bloc.

"This is the worst I've ever known things in more than 20 years dealing with European affairs," one senior diplomat said.

SUMMIT PLANS

EU officials hope the emergency summit will deliver concrete pledges of financial and other support for Turkey, Jordan and other nations housing some four million Syrian refugees, as well as for the 11 million Syrians now homeless in their own country.

"We feel that after the past few weeks people are much more ready to support refugees while they are still outside Europe, so we want to jump on that," one senior EU official said.

The Commission said last week it was ready to come up with about 1 billion euros for Turkey, more than five times what the EU has already deployed for the two million refugees there.

A senior official told Reuters that about two-thirds of that sum would come from existing funds penciled in for Turkey and the rest by diverting other money in the EU's common budget. But a key element would be raising a matching sum from EU states.

Funds would be used to help the most affected communities, boost health services and support teaching in Arabic. In return, Turkey must do more to improve the conditions for refugees, to fight smugglers and stop more people reaching Greece.

"Turkey has to deliver," the official said. "Europe wants to take its share of refugees and will do, but Syrians should stay as close as possible to their homes."

Turkey wants money but also more recognition of its status after many years in which it has been held in a limbo of possible a ccession to the EU. Europe is considering holding a "mini-summit" with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Oct. 5.

(This version of the story was corrected to say to say 120,000 refugees is equivalent to 20 days' worth of arrivals, not six in paragraph four)

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Source: EU ministers meet to break deadlock on migrant crisis

Investigation on Bangkok Bombing Turns to Human Traffickers in China and Turkey

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Source: Investigation on Bangkok Bombing Turns to Human Traffickers in China and Turkey

13 killed in boat collision off Turkey

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At least 13 refugees have been killed after a boat on its way to Greece collided with a ferry off the coast of Turkey, reports say.

The Turkish Dogan News Agency said the incident took place after the inflatable boat carrying 46 refugees collided with a ferry, on Sunday.

Four children were reportedly among the dead whose nationalities remain unknown.

The boat had been on its way from the northwestern Turkish port of Canakkale to the Greek island of Lesbos.

According to the report, 20 people were rescued after they were spotted by a European Union helicopter.

The AFP photo shows a young refugee girl at Istanbul's Esenler Bus Terminal on September 15, 2015.

The boat was the second to sink on Sunday in the Aegean Sea. The Greek coastguard said another two dozen people are feared missing from another similar incident near Lesbos.

Lesbos has in recent weeks received a wave of Syrian refugees fleeing violence in their country, with many risking their lives while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

Refugees wait to complete their registration procedure by the police at a registration center on the Greek island of Lesbos on September 8, 2015. (AFP photo)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said over 442,440 refugees have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean so far this year, 2,921 of whom have reportedly lost their lives during the perilous journey.

Most of the asylum seekers are reportedly fleeing conflict-hit zones in Africa and the Middle East.

Germany has become the top destination for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the foreign-backed violence in Syria and elsewhere. The country is expecting up to a million refugees in 2015, up from 200,000 last year.

A number of European nations have imposed harsh anti-refugee policies aimed at controlling the influx of arrivals in recent weeks.

Source: 13 killed in boat collision off Turkey

Investigation on Bangkok Bombing Turns to Human Traffickers in China and Turkey

Somyot said the Bangkok bomb and the ransacking of the Thai consulate in Istanbul – which occurred the day after the deportation – were "for the same reason: illegal human migration, with an origin here and destination Turkey".

A team of senior Thai police was heading for Malaysia after reports that three suspects arrested by Malaysian police may have been linked with the Bangkok bombing.

"I said, the bombing at Ratchaprasong Intersection was a outcome of Thai authorities destroying a Uighur human trafficking network, which had been going on for a long time", he said today.

The August 17 bombing killed 20, the majority ethnic Chinese tourists including two Hongkongers, raising the possibility of a link to militants or supporters of the Uygurs, who say they face heavy persecution in China.

On Tuesday, Somyot also elaborated on a possible motive, suggesting that in addition to being angry that the human trafficking network was broken up, the perpetrators were upset at the repatriation.

This is the first time that the Thai authorities have directly linked the bomb attack with the deportation of trafficked Uighur.

Thai authorities have avoided calling the bombing an act of terrorism, which they fear would harm Thailand's image as a tourist destination.

Royal Thai Police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang today walked back statements he made yesterday attributing the attack to anger over Thailand's deportation of 109 Uighurs under pressure from Beijing.

Thailand's junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha later questioned why Uighurs would carry out an attack yet not claim it.

