Cyprus

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an is putting on a brave face and saying that Turkey has alternatives to Russia, both in terms of trade and energy supplies, not to mention the millions of Russian tourists who will most likely refuse to come to Turkey now.  

The European Union has provided a commitment to Ankara to launch necessary procedures on five accession chapters whose opening is currently under veto by Greek Cyprus, in a bid to deliver on promises recently given to Turkey, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned. 

A suspended water pipeline carrying fresh water in abundance to Cyprus from Turkey could be considered far bigger than anything else that has happened in the recent history of the island, including the Turkish intervention. Every drop of water pouring into the dam lake in northern Cyprus is like a precious gem generously presented by Turkey.

As part of preparations for the prospective lifting of visa regulations for Turks traveling to the EU's Schengen countries, starting from late 2016, Turkey is expected to renew both its official identity cards and passports.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke in Greek after his meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias in Athens on Friday, by stating that the US supports Greece.

Israel tested secretly, with Greece’s permission, ways of defeating an advanced S-300 air-defence system that Russia has deployed in the Middle East, as Reuters reports citing military and diplomatic sources said.

Peace is within reach in Cyprus, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said, a day before the two Cypriot leaders met on Dec. 4 as part of the peace talks. 

More and more efforts are building to convince Turkey that for a place in the European Union - even in a future outer layer of a multi-layered one - Ankara must see the reality that the road passes through Nicosia. Which Nicosia?

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is meeting with his Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Belgrade, TASS reported on Thursday.

Britain joined the U.S.-led air strikes against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria on Thursday after the British Parliament gave the green light to extending the fight against the jihadist militants.