In this chapter, we will review the literature on type and ADD and compare the symptoms of being an INTP with the symptoms of having ADD. Then we will compare the symptoms of having ADD/ADHD with the symptoms of being a normal, typical INTP.
So, is type related to ADD/ADHD? Yes, in some ways. But they are quite variable ways.
Falsification of type due to pressure from parents and educators.
The effects of drugs upon the personality. It has been found that type preferences get muddled when a person is on drugs. The MBTI manual recommends that the MBTI not be administered until 30 days have elapsed since the user's last drug use. (5) ADHD drugs—being the nigh-exact equivalent of slow-release cocaine (6)—have the potential to distort a person's type preferences, producing false readings.
But more than either of these issues, there is the fact that the likelihood of any particular person being diagnosed with ADD depends upon things that are not associated with either a brain disorder or psychological type. For example, a child's place of dwelling, or whether a child is born in December or January.
Did you know that ADHD loves the east coast of the United States, yet shuns the west coast? (7) I wonder what makes the west coast so much more wholesome than the east coast? It's as though a giant hand had sorted all those with ADHD onto one side of the continent, and all those without ADHD onto the other side of the continent. Very odd, very odd indeed.
But even stranger, did you know that if you diagnose a child using the official American standards for ADHD, the child is 3-4 times more likely to be discovered to have a brain disorder than if the official European standards are used? (8) This suggests that we could cure more than half of American children simply by sending them to Europe for rediagnosis. Curious; perhaps there is some healing property in that bracing Old World air.
There is also the fact that a 2012 study of 900,000 Canadian children found that boys born in December were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than boys born in January. Furthermore, girls born in December were 70% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls born in January. Likewise, December boys were 41% more likely to be put on meds than January boys, and December girls were 77% more likely to be put on meds than January girls. (9) What could be causing this bizarre pattern? Perhaps it has something to with the position of the stars, or the sign under which the child is born—such things have long been known to affect the balance of the four humors. Or then again, it could have something to do with the fact that due to date cutoffs, children entering the school system in December are 1 year younger than children entering the school system in January. Goodness knows that an age gap of one year can be hard to tell apart from a brain disorder.
How subtle and delicate is the line between normalcy and disorder! Fortunately we have experts who can tell the two conditions apart for us should there be any doubt in the matter.
The NP group includes INTPs, INFPs, ENFPs, and ENTPs. Alt (1999) did a study comparing 54 adults diagnosed with ADHD with 56 nondiagnosed adults. It was found that NPs were "highly represented" among the adults diagnosed with ADHD.
It is apparent, therefore, that sometimes—though not all the time—NPs are more frequently (mis?)diagnosed with ADHD than other types. Why could this be?
Let's examine why INTPs might be seen to have a brain disorder.
The DSM-IV is the official American handbook for diagnosing mental problems. Not everybody uses it, but since it's the supposed standard and comes with a higher risk of misdiagnosis than its European counterpart, we'll use it for our list of symptoms.
Therefore we will look at the set of symptoms considered characteristic of the "Predominantly Inattentive Type" of ADHD, i.e. ADD.
If a person exhibits any six of the following traits for at least six months in two or more settings (for example, school, home, work) and has exhibited them "to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level," and the symptoms cause "clinically significant impairment in social, school, or work functioning" then a person is considered to have ADD.
One ADD diagnostic criterion is disorganization. The official symptom list seems to imply that this is primarily a matter of disorganization in carrying out activities, but in practice it extends to include physical disorganization as well. Therefore, we will discuss both aspects.
INTPs are a messy Perceiver type, so it should be expected that they would be disorganized. In confirmation of this, Beckham's (2012) study of Perceiving college students found that 61% did not think they needed a clean workspace to study. I have never been diagnosed with ADD, but my preferred organizing system for dealing with handouts, homework and class papers was to shove them into my textbook for that class. The papers would accumulate until they were 1-2 cm thick and the book was bulging with them. After awhile the handouts would get ripped, crinkled and dirty around the edges where they stuck out of the book. (There was a distinctive patina that resulted from exposure to the crumb and eraser shavings-covered bottom of my backpack.) Sometimes there was a basic stratigraphic order, like a queue system, that indicated the order in which the handouts had arrived, but I never bothered to maintain it, so by the end of the year they were in any order they happened to fall into. One year, during a particularly paper-intensive class, I was unable to fit all the papers into my textbook. Instead of putting them into a binder or folder, I decided to put them directly into my backpack, where they were held in place between fat textbooks. It worked fairly well.
Of course, this did make it harder to find what I was looking for. When the teacher told the class to take out such-and-such a handout, I was always ruffling around furiously while my SJ classmates pulled out their neatly tab-divided binder and flipped directly to the handout, which was still as crisp and white as it was the day the teacher passed it out.
How about planners? When the teacher would give the due date of a test or an assignment, I would take the class syllabus and scribble a note on the margin with an arrow pointing at the date in question. After awhile the syllabus got covered with old notes and dates and reminders. Meanwhile, my SJ classmates would open their planners to the calendar section and neatly write in a note with the When and What.
And let's not even get started on the locker. I've cleaned it out with a black trash bag at the end of the year. Or how about that messy desk, messy car and messy house? The personal space of a Perceiver is often a complete disaster.
Once again Beckham's study furnishes us with an example of how Perceivers approach task organization. In the area of studying, it was found that Perceivers did not decide beforehand what they would study or for how long. Nor did they have specific study times or habits.
My study and homework habits went something like this: "Hm, what classes do I have tomorrow? Is there anything due for those classes? I know I have some math homework, I'll do that first before I get sleepy. Then maybe some biology? When was that handout due? I'd better double check...no wait, on second thought I can just do that on the bus. Probably it would be better to do the history thing first." Once I had my plan in place I quickly disgarded it. "Meh, this math assignment is really long and I'm getting tired of crunching numbers. I need a break. I'll do some easy history next...hm, actually I just don't feel like history right now. I'll work on biology instead, and I'll do the history during first period tomorrow. I can type it up in the computer lab during lunch. Okay, that'll work."
It's not that I had trouble organizing tasks and activities—I could come up with a dozen ways to organize my tasks and activities—it's just that I didn't feel like following my plans for long, so I abandoned the old ones and came up with better ones that fit the changing circumstances. Like all Perceivers, I followed spurts of inspiration and avoided the pits of exhaustion by doing whatever I felt like at that particular moment. Therefore I never had any set study schedule or routine.
This approach is characteristic of the overall Perceiving preference for improvisation over planning.
It seems possible that INTPs could qualify as being disorganized in the areas of space, time, and tasks.
Humorous anecdotes of INTP forgetfulness are so ubiquitous that this section seems almost unnecessary. From forgetting one's lunch to forgetting one's luggage, INTPs are forgetful each and every day. On a roadtrip I planned (improvised) with an INTP and an ENTP, we forgot so much stuff that it seemed we spent half the time shopping for stuff we neglected to bring—including an entire cooler of food that I left in the kitchen. The reason for INTP forgetfulness is primarily that they are occupied with thinking about abstract matters and therefore neglect concrete details.
INTPs obviously fit this diagnostic criterion.
It should be noted that there are differing type-specific causes for easy distractibility. An ESTP, for example, might be distracted by the noises of children having fun out on the playground. However, this is probably not a typical cause of INTP distractibility.
If an INTP is considered "distractable," there are two behaviors that may cause this impression. In the first place, INTPs can easily tune out boring people, i.e. people who repeat things, make small talk, and belabor a point after the INTP already understands. It doesn't take much provocation to turn off the talking heads in the outside world and turn on the mental entertainment system.
When a classmate asks a question about a simple topic the INTP understands already, the INTP tunes out.
If the teacher goes on and on about a concept the INTP understands already, the INTP tunes out.
If a teacher repeats instructions twice, the INTP tunes out.
If there is nothing much useful going on, the INTP tunes out.
From the perspective of the outside world, the INTP may therefore seem distracted, but from the INTP's perspective they are concentrating deeply.
When an INTP is occupied with their inner world, they can walk the world in a daze, completely undistracted by outside stimuli. Thus it is actually inappropriate to say that they are easily distractable, for in this state they are very difficult to distract indeed—at least from the INTP's point of view. From the perspective of an observer in the outside world, however, the INTP is seen as totally distracted from them. Distraction is relative. Keirsey noted that INTPs "seem able to concentrate better than any other type." Outside observers, however, see the INTP's concentration as distraction.
There is also a second reason why INTPs may be perceived as being easily distractable.
Keirsey noted that INTPs prefer to work alone and without distractions. Why is this? In the first place, it is because they are introverts. But also, it is because INTPs tend to wrestle with more complicated problems than most. For me, when I'm deep in thought it's like juggling twenty balls at one time. When a distraction comes along I fumble and they all go crashing to the floor. It takes awhile to gather up all the balls again and get them back into the air. Ever been working at the computer on a report and then have a power outage? One moment you're busy, the next--nothing! This is what a distraction does to an INTP: it cuts off power and ends deep thought.
The twenty ball juggling act comes naturally as the result of the INTP's interest in complex systems. Types who aren't interested in complex systems may only keep a few balls up in the air at a time, which is to say that they will only consider a few factors when conducting an analysis. It's easy for them to get the balls up and lay them down again. By contrast, the INTP seeks to emplace dozens of factors to generate a big picture that makes sense from every angle. But it's hard to juggle twenty balls, and it requires concentration. Sometimes the threads of intuitive understanding are extremely fine and tenuous, and a distraction can snap them. A brilliant thought in the mid-gestation can be destroyed by the sound of a door slamming. A profound insight can be obliterated by the jingle of a telephone. Just as the spark of inspiration begins to catch the tinder, a chattery person blows it out.
