Mark LowenVerified account

@marklowen

Outgoing BBC Turkey Correspondent, incoming Rome Correspondent. Previously based in Athens and Belgrade. Heart belongs to a Portuguese. All views my own.

Istanbul and beyond
Joined December 2010
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  1. 46 minutes ago

    A reminder: it's 3 months since S-400 missiles from NATO's nemesis Russia arrived in Turkey. Under US federal law, Washington was compelled to sanction Ankara for the purchase. No sanctions came. It looks like Turkey's President has his American counterpart where he wants him.

    3 replies 32 retweets 40 likes
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  2. 52 minutes ago

    Trump again takes a decision on Syria after a call from Erdogan, prioritising Turkey's interests over US support for YPG. Ankara gets its green light for an operation that'll clear N Syria of its enemy & allow Turkey to send Syrian Arab refugees back there, changing demographic.

    US says Turkey to begin NE Syria operation
    6 replies 14 retweets 14 likes
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  3. Retweeted
    3 hours ago

    White House gives green light to Turkish operation into Kurdish held northern Syria. US says Islamic State fighters captured in the last two years will now be the responsibility of Turkey

    1 reply 12 retweets 16 likes
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  4. Retweeted
    Oct 5

    A children's book telling inspiring stories about women from history has been ruled a "detrimental influence" in and can now only be sold to people over 18 and must be concealed from view in shops -- as if it was pornography.

    4 replies 33 retweets 38 likes
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  5. Oct 4

    Watching Portuguese TV with ⁦⁩ before ’s election Sunday. Leaders wishing each other luck, animal welfare party having cozy dinner, another enjoying fado music - while UK politicians tear each other apart. Let’s take a leaf out of Portugal’s book?

    3 replies 2 retweets 17 likes
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  6. Oct 4

    “I’m Roman, going back seven generations”, said the art historian showing us around her city this afternoon. “And the reason I’ll be sad to die is that I won’t be able to see Rome any longer”. Che bellissimo.

    2 replies 2 retweets 39 likes
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  7. Oct 4

    I’m sad to be missing this but if you’re in Istanbul & interested in big questions about ’s future, join and as they record their next episode there. Sign up to join the audience &put your question to the panel here:

    1 reply 7 retweets 21 likes
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  8. Retweeted
    Oct 3

    BBC journalist has allowed us to publish his photos from his time as the BBC's Turkey correspondent on Open Licenses. If any other journalists would like to donate their photos for use on Wikipedia, get in touch!

    3 replies 19 retweets 36 likes
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  9. Oct 1

    “Today we learn the conditional tense. It’s often used to report something that may or may not have happened. You’re going to need that as a journalist so as not to get sued”. Good advice from my Italian teacher.

    6 replies 1 retweet 52 likes
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  10. Sep 30

    Well worth reading this excellent piece by on the internal conflicts pulling the AKP apart - and what impact that could have on President Erdogan’s control

    One-time allies of President Erdoğan are on the brink of launching splinter parties that will openly challenge the ruling AKP. What is the significance of the rupture? big read on Ahmet Davutoğlu and Ali Babacan.
    7 likes
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  11. Sep 30

    A reminder of who this Ağaoğlu creature is:

    Construction magnate Ali Ağaoğlu says that he and others used such poor-quality materials in their buildings that "the dead will be the lucky ones" when a big earthquake hits Istanbul:
    3 retweets 6 likes
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  12. Sep 30

    It’s almost a year since ’s horrifying murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. His remains have never been found and MBS continues to deny responsibility. has spoken to those who heard the shocking tapes of the murder and dismembering. A powerful read:

    The secret tapes of Jamal Khashoggi's murder
    15 replies 17 retweets 18 likes
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  13. Retweeted
    Sep 29

    So here we are at which will be dominated by brexit.... and the building we’re in is part funded by the EU

    2,633 replies 6,473 retweets 18,271 likes
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  14. Sep 29

    Rome, late September. I could get used to this.

    11 replies 1 retweet 119 likes
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  15. Sep 26

    Achievement of today’s Italian lesson: finding out what tiramisu actually means.

    8 replies 50 likes
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  16. Retweeted
    Sep 26

    Istanbul mayor says no reports have reached him of deaths or property loss in today's earthquake.

    Marmara Denizi Büyükçekmece açıklarında 12 km derinlikte 5.7 büyüklüğünde deprem meydana gelmiştir. Tüm bölgeye geçmiş olsun, AKOM teyakkuz halinde, can ve mal kaybına dair herhangi bir bilgi ulaşmış değil.
    3 replies 15 retweets 32 likes
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  17. Sep 26

    Geçmiş olsun İstanbul and stay safe all

    Quake strikes Istanbul again, details re magnitude not clear yet. But felt much stronger than the one that struck on Tuesday w/ 4.7 magnitude. Fears of a major quake to hit Istanbul are bound to escalate. A 7.5 quake in Marmara region two decades ago had killed nearly 20,000 ppl
    4 replies 7 retweets 110 likes
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  18. Retweeted
    Sep 24

    Greta claps back – subtly, of course – in her Twitter bio

    242 replies 1,344 retweets 7,859 likes
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  19. Sep 24

    ’s state broadcast watchdog reportedly bans US series 9-1-1 for five episodes after it shows two women kissing. Homosexuality is legal in Turkey, allegedly.

    4 replies 4 retweets 10 likes
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  20. Sep 24

    “In his two months in power, Boris Johnson has lost his first six Commons votes, broken the law by suspending Parliament and misled the monarch.” Quite a track record.

    Supreme Court: Where does defeat leave Boris Johnson? - BBC News
    7 retweets 6 likes
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