Eastern Mediterranean

The European Commission has warned Turkey that negotiations for EU accession will remain blocked as a result of its hostility towards Cyprus, according to its progress report.

Turkey has attacked the European Commission's progress report, accusing the European Union of being "unwilling to understand the difficulties" the country is facing.

A statement issued by the country's Foreign Ministry said that "the Kardak Rocks and their territorial waters and airspace above them are exclusive under Turkish sovereignty," in reference to Greece's Imia islets.

The number of people employed at Turkey's Central Bank has fallen to its lowest level in 10 years after 908 people left their jobs because of retirement, resignation and dismissal over the course of 2017.

Turkey's calendar-adjusted industrial production rose 9.9 percent in February compared to the same month last year, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced on April 16.

The number of foreign visitors to Turkey is expected to see a record-high in 2018, according to experts and politicians.

Turkey’s social democrat opposition party has said it disapproved the military strike carried out by the United States-led Western powers into Syria without solid evidence that chemical weapons were used by the Syrian regime and has urged the Turkish government to follow a cautious policy in the Middle East.

US, France, Britain launch strikes on Syria

Turkey has urged both the United States and Russia to refrain from acts that could further escalate tension over Syria, calling on Moscow to take effective measures to stop the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on April 9 criticized the Greek side's attempts to block the Turkish Cypriot National Football Team from participating in an upcoming independent football associations' cup in London.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Monday reproached his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras for not mentioning the issue of the eight Turkish servicemen whose extradition Ankara has sought and appeared to link the case to that of two Greek soldiers being detained in Turkey.