The incident is the third this month in which a Turkish official has highlighted what appears to be an apparent betrayal of diplomatic protocol by Thailand's military government.

"There is no record of the suspect having entered Turkey", the [senior Turkish government] official said in an email on condition of anonymity in line with office policy.

On Monday, police said a key suspect in the bombing traveled with a Chinese passport and had fled to Turkey.

Hidden by multiple layers of deniability, official obfuscation, and patchy police work, the local masterminds likely acted in coordination with foreign criminals with prior links to wayward security officials to execute the politically sensitive attack, the same sources said.

"He departed Dhaka on August 30 for Delhi by Jet Airways", Prawut said.

Bilgiç underlined Tuesday that Turkey could only investigate a suspect after receiving information from the country concerned.

That determination reached near comical proportions on Saturday, when a warrant for a key suspect named as Abudusataer Abudureheman, or "Ishan", was issued.

Many Uighurs say they are discriminated against by the Chinese government. The theory is that a hybrid criminal-terror group staged the attack in revenge for their Turkic brethren's mistreatment in Thai custody.

Source: Investigation on Bangkok Bombing Turns to Human Traffickers in China and Turkey

World's top destination 2015 by TripAdvisor users

Travelers around the world are heaping praise on Marrakech, which has topped TripAdvisor's annual Travelers' Choice Awards for best destination 2015.

Known as the "Jewel of the Desert," the bustling city climbed five places to claim bragging rights to the top spot.

Award winners are determined using an algorithm that takes into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants, and attractions in destinations worldwide over a 12-month period.

Alongside the cacophony of the city's marketplaces and souks, the Medina -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- teleports visitors to the Middle Ages with its cobblestone streets, ramparts, labyrinthine alleys and courtyards, while the Jardin Majorelle serves as a mid-city respite.

After Marrakech, TripAdvisor users were most enamored with Siem Reap, Cambodia and Istanbul, Turkey, which round out the top three spots.

"These world-class destinations chosen by our community are rich in history, culture and beauty and offer endless sights to explore," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer.

Other notable movers on the list include Cape Town, Africa, which leapfrogged nine places to crack the top 10 list, as well as Siem Reap, which jumped seven spots to take second place.

Meanwhile, Rome seems to have lost its luster as the popular tourism hotspot was the biggest loser, falling five places from 2014.

This year, TripAdvisor has also compiled travel and shopping guides for top-ranked destinations along with hotel suggestions.

The most popular, top-scoring hotel for Marrakech is the Riad Noir d'Ivoire, a boutique hotel hidden within the Medina, decorated in sumptuous Middle Eastern colors and fabrics.

Here are the top 10 destinations for 2015, according to TripAdvisor users:

1. Marrakech, Morocco 

2. Siem Reap, Cambodia 

3. Istanbul, Turkey 

4. Hanoi, Vietnam 

5. Prague, Czech Republic 

6. London, England 

7. Rome, Italy 

8. Buenos Aires, Argentina 

9. Paris, France 

10. Cape Town, South Africa

Source: World's top destination 2015 by TripAdvisor users

Refugees seek new passports as a ticket to Europe

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Hundreds of Syrian refugees line up outside their embassy in Jordan every day for a long shot at a better future — applying for new passports that allow them to enter Turkey legally and from there start on a dangerous trek to Europe.

The crowds in Amman have been turning up since Syria began issuing passports for large numbers of refugees without travel documents. Also, cuts in international aid have made the refugees' survival even tougher in Mideast host countries like Jordan.

In a measure of their despair, some of those waiting in line said they sold their wives' gold dowry or went deeper into debt to pay $400 for a new passport, double what most make per month with off-the-books odd jobs.

There is also a sense of urgency among the refugees, after several European countries re-imposed border checks in recent days to stem the flow of migrants.

Refugees preparing for the journey said they are willing to gamble. They believe there is no future for them in overburdened Jordan, where they can't work legally or provide for their families.

"The minute I get the passport, I will fly to Turkey," said house painter Ali Mohammed, 33, one of those in line this week at the Syrian Embassy. Mohammed, who fled Syria in 2012, said his final destination is Germany, where some of his relatives have found asylum.

The new possibility of a direct Jordan-Turkey route feeds into growing migration from the conflict-scarred Middle East to an increasingly overwhelmed Europe.

EU member states have been arguing over a solution, with some rejecting Germany's proposed quota system for accepting migrants, saying it's too big a burden. Others believe quotas will only encourage more migration and that the world must send more help to keep refugees in host countries neighboring Syria.

The International Organization for Migration says more than 464,000 migrants and refugees crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year, and that 2,182 died on the way. The agency says among those making the crossing were 175,000 Syrians traveling via Turkey and Greece.

