News archive of September 2015

The United States and Russia have agreed on "some fundamental principles" for Syria, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sept. 29, but the gap between the two world powers on the role of Bashar al-Assad in the future of the war-torn country remains vast after a key meeting between the two countries. 

A total of $3 billion has been spent on the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and work will continue although the required licenses have not been issued yet, said the company chief, adding that some delays are normal in nuclear power plant projects. 

Turkey's economic confidence index took a record plunge in September, data showed on Sept. 29, in the starkest evidence yet of the damage political uncertainty and escalating violence have done to its long-term outlook.

Istanbul and Antalya have featured in a list of the world?s top shopping destinations for Muslim tourists in a report which provides detailed insights into their spending behavior while travelling. 

The MasterCard-CrescentRating Muslim Shopping Travel Index 2015 (MTSI 2015) has revealed Muslim travelers spent a total of $62 billion globally in shopping and dining. 

A local court in Istanbul held a new hearing on Sept. 29 in a case opened upon a complaint from the leader of Turkey?s Armenian Patriarchate about a man who allegedly identified himself as a Prime Ministry inspector and then requested a bribe of 6,000 Turkish Liras. 

Turkey?s prime minister separately met the leaders of the U.S. and Russia on Sept. 28 to discuss developments in Syria, according to Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu?s aides.

The summits were held during a luncheon hosted by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meetings.

Turkey?s Press Council has lambasted the detainment of 32 journalists in a building in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r, where a news agency and a Kurdish publishing newspaper is located, saying that loutish attitudes towards journalists should be brought to an end. 

Over 30 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) have been killed in cross-border airstrikes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said during an 11th gathering with a large group of muhtars at the presidential palace.

Municipality police in the Aegean province of ?zmir have seized so-called wild strawberries, which were in fact dried and sugared cherry tomatoes, and commenced a legal process against the suppliers and sellers of the fake goods. 

Turkey?s Supreme Election Board has officially announced candidate lists of all Turkish political parties who will run in the upcoming snap elections of Nov. 1.

The lists, approved by the board and published in the Official Gazette late Sept. 28, consist of candidates from 16 political parties who will run in the polls.