To achieve a deep state of concentration and juggle as many balls as possible, it is necessary to either have silence and stillness or to tune out one's surroundings to simulate this effect. INTPs use both techniques: they avoid distractions when possible, and if not, then they tune them out as best they can.
In school, I never attended group study sessions because I knew they would be a waste of time. The pace would be too slow and the talk of the other people would prevent me from thinking productively. I preferred to work alone in my room, without any music on. Sometimes for particularly hateful tasks even my room was too distracting with all its fun stuff, and I would work at school in an empty hallway. Of course, then I had to put up with people walking past and talking. At home, I made the most of my hours alone because I knew they would be my most productive time.
Sometimes, in some circumstances, INTPs are easily distracted by the outside world. But constantly and continuously they are distracted by the inside world.
So yes, INTPs can be perceived as easily distractable.
Along with being constantly lost in thought comes the habit of losing things: the car keys, the checkbook, the library book, the paper that describes what to study on the exam. A common self deception: "I'll just set this here for now." The INTP subsequently forgets about the item and later it is discovered to be lost. How many times have I have discovered an item in some obscure place and thought, "Oh yeah, I remember putting this here now. It did make sense at the time."
Typically what happens is that I'll be busy thinking about a problem with my body on autopilot and the primitive reptile brain at the controls. As it turns out, reptiles aren't very good at noticing when and where they leave stuff; while I'm "off duty" the reptile brain may decide to leave my USB stick in some obscure hole where it won't be found for several months. Reptiles also put food away in funny places (they may take food items into the coatroom to put them away with the gloves and hats, or they may attempt to store refrigerator items in a cupboard). Later, I wonder where item X is and the reptile brain shrugs and says, "You think I remember where I put that?"
This criterion is actually redundant because forgetful people (see previous symptom) lose things as a matter of course. One factor predicts the other, and both can be explained by the INTP habit of being continually lost in thought.
INTPs often decide not to listen. If people are engaging in boring small talk or repeating themselves or discussing irrelevant points or teaching something in a boring or inefficient way, the INTP stops listening.
The INTP is still paying sharp attention, of course--just not to the outside world. As they stare blankly into the Great Beyond, their mind is actively engaged in pondering matters of more meaningful import.
Over the years I have become very adept at not listening. My primitive reptile brain cannot actually understand words, but it does understand tones of voice. It knows just when to nod and when to make a noise of acknowledgment or wince or give a little laugh. Thus it seems that I am paying attention to people, when in reality I am paying attention to the problem of how to design my dream aquarium, taking into account aesthetics, the pros and cons of live vs. plastic plants, ease of cleaning, space for fish to swim in, ease of viewing from various angles, bubbler location and aeration capabilities, the pros and cons of snails, the location of the heater, the placement of the aquarium so as to avoid falls and wall staining and of course the type of fish I want to buy. All this time my reptile brain is nodding and going, "Yeah. Uh huh. Wow. Ooh. Mm. Eeh. Bleh."
In class I would stare blankly at the teacher or at the whiteboard or at a page of the book, probably giving the illusion of rapt attention. All the while, of course, I would be plotting a new science fiction story and having dramatic laser battles in my head. Fortunately, my experience has been that if you read the book outside of class then you don't actually have to pay attention in class. Unless of course it's one of those classes where the teacher doesn't teach from the book (you have to watch out for those, especially in college).
When focusing on the inner world, INTPs tune out the outer world. Thus they are not listening.
Highly interesting. An INTP will focus their whole mental resources onto such a task and will exhibit neither forgetfulness nor distractedness. This is often the case at the beginning of employment when an INTP is learning the ropes of a new job. It is also the case at the beginning of a course or when a new concept is presented in class. INTPs are very interested in learning new things, the newer the better. Practicing a concept that they already mostly understand does not really interest them. Working endless variations of the same thing does not interest them either. Nor does achieving mastery of a subject interest them; they already know they could do it if they really felt like it, and to an INTP that is enough. By the time they've gone through the practice examples in the book, the magic may already be gone. To maintain this state continuously, an INTP needs to have either a very tough problem, a very novel problem, or a very enjoyable problem.
Boring But Hard. This is the absolute worst kind of task. Not only does it require the INTP to pay attention, but it offers zero intellectual stimulation. My worst experience of this was the time I worked as a cashier at a grocery store. Since continuous chitchat was required with customers and checking had to be accurate, I was required to give 100% attention. The job was mentally unrewarding and worse yet, my mind was stuck chained to my body. Unfortunately, some schoolwork is like this. INTPs may be so bored that they are tempted to check themselves out even when it increases the time and effort it takes to do an assignment. While not beneficial, this inappropriate mental checkout is not proof of a brain disorder—rather it is the natural result of a mind being forced to perform an extremely uninspiring repetitive task at length. Think of it this way: a child can play for hours with a set of building blocks, but an adult gets bored with them pretty quick. INTPs generally need more stimulation than is provided by the average page of schoolwork. The baby blocks aren't fun for long. This is more often a flaw in the school system rather than a flaw in the INTP's ability to concentrate on a task at length.
Conclusion: For an INTP to be happy, a job should be really, really interesting or really, really mindless. INTPs will not focus on a task or sustain attention in it if they find they do not need to, or if the task is excessively mindless.
Failing to follow instructions can be the result of the INTP not knowing what the instructions were because they weren't listening in the first place. (We've already discussed several reasons why this might be.) To compound the problem, the INTP may try to intuit the instructions and end up being wrong.
However, the "failure to complete tasks" is a typical Perceiver trait. Perceivers do not feel the Judgers' need for closure; they are comfortable leaving a project till later. Indeed, Perceivers typically have houses full of half-finished projects. Slowly, slowly these projects head towards completion, until one day, miraculously, they are done (or not). There's also the fact that Perceivers continually redefine the scope of the project in light of new data.
Perceivers are also comfortable saying, "I'll finish it later." Given that one of the defining marks of a Perceiver is a lack of need for closure, and that INTPs are Perceivers, we may safely conclude that INTPs have a habit of leaving projects open. Which is the nice way of saying that they fail to finish tasks.
As with forgetfulness, I could devote an entire chapter to hilarious INTP anecdotes in this area. Jungian psychologists widely acknowledge this aspect of the INTP type; for example, Keirsey (1998a) noted that INTPs are the type that misses the turnoff. However, I'll simply mention that when an INTP is busy chewing their mental cud, they don't pay much attention to details. Preoccupied with the abstract, they ignore the physical: "Oops, I left my car's lights on again for the fourth time." "Oops, I filled out this form wrong because they put the name fields in reverse order." "Oops, I just did all the even problems instead of all the odd ones." "Hey, the fire alarm's going off. Guess the food's done."
There is also the fact that sensors tend to focus naturally on concrete details whereas intuitives focus on broad, global, abstract matters. Indeed, this symptom is something like a penalty on the intuitive way of thinking. This is not surprising considering that the vast majority of public school teachers are sensors.
Anyway, there are two ways an INTP may fit this criterion. First, the INTP may say to themselves, "Cool, problem one! Thinkthinkthink. Yay! I understand this concept. On to problem two! Oh wait, this is the same problem, only with different numbers. Darn. Okay, onto problem three. Wait, this is still the same problem, only with different numbers. Okay--groan--on to problem four. Surprise, it's the same problem with different numbers. Are we having fun yet?" And it only gets worse from there. It is the mentally demanding yet monotonous nature of such tasks that INTPs dread--and such dread produces procrastination and avoidance.
Another phenomenon that plays into this is the tsunami effect described in the section on school. This is the tendency of an INTP to begin with a simple task ("I'll just work on this first part a bit") and end up getting sucked into doing the entire project all at once, which requires enormous amounts of time and effort. Beckham found this tendency in Perceiving students: 81% put tasks off until right before they were due; subsequently the students would complete the tasks all at once in a continuous, unbroken flow with ever building momentum.
An INTP has an instinctive knowledge of this effect and realizes that if they start working on a task for "just a few minutes" it may end up taking a few hours because the task will take on a life of its own and they can't stop. The vortex of creativity will sweep the INTP up and not put them down until the task is finished or something interrupts the flow. For example, an INTP may set out to pick up a few items of clothing lying on the floor and end up trying to do a deep clean and radical reorganization of their room. Or, an INTP may set out to read a few pages in a book to help them get to sleep at night and then end up finishing the book at 2 AM and analyzing the fascinating implications of what they read until 4 AM.
How does the INTP prevent themselves from being sucked down into this whirlpool? By avoiding and procrastinating the task that will supposedly take just a few minutes. I have come to realize that when I get home, the first thing I start working on may very well consume the rest of my night. Also, if there is some disagreeable task that I am avoiding or procrastinating, I can fool myself into working on it by telling myself "I'll just work on it for a few minutes." Of course, once the dreaded task has been initiated, it doesn't seem so bad after all and the tsunami effect accomplishes the rest. (Then again, sometimes the tsunami leaves the task half finished because the INTP's eyes turned out to be bigger than their stomach.) Suppose that an INTP has a big essay due in a month. The teacher suggests that they spend "just a half hour each night" working on the essay and they'll finish it easily (a typical Judger strategy). But what happens when the INTP takes the teacher up on that suggestion and ends up spending just a few minutes working on the essay?
