Amid US-Turkey Tensions, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Meets Turkish Leaders

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with Turkish leaders in Istanbul on issues ranging from Syria to last year's failed coup. After arriving from Ukraine, Tillerson met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday and later held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, officials on both sides said. No statement was issued after the late night talks at the Istanbul residence of Erdogan by the Bosphorus. Tillerson, the former chief executive of energy giant Exxon Mobil, earlier addressed the opening ceremony of the World Petroleum Congress, notably mentioning the defeat of last year's failed coup against Erdogan.

Eren Ozmen and Daron Acemoglu Honored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York

Turkish American businesswoman Eren Ozmen and Academician Prof Daron Acemoglu honored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Corporation, established by Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie, thanks naturalized citizens who make America strong. Carnegie Corporation of New York, its board of trustees and staff, invite Americans to celebrate naturalized U.S. citizens with its annual Great Immigrants tribute. The philanthropic foundation today announced the 38 individuals who will be honored on the Fourth of July when the Corporation salutes the invaluable role that immigrants play in helping to advance our society, culture, and economy. Each year since 2006, the Corporation has recognized the contributions of naturalized citizens, and for 2017, the honorees represent more than 30 different countries of origin, a wide range of personal immigration stories, and a high level of professional leadership in numerous fields.

The Number of Turkish People with Anti-American Sentiments Has Increased by 28 Percent

The number of Turkish people with anti-American sentiments has increased by 28 percent in just three years, a BBC poll showed on Wednesday. Experts have claimed that the U.S.'s stance on the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and the PKK's Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in particular have been the triggering factors for the increasing bad feeling. According to the poll conducted by GlobalScan and the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) for the British broadcaster, the ratio of Turks that view the United States negatively stands at 64 percent, compared to 36 percent in 2014.

Miami commission votes to cut ties with Island Gardens developer Mehmet Bayraktar

In a blockbuster decision, the Miami City Commission wants to kill the deal with Flagstone Property Group to build a $1 billion mixed-use project on Watson Island. During a special meeting on Tuesday, commissioners voted 5-0 to declare the developer in default of a ground lease allowing Flagstone to build two hotels and a luxury mall with roughly 221,000-square-foot retail and restaurant space that would complement a megayacht marina completed in 2015.

Government Releases Crucial EB-5 Data

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services issued three years of EB-5 visa data this week, confirming what was already known to many in the industry: big city regional centers servicing developer clients dominate the field for investors looking to immigrate to the U.S. Between 2014 and 2017, USCIS approved more than 26,000 petitions for visas nationwide and rejected 3,313, its data show. The overwhelming majority of regional centers saw 100 or fewer petitions processed during the period. EB-5 visa issuance is currently capped at 10,000 new investor visas annually.

Flagstone Sues City of Miami Over $1B Watson Island Project

Flagstone Property Group has filed $122 million lawsuit against the city of Miami. The suit was filed one day after commissioners unanimously declared the developer in default of a 99-year ground lease that would allow Flagstone to build its luxury hotel and marina complex, and claims the city breached agreements with the developer causing them to lose millions in investments, according to the Miami Herald.

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