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Turkish demonstrators plan next moves

June 20th, 2013 No comments


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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the deputies of his ruling Justice and Development Party during a meeting with Turkish parliament on Tuesday, June 18. Erdogan said he had no intention of restricting anyone's democratic rights. If you want to make a protest do it, do it, but do it within the framework of law, he said.Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the deputies of his ruling Justice and Development Party during a meeting with Turkish parliament on Tuesday, June 18. Erdogan said he had no intention of restricting anyone’s democratic rights. “If you want to make a protest do it, do it, but do it within the framework of law,” he said.

Turkish performance artist Erdem Gunduz, center, is joined by others as he makes his silent protest in Taksim Square. As word of his gesture of protest spread, Gunduz became known as the standing man. Protests that began as a a href='http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/17/world/europe/turkey-protests/index.html'demonstration against the planned demolition of a park/a have grown into general anti-government dissent across the nation. Turkish performance artist Erdem Gunduz, center, is joined by others as he makes his silent protest in Taksim Square. As word of his gesture of protest spread, Gunduz became known as the “standing man.” Protests that began as a demonstration against the planned demolition of a park have grown into general anti-government dissent across the nation.

People carry the coffin of Ethem Sarisuluk, who was killed during recent protests in Turkey, on Sunday, June 16, in Ankara. People carry the coffin of Ethem Sarisuluk, who was killed during recent protests in Turkey, on Sunday, June 16, in Ankara.

Tens of thousands attend a rally to hear Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak in Istanbul on June 16, a day after he ordered a crackdown on anti-government protesters at Gezi Park. Tens of thousands attend a rally to hear Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak in Istanbul on June 16, a day after he ordered a crackdown on anti-government protesters at Gezi Park.

A protester faces water cannons during a clash with police at an anti-government demonstration in Ankara on June 16. A protester faces water cannons during a clash with police at an anti-government demonstration in Ankara on June 16.

Police walk through tear gas during protests at Kizilay Square in central Ankara on June 16.Police walk through tear gas during protests at Kizilay Square in central Ankara on June 16.

Police detain protesters after a crackdown on a demonstration at Istanbul's Gezi Park on June 16.Police detain protesters after a crackdown on a demonstration at Istanbul’s Gezi Park on June 16.

A protester runs during clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the streets adjacent to Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 16. A protester runs during clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the streets adjacent to Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 16.

A protester throws a tear gas canister back at riot police during clashes near Taksim Square on June 16.A protester throws a tear gas canister back at riot police during clashes near Taksim Square on June 16.

Trash containers burn in front of riot police forces in Ankara, Turkey, on June 16.Trash containers burn in front of riot police forces in Ankara, Turkey, on June 16.

Protesters gather in the main shopping street near Taksim Square in the early morning hours of June 16 as riot police clear Gezi Park in Istanbul. Protesters gather in the main shopping street near Taksim Square in the early morning hours of June 16 as riot police clear Gezi Park in Istanbul.

Turkish riot police officers use rubber bullets on June 15 to disperse demonstrators in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 15. Turkish riot police officers use rubber bullets on June 15 to disperse demonstrators in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 15.

Protesters scramble for safety as Turkish riot police officers push them out of Gezi Park using tear gas and rubber bullets. Protesters scramble for safety as Turkish riot police officers push them out of Gezi Park using tear gas and rubber bullets.

Protesters run for cover as riot police spray them with a water cannon on June 15. Protesters run for cover as riot police spray them with a water cannon on June 15.

A protester throws rocks at police during clashes at the entrance of Gezi Park on June 15.A protester throws rocks at police during clashes at the entrance of Gezi Park on June 15.

A protester on June 15, reacts in pain to a salvo of tear gas fired by Turkish riot police chasing out demonstrators in order to dismantle their tent camp in Gezi Park in Istanbul. A protester on June 15, reacts in pain to a salvo of tear gas fired by Turkish riot police chasing out demonstrators in order to dismantle their tent camp in Gezi Park in Istanbul.

Riot police move in a line through the tent camp on June 15. Riot police move in a line through the tent camp on June 15.

Protesters escape from tear gas during the crackdown at Gezi Park on June 15.Protesters escape from tear gas during the crackdown at Gezi Park on June 15.

Protestors fire fireworks as police drive them out of Gezi Park on June 15.Protestors fire fireworks as police drive them out of Gezi Park on June 15.

Protesters sleep in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square early Thursday, June 13. Turkey's prime minister on Thursday called on protesters camped out in the park to pack up and leave. Protesters sleep in Gezi Park in Istanbul’s Taksim Square early Thursday, June 13. Turkey’s prime minister on Thursday called on protesters camped out in the park to pack up and leave.

A man plays piano for hundreds of protesters in Taksim Square on Wednesday, June 12, in Istanbul.A man plays piano for hundreds of protesters in Taksim Square on Wednesday, June 12, in Istanbul.

A man waves a flag in Taksim Square on June 12.A man waves a flag in Taksim Square on June 12.

A man sleeps in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square early on June 12, hours after riot police moved into the square in an attempt to push demonstrators out. A man sleeps in Gezi Park in Istanbul’s Taksim Square early on June 12, hours after riot police moved into the square in an attempt to push demonstrators out.

Municipal workers clean up a street in Taksim Square early on June 12, after police moved in to disperse protesters.Municipal workers clean up a street in Taksim Square early on June 12, after police moved in to disperse protesters.

A protester prepares to throw a tear gas canister back toward police in Taksim Square on Tuesday, June 11.A protester prepares to throw a tear gas canister back toward police in Taksim Square on Tuesday, June 11.

Riot police fire tear gas canisters at protesters in Taksim Square on June 11.Riot police fire tear gas canisters at protesters in Taksim Square on June 11.

People run from a tear gas cloud in Taksim Square on June 11.People run from a tear gas cloud in Taksim Square on June 11.

People flee as riot police fire tear gas on Taksim Square on June 11.People flee as riot police fire tear gas on Taksim Square on June 11.

Protesters run behind a barricade during clashes with police on June 11.Protesters run behind a barricade during clashes with police on June 11.

A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on June 11.A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on June 11.

Photographers crowd around a protester posing in front of a riot police vehicle at Taksim Square on June 11.Photographers crowd around a protester posing in front of a riot police vehicle at Taksim Square on June 11.

Protesters seek shelter behind a barricade on June 11.Protesters seek shelter behind a barricade on June 11.

Protesters try to run from riot police on June 11.Protesters try to run from riot police on June 11.

Riot police aim a water cannon at a protester as others take cover behind a makeshift shelter in Taksim Square on June 11.Riot police aim a water cannon at a protester as others take cover behind a makeshift shelter in Taksim Square on June 11.

Police enter Taksim Square during clashes with protesters on June 11.Police enter Taksim Square during clashes with protesters on June 11.

Protesters take cover behind a barricade in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 11.Protesters take cover behind a barricade in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 11.

A protester uses a slingshot to throw stones at riot police on June 11.A protester uses a slingshot to throw stones at riot police on June 11.

Protesters take cover behind a barricade in Taksim Square on June 11.Protesters take cover behind a barricade in Taksim Square on June 11.

A protester holds fireworks during clashes with riot police in Istabul on June 11.A protester holds fireworks during clashes with riot police in Istabul on June 11.

Riot police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse a crowd near Istabul's Taksim Square on June 11.Riot police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse a crowd near Istabul’s Taksim Square on June 11.

A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on June 11.A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on June 11.

Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Taksim Square on June 11.Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Taksim Square on June 11.

Police fire a water cannon at protesters on June 11.Police fire a water cannon at protesters on June 11.

Protesters hold molotov cocktails in Taksim Square on June 11.Protesters hold molotov cocktails in Taksim Square on June 11.