The answer is that they get sucked into the creativity vortex. Suddenly twenty balls are flying through the air. The INTP is scanning the internet for facts, scribbling notes and developing paragraphs, sketching out the body and conclusion, and beginning to work on the citations. They know they should get it all down right away or else it'll be a lot of effort to pick up all the balls again. But then POW!--something happens to snap them out of it and the balls fall.
The next day the INTP knows not to work on the essay or else they'll get sucked in again. Anyway, it would be hard work getting those twenty balls back up in the same order again, and boringly redundant too, and there's plenty of time left since so much work has gotten done already... (ominous music) In short, those "few minutes" are a lie and the INTP knows it, albeit unconsciously. But they can't explain why this is save for a vaguely defined fear of committing themselves fully to a task. After all, does the INTP really want to spend a whole evening--for so they instinctively know it will amount to--working on a boring essay?
And what about when a parent says, "You spent an entire hour goofing off when you could have been working on your paper. Why didn't you use those sixty minutes more productively?" What the parent doesn't realize is that the paper actually requires somewhere between three to four hours to finish. Perceivers don't like to break things up into bits; in fact, 61% of the Perceivers in Beckham's study found that breaking tasks up into pieces reduced the quality of their work, made the job longer, and diminished their pleasure in the activity. Either three to four hours of free time are available, or they aren't. A single hour is no good—it might as well be no hours at all. So why not spend the useless hour playing? Sooner or later a three to four hour block of free time will open up—probably right before the paper is due. Then the task can be done in a single great explosion of work.
Of all the INTPs I know of, the one with the absolute worst case of ADD symptoms was Einstein. Knowing what we know about INTPs and their penchant for deep concentration on complex matters, I'd say it's pretty obvious that curing Einstein of his "disorder" would have made him unable to make his brilliant discoveries. A cured Einstein would have put things away in their proper places, paid close attention to everyday details, and remained attentive to his surroundings. Preoccupied with the daily details of life, his mind would not have been able to focus upon the mysteries of the universe. It is an either/or proposition.
Of course, the standard retort goes, "Yeah, but he was a genius. Most INTPs with ADD aren't." This ignores the fact that geniuses aren't the only ones capable of making important discoveries. An INTP with even a mediocre IQ is better suited than most people for scientific inquiry simply because of the architecture of their personality. There are tons of completely unexplored scientific areas where nobody—not even a person with an IQ of 60—has done any research. There is plenty of work for INTPs who have the same beneficial concentration and focus that Einstein had, but not same intellect. Will the discoveries of an INTP with average intellect ever be as important as those made by Einstein, an INTP with superior intellect? Probably not, but does it matter? There aren't nearly enough geniuses to go around. Therefore ordinary INTPs who are capable of high concentration and focus are needed at every level. Will these INTPs have more trouble than usual in the world? Sure. The less like an ESTJ and ESFJ you are, the more trouble you will have. But that applies to all INTPs.
That is a valid point, and probably to be expected given the diverse causes of ADD. My intention here is not necessarily to argue that all ADD symptoms are explained as I have described, but merely to demonstrate how a child psychologist without a knowledge of the INTP personality might fallaciously decide that there is something wrong with such a child based upon ordinary characteristics of the type. The point is to show one way that INTPs can potentially be misdiagnosed.
Since we cannot accept rarity alone as proof of disease, we must find other proof. There is, of course, no known test that can distinguish the presence of ADD. We could point to ways in which the symptoms of ADD hamper one's life, but as we have seen, the symptoms are also helpful in many ways. Whether the symptoms are seen as helpful or detrimental seems to depend to a large extent upon 1.) the simple force of opinion; 2.) the environment the person is emplaced in; and 3.) the type of work they are being asked to perform.
What if we examined the lives of people who exhibit ADD symptoms to see if they turn out better than or worse than average? If people with ADD lead worse than average lives, then perhaps it means they have a brain disorder.
As we've previously discussed, INTPs have a smaller number of friends than most. INTPs hate their jobs and hop from job to job incessantly. The INTP divorce rate is through the roof. INTPs are more likely than average to use drugs and extremely likely to smoke. Female INTPs are probably the most disliked type/gender combination.
It's pretty clear, isn't it, that being an INTP impedes your ability to function normally in society? There is almost no doubt that INTPs would lead happier and healthier lives if they were all transformed into ESFJs. But this does not mean that being an INTP is a brain disorder.
So what other proof do we have?
Now let's throw a few more balls into the air. Here are a few more factors that cause INTPs not to pay attention.
The class is too easy and hence boring to the INTP.
INTPs are the type most overrepresented in the gifted population. A class that is geared towards the common denominator may be too slow or repetitive to hold an INTP's interest. The parrot is a particularly intelligent bird, to use the common meaning of the term. If you keep it in a toyless, joyless cage, it will pluck its own feathers out. It you keep an INTP in a boring class, they will tune out. Do you drug the parrot to cure its Feather Pulling Disorder? Or do you give it something to keep its mind occupied? INTPs tend to be interested in courses that are challenging, relevant, and break ground on a new frontier for them.
The INTP sees the class as irrelevant.
If an INTP doesn't see any use for a subject, they are unlikely to feel like learning it and more likely to study something else in class--namely drawing, creative writing, languages, etc.
The INTP's thoughts are particularly juicy at the moment.
Even if a subject is interesting, an INTP may have an even more juicy thought to gnaw on. During these times they will be much more abstracted and distant. Usually these thought processes cycle to completion within a few days and the INTP will go back to normal.
The class is taught by Guardians for Guardians.
Guardian teachers are scheduled, detail-oriented, focused in the moment, planful, concerned about doing things one right way, and tend to focus on examples rather than principles. INTPs are nonscheduling, global, future-oriented perceivers who want to do things in strange new ways and learn about principles first and examples afterwards. In elementary school in particular, when most teachers are ESFJs, the INTP is the complete opposite of the teacher's type. INTPs are like cats in a school taught by dogs. Knowledge is imparted in the way least suited for them.
The INTP gets lost in thought about something the teacher said that was interesting.
Occasionally, a teacher will let fall a fleck of gold dust that attracts an INTP's immediate attention. While the teacher goes on explaining something else, the INTP picks up the gold dust and examines it. Ten minutes later, the teacher is still talking but the INTP hasn't heard a word of it because they were so busy thinking about the new idea the teacher sparked.
The INTP doesn't want to go on absorbing information when there's a brick missing from their foundation of knowledge.
An INTP likes to have a full understanding of the "why" of things. If a teacher skips a logical step, the INTP may stop all listening until they have figured out the missing puzzle piece. The trigger for this sounds something like, "Wait, but I thought--" The INTP must then reconcile their preconceptions with the new knowledge until everything makes sense again. They will tune out new data while they sort the tangle out.
Without that logical link, all subsequent information is free floating and doesn't get incorporated into the system of facts and ideas the INTP has been building in their head. But while an INTP is trying to figure out the missing link, the teacher is talking and the INTP isn't paying attention.
Or, you snap out of your thoughts to discover papers of unknown significance being handed out.
Or, all the other students are rummaging around in their backpacks for some reason known only to them.
Or, the teacher pops a question about something--and calls on you to answer it. But you don't have the slightest idea what she/he said.
As one can imagine, this sort of thing can cause problems when it comes to following instructions and participating in class. Often I was the last person to obey instructions because I was trying to figure out what the other students were doing so that I could mimic them.
Happily, for every one of these scenarios, there is a way to avoid trouble. Remember, the number one rule is to always maintain the appearance that you are paying attention, even if you aren't. Make sure your book is always open to the page the teacher is talking about. Occasionally, flip a page randomly to make it look as though you are checking information. This is just good maintenance to stay out of trouble.
Scenario 1 – You didn't hear the page number.
Teacher: "Okay, is everyone there? Now look at the diagram on the left..."
Response: Glance sidewise at the book of the person next to you. Get the page number and flip there. Stare intently at the diagram. Continue daydreaming.
Scenario 2 – You didn't hear the information about the assignment.
Teacher: "So are there any questions on the test?"
Response: When you've spaced out an entire important announcement, don't ask the teacher for clarification when the opportunity is offered. You are just making yourself look bad in front of everyone. Rather, check the syllabus or ask a classmate. If you must ask the teacher, do so privately and use the indirect interrogation technique described below.
In WWII they made extensive use of an interrogation technique called "bird dogging." In this technique, a POW would be given a cellmate buddy who was actually working for the other side. The "buddy" would casually remark on how bad the cell food was and then lead the POW into a discussion about how well fed his old unit was. Before the night was through, the interrogator would have extracted information on how well-supplied the POW's unit was, what morale was like, how many desertions there had been, and who the commanding officer was. The interrogator essentially gave the POW a dime's worth of information and encouraged him to spin it into a dollar.
The reason this technique is called bird-dogging is that in effect, the interrogator acts like a bird dog, leading the POW to tender tidbits of information. The interrogator's dilemma is to imply that he knows more than he does without revealing his own ignorance and exposing himself.
Teacher: "The 22nd is a Tuesday, right? Yes--it's on Tuesday. You should get a new planner."
This student gives the impression that they already knew what the day of the test was, but were merely curious about the date. The mention of noting the date on their syllabus adds a bonus illusion of SJ diligence and preparedness. Make a point of showing off what little you know; let the teacher fill in the rest.
Scenario 3 – The due date has been pushed back.
Teacher: "...And don't forget to turn your assignment in by the new due date."
Response: Do your assignment within the next two days (the teacher's choice of words indicates it isn't due tomorrow, so you've got at least two days.) That way you'll have the assignment ready no matter when it's actually due.
