Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish relief efforts following Beirut's deadly port blast are also helping to strengthen bilateral relations, said a Turkish parliamentarian on Aug. 15.

Turkey is fully focused on protecting its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya, and the Aegean, the nation's president said on Aug. 15.

Turkey is also focused on stopping terrorist groups in Syria and northern Iraq, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in Rize on the Turkish Black Sea, speaking to the public and local members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Turkey on Aug. 15 slammed remarks by the presumptive U.S. Democratic presidential candidate calling for Washington to interfere in domestic Turkish politics.

Turkey's ruling party on Aug. 15 criticized the deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize ties as a "political suicide" against the Palestinian cause.

It is also an attempt to eradicate a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine proposed by the international community, Ömer Çelik, spokesman for the AKP said on Twitter.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke over the phone with his Venezuelan counterpart to discuss steps to boost bilateral ties, Turkey's Communications Directorate said on Aug. 14. 

Erdoğan and Nicolas Maduro also discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and solidarity, as well as regional developments, according to the directorate.

Venezuela ,

The Sümela Monastery, located in the Maçka district of the Black Sea province of Trabzon, has been visited by around 45,000 local and international tourists since being reopened to worship on July 28, local officials have said.

The eyes of the whole world are focused there because of the new, dangerous tensions between Athens and Ankara, RTS writes, referring to the Greek media.
Athens is demanding the deployment of American forces.

European Union foreign ministers were holding urgent talks Friday on military tensions between Greece and Turkey as the neighboring countries' navies continued a game of brinkmanship over eastern Mediterranean drilling rights.

European Union foreign ministers prepared Friday for urgent talks on military tensions between Greece and Turkey as the neighboring countries' navies continued a game of brinkmanship over eastern Mediterranean drilling rights.

Turkey has urged Greece to avoid provocative actions against its research vessel Oruç Reis deployed in the eastern Mediterranean or it will be retaliated in kind, a statement in reference to an incident between the two countries involving a frigate, which was later described as "an accident" by the Greek authorities.