A protester throws a stone during clashes with riot police on June 11.A protester throws a stone during clashes with riot police on June 11.

Protesters run from smoke as they clash with police in Istanbul on June 11.Protesters run from smoke as they clash with police in Istanbul on June 11.

Protesters take cover behind a barricade as fireworks go off nearby on June 11.Protesters take cover behind a barricade as fireworks go off nearby on June 11.

Medics carry Yasin Ayhan, 23, a protester who broke his leg in a raid early Monday, June 10, in Kugulu Park. Riot police doused thousands of protesters in Ankara with tear gas and jets of water for a second straight night. Medics carry Yasin Ayhan, 23, a protester who broke his leg in a raid early Monday, June 10, in Kugulu Park. Riot police doused thousands of protesters in Ankara with tear gas and jets of water for a second straight night.

Protesters sleep at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 10. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned protesters who have taken to the streets demanding his resignation that his patience has its limits and compared the unrest with an army attempt six years ago to curb his power.Protesters sleep at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 10. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned protesters who have taken to the streets demanding his resignation that his patience has its limits and compared the unrest with an army attempt six years ago to curb his power.

A demonstrator is detained by police officers as protests resumed in Kizilay Square in Ankara on Sunday, June 9. A demonstrator is detained by police officers as protests resumed in Kizilay Square in Ankara on Sunday, June 9.

A demonstrator covers his face with a makeshift gas mask during protests in Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 9. A demonstrator covers his face with a makeshift gas mask during protests in Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 9.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and his wife, Emine, wave to supporters upon their arrival in Ankara on June 9. Erdogan told supporters that even patience has an end as he went on the offensive against mass protests that have consumed Ankara and Istanbul.Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and his wife, Emine, wave to supporters upon their arrival in Ankara on June 9. Erdogan told supporters that “even patience has an end” as he went on the offensive against mass protests that have consumed Ankara and Istanbul.

Erdogan addresses supporters from the top of a bus as police stand guard at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara on June 9.Erdogan addresses supporters from the top of a bus as police stand guard at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara on June 9.

Protesters gather during a demonstration at Taksim Square in Istanbul, on June 9. Protesters gather during a demonstration at Taksim Square in Istanbul, on June 9.

A demonstrator runs toward police during clashes with riot police in Istanbul, on Saturday, June 8.A demonstrator runs toward police during clashes with riot police in Istanbul, on Saturday, June 8.

Demonstrators shout slogans as they gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, on June 8.Demonstrators shout slogans as they gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, on June 8.

Women sing as people gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 8.Women sing as people gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 8.

Protesters rest in Gezi Park next to Taksim Square during a demonstration in Istanbul on Friday, June 7.Protesters rest in Gezi Park next to Taksim Square during a demonstration in Istanbul on Friday, June 7.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the opening session of the Ministry for European Union Affairs Conference on June 7 in Istanbul. Erdogan said today his Islamic-rooted government was open to democratic demands and hit back at EU criticism of his government's handling of a week of unrest.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the opening session of the Ministry for European Union Affairs Conference on June 7 in Istanbul. Erdogan said today his Islamic-rooted government was open to “democratic demands” and hit back at EU criticism of his government’s handling of a week of unrest.

Supporters of Erdogan wave the Turkish flag upon the prime minister's arrival in Istanbul, on June 7.Supporters of Erdogan wave the Turkish flag upon the prime minister’s arrival in Istanbul, on June 7.

Protestors dance at Gezi Park in Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6.Protestors dance at Gezi Park in Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6.

A man walks past damaged buses near Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6, in Istanbul, Turkey.A man walks past damaged buses near Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6, in Istanbul, Turkey.

A mother and her daughter read notes placed by protestors on a destroyed car in Taksim Square on June 6. Thousands of striking union members joined the anti-government protests on June 5, marching in Istanbul and Ankara in a sea of red and white union flags, drumming and yelling for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resign.A mother and her daughter read notes placed by protestors on a destroyed car in Taksim Square on June 6. Thousands of striking union members joined the anti-government protests on June 5, marching in Istanbul and Ankara in a sea of red and white union flags, drumming and yelling for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resign.

Protestors spend their day at Gezi Park on June 6. Protestors spend their day at Gezi Park on June 6.

Protestors demonstrate near the office building of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul early on June 6.Protestors demonstrate near the office building of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul early on June 6.

A municipal worker collects garbage set on fire by Turkish protesters in a restaurant district of Ankara on June 5. A municipal worker collects garbage set on fire by Turkish protesters in a restaurant district of Ankara on June 5.

A woman is wheeled away by paramedics during clashes on Kizilay Square in Ankara on Wednesday, June 5.A woman is wheeled away by paramedics during clashes on Kizilay Square in Ankara on Wednesday, June 5.

Protesters confront police forces during riots in a restaurant district of Ankara, on June 5.Protesters confront police forces during riots in a restaurant district of Ankara, on June 5.

Demonstrators run for cover as police use water cannons and tear gas on the crowd in Ankara on June 5.Demonstrators run for cover as police use water cannons and tear gas on the crowd in Ankara on June 5.

Protesters gather in Taksim Square as they shout slogans while protesting on Tuesday, June 4, in Istanbul, Turkey.Protesters gather in Taksim Square as they shout slogans while protesting on Tuesday, June 4, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Istanbul on June 4.Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Istanbul on June 4.

Paramedics carry a woman injured during clashes between demonstrators and riot police in Istanbul on June 4.Paramedics carry a woman injured during clashes between demonstrators and riot police in Istanbul on June 4.

Turkish police detain a demonstrator during clashes in Istanbul on June 4.Turkish police detain a demonstrator during clashes in Istanbul on June 4.

A protester looks on during clashes with Turkish police outside of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office, near Taksim Square in Istanbul on Tuesday, June 4. A protester looks on during clashes with Turkish police outside of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office, near Taksim Square in Istanbul on Tuesday, June 4.

Demonstrators wave their national flag on June 4, during a protest in Ankara. Demonstrators wave their national flag on June 4, during a protest in Ankara.

Protesters cover their faces with plastic. After chaotic scenes in the streets Monday that continued late into the night and sent tear gas wafting through the air, the situation was relatively calm on Tuesday morning in Istanbul's central Taksim Square, near the park where the movement began.Protesters cover their faces with plastic. After chaotic scenes in the streets Monday that continued late into the night and sent tear gas wafting through the air, the situation was relatively calm on Tuesday morning in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square, near the park where the movement began.

A demonstrator takes cover at a road block between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on June 4.A demonstrator takes cover at a road block between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on June 4.

Protesters clash with riot police between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on Monday, June 3.Protesters clash with riot police between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on Monday, June 3.

Protestors pass bricks for building barricades during clashes with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.Protestors pass bricks for building barricades during clashes with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.

Riot policemen unload tear gas during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.Riot policemen unload tear gas during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

Protesters throw riot police's tear gas back at them in Istanbul on June 3.Protesters throw riot police’s tear gas back at them in Istanbul on June 3.

Protester wounds are treated during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.Protester wounds are treated during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

Demonstrators set up road blocks between Taksim and Besiktas. Barricades remain up around the square, and Erdogan's opponents appear determined to continue the demonstrations despite the prime minister's comment on June 3 that he expects the situation to return to normal within a few days.Demonstrators set up road blocks between Taksim and Besiktas. Barricades remain up around the square, and Erdogan’s opponents appear determined to continue the demonstrations despite the prime minister’s comment on June 3 that he expects the situation to return to normal “within a few days.”

A medical team tends to a protester. The Turkish Medical Association claimed that at least 3,195 people had been injured in clashes on June 1 and June 2. Only 26 of them were in serious or critical condition, it said.A medical team tends to a protester. The Turkish Medical Association claimed that at least 3,195 people had been injured in clashes on June 1 and June 2. Only 26 of them were in serious or critical condition, it said.