Scenario 4 – You have zero idea what the teacher is asking about, but it appears you can ask questions.
Teacher: "Are there are any other questions?"
Response: It's probably not important anyway. If it is, it will be brought up again. If it isn't, you'll figure it out on your own.
Scenario 5 – You have no idea what group you should be in or what is going on.
Teacher: "Okay, let's break up into groups."
Scenario 6 – You weren't listening to the explanation on how to do a task, and now you are required to do it in a group setting.
Teacher: "Okay, I'm going to say the word in singular, and I want you to repeat it in plural."
Response: Mumble along with the rest of the class while frantically flipping through your textbook to find the section where it explains singular vs. plural. The index is your friend.
Scenario 7 - You snap out of your thoughts to discover papers of unknown significance being handed out.
Response: Accept the papers and scan them for instructions. You'll almost always be able to figure out what you're supposed to do with them.
Scenario 8 - All the other students are rummaging around in their backpacks for some reason known only to them.
Response: Rummage around in your backpack too until you see your classmates pulling out whatever it is they're looking for. Then start actually looking for that item yourself.
Scenario 9 - The teacher throws out a pop question--and calls on you to answer it.
Response: This will rarely be a problem if you keep up with the assigned reading and follow the pop question prevention plan (see below). Otherwise, you'll just have to improvise.
The reason that teachers ask questions in class is to a.) increase class involvement, and b.) inspire fear. A student who is afraid of looking dumb in front of their peers will presumably study harder and pay more attention to avoid embarrassment.
With these two motives in mind, the best defense against a teacher's pop questions is a vigorous offense. Make it a point to periodically volunteer for a question, preferably a complex one, and then explain the answer with confident expertise. The teacher will mentally check you off her list of people that need to have fear inspired in them. In addition, since you are obviously (ehem) already involved in class, she won't feel the need to push you towards any further participation. If you regularly volunteer, you will seldom be selected to answer a question.
Remember, the point of volunteering is to keep the war on your home turf. If you selectively volunteer for questions whose answers you know in advance, then you'll be 100% right 100% of the time. You'll also come off sounding masterful, prepared and intelligent. On the other hand, if you let the teacher call on you when she feels like it, then it'll be on her terms, and you may not know the answer. To sum it up: being proactive pays off. Then you can spend your classtime wandering through the Elysian fields of imagination and designing new mechanical pencils in your head.
6 If you crush a Ritalin pill into powder and snort it, you can get a cocaine high—and occasionally a cocaine heart attack followed by instant death.
11 Actually I did have one teacher who graded for the neatness and organization of the class handouts that had been passed out. As I recall, I waited until near the last week, then organized them all at once.
12 Oddly enough, another phenomenon I have experienced is that after a period of sustained mental effort I will break out of my deep processing and have a sudden urge to get up, leave my chair and do something. For instance, while editing a difficult passage of a story, I may suddenly feel the urge to get up and go eat a snack even if I'm not hungry. The strenuous, prolonged nature of the mental work being done--even if the work is enjoyable--and the pressure of aiming for absolute perfection seem to produce stress which these interludes help ease. Similar involuntary breaks have been noted in soldiers engaged in minesweeping duty...a job known for high tension and extreme concentration and focus.


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Home Tags Posts tagged with "Turkey"
Recep Tayyip Erdogan Shows Anti-Kurdish Video to Republican Senators
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed Republican senators an anti-Kurdish video during his visit at the White House.
On November 13, President Erdogan played the video on an iPad during a White House meeting with President Donald Trump and the lawmakers who vocally back the Kurds.
President Trump mostly observed the interaction, sources told media.
He has been widely criticized in the US for his decision to withdraw troops from Syria's border region.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – which are supported by the US – played a leading role in the fight against ISIS militants.
The senators involved in the White House meeting were Ted Cruz, Rick Scott, Lindsey Graham, Jim Risch, and Joni Ernst.
All five have sharply criticized President Erdogan's October move against Kurdish forces in Syria following President Trump's announcement to pull US troops.
Turkey regards the Kurdish fighters as terrorists and is seeking to turn the area into a "safe zone" for resettling the Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.
President Erdogan reportedly believed he might change the senators' views on the Kurds by showing them the short film, but instead received pushback from the entire group.
After viewing the film, Lindsey Graham asked Presidnet Erdogan if he wanted him "to go get the Kurds to make one about what you've done", prompting a heated discussion, a source present during the meeting told the Axios news website, which first reported the incident.
Turkey Offensive In Syria: Recep Tayyip Erdogan Threatens to Crush Heads of Kurdish Fighters
Gaziantep Attack: Turkey Launches Artillery Strikes on ISIS and Kurdish Targets
President Trump only occasionally intervened in the conversation as the senators took turns debating President Erdogan.
Donald Trump said during a news conference on November 13 he was a "big fan" of President Erdogan. He has previously said that the Kurds are "not angels".
President Trump had invited the lawmakers to speak to President Erdogan to try to persuade him to avoid buying Russian military equipment, administration sources told media.
Turkey has been threatened with sanctions if it continues to deploy Russian defense systems.
The senators have said they will not allow Turkey to purchase US fighter jets if President Erdogan continues to procure equipment from Russia.
Following the meeting, Senator Ted Cruz released a statement saying he has always viewed Turkey as "a deeply problematic ally, but an ally nonetheless".
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: Turkey Captures ISIS Leader's Wife and Sister
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced Turkey has captured a wife of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
On November 5, Turkey said it had detained Baghdadi's sister in Syria.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed himself during a raid by US Special Forces on his compound in north-west Syria last month.
The ISIS' leader death was hailed as a victory for President Donald Trump, but critics argue that the jihadist group remains a security threat in Syria and elsewhere.
Last week the Islamic State confirmed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death and named a new leader.
Speaking in the Turkish capital Ankara, President Erdogan said he was revealing the capture of Baghdadi's wife for the first time and also said Turkey was holding Baghdadi's brother-in-law.
He said: "The United States said Baghdadi killed himself in a tunnel. They started a communication campaign about this."
"But, I am announcing it here for the first time: we captured his wife and didn't make a fuss like them. Similarly, we also captured his sister and brother-in-law in Syria."
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: Pentagon Publishes First Footage of Raid on Syrian Compound
Kayla Mueller: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raped American Hostage
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: ISIS releases message from leader after death reports
On November 5, Turkish officials said the arrest of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's sister Rasmiya Awad would yield valuable intelligence about ISIS.
The arrest was reportedly made on November 4 in an area of Aleppo province now under Turkey's control.
Rasmiya Awad was found in a trailer, where she was living with her husband, daughter-in-law and five children, a Turkish official told AP news agency, adding she was being interrogated on suspicion of involvement with an extremist group.
Experts say the town where Rasmiya Awad was captured is a known smuggling route for ISIS families.
President Trump announced Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death at a press conference at the White House on October 27.
The president said DNA tests had been carried out to verify Baghdadi's identity, confirming his death.
After the raid, the compound was destroyed in an air strike.
Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurashi has since been named as ISIS' new leader and "caliph".
US Gives Turkey Deadline to Choose Between F-35 Fighter Jets and Russia's S-400 Systems
The US has given Turkey an ultimatum to choose between buying US fighter jets and Russian anti-aircraft missile systems by the end of July.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan set out the deadline in a letter to his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar.
Turkey, Patrick Shanahan said, could not have both America's F-35 advanced fighter jets and Russia's S-400 systems.
The two NATO allies have been locked in a row over the S-400 for months.
The US argues that the Russian systems are both incompatible with NATO defense systems and pose a security threat, and wants Turkey to buy its Patriot anti-aircraft systems instead.
Turkey, which has been pursuing an increasingly independent defense policy, has signed up to buying 100 F-35s, and has invested heavily in the F-35 program, with Turkish companies producing 937 of the plane's parts.
Patrick Shanahan says in his letter that the US is "disappointed" to hear that Turkish personnel have been sent to Russia to train on the S-400.
"Turkey will not receive the F-35 if Turkey takes delivery of the S-400," he writes.
"You still have the option to change course on the S-400."
U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen
Andrei Karlov Dead: Russian Ambassador to Turkey Killed in Gun Attack
Turkey to Boycott US Electronic Goods Following Punitive Sanctions
Patrick Shanahan's letter includes a schedule for winding down Turkish participation in F-35 pilot training.
The first four F-35s due to be delivered to Turkey have still not left the US, officially to allow Turkish pilots to train in them in America.
On June 4, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was "determined" to proceed with the S-400 deal.
"Unfortunately we haven't received a positive proposal from the American side on the subject of Patriots like the S-400s from Russia," he said.
Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO, a 29-member military alliance set up to defend against what was at the time the Soviet Union.
The head of Russia's state defense conglomerate Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia would start delivering the S-400 to Turkey in "about two months".
The S-400 "Triumf" is one of the most sophisticated surface-to-air missile systems in the world.
The Russian missile has a range of 400km (250 miles), and one S-400 integrated system can shoot down up to 80 targets simultaneously.
Russia says it can hit aerial targets ranging from low-flying drones to aircraft flying at various altitudes and long-range missiles.
Turkey Local Elections 2019: Erdogan's AKP Loses Ankara and Other Cities
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's governing party, the AKP, has lost control of the capital, Ankara, in local elections, in a blow to his 16-year rule.
According to figures published by Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, the main opposition party, the CHP, is also slightly ahead in the contest for mayor of Istanbul.
The AKP party is challenging the result in both cities.
