Eurasia

Greece sees planned undersea cable from Egypt, and another from Israel via Cyprus as important projects for Europe’s energy security

With the support the government provided to the sector, revenues from health tourism may increase to $5 billion in the short-term and rise further to $10 million in the medium-term, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş has said.

The occupancy rate of the hotels in the eastern province of Van has hit 100 percent as Iranians have thronged the city with the start of a national three-day holiday in their country.

"Some 5,000 Iranians entered on the first day of their holiday," Yunus Yüksel, the board chair of the Van Hotel Owners and Tourism Professionals Association, told Demirören News Agency on June 5.

The centers for accommodation of asylum seekers, which are part of the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, were overcrowded at the end of April, but at the end of May, the occupancy rate was about 20%. This is shown by the data from the migration statistics of the Ministry of Interior from the website of the ministry.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee on June 2 asked Serbia to delay the extradition of Ecevit Piroglu, a Kurdish politician and activist wanted by Turkey, until it reviews the case.

A senior Turkish official has called on the European Union to treat Turkey fairly, underlining that the candidate country's reform process will be accelerated to the extent consideration for full membership is strengthened.

Turkey and the EU held the "Political Dialogue Meeting" at the level of political directors of both sides following a three-year hiatus.

Turkey is becoming a major player in global health tourism, attracting tens of thousands of people around the world, most of them from Europe, with revenues reaching over $1 billion.

Dust clouds have covered the skies of southeastern provinces, while the visibility range has decreased due to the dust transportation from Syria.

Layers of dust coated vehicles and apartment balconies in the provinces of Şırnak, Bingöl, Mardin and Tunceli late on May 23.

Some 2.6 million foreign tourists visited Turkey in April, pointing to a strong 226 percent increase from a year ago.

Since the start of the year, foreign tourist arrivals have recorded three-digit increases on an annual basis. In January, foreign tourist visits rose by 151 percent, while in February and March, they grew by 187 percent and 130 percent, respectively.

While the Turkish government is working on preparations to ensure safe and voluntary return of 1 million Syrians who are under temporary protection in Turkey, an expert has warned the prevailing problems regarding security, the judiciary and the education system could make the process difficult.