Protesters stand atop a pile of rubble during clashes with Turkish police on Monday, June 3. Protesters stand atop a pile of rubble during clashes with Turkish police on Monday, June 3.

Turkish riot police fire tear gas canisters to disperse protesters near Taksim Square on June 3.Turkish riot police fire tear gas canisters to disperse protesters near Taksim Square on June 3.

Police officers tend to a demonstrator during the violent clashes in Istanbul on June 3.Police officers tend to a demonstrator during the violent clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

A protester waves the Turkish flag from a rooftop at Taksim Square on June 3 as large crowds continue to demonstrate below.A protester waves the Turkish flag from a rooftop at Taksim Square on June 3 as large crowds continue to demonstrate below.

A protester wears a gas mask as smoke from a burned car fills the air at Taksim Square on June 3.A protester wears a gas mask as smoke from a burned car fills the air at Taksim Square on June 3.

Despite Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for calm on Monday, June 3, protests continued in Istanbul. Protesters carry the Turkish flag and shout against the government in Gezi Park near central Istanbul.Despite Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for calm on Monday, June 3, protests continued in Istanbul. Protesters carry the Turkish flag and shout against the government in Gezi Park near central Istanbul.

After protests that lasted until the early morning, a protester sleeps in a damaged and vandalized vehicle in Taksim Square on June 3. Protests showed no sign of letting up on Monday, almost a week after a peaceful sit-in was met with a police crackdown, igniting the biggest anti-government riots the city has seen in a decade.After protests that lasted until the early morning, a protester sleeps in a damaged and vandalized vehicle in Taksim Square on June 3. Protests showed no sign of letting up on Monday, almost a week after a peaceful sit-in was met with a police crackdown, igniting the biggest anti-government riots the city has seen in a decade.

A tired protester rests in front of the graffiti-sprayed wall of an information booth at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 3.A tired protester rests in front of the graffiti-sprayed wall of an information booth at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 3.

Turkish protesters clash with riot police near the prime minister's office between Taksim and Besiktas early June 3.Turkish protesters clash with riot police near the prime minister’s office between Taksim and Besiktas early June 3.

Protesters drive an excavator toward Turkish riot police as they make their way to Erdogan's office on June 3.Protesters drive an excavator toward Turkish riot police as they make their way to Erdogan’s office on June 3.

During the clashes, volunteer doctors helped injured protesters in a mosque on June 3.During the clashes, volunteer doctors helped injured protesters in a mosque on June 3.

A protester is silhouetted by a burning car at Taksim Square during clashes in the early morning of June 3.A protester is silhouetted by a burning car at Taksim Square during clashes in the early morning of June 3.

A protester covers his face on June 3 near Erdogan's office in Istanbul. A protester covers his face on June 3 near Erdogan’s office in Istanbul.

Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.

Protesters gather in Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 2. Protesters gather in Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 2.

Riot police fire tear gas during a protest against Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party in central Ankara on June 2. Sparked by the events in Istanbul, general anti-government protests have sprung up in Ankara.Riot police fire tear gas during a protest against Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party in central Ankara on June 2. Sparked by the events in Istanbul, general anti-government protests have sprung up in Ankara.

Demonstrators hide behind makeshift shields during clashes with Turkish riot police in Ankara on June 2.Demonstrators hide behind makeshift shields during clashes with Turkish riot police in Ankara on June 2.

Police use a water cannon to disperse protesters outside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's working office in Istanbul on June 2.Police use a water cannon to disperse protesters outside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s working office in Istanbul on June 2.

Protesters cling to a police vehicle mounted with a water canon in Istanbul on June 2.Protesters cling to a police vehicle mounted with a water canon in Istanbul on June 2.

Turkish police detain a protester during demonstrations in Ankara on June 2.Turkish police detain a protester during demonstrations in Ankara on June 2.

A protester flashes a victory sign as he takes part in a demonstration in Ankara on Saturday, June 1 in support of the protests in Istanbul against government plans to demolish a park. A protester flashes a victory sign as he takes part in a demonstration in Ankara on Saturday, June 1 in support of the protests in Istanbul against government plans to demolish a park.

Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday, June 1. Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday, June 1.

Protesters clash with riot police near Gezi Park on June 1. Earlier this week, several dozen activists tried to stage a sit-in at the park, the last bit of green space left in Istanbul's Taksim Square, the city's transit and commercial hub.Protesters clash with riot police near Gezi Park on June 1. Earlier this week, several dozen activists tried to stage a sit-in at the park, the last bit of green space left in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, the city’s transit and commercial hub.

Turkish protesters wearing gas masks face off against riot police near Istanbul's Taksim Square on June 1. Turkish protesters wearing gas masks face off against riot police near Istanbul’s Taksim Square on June 1.

Riot police use tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd of demonstrators on June 1. Riot police use tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd of demonstrators on June 1.

A man flees the clashes between Turkish protestors and riot police on June 1. On Friday, May 31, riot police stormed the growing camp in Gezi Park with water cannons and tear gas, pushing protesters into surrounding streets and triggering the clashes that have continued for more than 24 hours.A man flees the clashes between Turkish protestors and riot police on June 1. On Friday, May 31, riot police stormed the growing camp in Gezi Park with water cannons and tear gas, pushing protesters into surrounding streets and triggering the clashes that have continued for more than 24 hours.

The clashes damaged surrounding businesses in Istanbul and forced them to close on June 1.The clashes damaged surrounding businesses in Istanbul and forced them to close on June 1.

A man catches his breath behind the line where clashes are taking place on June 1.A man catches his breath behind the line where clashes are taking place on June 1.

A pair of tourists gasp for air as riot police use tear gas and water cannons the fend off the demonstrators. Turkish security forces allowed small groups of pedestrians to travel through the square.A pair of tourists gasp for air as riot police use tear gas and water cannons the fend off the demonstrators. Turkish security forces allowed small groups of pedestrians to travel through the square.

Protesters buy gas masks from a local shop near the square on June 1.Protesters buy gas masks from a local shop near the square on June 1.

Riot police fire tear gas into the crowd of protesters overnight on Friday, May 31.Riot police fire tear gas into the crowd of protesters overnight on Friday, May 31.

Demonstrators set up barricades and build a fire as they clash with Turkish officers on May 31.Demonstrators set up barricades and build a fire as they clash with Turkish officers on May 31.

Friends carry an injured protester on May 31. More than a dozen people have been injured in the clashes.Friends carry an injured protester on May 31. More than a dozen people have been injured in the clashes.

Riot police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse a crowd at Taksim Square on May 31.Riot police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse a crowd at Taksim Square on May 31.

An activist wearing a gas mask is enveloped in a cloud of tear gas on May 31.An activist wearing a gas mask is enveloped in a cloud of tear gas on May 31.

A crowd scatters during clashes on May 31, as one demonstrator throws back the tear gas canister that was launched by riot police.A crowd scatters during clashes on May 31, as one demonstrator throws back the tear gas canister that was launched by riot police.

Protestors brace themselves as they are fired upon with a water canon by Turkish police forces.Protestors brace themselves as they are fired upon with a water canon by Turkish police forces.

A large group of demonstrators gather to protest the demolition of Gezi Park in Taksim Square on May 31.A large group of demonstrators gather to protest the demolition of Gezi Park in Taksim Square on May 31.

A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas in Taksim Square on May 28.A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas in Taksim Square on May 28.


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Istanbul (CNN) — Still smarting from their ouster Saturday from Istanbul’s Taksim Square, demonstrators planned to meet at 9 p.m. Wednesday in 11 neighborhoods to discuss how to proceed.

Using social media to organize, hundreds of youths met Tuesday in at least seven forums to carry out such planning.