Municipal elections were held across Turkey on March 31 and an AKP-led alliance won more than 51% of the vote.
The elections, considered a verdict on President Erdogan's rule, have been taking place during an economic downturn.
Following the vote's preliminary results, Turkish lira has been losing value recently and the economy went into recession in the last three months of 2018.
The AKP – Justice and Development Party – alleges "invalid votes and irregularities in most of the 12,158 polling stations in Ankara".
AKP's general secretary Fatih Sahin said on Twitter: "We will use our legal rights to the fullest, and we will not allow the will of our citizens to be altered in Ankara."
The party says it will also challenge the result in Istanbul – the largest city – and the eastern province of Igdir.
Turkey Elections 2018: Voters to Decide Whether to Grant Recep Tayyip Erdogan A Second Term
Turkey Coup Trial: 104 Army Plotters Sentenced to Life in Prison
Turkey Suspected Coup Plotters to Wear Brown Uniforms, Says President Erdogan
Commenting on the results in a speech on March 31, President Erdogan looked ahead to national elections in 2023: "We have a long period ahead where we will carry out economic reforms without compromising on the rules of the free-market economy.
"If there are any shortcomings, it is our duty to correct them."
More than 57 million voters were registered to vote for mayors and councilors. Turnout was high at just under 85%.
According to officials, the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas won in Ankara. With almost all votes counted, he was on nearly 51% and the AKP's Mehmet Ozhaseki had won the support of just over 47%.
Both CHP and the AKP claim victory in Istanbul, which has been in the hands of parties linked to President Erdogan since 1994, when he was elected the city's mayor.
The election commission said the CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu was leading there by less than 0.5%, but that the results of more than 80 ballot boxes were being challenged. Results carried by Anadolu news agency put the margin even narrower, at less than 0.25%.
The AKP had been saying its candidate, former PM Binali Yildirim, was ahead by 4,000 votes. He later conceded his opponent had a narrow lead, only for the AKP to again claim victory.
The third largest city, Izmir, went to the CHP.
This was the first municipal vote since Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers through last year's presidential election.
The AKP, with its roots in political Islam, has won every election since coming to power in 2002.
President Erdogan, whose two-month campaign included 100 rallies, said the poll was about the "survival" of the country and his party.
With most media either pro-government or controlled by President Erdogan's supporters, critics believe opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's rallies dominated TV coverage.
The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said the elections were unfair and refused to put forward candidates in several cities.
Some of the HDP's leaders have been jailed on terrorism charges, accusations they reject.
Jamal Khashoggi Murder: Saudi Arabia Refuses Turkey Extradition Request
Saudi Arabia has refused Turkey's extradition request for suspects in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said: "We do not extradite our citizens."
Just over a week ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded the extradition and on December 5 a Turkish court issued arrest warrants.
The Saudis have charged 11 people with the murder, which took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.
Arrest warrants were issued in Turkey for former Saudi intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani.
Jamal Khashoggi Death: CIA Did Not Conclude Saudi Crown Prince Ordered Murder, Says President Trump
Jamal Khashoggi Death: Saudi Arabia Identifies Journalist's Killer
Jamal Khashoggi Case: Turkey Shared Murder Tapes With Key Foreign Nations
Adel al-Jubeir criticised the way Turkey has shared information with Saudi Arabia.
He said: "The Turkish authorities have not been as forthcoming as we believe they should have been.
"We have asked our friends in Turkey to provide us with evidence that we can use in a court of law. We have not received it in the manner that it should have been received."
President Erdogan says the order to kill Jamal Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government but insists he does not want to damage the Saudi royal family.
The Saudi government denies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the killing.
The Saudi public prosecutor has said Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate as a result of a "rogue operation" on the orders of an intelligence officer.
Jamal Khashoggi was given a lethal injection after a struggle. The journalist's body was then dismembered inside the consulate in Istanbul and the body parts were handed over to a local"collaborator" outside the grounds, the prosecutor said.
Turkey has shared recordings related to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi with the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia and others.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeated his assertion that Saudi Arabia knew who had killed Jamal Khashoggi.
Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi rulers, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
Saudi Arabia has admitted the journalist was murdered there, but denied suggestions its royal family was involved.
The Saudis had initially maintained Jamal Khashoggi had left the consulate unharmed.
They have also denied comments allegedly made by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman describing Jamal Khashoggi as a dangerous Islamist.
Image source www.alaraby.co.uk
Jamal Khashoggi Case: Saudi Arabia Admits Journalist Was Murdered
Jamal Khashoggi Was Killed in Consulate Fight, Saudi Arabia Says
Jamal Khashoggi Disappearance: President Trump Suggests Rogue Killers to Blame
The reported phone call to the White House came before Saudi Arabia admitted Jamal Khashoggi had been killed.
There is still no consensus on how Jamal Khashoggi died. The journalist entered the consulate to sort out documents for his marriage.
Initially, Turkish media had quoted sources as saying Turkey had audio recordings proving that Jamal Khashoggi had been tortured before being murdered.
Last week, however, Turkey said he had been strangled immediately after entering the consulate and Jamal Kashoggi's body dismembered "in accordance with plans made in advance".
Nobody has been found and a Turkish official said the body had been dissolved.
Saudi Arabia has changed its account of what happened to the journalist.
When Jamal Khashoggi first disappeared, Saudi Arabia said the journalist had walked out of the building alive. Saudi Arabia later admitted he had been murdered, saying the killing was premeditated and a result of a "rogue operation".
Eighteen suspects have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, where will be prosecuted. However, Turkey wants the suspects to be extradited.
Turkey has not publicly blamed Saudi Arabia for the killing.
President Erdogan said in a TV speech on November 10: "We gave the recordings, we gave them to Saudi Arabia, we gave them to Washington, to the Germans, to the French, to the English."
"They listened to the conversations which took place here, they know," he said.
No other country has admitted hearing the said recording.
Michael Flynn Offered $15 Million to Help Remove Fethullah Gulen from US
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was reportedly offered $15 million to help forcibly remove Fethullah Gulen from the US and deliver him to Turkey.
Michael Flynn and his son discussed the alleged plot with Turkish representatives, NBC News and Wall Street Journal report.
The matter is said to be under scrutiny in the wider DoJ investigation of alleged Russian election meddling.
Michael Flynn resigned after misleading the White House about meeting an envoy.
The alleged plot to remove the Muslim cleric was first revealed in March 2017 by former CIA Director James Woolsey.
The Turkish government accuses Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, of being behind last year's failed coup.
Fethullah Gulen is viewed as chief political rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has repeatedly called for his extradition from the US.
According to the Wall Street Journal, special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is focusing on a meeting in mid-December between Michael Flynn and Turkish officials in New York.
Michael Flynn reportedly discussed having Fethullah Gulen transported on a private jet to the Turkish prison island of Imrali.
He was serving on the White House transition team during the reported meeting, which came a month before he joined the Trump administration.
Michael Flynn also met Turkish representatives in September 2016, according to James Woolsey, a board member for Flynn's consultancy.
James Woolsey has previously told CNN that in September, "there was at least some strong suggestion by one or more of the Americans present at the meeting that we would be able, the United States would be able, through them, to be able to get hold of Gulen".
Image source Wikimedia
Michael Flynn Invokes 5th Amendment and Won't Comply with Senate Subpoena
Michael Flynn Wants Immunity to Testify on Alleged Russian Election Meddling
Fethullah Gulen: Turkish court issues arrest warrant for exiled cleric
NBC reported that federal investigators are also looking into whether Michael Flynn tried to push for the return of Fethullah Gulen to Turkey during his time as White House national security adviser.
A spokesman for Michael Flynn's company has denied he discussed any illegal actions with the Turks.
Michael Flynn was the first aide in Donald Trump's White House to resign, after only 23 days on the job.
The retired lieutenant general had admitted lying to VP Mike Pence about a meeting with the Russian ambassador in which the lifting of US sanctions was discussed.
Michael Flynn also failed to register as a lobbyist for the Turkish government while he was seeking White House security clearance.
In 2016, his consultancy Flynn Intel Group was paid $530,000 for lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government – work which required him to register as "a foreign agent".
According to his lawyer , Michael Flynn did not register because he was working for a Turkish businessman, rather than a government official.
Investigators are also looking into the actions of his son, Michel Flynn Jr., who worked closely with him at Flynn Intel Group.
According to both publications, Michael Flynn and the meeting participants discussed a way to free Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who is in a US jail over charges that he evaded US sanctions on Iran.
Istanbul Reina Club Attack: Several Uighurs Arrested in Police Raids
A number of people of Uighur ethnicity have been detained in Turkey over the deadly Istanbul's Reina club attack that killed 39, the state-run news agency reports.
Those arrested are believed to have come from China's Xinjiang region with ties to the attacker, Anadolu agency says.
Deputy PM Veysi Kaynak also said they were closing in on the attacker, who he said was possibly an ethnic Uighur.
Also on January 5, there was an explosion near the courthouse in the city of Izmir in western Turkey.
Social media images showed two vehicles ablaze and several people were reported wounded.
Other images showed what appeared to be the body of a man carrying a gun, amid media reports he was an attacker who was shot dead by police.
Anadolu reported a second man was shot dead and police were seeking a third.
ISIS says it carried out the Istanbul attack over Turkey's military involvement in the Syrian civil war.
Turkish authorities have reportedly tightened security at the country's land borders and airports to prevent the attacker from fleeing abroad.
Local media have run images of a suspect, saying the pictures were handed out by the police. But the police have given no official details.
