Latest News from Turkey
Turkey detains four over suspected plot against British, German missions
Turkish authorities have detained four people as part of an investigation into a potential threat against British and German diplomatic missions in the country but found no links to any terrorist groups, a Turkish official told Reuters on Sept. 16.
Legendary Turkish actor Tarık Akan dies at 66
One of the most notable names of the "Yeşilçam" era of modern Turkish cinema, actor Tarık Akan died on Sept. 16 in a private hospital where he was receiving cancer treatment. He was 66.
Akan's death was announced by the Nazım Hikmet Culture and Arts Foundation in a statement.
10 killed in PKK attack in eastern Turkey
Seven village guards, one specialist sergeant, one soldier and former village guard were killed on Sept. 15 in an outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) attack in the eastern province of Ağrı, according to officials.
Greece lags in economic freedom
Greece may have been accused of pursuing neoliberal policies in 2014 by the now-ruling leftists, but in fact this country then ranked a rather poor 86th among 159 states, according to the new Economic Freedom of the World report from Canada's Fraser Institute, which is based on data from that year.
Productive season for Bozcaada 'artists' colony' draws to a close
The final exhibition of the season at Bozcaada Art Gallery, on the island of Bozcaada off Turkey's northwestern province of Çanakkale, is titled "A Meeting of Ceramics, Glass and Sculpture," and features the work of many local artists.
Aegean smugglers use new rhetoric to trick migrants into making perilous journey to Greece
Human smugglers have started to use new rhetoric in order to trick migrants in Turkey into making the perilous journey to Greek islands with the hope of a better life, while also lowering the prices of the journeys on mostly unsafe dinghies.
Turkey, Russia agree on joint understanding in resolving regional issues in key military meet
The Turkish and Russian top soldiers held extensive discussions in Ankara on a wide range of issues, including the ongoing turmoil in Syria, in the first top level military-to-military meeting since the two countries resolved a crisis
Man dies in PKK hidden bomb blast in Mardin
A man died after a trapped bomb exploded as he was entering his abandoned home in an under curfew neighborhood in the Nusaybin district of the southeastern province of Mardin on Sept. 15.
Bassoon to be able to be tuned after Turkish artists' work
The bassoon, a woodwind musical instrument with a history going back some 500 years, will be able to be tuned like many other instruments thanks to the work of two artists in Turkey who have developed a new design.
British Embassy in Turkey closed due to security concerns
The British embassy in the capital of Turkey, Ankara has announced it will be closed on Sept.
Washington, Moscow extend Syria cease-fire
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov agreed on Sept. 14 that a cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria was holding, and extended it by 48 hours to allow for increased humanitarian access.
Alleged Gülenist speaks at US Congress panel on Turkey
An alleged member of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) was included on the speakers list of a U.S. congressional panel on Sept. 14, discussing the aftermath of the coup attempt in Turkey, at a time when Ankara is pressing the U.S. to extradite Fethullah Gülen, the Pennsylvania-based Islamic preacher and the main suspect in the coup probe.
174 jails to be built in Turkey
More than 170 jails will be built over the next five years in Turkey, according to a statement from the Justice Ministry. The ministry's move comes after the overcrowding in jails caused by the arrests linked to the July 15 failed coup attempt, believed to have been masterminded by the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ).
Video of new refugee hotspot on Lesvos under construction (video)
Residents of Lesvos are alarmed over information that construction of a new hotspot on the Aegean island is under way. Video footage of ongoing construction work at the deserted military outpost of Lemonou, has raised concern among the local population.
CHP leader slams post-coup imprisonment of Turkish journalists
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has criticized the imprisonment of dozens of writers and journalists in the ongoing crackdown on government opponents in the aftermath of Turkey's failed July 15 coup attempt.