News archive of February 2019

The nuclear summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended abruptly without an agreement on Feb. 28, the White House said after the two leaders cut short their discussions.

A school of some 1,000 students in southern Turkey near the Syrian border boasts an astonishing 17 sets of twins and three sets of triplets.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Feb. 27 said Turkey is resolute about increasing cooperation with Chad and other African countries.

The UN Security Council on Feb. 27 welcomed a meeting between Turkish and Greek leaders of the divided island of Cyprus, praising progress made as well as the increased interaction between the two communities.

Greek shipowners will pay at least 75 million euros ($85.37 million) annually to the state budget, the prime minister's office said on Wednesday, under a deal that replaces a previous voluntary arrangement.
The sum is equivalent to a 10 percent levy on dividends, according to a statement by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's office.

Visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer has urged all sides interested in the goings-on in Cyprus's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to practice restraint and reiterated Washington's support for United Nations-backed efforts for a solution on the island entailing a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic's sudden changes of heart about a World War II salute used by the Ustasa movement reflect her desperate wish to please the international community, which has been criticising Croatia over historical revisionism, and a right-wing constituency that has supported her through four years of her presidency, experts say.

Kosovo cannot afford to lose the support of the EU and US if a 100-per cent tariff on Serbian goods stays, civil society groups say, despite supporting the measure.

Elections could also further stimulate the discontent of a large number of citizens who have been holding weekend protests since December 8 last year against Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party, SNS.

The İzmir International Puppet Days, which started as a small festival in İzmir in 2007, will present 44 different shows from 24 countries to puppet lovers of all ages on its 13th edition.