The Turkish foreign minister has said the authorities have identified the gunman, but has not given further details.
Special forces made the early morning arrests at a housing complex in Selimpasa, a coastal town on the outskirts of Istanbul, after police were reportedly tipped off that individuals linked to the attacker were in the area.
Uighurs were among those detained – the number was not confirmed – on suspicion of "aiding and abetting" the attacker, Anadolu reported.
At least 36 people were already in custody over suspected links to the attack, many of whom were picked up in an earlier police operation in Izmir.
Several families had recently traveled there from Konya, a central city where the main suspect was said to have stayed for several weeks before the attack.
Separately, Veysi Kaynak told Turkish broadcaster A Hamer that the authorities knew where the suspect, who he described as "specially trained", was hiding, without giving further details.
The deputy prime minister confirmed the attacker had acted alone, but may have had help inside Reina club.
Veysi Kaynak expressed confidence in the Turkish police operation but said he could not rule out the possibility of the attacker fleeing the country.
Previous media reports incorrectly suggested the attacker was a national from Kyrgyzstan, after a passport photo claiming to show the gunman was circulated.
It later emerged the passport belonged to someone unrelated to the attack.
Kyrgyzstan's embassy in Turkey has since asked the media to retract the reports and issue an apology.
More than half of those killed in New Year's attack on Istanbul's popular Reina club were foreigners, including citizens from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq and Morocco.
The gunman managed to escape in the aftermath of the attack.
A day later, ISIS issued a statement saying "a heroic soldier" belonging to the group had carried out the attack in retaliation for Turkey's military role in northern Syria.
Veysi Kaynak also said on January 5 Turks were questioning the use of the country's Incirlik air base by both NATO and the US-led coalition launching air strikes on ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Turkey launched a military operation in Syria in August to push back ISIS and Kurdish forces.
Some of Turkey's big cities have since been targeted in a number of bomb attacks by ISIS and by Kurdish militants.
Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, has died after a Turkish police officer shot him in an apparent protest at Russia's involvement in Aleppo.
Several other people were reportedly also injured in the gun attack in Ankara, a day after protests in Turkey over Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The gunman, who was in civilian clothes, opened fire at point blank range as Andrei Karlov made a speech.
He is said to have died in a shootout with police soon afterwards.
According to local reports, Andrei Karlov was rushed to hospital, but his death was later confirmed by the Russian foreign ministry.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone about the attack, the Turkish president's office said.
Speaking outside the hospital where Andrei Karlov was taken, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek said the killing was intended to ruin Turkey's relations with Russia.
The attack was swiftly condemned by other countries.
US state department spokesman John Kirby: "We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."
Image source AP
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson: "Shocked to hear of despicable murder of Russia's Ambassador to Turkey. My thoughts are with his family. I condemn this cowardly attack."
German Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said his country stood with Turkey in a common fight against terrorism.
France's President Francois Hollande "strongly" condemned the killing.
Before the attack happened, a meeting of the Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers had been planned in Moscow for December 20.
According to Russian TV, Ambassador Andrei Karlov had been attending a photo exhibition called "Russia as seen by Turks".
Video of the event shows him making a speech when gunshots ring out. Eight bullets are said to have been fired.
The camera pulls back to show a smartly dressed gunman, wearing a suit and tie, waving a pistol and shouting in Arabic and Turkish.
The gunman can be heard yelling "Don't forget about Aleppo, don't forget about Syria" and uses the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is great).
Turkish officials later identified him as a member of the Ankara riot police, aged 22.
Andrei Karlov, 62, was a veteran diplomat who had served as Soviet ambassador to North Korea for much of the 1980s.
After the fall of the USSR in 1991, Andrei Karlov had a posting as Russian ambassador to South Korea before returning to North Korea for five years in 2001.
Taking up the Ankara posting in July 2013, Andrei Karlov had to grapple with a major diplomatic crisis last year when a Turkish plane shot down a Russian jet close to the Syrian border.
Andrei Karlov: Russian Ambassador to Turkey Shot While Visiting Ankara Exhibition
Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov has been shot and seriously wounded while visiting a photo gallery in Ankara.
Several other people were reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russia's military intervention in Syria.
Andrei Karlov was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Image source Getty Images
According to Russian TV, Ambassador Andrei Karlov had been attending an exhibition called "Russia as seen by Turks".
According to Turkish media, Andrei Karlov was making a speech when he was shot in the back by a gunman.
A video from the event shows the ambassador speaking when gunshots ring out.
The camera pulls back to show a smartly dressed gunman, wearing a suit and tie, waving a pistol and shouting.
The gunman repeats the Islamic phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and also shouts "Don't forget about Aleppo".
It is too early to know the motives of the attacker, who has not yet been named.
Some reports say the gunman entered the art gallery using a police ID card.
Besiktas Bomb Attacks: 235 People Arrested for Acting on Behalf of PKK
Over two hundreds people have been arrested in Turkey for acting on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the interior ministry says.
Among those 235 arrested are officials from the main Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP).
The arrests come two days after twin bomb attacks near Istanbul's Besiktas stadium which killed 44 people.
Meanwhile, Austria says that talks with Turkey over membership of the EU should be suspended.
Image source RT
A statement from the interior ministry says the operation covered 11 provinces across Turkey from the northwest to the southeast, and targeted people suspected of "spreading terror group propaganda".
It is not clear whether December 12 arrests were directly related to the bomb attacks.
Speaking in parliament, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said most of the 44 people killed on December 10 were policemen.
The Kurdish militant group TAK, an offshoot of the PKK, said in a statement it had carried out the attack.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on December 11 that Turkey would fight "the scourge of terrorism to the end", and promised that the attackers would pay a "heavy price".
Last month, 10 HDP lawmakers – including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag – were arrested, causing international alarm.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said that Europe could no longer ignore President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crackdown on the opposition.
Recep Erdogan: Turkey and US Ready to Drive ISIS from Raqqa
Turkey and the US are ready to drive ISIS from its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Edogan has suggested.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said President Barack Obama floated the idea of joint action against the militants when they met at the G20 meeting in China.
He said Turkey would have "no problem" with such action.
In August, Turkey launched an operation inside Syria, targeting both ISIS and Kurdish rebels.
Photo Reuters
Turkish-backed militia drove ISIS from the border town of Jarablus, but Turkey has also been concerned with checking the advance of Kurdish forces whom it regards as terrorists.
The offensive continues, and Russia, who is allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says it is deeply concerned by the movement of Turkish forces deeper into Syrian territory.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments on Raqqa were published in Turkish media. There has been no confirmation from the US.
"Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa," he said.
"We said this would not be a problem from our perspective."
"I said <<our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done>>," Recep Tayyip Erdogan added.
Islam Karimov's Death Announced by Turkey
Turkey has announced that Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov has died at the age of 78.
There is no official Uzbek confirmation of the president's death, but the state TV channels have dropped light entertainment programs.
One of Asia's most authoritarian leaders, Islam Karimov was in power since 1989.
He was taken to hospital last week after a brain hemorrhage but the government has only said he is critically ill.
There were conflicting reports about Islam Karimov's death on Russian news agencies on September 2.
Interfax quoted the Uzbek government as confirming the death only for Ria-Novosti to quote the Uzbek government press service as denying it had issued any statement.
Unnamed diplomatic sources in several countries have also announced Islam Karimov's death, and even funeral plans, to news agencies.
Reuters quoted three such sources while Associated Press cited an unnamed Afghan official as saying President Ashraf Ghani planned to attend Islam Karimov's funeral on September 3.
An unnamed Kyrgyz diplomat told AP the country's prime minister had also been invited to the funeral.
Islam Karimov has no clear successor. There is no legal political opposition and the media are tightly controlled by the state.
A UN report has described the use of torture in Uzbekistan as "systematic".
Islam Karimov often justified his strong-arm tactics by highlighting the danger from Islamist militancy in the mainly Muslim country, which borders Afghanistan.
On September 2, Turkish PM Binali Yildirim told a televised meeting Islam Karimov had died.
"Uzbek President Islam Karimov has passed away," Binali Yildirim said in a cabinet meeting broadcast live.
"May God's mercy be upon him, as the Turkish Republic we are sharing the pain and sorrow of Uzbek people."
Lindsey Snell: American Journalist Arrested in Turkey
American journalist Lindsey Snell has been arrested in Turkey and charged with violating a military zone, US officials have confirmed.
US state department spokesman John Kirby said Lindsey Snell was arrested earlier this month.
Lindsey Snell, a native of Daytona, Florida, recently posted on Facebook that she was kidnapped in July by Jabhat al Nusra, formerly al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, and had escaped.
The US said it was in touch with Turkish officials regarding the case.
Photo Facebook
Lindsey Snell is being held at a prison in the southern Hatay Province and US consular officials had visited her on August 26, John Kirby added.
According to her Facebook page, the American journalist had been living in Istanbul.
She describes herself on her Twitter page as a video journalist.
Lindsey Snell also has worked as a senior foreign correspondent and producer for Vocativ since March 2014, according to her LinkedIn page.
She also attended University of Florida and Fordham University's School of Law, according to her social media profiles.
Lindsey Snell said in her most recent Facebook post on August 5 that she was held in a cave prison by militants even though she was given permission to film in their territory in Syria.
Her post said: "I must apologize to my friends and colleagues for all the pain and worry this caused you. I love you all, and I appreciate every effort made to secure my release."
Lindsey Snell, who identified herself as Muslim, said she had been staying with the family of one of the militant group's recent martyrs when she was "arrested."
