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Merkel Says Told Erdogan of 'Deep Concern' over Lifting of MPs' Immunity

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said she had told Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of her "deep concern" over a law lifting immunity for Turkish lawmakers that critics believe is aimed at evicting pro-Kurdish lawmakers from parliament.

"Of course, the lifting of the immunity of one quarter of the deputies is a source of deep concern. I expressed this to the Turkish president and we discussed these questions very openly," she said.

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Turkey Could Suspend EU Deals, Warns Erdogan Advisor

Turkey could make "radical decisions" and suspend all of its agreements with the European Union, an advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Monday.

"We do not expect anything from them (EU)," Yigit Bulut, who advises the president on the economy, told the state-run TRT Haber television.

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Leaders Seek to Defy Skeptics at Istanbul Humanitarian Summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday the burden of handling the world's crises should be better shared, as leaders and aid groups sought to defy skeptics at an unprecedented aid summit in Istanbul.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gathered over 60 heads of state and government with top NGOs at the summit, aiming to better keep conflicts from erupting and ensure legal retribution for those guilty of humanitarian crimes.

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Turkey's Incoming PM Working on New Cabinet

Turkey's incoming premier Binali Yildirim said Monday he was working on a new cabinet after being handed the task by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, without saying when the new lineup would be announced.

"It is not the first time a government is formed in Turkey. A list of the cabinet is being prepared," he told reporters in Ankara.

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Incoming Turkey PM Calls on EU to End 'Confusion' over Membership Bid

Turkey's incoming prime minister Binali Yildirim on Sunday told the European Union it was time to end the "confusion" about Ankara's long-standing membership bid as well as the landmark deal on migrants.

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Britain Says Turkey 'Decades' from Joining the EU

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday it would be decades before Turkey could possibly join the EU, saying that it might happen in the year 3000 on current progress.

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Istanbul Summit Seeks to Transform Aid Response, Defy Critics

Global leaders and key NGOs gather in Istanbul on Monday for an unprecedented U.N.-backed summit aimed at transforming the world's response to humanitarian crises, despite skepticism the talks will have little impact.

With an estimated 60 million people displaced around the world and conflict and climate change posing a growing risk, there is widespread agreement among governments and aid groups that the current humanitarian system is in desperate need of an overhaul.

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Salam to Underscore Syrian Refugee Plight in Lebanon during Istanbul Humanitarian Summit

Prime Minister Tammam Salam is scheduled to travel to the Turkish city of Istanbul to attend the Global Humanitarian Summit on Sunday, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

It said that he will address the case of Syrian refugees, demanding international support to allow the displaced to return to their homeland and safe regions to ease the burden they pose on Lebanon.

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EU Ministers Back Emergency Brake on Turkey Visa-Free Travel

EU interior ministers on Friday adopted a so-called emergency brake that would allow European nations to swiftly halt visa-free access to Europe for Turks and other nationalities if key conditions were violated.

The brake -- or "snap back mechanism" -- will permit bloc countries to halt visa-free travel if large numbers of Turks stay in the EU illegally or if there are a large number of asylum applications by Turks.

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Turkey Approves Controversial Law Scrapping Immunity for MPs

Turkey's parliament on Friday adopted a highly controversial bill that would lift immunity for dozens of pro-Kurdish and other MPs and could see them evicted from parliament, sparking fresh domestic and international concern.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will raise concerns over the legislation during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week, his spokesman said.

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