Latest News from Turkey
Davuto?lu on the eve of critical decisions under Erdo?an pressure
Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu spent almost all of March 11 at the headquarters of his Justice and Development Party (AKP), attending meetings with his senior aides and AKP executives to discuss a wide range of domestic political issues.
Saving Antalya
Antalya is Turkey's top holiday resort town, known for its sunny beaches, golf courses and all-inclusive hotels. However, the city faces an uncertain future after Turkey downed a Russian plane last year and Russian President Vladimir Putin promised revenge.
The rage against the Constitutional Court
When Turkey's Constitutional Court took a fateful decision on Feb. 25 to release imprisoned journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, the Western media hailed it. Here was the proof that at least some checks-and-balances still existed in Turkey, as there is some "independent judiciary" left.
INTERVIEW: Local rivalry key to understanding Turkey's Kurdish question
Turkey's Kurdish issue is often framed simply as "Turkish military vs. Kurdish militants." Since the collapse of the peace process last summer, hundreds of soldiers, militants and innocent civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands of locals displaced from their homes. Since 1980 tens of thousands have died and swathes of southeastern Anatolia have been militarized.
Bulgaria Detains 66 Irregular Migrants at Border with Turkey in 24 Hours
Bulgarian border police have thwarted attempts of a total of 66 irregular migrants to cross the country's border with Turkey over the past 24 hours, the Ministry of the Interior announced in a statement on Friday.
Bulgaria Seeks Right to Send Back Migrants to Turkey to Back EU's Deal with Ankara
Bulgaria has tied its support for a final EU-Turkey agreement on curbing the migrant inflow into Europe to the opportunity to send illegal migrants back to Turkey, public TV broadcaster BNT reported on Friday.
Two Merkel ministers back Turkey's EU bid
Two ministers from German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government have voiced support for Turkey's European Union bid, two days before elections in three federal states will prove if Merkel has lost ground or not due to her open-door migrant policy that came under criticisim especially from nationalist parties.
Iraqi forces advance against ISIL in Anbar
Iraqi forces retook a town from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Anbar province on March 10 and evacuated 10,000 civilians as they advanced up the Euphrates valley, a security spokesman said.
Lavrov urges UN envoy to include Kurds in Syria talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on March 11 urged the U.N.'s special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura to include Kurds in upcoming talks that aim to resolve the five-year Syrian civil war, while also lashing out at Turkey for blocking the Syrian Kurds from being involved in the talks.
Defense exports rise in 2016: Statistics
Turkish defense exports rose 30 percent in the first two months of the year compared to the same period last year, according to statistics released by the Turkish Exporters' Assembly on March 11.
The country's defense exports for January and February were valued at over $255.9 million, a 30 percent increase compared with $196.4 million in the same period last year.
Bulgaria Expects Rise in German Tourist Numbers in Summer 2016
German tour operator TUI will increase by 35% its charter flights from Germany to Varna and Burgas, on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, in Summer 2016 compared with last year, Bulgaria's Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova has said.
Development minister visits clash-stricken Silopi
Turkey's development minister has paid a visit to the southeastern town of Silopi, which has seen severe damage during recent clashes between security forces and outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants.
Gezi victim Elvan commemorated on second anniversary of his death
Berkin Elvan, a young boy who was shot with a tear gas canister during the Gezi Park incidents in 2013 and died some nine months later, was commemorated on March 11, the second anniversary of his death. Along with Elvan's parents, the relatives of other Gezi victims Ali ?smail Korkmaz, Ahmet Atakan and Abdullah Cömert also attended the commemoration in Istanbul.
Turkey begins receiving 3-bln-euro fund for Syrian refugees from EU
A senior Turkish Foreign Ministry official has confirmed that Ankara has begun "partially receiving" a fund of 3 billion euros which the EU approved in early February for Turkey to improve living conditions for refugees in exchange for Ankara ensuring fewer of them migrate to Europe.
Greece more isolated than ever, turns to US for aid on refugee crisis
The Greek government is scrambling to find aid in its efforts to deal with the humanitarian refugee crisis.