Germany has taken in the most, by far, with some 450,000 migrants registered so far this year. About one-third arrived since the beginning of August — though this also includes many migrants from Eastern Europe. Germany has said Syrians have the best chance of gaining asylum.

For now, most of the more than 4 million Syrians who fled their country since the conflict broke out in 2011 still live close to home — the main asylum countries are Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq.

Syrian refugees apply for passports inside their embassy, in Amman, Jordan on Sept. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

But life in these countries is becoming increasingly difficult. Faced with growing funding gaps, international agencies have cut back sharply on cash and food aid to refugees. More than one-third of 630,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan were dropped from a U.N. food voucher program in September.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government decided in late April to begin issuing passports to refugees. The pro-government newspaper al-Watan said at the time that the decision would facilitate the movement of hundreds of thousands of refugees without passports and bring significant foreign currency income for Syria.

The new policy also meant the door to Europe — from Turkey by sea to Greece and then overland through the Balkans — opened wider. Turkey does not require visitors' visas for Syrians, according to the country's Foreign Ministry website and an official at the Turkish embassy in Jordan.

With new passports in hand, Syrians can fly from Jordan to Turkey, rather than travel overland through their dangerous, strife-torn homeland first.

Ayman Alloush, Syria's top diplomat in Jordan, said Tuesday that his embassy now issues or renews about 10,000 passports per month.

He said he believes many of the refugees want to leave Jordan, where the situation for them "is not good at all," but denied Syria is encouraging the exodus.

The international community should invest more in host countries like Jordan if it hopes to stem the flow to Europe. "If the situation is better … nobody would like to take this dangerous journey to Europe or another country," he said.

Mohammad al-Halayka, a former head of the foreign affairs committee in the Jordanian parliament, said the departure of several thousands of refugees will not make a big difference for Jordan, considering the large number remaining.

"The refugee burden has exhausted Jordan," he said.

Obtaining passports is only the beginning, said several refugees outside the Syrian Embassy on Sunday. Some said they won't leave Jordan just yet, since they don't have enough money to pay smugglers in Turkey — according to refugees as much as $2,500 per person.

In the Lebanese capital of Beirut, several dozen men waited in line at the Syrian embassy on Wednesday to obtain passports.

Syrian refugees land on the shores of the Greek island Lesbos in an inflatable dingy across the Aegean Sea from Turkey on September 3, 2015. (Angelos Tzortzinis/ AFP)

Jumaa, a 25-year-old barber from eastern Syria, said that once he picks up his passport, he hopes to visit his parents in Turkey after a three-year separation. From there, he'll try to reach Germany, he said.

For most, Germany remains the top destination, partly because of recent ambiguous comments from German officials who said they expect up to 1 million refugees and migrants by the end of the year. Some refugees mistook the forecast for a promise.

Mohammed, the house painter, said he is determined to leave, despite the latest border restrictions in Europe.

On Sunday, Mohammed was told he could pick up his passport in five to six weeks. Mohammed sold his wife Myasser's last pieces of gold — two bracelets — to pay the fee for the document.

With passport in hand, he will fly to Turkey. His wife, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, will return to Syria temporarily with their sons, 5-year-old Hussein and 4-year-old Omar, to live with her parents. Once he reaches Germany, Mohammed plans to seek permission to bring over his family.

Mohammed pins his hopes on the example of his brother-in-law Nidal, a 34-year-old attorney, who reached Germany via Turkey nine months ago. Nidal has settled in the town of Saarbruecken and in July was joined by his wife Doa, Mohammed's sister.

The two men spoke over the phone on Sunday night.

"Guten Abend," Nidal said, conversing in beginner's German when Mohammed handed the phone to a reporter. Switching to Arabic, Nidal said the family is settling in.

Mohammed said he wants the same for his wife and children. "If I work, I can take care of my children," he said. "I'll live a decent life."

Looking up at an old wall-mounted TV at his tiny apartment in the Jordanian town of Zarqa, he pointed to the images of streams of refugees walking in Europe.

"Those people went," he said. "Now I'm No. 2, behind them."

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.

Syrian refugees gather outside their embassy waiting to apply for passports or to renew their old ones in Amman, Jordan on Sept. 15, 2015. (AP/Raad Adayleh)

Source: Refugees seek new passports as a ticket to Europe

Syrian refugees seek new passports as a ticket to Europe

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Hundreds of Syrian refugees line up outside their embassy in Jordan every day for a long shot at a better future — applying for new passports that allow them to enter Turkey legally and from there start on a dangerous trek to Europe.

