Latest News from Turkey
Easter celebrated across Turkey amid tight security measures
Turkey's Catholic, Armenian and Protestant communities celebrated Easter Sunday in various cities across the country on March 27, amid tight security measures taken by the police against possible attacks against the religious minority groups.
Turkey, Jordan boost ties amid Syrian crisis
Turkey and Jordan, the two regional countries suffering the most from the growing Syrian refugee crisis, have vowed to boost ties in various fields, with expectations that the five-year long Syrian tragedy will soon come to a peaceful end.
Bulgaria's Military, Border Police to Conduct Joint Black Sea Drill in April
Bulgaria's Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said Armed Forces and Border Police officers are set to carry out a military drill in a move bolstering security at the country's Black Sea border.
Speaking at the inauguration of Bezmer Airbase, he has not specified a date, but has set the beginning of April as a possible timeframe.
Use 'weapons of love' to fight evil of terrorism, pope says on Easter
Pope Francis urged the world in his Easter message on March 27 to use the "weapons of love" to combat the evil of "blind and brutal violence," following the attacks in Brussels.
After a week of somber religious events commemorating Jesus' death, Francis said an Easter Sunday Mass under tight security for tens of thousands of people in a sun-drenched St. Peter's Square.
Turkish companies could play major role in Iran, says businessman
The head of Turkish and Iranian Business Council has said Turkey had always been with Iran while the country was under sanctions, so Turkish businesses may play a major role in Iran in the post-sanction era.
Police officer, soldier killed in PKK attacks in Turkey's southeast
One police officer and one soldier were killed on March 27 by outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) attacks in the Nusaybin district in the southeastern province of Mardin, as security forces operations in the district entered their second week.
Bulgaria PM Defends Option to Build Fence at Border with Greece
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said his country will be forced to raise a fence along the border with Greece if the country does not uphold its "Schengen commitments".
Turkey eyes over $1 bln investment promise from US companies
Turkey will seek an investment of over $1 billion from U.S. companies during President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's official trip next week, the head of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DE?K) said on March 26.
Russia's Alfa Telecom says it is ready to sell Turkcell stake for $2.7 billion
Russia's Alfa Telecom said on March 25 it was ready to sell a 13.22 percent indirect stake in Turkcell to Turkey's Çukurova and Ziraat Bank for a total of around $2.7 billion, according to a statement to the Istanbul stock exchange.
Gov't to speed up process for new constitution with presidential system: PM
The process for writing a new constitution, which will include a shift to a presidential political system from the current parliamentary one, will be accelerated "to meet the expectations of the Turkish people," Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has vowed.
Turkish soldier killed by ISIL rocket in northern Iraq
One Turkish soldier was killed on March 26 when a rocket projectile fired from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) region hit the Bashiqa camp near Mosul in northern Iraq, marking the first such Turkish casualty in the camp.
Mardas invites immigrants to invest in Greece and get a residence permit
Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas expressed the difficulty of guarding Greece’s sea borders on Sunday morning speaking to SKAI TV channel.
Greece Emptying Refugee Camp at Idomeni
About 11,600 people have remained at the camp at Idomeni, on Greece's border with Macedonia, as of Saturday after the Greek authorities started evacuating refugees to nearby camps the day before, AFP reported, citing official Greek figures.
Turkish police warn of possible attacks on Easter
Police in Turkey have warned of possible Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacks against Christians and Jews over the Easter weekend, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on March 26.
The police issued a nationwide alert warning of possible attacks targeting churches during Easter on March 27, as well as synagogues, according to the news agency.
Turkish President Erdo?an slams foreign envoys at journalists' trial
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has severely criticized a group of Western diplomats who attended the trial of two daily Cumhuriyet journalists on March 25.