"Because of my unique situation, I was able to convince my captors to give me the use of a phone…which ultimately let me plan my escape, but which also let me document much of my captivity in photos and video," her post continued.
On August 7, Lindsey Snell was taken into custody by Turkish authorities.
Operation Euphrates Shield: Turkey Kills at Least 25 People in Jarablus
Twenty five Kurdish militants have been killed as Turkey continues to target Kurdish-held areas in Syria, near the border city of Jarablus, the Turkish military says.
However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people died in strikes on Jeb el-Kussa and another 15 were killed in a separate bombardment near al-Amarneh.
Four local fighters were also killed, the Observatory reported.
It is not yet clear whether the two reports relate to the same incident.
Photo Wikipedia
The strikes came on the fifth day of Turkey's military operation to target ISIS militants and Kurdish militia inside Syria, dubbed Operation Euphrates Shield.
Speaking in Gaziantep, where ISIS militants killed 54 people at a Kurdish wedding last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "operations against terrorist organizations will continue until the end".
Turkish tanks and troops backed by Syrian rebels have captured territory from ISIS and clashed with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia supported by the United States, which is itself fighting ISIS.
On August 27, Turkey's military suffered its first fatality of the offensive, when a soldier died in a tank hit by a rocket. Turkish authorities blamed Kurdish militia for the death.
Turkey has been targeting Kurdish-controlled villages around Jarablus, which Turkish-led forces captured from ISIS on the first day of the offensive.
It fears Kurdish fighters gaining an unbroken strip of territory along its border, which would be a huge boost to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a banned Kurdish rebel group fighting for autonomy in Turkey.
Turkey's operations further complicate the already protracted Syrian civil war. Both Turkey and Kurdish rebels are US allies.
The US has backed Turkey's anti-ISIS operations in Syria, and both countries have demanded that Kurdish forces withdraw to the east bank of the Euphrates river.
Turkey Lifts Islamic Headscarf Ban for Female Police Officers
Turkey has decided to allow female police officers to wear the Islamic headscarf.
Policewomen will be able to wear a headscarf under their caps or berets, provided it is plain and is the same color as the uniform.
Headscarf bans on university campuses and state institutions – except for the judiciary, military and police – have also been lifted in recent years.
The Islamic headscarf has been controversial in Turkey for years. Secularists regard it as a symbol of religious conservatism.
Since the 1920s, Turkey has had a secular constitution with no state religion.
The opposition has accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) of trying to reinterpret secularism.
However, public debate has also evolved to accept the hijab as an expression of individual liberties, correspondents say.
No strong opposition has been voiced against this latest move.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long embraced Turks' right to express their religious beliefs openly, but he says he is committed to secularism.
In 2010, Turkey's universities abandoned an official ban on Muslim headscarves.
In 2013, women were allowed to wear headscarves in state institutions – with the exception of the judiciary, military and police. That year, four lawmakers wore headscarves in parliament.
Most people in Turkey are Sunni Muslims.
Turkish Tanks Roll Across Syrian Border
Turkey has sent tanks and other vehicles across the Syrian border after heavy shelling of an area held by ISIS.
Military sources told Turkish media 70 targets in the Jarablus area had been destroyed by artillery and rocket strikes, and 12 by air strikes.
Syrian rebels who are following the advance say they have entered the town of Jarablus itself.
The operation is aimed against both ISIS and Kurdish fighters.
Turkey shelled Syrian Kurdish forces in the region this week, determined not to let them fill the vacuum if ISIS leaves.
US Vice-President Joe Biden warned Kurdish forces in Syria they would lose US support if they advanced west of the River Euphrates.
Making the highest-ranking visit to Ankara by a Western official since the failed Turkish coup on July 15, Joe Biden also sought to dispel any doubts about America's solidarity with its NATO ally.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in a speech in Ankara: "At 04:00 [01:00 GMT] our forces began an operation against the Daesh [ISIS] and PYD [Kurdish Democratic Union Party] terror groups."
Operation Euphrates Shield was aimed at "putting an end" to problems on the border, he said.
Between 9 and 12 tanks crossed the border, followed by pick-up trucks believed to be carrying Turkish-backed Syrian rebels from the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
The FSA said progress was slow because of mines planted by ISIS fighters in the area. There were no immediate reports of fighting on the way in.
Turkey has vowed to "completely cleanse" ISIS from its border region, blaming the group for a bomb attack on a wedding that killed at least 54 people in Gaziantep on August 20.
This is Turkey's first known ground incursion into Syria since a brief operation to relocate the tomb of Suleyman Shah, a revered Ottoman figure, in February 2015.
The air strikes are Turkey's first inside Syria since the downing of a Russian jet in November. Moscow and Ankara only mended ties in June after punitive Russian sanctions.
Fighters from the Syrian Kurd YPG militia – the military wing of the PYD – led the battle to drive ISIS out of the strategic crossroads town of Manbij this month.
Responding to news of the Turkish advance, PYD leader Saleh Moslem tweeted that Turkey was now in the "Syrian quagmire" and would be defeated like ISIS.
Turkey has launched new artillery strikes on ISIS targets at Jarablus, northern Syria, amid reports Syrian rebels are to launch an offensive against the Islamist group.
Some 1,500 Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are thought to be in Gaziantep waiting to attack.
A bomb attack on a Kurdish wedding there killed 54 people on August 20.
Turkey also shelled positions at Manbij held by Kurdish YPG fighters, who have been advancing against ISIS.
According to new reports, the attack in Gaziantep, blamed on ISIS, may have been spurred by reports of the imminent Syrian rebel offensive.
Meanwhile, more victims of the suicide attack are being identified.
On August 23, Turkish artillery fired at least 40 shells at ISIS positions in the Jarablus area after two mortar bombs landed in the Turkish town of Karkamis, just across the border, Turkish media report.
Photo AP
Nobody was hurt in the attack on Karkamis.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said ISIS should be "completely cleansed" from northern Syria.
On August 22, Turkey also shelled of ISIS positions but equally the bombardment of Kurdish YPG positions in the Manbij area.
A Turkish official quoted by Reuters said artillery had fired on the Kurds 20 times.
The YPG has been at the forefront of the recent advance against ISIS in northern Syria, leading the liberation of Manbij this month and driving the jihadists towards Jarablus.
However, Turkey links them to its own Kurdish insurgents, the PKK, and is determined to keep them away from its border with Syria.
The fighters poised to enter Syria from Gaziantep are believed to be Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.
A senior rebel official quoted by Reuters said they were fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army.
It is believed that any such operation would be aimed at frustrating any further advance by the Kurds.
The Kurds themselves have non-Kurdish Syrian allies, fighting alongside the YPG under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The identity and motive of the suicide bomber who attacked the wedding party have yet to be revealed.
Soon after the attack, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ISIS was the likely perpetrator but PM Binali Yildirim said on August 22 that investigators actually did "not have a clue".
The prime minister downplayed earlier reports that the attacker was a teenager, saying this could not be confirmed.
What is known is that it was a Kurdish wedding and ISIS has targeted Turkish Kurds in the past.
Many of the victims were children as young as 4-year-old.
Sixty-six people are still in hospital, 14 of them in a serious condition, Turkey's Dogan news agency reported.
Hande Kader: Turkish Transgender Activist Murder Sparks Protests
The killing of Turkish transgender activist Hande Kader has caused an outcry in Istanbul.
Turkey remains conservative on LGBTI issues, but on August 21 activists will stage a rare protest in Istanbul.
Hande Kander's body was found in a forest in Istanbul last week.
The 23-year-old transgender woman, who earned her living as a prostitute, was last seen entering a client's car one night.
Photo Twitter
LGBTI activists protest against violence towards trans people, but the rest of Turkish society rarely reacts.
Under the state of emergency, declared after the failed coup attempt of July 15, restrictions on demonstrations are in place.
However, for the first time, famous figures in Turkey have joined the calls to raise awareness of Hande Kader's murder and to take part in a demonstration scheduled for August 21 in Istanbul.
According to data from the rights group Transgender Europe, Turkey has the highest number of trans murders in Europe.
Hande Kader tried to call attention to trans murders in Turkey and the lack of justice. She was usually in the front at demonstrations.
In 2015, police had banned the annual LGBTI Pride march in Taksim Square in Istanbul. They tried to disperse the crowds, using water cannon, rubber bullets and pepper spray.
Istanbul Attack: Turkish Police Raids Against Suspected ISIS Militants
Turkey has carried out raids against suspected ISIS militants after the deadly attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport.
At least 13 suspects were detained in the raids in Istanbul, with more in the western coastal city of Izmir.
Turkey believes ISIS was behind June 28 suicide gun and bomb attack that left 42 people dead and more than 230 injured.
More details of the victims have emerged, many of them airport workers.
A Turkish official told AFP: "Earlier today, the police raided 16 locations to detain 13 IS suspects, including three foreign nationals."
Turkish media said counter-terrorism police had raided several areas of Istanbul – including Pendik, Basaksehir and Sultanbeyli.
Arrests were also reported in Izmir, where at least nine people were detained, accused of financing, recruiting and providing logistical support to ISIS.
Separately, Turkish media reported that security forces had killed two suspected ISIS militants on the Syrian border on June 25. They said one was planning an attack on the capital Ankara or the city of Adana.
No-one has yet said they carried out the airport attack.
The Hurriyet newspaper identified one of the three bombers as a Chechen but there is no official confirmation.
Turkey's PM Binali Yildirim has said again that "our thoughts on those responsible for the attack lean towards Islamic State".