The crowds in Amman have been turning up since Syria began issuing passports for large numbers of refugees without travel documents. Also, cuts in international aid have made the refugees' survival even tougher in Mideast host countries like Jordan.

In a measure of their despair, some of those waiting in line said they sold their wives' gold dowry or went deeper into debt to pay $400 for a new passport, double what most make per month with off-the-books odd jobs.

There is also a sense of urgency among the refugees, after several European countries re-imposed border checks in recent days to stem the flow of migrants.

Refugees preparing for the journey said they are willing to gamble. They believe there is no future for them in overburdened Jordan, where they can't work legally or provide for their families.

"The minute I get the passport, I will fly to Turkey," said house painter Ali Mohammed, 33, one of those in line this week at the Syrian Embassy. Mohammed, who fled Syria in 2012, said his final destination is Germany, where some of his relatives have found asylum.

The new possibility of a direct Jordan-Turkey route feeds into growing migration from the conflict-scarred Middle East to an increasingly overwhelmed Europe.

EU member states have been arguing over a solution, with some rejecting Germany's proposed quota system for accepting migrants, saying it's too big a burden. Others believe quotas will only encourage more migration and that the world must send more help to keep refugees in host countries neighboring Syria.

The International Organization for Migration says more than 464,000 migrants and refugees crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year, and that 2,182 died on the way. The agency says among those making the crossing were 175,000 Syrians traveling via Turkey and Greece.

Germany has taken in the most, by far, with some 450,000 migrants registered so far this year. About one-third arrived since the beginning of August — though this also includes many migrants from Eastern Europe. Germany has said Syrians have the best chance of gaining asylum.

For now, most of the more than 4 million Syrians who fled their country since the conflict broke out in 2011 still live close to home — the main asylum countries are Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq.

But life in these countries is becoming increasingly difficult. Faced with growing funding gaps, international agencies have cut back sharply on cash and food aid to refugees. More than one-third of 630,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan were dropped from a U.N. food voucher program in September.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government decided in late April to begin issuing passports to refugees. The pro-government newspaper al-Watan said at the time that the decision would facilitate the movement of hundreds of thousands of refugees without passports and bring significant foreign currency income for Syria.

The new policy also meant the door to Europe — from Turkey by sea to Greece and then overland through the Balkans — opened wider. Turkey does not require visitors' visas for Syrians, according to the country's Foreign Ministry website and an official at the Turkish embassy in Jordan.

With new passports in hand, Syrians can fly from Jordan to Turkey, rather than travel overland through their dangerous, strife-torn homeland first.

Ayman Alloush, Syria's top diplomat in Jordan, said Tuesday that his embassy now issues or renews about 10,000 passports per month.

He said he believes many of the refugees want to leave Jordan, where the situation for them "is not good at all," but denied Syria is encouraging the exodus.

The international community should invest more in host countries like Jordan if it hopes to stem the flow to Europe. "If the situation is better ... nobody would like to take this dangerous journey to Europe or another country," he said.

Mohammad al-Halayka, a former head of the foreign affairs committee in the Jordanian parliament, said the departure of several thousands of refugees will not make a big difference for Jordan, considering the large number remaining.

"The refugee burden has exhausted Jordan," he said.

Obtaining passports is only the beginning, said several refugees outside the Syrian Embassy on Sunday. Some said they won't leave Jordan just yet, since they don't have enough money to pay smugglers in Turkey — according to refugees as much as $2,500 per person.

In the Lebanese capital of Beirut, several dozen men waited in line at the Syrian embassy on Wednesday to obtain passports.

Jumaa, a 25-year-old barber from eastern Syria, said that once he picks up his passport, he hopes to visit his parents in Turkey after a three-year separation. From there, he'll try to reach Germany, he said.

For most, Germany remains the top destination, partly because of recent ambiguous comments from German officials who said they expect up to 1 million refugees and migrants by the end of the year. Some refugees mistook the forecast for a promise.

Mohammed, the house painter, said he is determined to leave, despite the latest border restrictions in Europe.

On Sunday, Mohammed was told he could pick up his passport in five to six weeks. Mohammed sold his wife Myasser's last pieces of gold — two bracelets — to pay the fee for the document.

With passport in hand, he will fly to Turkey. His wife, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, will return to Syria temporarily with their sons, 5-year-old Hussein and 4-year-old Omar, to live with her parents. Once he reaches Germany, Mohammed plans to seek permission to bring over his family.

Mohammed pins his hopes on the example of his brother-in-law Nidal, a 34-year-old attorney, who reached Germany via Turkey nine months ago. Nidal has settled in the town of Saarbruecken and in July was joined by his wife Doa, Mohammed's sister.