A total of 883 people have been detained under protest-related charges since May 31, said Emre Cokgezen, a member of the Istanbul Bar Association’s crisis desk, which was created to handle detention issues related to the protests.

Though most of those have been released, 71 remained in custody facing terrorism charges, 20 facing organized crime charges and 28 facing other charges, he said.


‘Standing Man’ protester inspires others


Turkish protests running out of steam?


A drone’s view of riot zone

Nine other people have been missing for more than 10 days, he said.

Defense lawyers were to meet Wednesday with the prosecution at the Istanbul Adalet Sarayi, one of Europe’s largest courthouses, to receive prosecution files.

In the lobby of the courthouse, about 15 people — including a judge — continued Wednesday the “standing man” protest initiated Monday by a lone man in Taksim Square.

For more than five hours, Erdem Gunduz had stared toward a portrait of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state, whose likeness adorns the side of the Ataturk Cultural Center in the square. By Tuesday, hundreds of other protesters were emulating him.

Despite the presence of police in the square, a few “standing man” protesters continued their vigils Wednesday as life about them continued as normal. The people taking pictures of the protesters outnumbered the protesters themselves.

The scene here contrasted with the mayhem in the square Saturday, when police broke up anti-government protests with tear gas and water cannons.

Turkey has been wracked by more than two weeks of protests against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The unrest began in Istanbul in late May, when a small group of people turned out to protest government plans to bulldoze Gezi Park, one of the city’s last green spaces, and replace it with a shopping mall housed inside a replica of 19th-century Ottoman barracks.

Protesters said the plans represented a creeping infringement on their rights in a secular society.

Soon after the demonstrations began, security forces cracked down. Instead of ending the activity, however, the crackdown prompted more people to come out, many calling for political reforms.


Police, protesters face off in Ankara


Erdogan supporters turn out for rally


Tear gas used to end protests in Turkey

The unrest also brought political risks for Erdogan, a populist and democratically elected politician serving his third term in office.

Speaking Tuesday to a parliamentary group meeting of his Justice and Development (AK) Party, Erdogan said he had no intention of restricting anyone’s democratic rights. “If you want to make a protest, do it, do it, but do it within the framework of law,” he said.

He accused the international media of misrepresenting events in Turkey.

“Vandalism (footage) was twisted and displayed as if it was an innocent environmental protest,” he said. “International media reported on this in a manner to deceive those who are not acting with them to their side.”

Erdogan reiterated that the government will abandon its plans to build in Gezi Park if the people of Istanbul vote against them.

Erdogan plans to muster a show of support this weekend in the Turkish heartland, where he has a strong base.

Rallies are to be held on behalf of the Justice and Development Party in Kayseri on Friday, in Samsun on Saturday and in Erzurum on Sunday.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed concern about the tactics used by security forces against demonstrators.

“I am particularly concerned about allegations of excessive use of force by police against peaceful groups of protesters as this may have resulted in serious damage to health,” she said in a statement issued from Geneva.

But Erdogan defended the police approach.

“The police forces have passed the democracy test,” he said Tuesday, according to the semiofficial Anadolu Agency news service.

He described the use of tear gas on protesters as an “incontestable right of police” and the demonstrations as “an unprincipled, immoderate movement that is based on lies and deception,” Anadolu reported.

While the protests are unlikely to threaten the rule of Erdogan, who is credited with overseeing a decade of economic growth, they are raising questions about what critics say is an increasingly authoritarian style of governing.

READ: Tear gas, fire, stun grenades: Chaos in Istanbul as police, protesters clash

READ: ‘Standing man’ inspires silent demonstration in Turkey

Journalist Karl Penhaul and CNN’s Gul Tuysuz reported from Istanbul, and journalist Ian Lee reported from Ankara. CNN’s Salma Abdelaziz, Arwa Damon and Joe Duran in Istanbul, Antonia Mortensen in Ankara and Tom Watkins in Atlanta contributed to this report.


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Italian court: Evidence neglected in Knox case

June 20th, 2013 No comments

(CNN) — Italy’s supreme court on Tuesday explained its earlier ruling that American Amanda Knox be retried in the 2007 death of her roommate, saying the jury that acquitted her didn’t consider all the evidence, and that discrepancies in testimony need to be answered.

The high court also said evidence could support prosecutors’ initial argument — that Meredith Kercher was killed in a twisted sex misadventure game at Kercher and Knox’s home in Italy, the high court said, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

The appeals court jury that acquitted Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in 2011 “neglected significant evidence” and theories, the high court said in a 74-page explanation.

American college student Amanda Knox spent four years in jail because of murder charges in the death of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy. She and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted in 2009 to 25 years in prison (Sollecito got 26 years). The conviction was overturned in 2011. Here's a look at the characters in Knox's trial:American college student Amanda Knox spent four years in jail because of murder charges in the death of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy. She and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted in 2009 to 25 years in prison (Sollecito got 26 years). The conviction was overturned in 2011. Here’s a look at the characters in Knox’s trial:

Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found dead with her throat slit in an apartment she shared with Knox on November 2, 2007. The police initially brought Knox, her former boyfriend and another man into custody for questioning.Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found dead with her throat slit in an apartment she shared with Knox on November 2, 2007. The police initially brought Knox, her former boyfriend and another man into custody for questioning.

When Knox was detained for questioning in 2007, she implicated Patrick Lumumba, the owner of a bar where Knox worked. Lumumba was taken into custody and released after two weeks in prison when his alibi is corroborated. He later won a libel suit against Knox.When Knox was detained for questioning in 2007, she implicated Patrick Lumumba, the owner of a bar where Knox worked. Lumumba was taken into custody and released after two weeks in prison when his alibi is corroborated. He later won a libel suit against Knox.

Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder, was convicted in December 2009 with Knox and released when their cases were overturned. Prosecutors testified that police scientists found Sollecito's genetic material on a bra clasp of Kercher's found in her room, while his defense claimed there wasn't enough DNA for a positive ID. Raffaele Sollecito, Knox’s boyfriend at the time of the murder, was convicted in December 2009 with Knox and released when their cases were overturned. Prosecutors testified that police scientists found Sollecito’s genetic material on a bra clasp of Kercher’s found in her room, while his defense claimed there wasn’t enough DNA for a positive ID.

Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native raised in Perugia, was convicted separately from Knox and Sollecito and is now serving 16 years. Guede admitted to being with Kercher on the night she died but said he didn't kill her. Both Knox and Sollecito argued that he was the killer, and Guede suggested the couple took Kercher's life.Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native raised in Perugia, was convicted separately from Knox and Sollecito and is now serving 16 years. Guede admitted to being with Kercher on the night she died but said he didn’t kill her. Both Knox and Sollecito argued that he was the killer, and Guede suggested the couple took Kercher’s life.

Meredith Kercher's family lawyer Francesco Maresca, left, argued in court in 2011 that the multiple stab wounds implied that there was more than one aggressor who killed Kercher. Pictured from left are Maresca, Kercher's father John, sister Stephanie, brother Lyle and brother John at a press conference in 2008.Meredith Kercher’s family lawyer Francesco Maresca, left, argued in court in 2011 that the multiple stab wounds implied that there was more than one aggressor who killed Kercher. Pictured from left are Maresca, Kercher’s father John, sister Stephanie, brother Lyle and brother John at a press conference in 2008.

Carlo Dalla Vedova, one lawyer on Knox's defense team, argued in court that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox in his closing argument for her appeal hearing.Carlo Dalla Vedova, one lawyer on Knox’s defense team, argued in court that “the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox” in his closing argument for her appeal hearing.

Carlo Pacelli represented Patrick Lumumba in his civil suit case. He called Knox two-faced and a she-devil. Carlo Pacelli represented Patrick Lumumba in his civil suit case. He called Knox two-faced and a “she-devil.”

