Iraq

A total of 15 PKK members have been "neutralized" in Iraq and Syria, the Defense Ministry said on July 26.

Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to indicate that the individuals in question have surrendered, been killed or captured.

According to a statement from the ministry, 11 of them were "neutralized" in northern Iraq's Qandil, Assos, Gara and Hakurk regions.

Tüpraş refinery has said that the oil previously purchased from Iraq's state oil company will be delivered in September.

The oil tanker St. Nikolas, carrying around 1 million barrels of crude oil purchased from the Iraqi state oil company SOMO, was seized by Iranian authorities in the waters of Oman on Jan. 11, the energy giant said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for the eradication of the PKK from Syria and Iraq.

"We need to fight [against the PKK], take the oil and energy resources from its hands and give them back to the Syrian people," Fidan said during an interview with Sky News Arabia on July 24.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned of a direct conflict between NATO and Russia at a key summit where the alliance has reiterated its unwavering political, economic and military support to Ukraine to defend its territories against the Russian occupation.

The Bilderberg Club, the exclusive club of the powerful that has been associated with the most extreme conspiracy theories, turned 70 this year.

Turkish contractors have undertaken a total of 82 projects in foreign countries worth $7.6 billion in the first half of 2024.

The average size of the projects Turkish companies awarded was $92.3 million in the January-June period, according to data from the Trade Ministry.

Turkish security forces on June 3 destroyed more than 30 targets used by the PKK terror group in an air operation in northern Iraq, according to National Defense Ministry.

Greek construction group Avax announced on Tuesday the signing of a contract with the Mass Group Holding (MGH) concerning the study, construction and operation of an open-cycle energy production unit in Iraq with a capacity of 282 megawatts, for a total budget of $82 million.

The PKK has blown up ammunition depots in the villages of Dergele and Miska in northern Iraq, the Defense Ministry said on July 3.

"Disregarding the lives of villagers, the terrorists blew up the ammunition depots and completely set fire to the village of Dergele," the ministry said in a written statement.

Türkiye's foreign trade balance posted a deficit of $6.44 billion in June, widening 21.4 percent from a year ago, the Trade Ministry has said.

Exports fell 10.6 percent year-on-year to $18.6 billion, while the annual decline in imports was 4.1 percent to $25 billion.

The export/import coverage ratio deteriorated from 79.7 percent in June 2023 to 74.3 percent last month.