The two men spoke over the phone on Sunday night.

"Guten Abend," Nidal said, conversing in beginner's German when Mohammed handed the phone to a reporter. Switching to Arabic, Nidal said the family is settling in.

Mohammed said he wants the same for his wife and children. "If I work, I can take care of my children," he said. "I'll live a decent life."

Looking up at an old wall-mounted TV at his tiny apartment in the Jordanian town of Zarqa, he pointed to the images of streams of refugees walking in Europe.

"Those people went," he said. "Now I'm No. 2, behind them."

___

Associated Press writers Hamza al-Soud in Amman, Zeina Karam and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

Source: Syrian refugees seek new passports as a ticket to Europe

Thai police say Bangkok bombing suspect fled to Turkey

BANGKOK (AP) — A key suspect in last month's bombing at a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people has fled to Turkey, Thai police said Monday, in another indication that the attack could be the work of members of China's ethnic Uighur minority who have sympathizers in Turkey.

Police had previously said the man, carrying a Chinese passport in the name Abudureheman Abudusataer, may have directed the Aug. 17 bombing of the Erawan Shrine. Investigations revealed that he left Thailand on Aug. 16 for Bangladesh, and police speculated that he might have gone to China.

However, national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said that information gathered by Thai police and Bangladeshi officials showed that the man departed Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, on Aug. 30 and traveled to Istanbul in Turkey as his final destination, via New Delhi and Abu Dhabi.

"He departed Dhaka on Aug. 30 for Delhi by Jet Airways," Prawut said. "From Delhi, he continued his travel to Abu Dha bi, and from Abu Dhabi he traveled on Aug. 31 to Istanbul. This is his final destination. It's clear."

This bolstered the theory that those behind the blast are Uighurs (pronounced WEE-gurs) from the Chinese region of Xinjiang who have close ties to Turkey. Several of the 12 bombing suspects for whom arrest warrants have been issued are believed to be Turkish.

After weeks of demurring, Thailand has suggested that those behind the blast may have been from a gang involved in smuggling Uighurs. But others speculate they may be separatists or Islamist extremists angry that Thailand repatriated more than 100 Uighurs to China in July.

Uighurs complain of oppression by the Chinese government, and some advocate turning Xinjiang into a separate Uighur state.

Thai efforts to identify the members of the network believed responsible for the bombing continued Sunday, when police in Bangkok raided an apartment that they suspected was linked to a bombing suspect. Police sai d no bomb-making materials were found in the apartment, which is in a building that serves as a hostel for women. Thai media reported that the two women tenants and a guest were taken away for questioning.

Two other key suspects are also in custody, charged with possession of illegal explosives. One of them was captured from an apartment on the outskirts of Bangkok where police also discovered bomb-making material. The other was caught near the border between Thailand and Cambodia, and police said his fingerprints were found on a container with explosive material confiscated from the apartment.

Also Monday, Malaysia's police chief announced that a Pakistani and two Malaysians have been detained in connection with the Bangkok bombing.

Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters that the three were detained a few days ago following a tip-off by Thai authorities. He said one of the Malaysians is a woman.

Among those who died in the blast were five Malaysia ns from one family. Many of the victims were foreigners as the shrine is a popular destination for tourists and Thais alike.

Khalid did not give details or say where in Malaysia the three were detained, when they will be formally charged, or what the charges would be. He said Malaysian police will investigate and work with Thai authorities on the detainees.

Thai police say the man who may have actually planted the bomb may have fled across Thailand's southern border to Malaysia, but Khalid refused to speculate on that.

Prawut, the Thai police spokesman, said his department had told the Malaysians that some suspects might have escaped to Malaysia.

Malaysian police then investigated and arrested suspects who are allegedly involved in illegal human smuggling and they might have some information, Prawut said.

"However, we haven't had any confirmation. ... As a preliminary step, they have arrested suspects who are allegedly involved in illegal human smuggli ng. Whether they are involved in our bombing incident or not we will have to wait and see," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.

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Source: Thai police say Bangkok bombing suspect fled to Turkey

RHOA 8 Trip On Route to Montego Bay or Turkey? EXCLUSIVE

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – The RHOA 8 Trip is underway. Cast members of Real Housewives of Altanta Seasons 8 departed just before dawn on their international cast trip. And where are they going? Fans of the show may know the exact answer within a few hours. But LALATE can report that the cast might be either on route right now to Montego Bay, Jamaica, or to Istanbul, Turkey.