Giulia Bongiorno, the lead lawyer on Raffaele Sollecito's defense team, compared Knox to Jessica Rabbit on the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Knox is not bad, just drawn that way, Bongiorno said in her closing statements in the 2011 trial.Giulia Bongiorno, the lead lawyer on Raffaele Sollecito’s defense team, compared Knox to Jessica Rabbit on the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” Knox is not bad, just “drawn that way,” Bongiorno said in her closing statements in the 2011 trial.


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Photos: Amanda Knox casePhotos: Amanda Knox case


Amanda Knox: ‘I’m afraid to go back’


Amanda Knox: I still have panic attacks


Knox: ‘I feel bad for my younger self’

Knox and Sollecito’s retrial, which could start as soon as the fall, should examine discrepancies in testimony, the high court said. These include differing witness accounts of when screaming could be heard from the home, ANSA reported.

The high court overturned the acquittals in March, but withheld its full reasoning until Tuesday.

Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found stabbed to death in November 2007 in the villa she rented with Knox, then 20, in the central Italian university town of Perugia.

Knox: Sometimes I can’t stop crying

Knox and Sollecito were arrested that year and convicted in 2009 of murder in Kercher’s death, but the jury overturned the conviction in 2011. Knox then returned to her home city of Seattle, Washington.

In legal paperwork published in December 2011, the judge in the case wrote that the jury had cleared the pair of murder for lack of evidence proving they were guilty.

Another man, Ivorian drifter Rudy Guede, was convicted separately of Kercher’s killing. Guede admitted having sexual relations with Kercher but denied killing her.

Francesco Maresca, attorney for Kercher’s family, appeared satisfied after reading the high court’s reasoning Tuesday.

The ruling “represents a very harsh judgment of the appeal trial,” Maresca said.

An attorney for Knox said that he respects the ruling but he doesn’t agree with it. The high court, he said, was supposed to consider only the legitimacy of the appeal but instead attempted to re-examine the whole case.

“This means that we are going to do again a trial that has already been done, a trial in which there is no clear evidence,” attorney Carlo Della Vedova said.

Knox may be ordered to return to Italy for the retrial. If she refuses, the Italian government could appeal to the U.S. government for her extradition. But even if it does, it’s not clear whether the United States would extradite her.

When asked Tuesday if Knox would return to Italy to face the new trial, Della Vedova replied: “Would you send your kid back?”


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Attack on U.N. compound in Somalia called ‘barbaric’

June 20th, 2013 No comments


Somali soldiers patrol after al Qaeda-linked insurgents shoot their way into the U.N. compound in Mogadishu on June 19.

Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) — At least 14 people died and 15 others were wounded in an attack on the U.N. headquarters in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Seven militants, four U.N. employees and three female civilians were killed, said Abdikarim Hussein Guled, the country’s interior and national security minister. The other victims were rushed to a hospital.

Al-Shabaab, the militant group linked to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility, the group said on Twitter.

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon deplored the “senseless and despicable” assault against an agency that has been a friend and partner.


2012: The battle against al-Shabaab

“I and all Somalis are appalled that they should be the target and victims of such barbaric violence,” Shirdon said.

It was the latest in a series of attacks in the city, the heart of an unstable nation beset with civil strife, with government and African Union forces battling Islamic militants for years in an effort to bring stability to the land.

Last month, a suicide bomber targeted a Qatari delegation, killing at least eight people. Al-Shabaab also claimed responsibility for that strike.

In April, militants forced their way into a court building in Mogadishu and killed 29 people, including members of Al-Shabaab, sources said.

Police Officer Hussein Ahmed said that in Wednesday’s violence, one attacker blew himself up at the entrance of the U.N. compound, which is near the city’s airport.

Others wearing suicide vests entered the U.N. compound. He said Somali and AU forces surrounded the building and fought with the armed assailants.

The attack devastated the area. Mangled buses and cars sat in disfigured heaps, the windows of nearby apartments shattered, the ground littered with blood and body parts.

A large brown plume of smoke was visible in the air as ambulances rushed to the scene and carried away the wounded.

The compound has now been secured and is in the hands of AU troops, the official Twitter account of the African Union Mission to Somalia said. Shirdon also assured city residents that the government remains in control of security and underscored the swift action by the forces against the attackers.

“All our thoughts and prayers are with our U.N. colleagues today,” Shirdon said. “Al-Shabaab will not derail the peace process. They will not stop our recovery. Violence will not win.”


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Attack on U.N. compound in Somalia called ‘barbaric’

June 19th, 2013 No comments


Somali soldiers patrol after al Qaeda-linked insurgents shoot their way into the U.N. compound in Mogadishu on June 19.

Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) — At least 14 people died and 15 others were wounded in an attack on the U.N. headquarters in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Seven militants, four U.N. employees and three female civilians were killed, said Abdikarim Hussein Guled, the country’s interior and national security minister. The other victims were rushed to a hospital.

Al-Shabaab, the militant group linked to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility, the group said on Twitter.

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon deplored the “senseless and despicable” assault against an agency that has been a friend and partner.


2012: The battle against al-Shabaab

“I and all Somalis are appalled that they should be the target and victims of such barbaric violence,” Shirdon said.

It was the latest in a series of attacks in the city, the heart of an unstable nation beset with civil strife, with government and African Union forces battling Islamic militants for years in an effort to bring stability to the land.

Last month, a suicide bomber targeted a Qatari delegation, killing at least eight people. Al-Shabaab also claimed responsibility for that strike.

In April, militants forced their way into a court building in Mogadishu and killed 29 people, including members of Al-Shabaab, sources said.

Police Officer Hussein Ahmed said that in Wednesday’s violence, one attacker blew himself up at the entrance of the U.N. compound, which is near the city’s airport.

Others wearing suicide vests entered the U.N. compound. He said Somali and AU forces surrounded the building and fought with the armed assailants.

The attack devastated the area. Mangled buses and cars sat in disfigured heaps, the windows of nearby apartments shattered, the ground littered with blood and body parts.

A large brown plume of smoke was visible in the air as ambulances rushed to the scene and carried away the wounded.

The compound has now been secured and is in the hands of AU troops, the official Twitter account of the African Union Mission to Somalia said. Shirdon also assured city residents that the government remains in control of security and underscored the swift action by the forces against the attackers.

“All our thoughts and prayers are with our U.N. colleagues today,” Shirdon said. “Al-Shabaab will not derail the peace process. They will not stop our recovery. Violence will not win.”


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New details revealed on royal baby birth plans

June 19th, 2013 No comments


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On June 21, 1982, almost 31 years ago, Prince William was born. Prince Charles and Princess Diana are shown leaving the Lindo Wing, at St. Mary's Hospital in London. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, plans to give birth to her baby at the same hospital.On June 21, 1982, almost 31 years ago, Prince William was born. Prince Charles and Princess Diana are shown leaving the Lindo Wing, at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, plans to give birth to her baby at the same hospital.

On display at the main gates of Buckingham Palace in London is the announcement that Diana gave birth to a son, William, at 9.03 p.m. on June 21, 1982. Charles was with her at St. Mary's Hospital for the birth of their first child, who weighed 7lbs 1.5 ozs and had blue eyes.!-- --/brOn display at the main gates of Buckingham Palace in London is the announcement that Diana gave birth to a son, William, at 9.03 p.m. on June 21, 1982. Charles was with her at St. Mary’s Hospital for the birth of their first child, who weighed 7lbs 1.5 ozs and had blue eyes.

Charles and Diana are photographed on September 16, 1984, following the birth of their second son, Prince Harry, at St. Mary's Hospital.Charles and Diana are photographed on September 16, 1984, following the birth of their second son, Prince Harry, at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Catherine attends a garden party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II on May 22, 2013.Catherine attends a garden party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II on May 22, 2013.