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Wednesday a national day of mourning and said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against militant groups.
Detailing the attack, Binali Yildirim said the three men had wanted to pass through the security system but on seeing the controls "took their weapons out of their suitcases and opened fire at random at the security check".
One attacker detonated his explosives downstairs in the arrivals terminal, Turkish officials said.
The second went upstairs and set off his explosives there while the third waited outside as passengers fled. He then detonated his explosives, causing the most casualties.
A Kalashnikov assault rifle, a handgun and two grenades were found on the bodies, Turkish media said.
In addition to the 42 killed, more than 230 people were injured and dozens remain in critical condition in hospital.
The assault on Ataturk airport – Europe's third busiest – is the sixth major attack in 2016 targeting either Istanbul or Turkey's capital, Ankara.
Turkey Parliament Approves Bill Lifting Immunity from Prosecution
Turkish lawmakers have voted a controversial bill that will strip them of their immunity from prosecution.
However, pro-Kurdish lawmakers say this is essentially a move to expel opposition members from parliament.
The new law is seen as targeting the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as well as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
Turkey has led an offensive against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), accused of being a terror group.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses the HDP of being the PKK's political arm, and has called for pro-Kurdish MPs to face terrorism charges.
This vote could be a first step towards making that happen.
Calling the move "historic" as lawmakers voted, Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a crowd in his hometown of Rize: "My people do not want to see guilty lawmakers in this parliament."
Critics also say the move aims to strengthen the ruling AK Party and consolidate support in the assembly for the executive presidential system Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to implement.
HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas said the move was a blow against the people's will and could not be accepted as democratic.
Selahattin Demirtas said his party would challenge the decision at Turkey's top court.
The bill was backed by 376 lawmakers in the 550-seat legislature, which means it will become law directly without being put to a referendum.
It now needs to be ratified by the president.
Some 138 lawmakers, the vast majority from the two opposition parties, could be at risk of prosecution.
Violent scuffles marred parliamentary debates this month, with frustrated lawmakers exchanging fisticuffs and kicks.
Today's vote was not without incident as CHP lawmakers walked out in protest.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said she would raise concerns over the state of democracy in Turkey when she met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week.
Angela Merkel, who has led the push to conclude a refugee deal with Ankara, has been criticized by human rights groups for turning a blind eye to violations in Turkey in return for co-operation.
Cumhuriyet Trial: Can Dundar and Erdem Gul Jailed for Revealing State Secrets
Turkish prominent journalists Can Dundar and Erdem Gul have been jailed for revealing state secrets, in a case widely criticized by international observers.
Erdem Gul received five years and Can Dundar five years and 10 months.
Can Dundar and Erdem Gul, editor and Ankara bureau chief of opposition daily Cumhuriyet, had reported that Turkey had tried to ship arms to rebels fighting the Syrian government.
Shortly before the verdict, a gunman attempted to kill Can Dundar.
The attacker fired several shots while Can Dundar was briefing reporters outside the courthouse. The journalist escaped unharmed and the gunman was arrested. A reporter was lightly injured in the leg.
Speaking after the verdict, Can Dundar said the sentence, and the assassination attempt, were "not given only to suppress and silence us" but to "intimidate the Turkish media and make us scared of writing".
Can Dundar and Erdem Gul were acquitted of more serious charge of espionage, which could have carried with it a life sentence. But their very prosecution has proved controversial, drawing sharp criticism from human rights campaigners and fellow journalists.
The two journalists are expected to appeal against the verdicts.
John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Director for Amnesty International, called the convictions a "travesty of justice".
He said: "The decision, which punishes good journalism with five years' imprisonment, shows how the law has buckled and broken under political pressure in Turkey."
Can Dundar and Erdem Gul were charged in November with espionage after their reports in May 2015 alleging that Turkey's intelligence services were sending weapons and ammunition to Islamist rebels fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkish security forces intercepted a convoy of trucks near the Syrian border in January 2014, and Cumhuriyet alleged these vehicles were linked to Turkey's MIT intelligence organization.
Alongside the newspaper report was video footage showing police discovering crates of weapons hidden beneath boxes of medicine.
The Turkish government insisted that the trucks were not carrying weapons to the Islamist rebels as alleged, but bringing aid to Syria's Turkmen minority, a Turkic-speaking ethnic group.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the video footage was a state secret, and by publishing it Cumhuriyet newspaper had engaged in an act of espionage.
He said in a TV address: "Whoever wrote this story will pay a heavy price for this. I will not let him go unpunished."
Referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Can Dundar said: "Today, we know that the reason for the threats we have been receiving for weeks and the bullets fired from that gun today are due to the fact that we have been shown as targets by the highest office in the state."
Media freedom has plummeted in Turkey, which now ranks 151st of 180 countries in an index by the watchdog Reporters without Borders.
Erdogan: Turkey Will NOT Change Anti-Terror Laws in Return for Visa-Free Travel
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told the European Union that his country will not change its anti-terror laws in return for visa-free travel.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "We'll go our way, you go yours."
In response, the EU says Turkey needs to narrow its definition of terrorism to qualify for visa-free travel – which is part of a larger deal between the sides aimed at easing Europe's migration crisis.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking a day after Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who largely negotiated the EU deal, said he was stepping down.
Ahmet Davutoglu had also reportedly opposed Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plan to give more power to the presidency. The president said the proposed constitutional changes were a national need, not a personal requirement.
The wide-ranging EU-Turkey deal involves the return of refugees, mainly Syrians, from Greece to Turkey, along with increased aid and other measures.
One of these is to allow Turkish citizens visa-free travel for short stays in the EU's Schengen area which comprises 22 EU and four non-EU members.
However, the EU wants Turkey to narrow its broad definition of terrorism to match tighter EU standards. It is one of five EU criteria Turkey still has to agree to in order to meet the visa-free requirements.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected this, saying in a TV speech on May 6: "Turkey, when it's under attack from terrorist organizations from all sides, the European Union is telling us to change the anti-terror law in exchange for the visa deal."
Referring to tents erected by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, near the EU parliament in Brussels, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "You [the EU] will let terrorists build tents and provide them with opportunities in the name of democracy.
"And then [you] will tell us 'if you change this [anti-terrorism legislation], I will lift the visas'. Sorry, we'll go our way, you go yours."
In recent months, the Turkish government has used the terms "terrorist" or "terrorist supporter" to prosecute critics including journalists, suggesting they are supporting Kurdish militants or other armed organizations.
If Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not meet the EU requirements, the European Parliament and EU leaders will not vote on the visa waiver at the end of June.
Another part of the EU-Turkey deal had been to hold new talks on Turkish accession to the EU.
However, analysts say Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been less convinced of EU alignment than Ahmet Davutoglu, and he will certainly be a tougher negotiator.
Turkey: Gaziantep Police Station Explosion Kills at Least One Person
Thirteen people have been injured and at least one person died in a car bomb blast near the main police station in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, officials say.
The explosion hit Gaziantep, 6 miles from the Syrian border, at about 09:30 local time.
CNN Turk said the explosion was heard several miles away.
Turkey has been hit by a series of deadly blasts over the past year, linked either to Kurdish militants or ISIS.
Ankara, Istanbul and Bursa are among cities that have been targeted by suicide bombings.
According to Gaziantep's regional governor, nine of the injured were police officers.
Some reports said gunfire was heard after the blast. There was no immediate word on who is behind the latest blast.
Gaziantep is known to have several ISIS cells.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan Insult: Angela Merkel Approves Inquiry Into Jan Boehmermann
German comedian Jan Boehmermann could be prosecuted for insulting Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the Turkish president filed a complaint.
Jan Boehmermann had recited a satirical poem on television which made sexual references to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Under German law, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had to approve a criminal inquiry.
Angela Merkel stressed that the courts would have the final word, and it was now up to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.
The chancellor added that her government would move to repeal the controversial and little-used Article 103 of the penal code, which concerns insults against foreign heads of state, by 2018.
Photo AFP
Jan Boehmermann is a satirist and TV presenter well-known for pushing the boundaries of German humor. He was given police protection earlier this week.
Some experts say the comedian has a strong defense against potential charges, because his poem could be seen as part of a wider piece of satire about free speech, rather than a deliberate insult.
An earlier remark by Angela Merkel that the poem was "deliberately offensive" had led to accusations in Germany that she was not standing up for free speech.
The poem was broadcast on ZDF TV two weeks ago. The public TV channel has decided not to broadcast Boehmermann's weekly satire program this week because of the furor surrounding him.
Before announcing that Jan Boehmermann could be prosecuted, Angela Merkel stressed her government expected Turkey to comply with EU democratic norms in the areas of free speech and judicial independence.
"In a state under the rule of law, it is not a matter for the government but rather for state prosecutors and courts to weigh personal rights issues and other concerns affecting press and artistic freedom," the chancellor said.
"The presumption of innocence applies," Angela Merkel added, explaining that she was not making any prejudgement about Jan Boehmermann.
In her statement in Berlin, Angela Merkel said that the approval of the federal government was a legal precondition for the prosecution of this specific offence.
"The foreign office, the justice ministry, the interior ministry and the chancellery took part in this review," she said.
"There were diverging opinions between the coalition partners… The result is that in the present case the federal government will grant its approval."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn much criticism in Turkey and internationally for attacking opponents, including harassment of journalists. Many accuse him of authoritarian methods, stifling legitimate dissent and promoting an Islamist agenda.
Some Germans worry that Angela Merkel is compromising on freedom of expression in order to ensure Turkey's continued co-operation to stem the influx of refugees into the EU.
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