LALATE was able to reveal the RHOA 7 cast trip destination last year by one ironic factor. Cast members tweeted images of their airline seats a year ago this month. The images clearly tipped off LALATE that they were seated on a unique plane just deployed months earlier for travel from the Atlanta to the Far East.

Such is not the case, yet, this season. Cast members Sheree Whitfield and Kandi Burruss were hugging it out in advance of travel. Porsha Williams appeared by herself. All three indicated they are departing this morning. But their images were close-ups.

And where are they going? There were only two international flights departing from the ATL at the time of their posts, indicates Hartsfield Atlanta Intl (ATL) flight logs obtained by LALATE. One is a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, Turkey. The other is a Delta Air Lines flight to Montego Bay. Delta however is the preferred airline for BravoTV travel. And Delta was the carrier used for the RHOA 7 trip.

Source: RHOA 8 Trip On Route to Montego Bay or Turkey? EXCLUSIVE

Turkey listings advance LSE’s derivatives ambitions

Home » Format » News » Turkey listings advance LSE's derivatives ambitions Turkey listings advance LSE's derivatives ambitions 11 September, 2015 Written by Elliott Holley

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Representatives of Borsa Istanbul at the market open at the LSE, 11 September 2015

The launch of Turkish derivatives on the London Stock Exchange market represents part of the exchange's long-cherished goal of growing its international derivatives business, and vindicates its 'open access' policy, it  says.

A deal between Turkey's Borsa İstanbuland the LSE means that  futures and options on the BIST 30 index, which lists Turkey's top companies, can be traded through the LSE from 14 September. The deal means that Turkish equity index derivatives will be available to any member of the LSE.

Cécile Nagel, global head of equities, LCH.Clearnet, said that it will also be possible to clear the transactions via LCH.Clearnet. But the real context of the deal is that it is part of a wider plan, long-held, to grow out the LSE Group's derivatives business. "This [is] part of our commitment to expand our derivatives offering in partnership with trading venues," she said.

The Turkish market is interesting, said Nagel, because the BIST 30 Index futures currently trade on average more than 180,000 contracts per day on the Borsa İstanbulderivatives market. That makes it an interesting proposition for investors looking to diversify their portfolios and gain access to one of the more interesting and dynamic markets in the region.

From the Turkish perspective, making the index available in London will help to gain visibility for Turkey as an investment destination and to attract new flows. According to Çetin Ali Dönmez, executive vice president at Borsa İstanbul, trading the BIST 30 Index futures and options on two different venues will boost total liquidity at both exchanges.

"Reaching the global network of investors via LSEG is an important milestone for us in our strategic vision of strengthening the international position of Turkey in the global economy," said Dönmez. "This partnership enables us to expand our product offering and increases global investor base exposure. It allows easier access to the most dynamic and emerging economy of the region, in a cost efficient way thus giving investors an opportunity to diversify their portfolios."

There is also a technology side to the deal, according to Muammer Cakir, head of derivatives, Borsa İstanbul. Cakir pointed out that trading and clearing at the LSE will offer clients more opportunities to achieve operational and collateral efficiencies. That could be useful, given that the global securities markets are facing a relative scarcity of high-quality collateral due to regulatory pressures that require more collateral to be set aside by financial institutions.

"Listing BIST 30 Index derivatives at LSEDM will give us well-deserved visibility on a global scale," added Cakir. "Additionally, Ability to access Turkish products in a single platform will also attract a new class of investors for Turkey, creating a virtuous cycle benefiting both markets."

Turkey has seen some interesting developments in its capital markets in recent years. In November 2014, European trading venue BATS Chi-X Europe expanded its operations into the country, marking the first time a competitor has ever entered the Turkish market to take on Borsa Istanbul. In the longer term, Turkey has reformed its capital markets law over the last few years and has adopted the European Union's MiFID standards and definitions, including recognition for multilateral trading facilities.

In addition to these factors, there is also the bilateral relationship between the UK and the Republic of Turkey. At a event held in London on 11 September in anticipation of the launch, Abdurrahman Bilgiç, the Turkish Ambassador to the UK attended, along with Cakir and Dönmez from Borsa Istanbul. For the ambassador, the deal wasn't just about linking the two stock markets, but also about creating a bond between the UK and Turkish financial centres, which would held Istanbul reach its own goal, which is to become an international financial hub.

"This partnership agreement is wide ranging and is designed not to just link the two stock markets but to create a lasting bond between the UK and Turkish financial centres – helping Istanbul to grow as an international financial hub," he said. "Indeed, positive developments in the Turkish economy in the last decade have brought Turkey and Istanbul to the forefront. Also, Turkey assumed the G-20 presidency this year. Today will be another milestone in our economic and financial relations and will add more meaning to Borsa Istanbul's motto: 'regional hub, global actor'."