William and Catherine arrive for a service of celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 4, 2013.William and Catherine arrive for a service of celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 4, 2013.

President and CEO of Princess Cruises Alan Buckelew escorts Catherine stands next to an image taken of herself by Getty photographer Chris Jackson after a ship's naming ceremony at Ocean Terminal on June 13, 2013 in Southampton. This was Catherine's final public appearance before she gives birth.President and CEO of Princess Cruises Alan Buckelew escorts Catherine stands next to an image taken of herself by Getty photographer Chris Jackson after a ship’s naming ceremony at Ocean Terminal on June 13, 2013 in Southampton. This was Catherine’s final public appearance before she gives birth.

Catherine is photographed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Color Ceremony on June 15, 2013 in London.Catherine is photographed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Color Ceremony on June 15, 2013 in London.


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London (CNN) — Prince William’s wife, Catherine, plans to give birth to their first baby in the same hospital wing where her husband was born to Diana, Princess of Wales, almost 31 years ago, sources familiar with the plans said Wednesday.

The first details of the protocol surrounding the announcement of the birth were revealed as the Duchess of Cambridge enters the final weeks of her pregnancy.

The baby — which, regardless of gender, will be heir to the British throne — is expected to arrive in mid-July.

According to sources familiar with the plans, the birth will take place in the private Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London.

The first indication that the baby is on its way will be the announcement to the media that the Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to the hospital in the early stages of labor, royal sources told CNN.


Duchess’ last solo event before baby


Did she let a royal secret slip?


Royal baby bump pics: Right or wrong?

The next public announcement is expected to be that of the birth.

It will be made in the form of a formal bulletin, signed by medical staff and rushed in a car with a police escort to Buckingham Palace.

There, the notice will be placed on an easel on the palace forecourt, the royal sources said. This will be the first chance for the nation and those watching around the world to find out whether the new baby is a boy or a girl.

William and Catherine don’t know the sex of their baby and want to keep the surprise until it’s born, the royal sources said. William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and other members of both families will be told of the birth before the public knows.

The next announcement will be that the Duchess of Cambridge and her baby are to be discharged from the hospital.

People are already laying bets on what the newest member of the royal family will be named.

Alexandra appears to be the favorite for a girl, with George the favored name for a boy, according to UK betting websites. Diana, Elizabeth and Victoria are also popular choices with punters.

The baby will be third in line to the throne after Prince Charles and Prince William.

Paternity leave

The royal couple will probably present their baby to the world on the same doorstep where a proud Diana and Prince Charles showed off William in 1982.

It’s not yet been disclosed where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge plan to spend the days and weeks following the birth, the royal sources said.

William, who will turn 31 on Friday, is expected to be given the usual paternity leave of two weeks by the Ministry of Defence, the royal sources said. He will then return to his job as a helicopter search and rescue pilot.

The revelation of the birth details may be cause for some anxiety, given the tragedy that followed Catherine’s hospitalization late last year for acute morning sickness.

In that instance, a prank call by an Australian radio station to nursing staff at King Edward VII’s Hospital, which sparked a media frenzy after details of Catherine’s care were revealed, resulted in a nurse’s suicide.

“We would appeal to all members of the media for an appropriate degree of sensitivity, dignity and privacy in their reporting,” a royal source said.

“With the events of the King Edward Hospital still strong in our memories, we would expect any media covering the Duchess of Cambridge’s hospitalization to ensure that the normal functions of the hospital are not impeded by any media presence.”

Champagne on ice?

According to the Lindo Wing website, it has been offering private obstetric and neonatal care for mothers and babies since 1937.

The private wing operates alongside the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which is part of the National Health Service.

“Over the years, we have gained an international reputation for clinical excellence in both obstetric and neonatal medicine which has made us the choice for thousands of mothers. But what really sets us apart is the discreet, traditional, individualised service we provide,” the Lindo Wing’s online brochure says.

According to the prices listed, a stay in the Lindo Wing doesn’t come cheap by comparison with National Health Service care, which is free at the point of delivery.

However, the mother can stay in a room with its own bath or private suite, with a range of facilities and services offered. Among them is “a comprehensive wine list should you wish to enjoy a glass of champagne and toast your baby’s arrival.”

The care package for the first 24 hours with a normal delivery starts at £4,965 ($7,777), with the price increasing for a larger room or suite, or if a forceps delivery or caesarean section is needed. An additional night’s stay costs £900 ($1,400) or more on top of that price.

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Magazine defends photos of pregnant, bikini-clad Duchess of Cambridge


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Obama calls for reducing nuclear stockpiles

June 19th, 2013 No comments

(CNN) — President Barack Obama followed in the footsteps of past U.S. leaders with a speech on Wednesday at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, where he said he would ask Russia to join the United States in slashing its supply of strategic nuclear warheads.

“We may no longer live in fear of global annihilation, but so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe,” Obama said in the city that symbolized the East-West divide in the decades after World War II.

“After a comprehensive review, I’ve determined that we can ensure the security of America and our allies — and maintain a strong and credible strategic deterrent — while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one-third,” he said. “And I intend to seek negotiated cuts with Russia to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures.”

Obama’s speech made repeated references to Berlin’s post-war history and the resiliency of its people. He called on them to manifest the same spirit that helped bring down the Berlin Wall to now take on broader challenges facing the modern world.


Obama goes informal during Berlin speech


President Obama in Berlin

“Complacency is not the character of great nations,” said the president, who perspired openly despite removing his suit jacket when he started speaking to a sun-drenched crowd. “Today’s threats are not as stark as they were half-a-century ago. But the struggle for freedom and security and human dignity, that struggle goes on.”

Repeating his campaign themes of equal opportunity and freedom for all, Obama said such ideals can provide the prosperity sought by all nations — especially longtime allies such as the United States and Germany.

“We may enjoy a standard of living that is the envy of the world, but so long as hundreds of millions endure the agony of an empty stomach or the anguish of unemployment, we’re not truly prosperous,” Obama said. “We are more free when all people can pursue their own happiness.”

In the city rife with Cold War history, Obama also heralded democratic values that helped end communist control.

“Because millions across this continent now breathe the fresh air of freedom, we can say here in Berlin, here in Europe: Our values won,” he said to cheers. “Openness won. Tolerance won. And freedom won.”

Obama’s speech took place almost exactly 50 years after President John F. Kennedy delivered his “Ich bin ein Berliner” — or “I am a Berliner” — speech of solidarity with West Berlin near the dividing line with the Soviet-occupied east on the other side of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin is also where President Ronald Reagan delivered a famous line to the Soviet Union in 1987: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

When Obama referred to Kennedy’s speech and repeated the famous phrase, the crowd cheered. He also quoted from Kennedy’s speech by calling on people to look “to the day of peace with justice, beyond yourselves and ourselves to all mankind.”

Taking on another major issue, Obama called for a new global effort to address climate change, citing threats such as “more severe storms, more famine and floods, new waves of refugees, coast lines that vanish, oceans that rise.”

“This is the future we must avert,” he said to cheers. “This is the global threat of our time. And for the sake of future generations, our generation must move toward a global compact to confront a changing climate before it is too late. That is our job. That is our task. We have to get to work.”

Analysts said Obama’s speech sought to entrench a presidential legacy of leadership on global issues, especially after the lofty expectations in Germany and elsewhere for the candidate who spoke in Berlin five years ago have given way to the realities of the Oval Office.

“It was a president who wanted to kind of put down a stake and say, like JFK, like Ronald Reagan, I share their values as an American president and these are the things I feel like I need to talk to you about today as an American president,” said CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger.

Historian Douglas Brinkley called it a “healing speech,” but said “let’s not confuse this with Kennedy’s very important Cold War talk in Berlin or Ronald Reagan’s fighting words about ‘tear down this wall.’”

