All News from Balkans

US troops block Russian forces way to oil fields in Syria

U.S. soldiers present in regions of northern Syria under the YPG/PKK terror group's control stopped a Russian military convoy from reaching oil fields in Al-Hasakah province on Jan. 21.

The move comes amid an ongoing dispute between the U.S. and Russia over the Rumeylan oil field in northeast Al-Hasakah.

Police seized over 10 kilograms of heroin in northwestern Turkey

Turkey seized over 10.15 kilograms (about 22 pounds) of heroin in the northwestern province of Bolu, a police source said on Jan. 21.

Anti-narcotics police, assisted by a sniffer dog, searched a suspicious car on a motorway in Bolu, recovering heroin from the trunk of the vehicle, said the source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

President Iohannis to meet Blue & White alliance leader Gantz on Israel visit

AGERPRES special correspondent Florentina Peia reports: Romania's President Klaus Iohannis continues his visit to Israel on Wednesday, and he is scheduled to meet leader of Israel's Blue & White alliance Binyamin 'Benny' Gantz.

Turkey nabs suspect over killing of Turkish diplomat in Erbil

Turkish security forces on Jan. 21 nabbed a suspect allegedly linked to an armed attack that killed a Turkish diplomat in northern Iraq last July.

He was arrested in a joint operation by the provincial police forces and the Turkish Intelligence Organization (MİT) in the southeastern border province of Şırnak as he attempted to cross to Turkey.

NATO chief says Turkey crucial in fight against ISIL

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Jan. 21 Turkey is crucial in the fight against ISIL.

"No ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey. They are important in the fight against Daesh. They are the only ally which is bordering Syria and Iraq," he said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Stoltenberg's remarks came during a speech at the European Parliament in Brussels.

China virus death toll rises to nine as pandemic fears mount

The death toll from a new flu-like coronavirus in China rose to nine on Jan. 22 with 440 confirmed cases, Chinese health officials said as authorities stepped up efforts to control the outbreak by discouraging public gatherings in Hubei province.

US urges Ankara to halt drilling operations off Cyprus

The United Sates is "deeply concerned" by Turkey's drilling operations off Cyprus, including plans to dispatch the drill ship Yavuz south of Limassol, a State Department spokesman has said, urging Turkish authorities to cancel such plans.

Turkish foreign minister meets Iraqi Kurd leader

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday met Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).

The closed-door meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland where the two leaders discussed heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, according to diplomatic sources.

Canada repatriates first victim from plane downed in Iran

The first remains of a Canadian who died when Iran shot down a passenger plane earlier this month arrived in Canada on Jan. 21.

At the request of the family, no name was released.

"There has been one repatriation of remains which took place, and we respected the wish of the family to respect their privacy," said Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.

Republicans reject subpoenas as impeachment debate goes on

The U.S. Senate plunged into President Donald Trump's impeachment trial on Jan. 21 with Republicans abruptly abandoning plans to cram opening arguments into two late-night sessions and Democrats arguing for more witnesses to expose Trump's "trifecta" of offenses.