Elliott HolleyElliott Holley is senior staff writer on Banking Technology. Follow him @Word_Of_Elliott Tags; Borsa Istanbul, derivatives, London Stock Exchange, Turkey, Central & Eastern Europe, Derivatives, Exchanges, Middle East, News

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Source: Turkey listings advance LSE's derivatives ambitions

Nafarats: trip from Turkey to Germany – Part 1.2 The Smugglers.

This is the story of 11 Syrian and 1 French friends. The journal from their trip, in July, passing the borders,  from Turkey to Syria.

***

(Nafar in arabic is the one without name, without right, a number in the mass, and it is how the smugglers are calling their clients, in arabic. "He is only a pocket of money").

Part 1: Izmir. Destination: Greece.

The smugglers. (2/3)

For the first part of the journal, Basmane, İzmir (1/3),  click here.

Güncenin  Türkçesi için burayı tıklayınız.

The more common way to pass from Turkey to Greece is by boat. There are several Greek islands that are only a few kilometres away from the continent. The main destinations are Chios, Samos, Kos (those ones are less than 10 km away) and Lesbos islands. But there are also some small islands that are used as alternatives.

Two friends from the group were mainly dealing with the smuggler issue. They began to contact in priority as the ones that have been "recommended" by friends that already passed. In total, they talked in the phone with around 30 different guys and met in Izmir directly 15 of them. The smugglers always use nicknames: the Tunisian, the Palestinian Abu Ali (father of Ali), etc… They have a very hierarchic system, with a lot of different intermediates.

When we arrived to Izmir, the average price to cross was 1,000 dollars. 6 days later, it was more likely to be asked for 1,200 or 1,300 dollars. The reason of the rising of prices might be the high influx of migrants in the last weeks, or the increase of intervention from Turkish police.

To choose the smuggler, our criterias were mainly: Finding one that we could trust at least a minimum. They are obviously all lying, but some lies are really too big… We met Abu S. for example, a typical mafia gangster coming straight from the Godfather movie. According to his saying, he always sends first an empty boat to Greece that comes back and check the road; he would never let the boat leave if there is the smallest wave in the sea; and even better: another boat would be following us, with a frog man inside that could either repair our boat if we have a problem with the motor, or even transfer us to his boat if the first one get broken. Well, as we said, the smugglers are all liars but some more that others… The second criteria is the island: to take as little risk as possible, we wanted to go to an island that won't be more than 15 km from the shore. Chios and Kos were our favourite choices. Some islands are also military islands, or without immigration of fices, which would make the legal process once in Greece harder and longer. And finally the number of people that would travel with us in the boat. The size of the inflatable boats (Balem in arabic) are between 6m to 9m long (for around 1.5m large). And usually, in the bigger ones, there is between 35 and 55 persons (up to 60).

Finally, we can say that even after all the research and criteria we had, we finally got in a boat that was supposed to bring us to Chios but was actually getting to Lesbos (the further island), and we were only 33 persons in the boat, but in a small one, that was only 6.5m long.

The driver of the boat is always one of the passengers. He travels for free, but he takes more risks. If he gets caught by the police he can get until 8 years of jail.

This is the usual proceedings of the crossing:

After choosing and accepting the conditions of a smuggler, you get a meeting point and a time of departure. For the payment, there are 2 options: the more common one is to let your money to an unofficial office. You will have to pay a fee of 50 dollars per person. And if you can't cross as planned, you will take your money back. If you pass, the smuggler gets it. Of course you can never completely trust those offices and be sure that you would get your money back, but most of the time, you have no other choice. The second option though, is to let the money with a person that you trust and who will stay with the smuggler during all the time of the crossing. This is a better option, but can still be dangerous for this trustful person, as smugglers are not really what we could call angels… Once the money issue is solved, you packed your bag as small as possible, you ripped all your things into a plastic bag and stretch film (to protect it from the water) and you got en ough water and food to survive for the next hours or days, you meet with your new travel companions and get by taxi or bus to a hidden spot, in the forest, to get to the boat. There, while the smugglers that sell the trip are usually Arabic, this is the turn of Turkish smugglers to work. They can be very violent, and it's not rare that they force people to enter in the boat with guns, if those people want to cancel at the last moment. The police also catches a lot of groups at those spots, arresting the Turkish smugglers and usually letting the rest of the group there, or arresting them only for 2 days. If it's not the case, you will get in a very crowded boat, and go to your destination, hoping that the sea will be quiet and that the police of the sea won't catch you and force you back to Turkey.