“This was not a moment that’s going to be a gold star on history’s calendar,” Brinkley told CNN.

Beyond New START

Obama’s latest proposals on nuclear stockpiles come two years after New START — an agreement between the United States and Russia — went into effect. New START, which stands for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, calls for each country to limit its nuclear warhead arsenal to 1,550 by the year 2018.

If fully implemented, his proposals on Wednesday would reduce both stockpiles by another one-third — to roughly 1,000 warheads for each country.

“At the same time, we’ll work with our NATO allies to seek bold reductions in U.S. and Russian tactical weapons in Europe,” he said.

After New START was ratified, Obama ordered a detailed internal analysis of U.S. nuclear needs and what it would take to deter other countries from attacking, the White House said.

Obama has also said the United States will only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners.

A White House fact sheet released after the speech called Obama’s proposals “new guidance that aligns U.S. nuclear policies to the 21st century security environment.”

Obama’s guidance directed the Pentagon to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the overall U.S. security strategy, and narrow the focus of nuclear strategy to deterrence, the White House document said.

The proposals drew immediate criticism from the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon of California, who said in a statement that Russia already failed to adhere to existing arms-reduction agreements.

“The president must make clear to (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin that the United States will not allow itself or its allies to be bullied by Russia or to allow that state to ignore its arms control obligations,” McKeon’s statement said.

Pressuring Iran and North Korea

The United States will continue working to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, with specific pressure on Iran and North Korea, a senior administration official said.

Obama also will participate in the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, the official said. The president announced Wednesday in his speech that he will host a Nuclear Security Summit in 2016 to work with other countries in securing nuclear materials and preventing nuclear terrorism.

Nuclear deterrence could restrain N. Korea, Iran

Wednesday’s speech took place amid a festive atmosphere at Brandenburg Gate, where Obama faced the East in contrast to Reagan’s appearance when the Berlin Wall still divided the city.

While the crowd was much smaller than the estimated 200,000 who jammed the area in 2008 to hear then Sen. Obama speak, people waved U.S. and German flags and regularly erupted in cheers and applause.

Near the front was Gail Halvorsen, known as the Candy Bomber for being the first to drop candy to kids during the U.S. airlift of 1948-49 that supplied West Berlin following a Soviet blockade.

Obama paid tribute to that moment, noting that the 92-year-old Halvorsen, who he called “the original candy bomber,” was present.

“We could not be prouder of him,” Obama said as Halvorsen stood and waved. The president added: “I hope I look that good, by the way, when I’m 92.”

CNN’s Deirdre Walsh and Holly Yan contributed to this report.


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Why Taliban would talk now

June 19th, 2013 No comments

(CNN) — As is so often the case in Afghanistan, turmoil and confusion have clouded this week’s announcement of peace talks involving the United States and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson explains what’s happening, and why.

What are we talking about?

The Taliban have opened an office in Qatar with an eye toward beginning talks there with Afghan and U.S. officials to end the fighting in Afghanistan. U.S. officials are expected to meet Thursday with Taliban representatives in Doha, but Afghanistan said Wednesday it won’t participate.

What’s gone wrong?


Afghan Taliban to meet with U.S., Karzai


Uncertainty marks Afghan handover

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is upset about how the Taliban portrayed themselves in opening their Qatar office, and he feels there’s a rush to talks. He wants to be in control the peace process, and he isn’t.

So he’s pulled his delegation to the Doha talks and backed out of direct discussions with the United States about what happens after 2014, when NATO withdraws from Afghanistan.

Taliban talks announced

Who’s saying what?

Karzai says there are “contradictions between acts and statements of the U.S. in regard to the peace process.” He says that the Taliban are emphasizing a continuation of the fighting and that “foreign powers” — read Pakistan — “are behind the opening of the Taliban office” in Qatar.

The Taliban, which angered Afghan officials by flying their flag and provocatively calling themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, say they’re “fighting to bring an end to the occupation” by NATO forces.

Is the peace process over?

It’s unlikely — everyone has something to gain from a successful negotiation. The United States would get a dignified exit for most of its forces and an agreement on a long-term presence in Afghanistan. Karzai would get the legacy he craves as a peacemaker, and the Taliban would get a say in how the country is run.

President Barack Obama said we should expect “bumps in the road” and warned that this would be “a difficult process.” And this is not the first time Karzai has stalled things.

But this is not a good start. Compromise seems to be in short supply.

What about the killing of 4 U.S. soldiers by the Taliban?

It is worrying that this came hours after the Taliban statement Tuesday. Is it coincidence or backlash? Some Taliban field commanders are unhappy with their representatives in Qatar, and behind the scenes, those close to the Taliban fear an uptick in violence near Kabul.

There’s a risk that hard-liners will undermine leaders they don’t trust in these talks. That’s true in most peace negotiations. Some think representatives in Qatar will do Pakistan’s bidding and want out of the fight now. Others may fight long after the majority agrees to peace.

Is there a grand bargain to be had?

International representatives close to the process in the past have told me not to rule it out. A bargain, where the Taliban accept U.S. bases in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 pullout date and where they agree not to attack them, is possible. The same people also say don’t hold your breath, this has been a long time coming.

What are the demands?

The Taliban must renounce al Qaeda. In the past, the Taliban have demanded that all foreign troops leave the country and have asked for specific percentages of representation in the Afghan political and military structures. They also want their prisoners released from U.S.-controlled detention.

Taliban officials have said in the past that theirs is a national struggle and that al Qaeda has an international agenda. However, they would take support where they could get it. The demand to renounce al Qaeda has been made to the Taliban since their first tentative “talks” in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2008.

Which Taliban are we talking about?

The Taliban of Mullah Omar, the Afghan leader or the Emir of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan before September 2001. His right-hand man, Tayyab Agha, heads the Taliban mission in Qatar. Other principal Taliban and Afghan opposition factions include the Haqqani faction, the TTP or Pakistani Mehsud faction and the Hekmatyar faction in the North East.

Those close to Mullah Omar’s Taliban say the vast majority of Taliban support him.

International representatives close to the process say that while that may be true, powerful groups like the Haqqanis could continue an insurgency even if Mullah Omar makes peace with Kabul.

Why would the Taliban talk now?

The civil war that the Taliban had all but won in 2001 has gone into remission with the presence of international forces. If the Taliban were to fight for the whole country again, they may not do so well.

The civil war bubbles beneath the surface, and should it resurface, the former northern warlords who have profited from the U.S. presence would make a Taliban fight for supremacy much harder. In short, they may get a better deal at the table than on the battlefield.

Why has it taken so much time to get talks going?

Karzai on several occasions felt bypassed by backdoor U.S. conversations with the Taliban in Qatar. He reportedly blocked progress. The Taliban also walked out on talks when Taliban prisoners at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay were not released as they had expected.

Where is Mullah Omar, and why’s that important?

He is widely believed to be in Pakistan, unable to move freely without Pakistan’s approval. That’s what his supporters believe, although Pakistan has denied it. Pakistan wants a say in Afghanistan’s future. If Afghanistan drifted toward Pakistan’s archenemy India, its sphere of influence would be upset.

What influence will Pakistan have on the talks?

Agha, Mullah Omar’s representative, could not have established an office in Qatar and be in a position to talk to Afghans and Americans without Pakistan’s permission. That’s the understanding of some in the Taliban, at least.

Karzai and U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The ISI denies that.

What hiccups can we expect?

Karzai says the next talks must be in Afghanistan. That is unlikely to sit well with Pakistan.

But just to get to this point has been very difficult. For the talks to work, all sides will need to be committed.


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Man charged with Nazi war crimes

June 19th, 2013 No comments


Ladislaus Csizsik-Csatary leaves the courthouse in Budapest on July 18, 2012.

