Latest News from Turkey
UN envoy says Turkish President Erdoğan ready to deal on Cyprus
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is ready to "play ball" on reaching a deal to reunify divided Cyprus because it would help resolve overarching regional issues including mending Turkey's relations with the European Union, a United Nations envoy said Dec. 8.
US denies plans to send crucial stinger missiles to PYD
A U.S. official has categorically denied recent media reports claiming that Washington was preparing to send Stinger missiles, an effective weapon in air defense, to the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Ankara considers a terrorist group.
"It's not true," a U.S. official told the Hürriyet Daily News while commenting on reports that appeared in the media on Dec. 9.
AKP to submit constitution change after deal struck with MHP
The constitutional amendment package introducing a shift to a presidential system will be submitted to Turkey's parliament on Dec. 10, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said, calling for the public to vote in favor of the change "for a stronger democracy."
AKP, MHP fully agree on charter shift draft
The constitutional amendment package introducing a shift to a presidential system will be submitted to Turkey's parliament on Dec. 10, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said, calling for the public to vote in favor of the change "for a stronger democracy."
Turkish help 'essential' says EU anti-terror report
An EU counter-terrorism report that was set to be presented to European interior ministers on Dec. 9 said cooperation with Turkey and other regional countries is "essential."
The EU's counter-terror coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, was set to tell ministers that hundreds of foreign terrorist fighters have returned to Europe from war-torn countries like Iraq and Syria.
Hard to comprehend Greek court decision regarding 5 Turkish officers, says Turkey
Turkey was demanding the extradition of the eight Turkish military men who fled to Greece following a failed coup in July, the spokesman of Turkey's Ministry for Foreign Affairs, ambassador Huseyin Muftuoglu, said Friday.
US facilitating joint talks with Turkey, Syrian Kurdish forces to ease tension
The U.S.-led anti-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) coalition stated on Dec. 8 that it was facilitating joint talks with Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in order to simmer down tensions between the two parties that are both fighting jihadists in northern Syria.
European judiciary network votes to suspend observer status of Turkey's HSYK
The European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) on Dec. 8 decided to suspend the observer status of the Turkish High Council for Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), citing concerns that the body is no longer sufficiently independent from the state's executive and legislature branches.
President Erdoğan expresses gratitude to those who converted dollars to Turkish Liras
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed his gratitude to people who joined campaigns to shore up the struggling lira, but added that it was insufficient, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.
"I appreciate my people's choice of converting their foreign currency into liras. But this is insufficient. I think people should stress this issue more," he said Dec. 9.
Former Turkish Parliament Speaker İsmet Sezgin laid to rest in Ankara
İsmet Sezgin, a former parliament speaker of Turkey who died aged 88 on Dec. 7, was laid to rest following an official ceremony at the Turkish Parliament.
Starting his political career in the 1950s, Sezgin served in seven cabinets as minister throughout the 1990s. He died of multiple organ failure at the Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) on Dec. 7.
Turkish businesses welcome new economic measures
Turkish business representatives have welcomed a number of key measures announced by the government aimed at boosting the ailing economy and shoring up the Turkish Lira.
Minister says education in Turkey is better than before, system's shortcomings are known
The Turkish education system still has some shortcomings, but it is in a "much better position" than in previous years, Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz said Dec. 8.
Hitachi acquires Turkish company in bid to further strengthen healthcare business
Hitachi has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 75 percent stake in Turkey's Kurt & Kurt and aims to make it a consolidated subsidiary of Hitachi by April 1, 2017.
Bahçeli should be sued for insulting Erdoğan, not me: HDP-co-chair
Selahattin Demirtaş, one of the two jailed co-chairs of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), has said he did not insult President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader did by calling the head of state a "thief."
Turkey-backed FSA fighters 'largely' seize control of al-Bab-Manbij road
Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters have largely seized control of al-Bab-Manbij highway as a part of the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation in Syria, the Turkish Armed Forces stated on Dec. 9.