***

"11 Nafar and 1 human"

We are a group of 12 people, 12 young persons full of hope and dreams, that met in Syria or in Turkey, and decided to go together to Europe. In the group, there is a doctor, a judge, 2 architects, a lawyer, 1 painter, 1 designer, a film maker, a social worker, a cook, an actor and a first-aider. Half of the group couldn't continue their studies because of the war. Most of them escaped to Turkey some years before the decision to try their chance and cross the sea. But staying in Turkey means accepting to stay where there is no opportunity to work legally or to study. It means accepting to wait, only wait, for the situation to change. But our youth won't last that long. In the group there are 11 Syrians and one French. For her, with her passport, the borders are open. In this system she is a human, she has the right and the possibility to be wherever she wants to. For different reasons, but with the common will of living this experience all together, we left Istanbul and are now on our way to a country where the nafarats could be humans again. At least, this is the goal.

Source: Nafarats: trip from Turkey to Germany – Part 1.2 The Smugglers.

VIDEO: Syrian journalist films perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece

Published:September 9, 2015 5:58 pm

A man holds a child as migrants arrive at the Westbahnhof station in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015. Since Saturday more than 7,000 Arab and Asian asylum seekers surged across Hungary's western border into Austria and Germany following the latest erratic policy turn by Hungary's immigrant-averse government. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Many immigrants flowing into Europe recently have entered via Greece, having made a short but often dangerous journey across the sea from Turkey with the help of people smugglers.

From Bektas on the Turkish coast it is just 20km to the Greek island of Lesbos.

Syrian journalist Ali Hafez and his family made the voyage on Monday, having fled the war still raging in their home country.

WATCH VIDEO

He was able to film the perilous trip in an overcrowded inflatable dinghy.

Near the Lesbos coast a couple in a boat threw the migrants a rope, and the relief in reaching their destination was huge.

Ali and his family made it safely, but many others have not been so lucky.

Many have drowned, while others are fortunate enough to have been rescued.

The same day in the same waters a Greek passenger ferry saved 35 migrants including young children and a toddler. Their boat had been sinking and many of the passengers were already overboard when help arrived.

Recent images of dead children being washed up on beaches has highlighted the desperate plight of the migrants and the risks they take in search of security and a better life, but still they come.

Aid agencies estimate that around 2000 people a day are making the perilous voyage from Turkey to Greece.

(Euronews)

Published:Sep 9, 2015, 17:58

Source: VIDEO: Syrian journalist films perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece

10 dead in Kurdish rebel attack on Turkey police minibus

 Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- Queen Rania attends an orientation session for "Fursati Liltamayyoz" initiative and meets with GIZ delegation, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah attended, on Tuesday, at the Royal Automobile Museum, part of an orientation session conducted for youth participating in the ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- Anti-festive firing campaign kicks off in northern district, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) The fatality count in Jordan as a result of festive firing has prompted tribes in the northern district of Bani Obeid to sign a pledge not to fire weapons in the air ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- FM, French counterpart co-chair global meeting on abuse of ethnic, religious minorities....1st add, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Earlier, French President Francois Hollande praised Jordan's role, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, in achieving coexistence among followers of all ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- Senate President lectures at Zurich University, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Senate President, Abdul Rauf Rawabdeh, on Tuesday, said Jordan hosts about 1.3 million Syrian refugee despite economic difficulties, stressing that the international aid ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan reports 5th Coronavirus death, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) A citizen in his fifties was announced dead due to coronavirus infection, bringing the death toll from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) to 5 in Jordan, the ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Australia to take in 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that his country will take in 12,000 additional refugees from Syria and Iraq to solve the current crisis.He said Australia ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- Hot and dusty conditions prevail over next three days, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Hot and dusty conditions will continue today with some medium and high clouds and north westerly moderate to brisk winds.Similar weather conditions will prevail over the ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jewish settlers burn Palestinian lands planted with olive trees, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Jewish settlers on Wednesday attacked and burned Palestinian agricultural lands in Burin village, south of the West Bank city of Nablus.Palestinian official in charge of ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Palestinian youth clash with Israeli forces in Jalazone camp, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Palestinian youth clashed with Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday in the Jalazone refugees camp after the occupation forces stormed the camp located near the West ...  Sep 9 2015 -  Jordan- 15 people injured in traffic accidents last night, Jordan News Agency (MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Fifteen people were injured in road accidents in various parts of the Kingdom last night, according to the Civil Defense Department (CDD).A statement by the CDD said ... more...
Source: 10 dead in Kurdish rebel attack on Turkey police minibus