(CNN) — Prosecutors in Hungary indicted a Nazi war crimes suspect Tuesday with involvement in the brutal treatment and deportation of thousands of Jews during World War II.

Ladislaus Csizsik-Csatary was allegedly “actively involved” in sending nearly 12,000 Jews to various concentration camps in the spring of 1944, according to the Metropolitan Chief Prosecution Office in Budapest.

According to prosecutors, Csizsik-Csatary served as a senior Hungarian police officer in the city of Kosice, which is now in Slovakia but was under Hungarian rule in the 1940s.

Csizsik-Csatary topped the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s list of “most wanted Nazi war criminals” as of April this year.

The Wiesenthal Center, a worldwide Jewish rights organization, and a British tabloid, The Sun, highlighted the case against him last year after the suspect, who is reportedly in his late 90s, was found living in Hungary in 2011.


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The prosecution’s indictment describes how most of the local Jewish people were forced into a ghetto and a deportation camp housed in a brick factory in April 1944, a month after the town was occupied by German troops.

Csizsik-Csatary was made commander of the “collection and deportation camp” in the brick factory at the beginning of May 1944, it says.

During that month, he “regularly beat the interned Jews with his bare hands and whipped them with a dog-whip without any special reasons and irrespective of the sex, age or health condition of the assaulted people,” the indictment alleges.

From mid-May to the start of June, the almost 12,000 Jews held in the camp were transported in packed freight wagons to the concentration camps in German-occupied territories. The majority of the Jews deported from Kosice went to Auschwitz, it says.

The defendant “was actively involved in and assisted the deportations,” the indictment says.

In early June, he also allegedly “prohibited cutting windows on the wagons which could have helped the about 80 people being crammed under inhuman circumstances in the windowless wagons to get more fresh air.”

The indictment concludes that Csizsik-Csatary “intentionally assisted the unlawful executions and tortures committed against Jewish people who were deported.”

According to the Wiesenthal Center, Csizsik-Csatary was previously convicted in absentia and sentenced to death for torturing Jews and his role in the mass deportation to Auschwitz.

He escaped to Canada after World War II but was stripped of his Canadian citizenship in 1997, and chose voluntarily to leave the country, the center claims.

He was rediscovered in the fall of 2011 as part of the center’s Last Chance project, and was charged last July with the torture of Jews in the Kosice ghetto, it says.

In March this year, a Slovak court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment to enable Slovakia to seek Csizsik-Csatary’s extradition from Hungary to stand trial for his crimes in Kosice, it adds.

JULY 2012: Officials: Alleged Nazi war criminal found in Hungary

Journalist Fanny Facsar and CNN’s Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report.


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At least 14 killed in attack on U.N. headquarters in Somalia

June 19th, 2013 No comments


Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) — At least 14 people died and 15 others were wounded in an attack on the U.N. headquarters in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Seven militants, four U.N. employees and three female civilians were killed, said Abdikarim Hussein Guled, the country’s interior and national security minister. The other victims were rushed to a hospital.

Al-Shabaab, the militant group linked to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility, the group said on Twitter. It was the second major attack in the city in less than a month in an unstable nation beset with civil strife for many years.

Police Officer Hussein Ahmed said one attacker blew himself up at the entrance of the U.N. compound, which is near the city’s airport.


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Others wearing suicide vests entered the U.N. compound. He said Somali and African Union forces surrounded the building and fought with the armed assailants.

The strike devastated the area. Mangled buses and cars sat in disfigured heaps, the windows of nearby apartments shattered, the ground littered with blood and body parts.

A large brown plume of smoke was visible in the air as ambulances rushed to the scene and carried away the wounded.

The compound has now been secured and is in the hands of AU troops, the official Twitter account of the African Union Mission to Somalia said.


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Analysts: North Korea talks follow well-worn path

June 19th, 2013 No comments


A Chinese officer salutes the car of North Korean officials as they return from talks in Beijing on June 19, 2013.

Hong Kong (CNN) — North Korea’s bipolar swings between nuclear provocation and fawning overtures for talks now form part of a familiar pattern.

As recently as March, Pyongyang was warning the United States of “a simmering nuclear war” and cut its hotline with South Korea.

But in the past week, media reports say it has been taking down the ubiquitous anti-American billboards that line the streets of the North Korean capital, suggesting that dialogue, after all, may be possible.

The well-worn formula of ratcheting up the tension and then standing back to see what concessions can be extracted from a rattled international community was a favored tactic of Kim Jong Un’s father Kim Jong Il who was a master of brinkmanship.

But with China and North Korea holding strategic talks in Beijing on Wednesday, analysts are asking whether this time, everything could be different.

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Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, project director at the International Crisis Group, says that while there are new elements to the discourse between North Korea and the international community, little of substance has changed.

“It seems to be the usual dance where we are in the charm offensive period and North Korea is reaching out for talks,” Kleine-Ahlbrandt said, adding that North Korea was fully conscious that each party to the previous six-party talks between North Korea, South Korea, China, the United States, Japan and Russia had been pursuing their agenda.

READ: China has just about had it with North Korea

“I think it’s plausible that North Korea is trying to see if they can divide some of the six parties because they realize that the Chinese are looking for talks primarily and I think they realize that the U.S. wants conditions for talks.”

The U.S. has previously stated that concrete movement on North Korea’s U.N. obligations to de-nuclearize were a pre-condition of talks. She said the feeling in Washington, however, was that the U.S. was not rushing towards talks.

“I think that China, meanwhile, wants to inflict limited pain on North Korea to get them to cease provocations and to get back to talks and to frankly stop making China lose face,” she said.

China — which committed as many three million troops to secure North Korea during the Korean War in the 1950s — is Pyongyang’s closest ally but has grown increasingly impatient with its Stalinist neighbor, repeatedly urging it to rejoin the six-party negotiations.

READ: Why Korean War still matters

Kleine-Ahlbrandt said there was a sense that North Korea had overplayed its hand.

“This escalation and brinkmanship wasn’t done with any of the calibration that we’re used to seeing during the Kim Jong Il era, which managed to (provoke) but gave China the ability to maintain its position,” she said.

Nevertheless, she said the sense in China was that North Korea was a wayward child and had to be brought into line and part of this could be urging the United States to adopt a more flexible position on talks.

“Their (China’s) anger over North Korea is very different from our anger,” she added. “Beijing believes that North Korea’s insecurity needs to be alleviated, not intensified.”

Lee Jung-Hoon, Associate Professor of International Relations at Yonsei University in Seoul, said the fact that other six-party members were talking with each other — notably the United States and South Korea and most recently China and the United States — was making Pyongyang apprehensive.

“They’ve been taken aback by this series of summit meetings,” Lee said. “They don’t want to be pushed into a corner and I think that’s what they’re feeling at this juncture especially since Xi Jinping has been very adamant about the de-nuclearization of North Korea.”

He said that recent rhetoric coming out of North Korea showed the regime to be increasingly desperate.

“I do believe that the regime is extremely unstable and insecure, therefore it’s making all these frantic efforts,” Lee said. “Even them wanting to hang on to nuclear weapons is an act of desperation as well — they believe it’s the only thing that would ensure the regime’s survival.”

China is currently banking on its provinces bordering North Korea — known as the Three Northeast Province — becoming a new economic zone and is plowing billions into infrastructure development in the region.

Lee said China believes that part of the reason that the zone has not been as successful as planned has been due to North Korea.

“To develop that whole region is something that China very much wants to kick-start,” he said. “Now there are voices within China raising the question, ‘Why are we holding onto this relic regime which is going against China’s national interests?’”

“I don’t’ think we’re looking at a major overhaul of China’s North Korea policy but I think they are beginning to think of the possibility of ‘what if?’ and how will this play out as far as China’s economic development is concerned.”


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