Posted on Categories News & Comment

PBC News & Comment: Sultan Erdogan Consolidates Power in Turkey

Until recently a secular democracy, Turkey has converted to Islamic dictatorship under Erdogan; US and EU’s unreliable partner…..–Prime Minister Davutoglu is forced out by his nominal subordinate, President Erdogan, who seems jealous of the PM’s recent role with EU

–Turkish Parliament roiled by series of fistfights and mayhem, as Erdogan’s party tries to strip immunity from Kurdish representatives

–in Brazil, new twist in impeachment saga, as corrupt House Speaker who brought charges against President is ordered to step down by court

–Alberta Armageddon continues, as Ft. McMurray is ravaged by wildfires stoked by drought and unusual heat wave

–NSA and CIA have doubled the number of warrantless searches of Americans in past 2 years

–leaker of Panama Papers is still unnamed, but s/he is negotiating for immunity, offering to help investigators

–at Shadowproof, Kevin Gosztola reports that top intelligence lawyer says Obama administration drove war on whistelblowers

–Justice Dept. responds to complaints from Inspectors General that ObamaCo has limited access to government records

–following Israeli raid into Gaza, Hamas mortars are fired, and Israel launches assaults from air and ground

–new report shows that Pentagon continues to mishandle sex assault cases

–same as it ever was, Afghanistan reports big poppy harvest, Taliban profits

–Obama commutes sentences of 58 more nonviolent drug offenders

–North Carolina bathroom cops will defy federal sanctions

–slain Honduran activist Berta Caceres was targeted for months before her murder

–talcum powder can cause ovarian cancer, as jury awards victim $55 million from Johnson & Johnson

–Speaker Paul Ryan refuses to unite around Trump candidacy

–new poll shows Clinton and Sanders both beat Trump, Sanders by more