Latest News from Turkey

Turkish journalists association awards two Hürriyet reporters

The Progressive Journalists Association (ÇGD) has recognized two daily Hürriyet reporters, Fevzi K?z?lkoyun and ?dris Emen, for their work in 2015, while also extending a special "solidarity" award to imprisoned journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül.

Halkbank serves as 'bridge between Turkey, Serbia'

Turkish lender Halkbank has aimed to become a commercial "bridge" between Turkey and Serbia since buying a stake in the lender in May 2015, the bank's general director for Serbia, Kenan Bozkurt, has told Anadolu Agency in an interview.    

Turks, Syrians from southeastern town form special bond

A sense of brotherhood resembling the early Muslims has developed between Syrians living in the southeastern province of Kilis and local Turkish residents as the number of Syrians has come to exceed the population of Turks in the town.

Turkish PM pays visit to cemevi in eastern Turkey

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has visited a cemevi, an Alevi house of worship, in eastern Turkey, just months after he outlined a set of comprehensive action plans for the fulfillment of his party's pre-election promises to different segments of society. 

EU calls on Turkey to halt military action in Syria

European Union officials have called on Turkey to halt its military action in Syria after Turkish forces shelled positions held by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) over the weekend.

No resolution in Cyprus water crisis

As fresh water comes closer to Turkish Cyprus from the southern Turkish province of Mersin through the Northern Cyprus Water Supply project, a crisis which had erupted over which authority would manage the pipeline has still not been resolved. 

Turkey prevented PM Tsipras from landing on Rhodes island

Turkey demanded the aircraft carrying Greek Prime Minister and government’s ministers to Iran not to be landed on the Greek island of Rhodes arguing that Rhodes is a demilitarized area. They even suggested prime minister’s aircraft Embraer to be refueled in Ankara so as to give an overflight permission to Embraer to fly over Turkish airspace.

Ankara confirms Turkish shelling of YPG forces in Syria for third day

Turkish officials have confirmed that its armed forces shelled positions of the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in northern Syria for a third straight day on Feb. 15, saying the move was retaliation against the PYD's military wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG).

Turkey protests US over being lumped together with 'terrorist' PYD

Ankara has protested a statement by Washington classifying Turkey along with the "terrorist organization" Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in northern Syria, while also warning the Syrian Kurdish militia of a "severe response" if they advance toward Azaz. 

Deputy PM says reforms needed for unemployment to drop from double-digit rates

Turkey's labor market needs reforms to become more flexible and bring the unemployment rate below 10 percent, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet ?im?ek said on Feb. 15.

Speaking after the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜ?K) released the unemployment rate for the October-December 2015 period, ?im?ek said he did not see a "bad trend" in unemployment.

Russia blasts Turkey's 'provocative' shelling of PYD

Russia said on Feb. 15 that Turkey's shelling of Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party(PYD) and Syrian regime positions in the north of the country was a "provocative" action.

Closing Greece-FYROM borders will stem refugee flow, Kurz says

If Europe closes Greece’s northern border with FYROM will stem the refugee flow into Europe, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has said.

“If the norther border is shut down leaving Greece for more than 24 hours with the refugees on its territory then its interest in accepting European help will quickly change,” Kurz said in an interview with TA NEA newspaper.

Missiles hit school and hospital in Syrian border town, 14 dead: Residents

At least 14 civilians were killed when missiles hit a children's hospital, a school and other locations in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz near the Turkish border on Feb. 15, a medic and two residents said.

They said at least five missiles hit the hospital in the town center and a nearby school, where refugees fleeing a major Syrian army offensive were sheltering. 

Turkey will not allow for Syria's Azaz to fall to PYD, Davuto?lu vows again

Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has again vowed that Turkey will not allow for Syria's Azaz district, in the countryside north of Aleppo, to fall to the forces of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD). 

"We will not let Azaz fall," said Davuto?lu on Feb. 15 en route to Kyiv for a one-day official visit, according to Reuters. 

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