Geography of Asia

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have seized a vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 250,000 litres of diesel fuel to the United Arab Emirates, Iran's semi-official Students News agency ISNA reported on Sept. 16.   

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has praised the reform effort of the new conservative government in Greece as well as the steps taken to address the migration problem, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency (ANA-MPA) reports.

Oil prices have risen by more than 10% in Asian trade since the oil rig attack in Saudi Arabia. Amid fears of a surge in black gold prices, US President Donald Trump has allowed the release of oil from the United States Strategic Oil Reserve.

In Asian e-commerce, US light crude oil for delivery in October rose by nearly ten percent to $ 60.23 a barrel.

Turkish Airlines continues to expand its international flight network by adding direct flights from Istanbul to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. So far, these routes have been performed only via connected flights.

Turkey's central government budget balance posted a surplus of 576 million Turkish Liras ($102 million) in August, the Treasury and Finance Ministry reported on Sept. 16.

Turkey's economy saw an annual hike in total turnover in July, the nation's statistics authority announced on Sept. 16.

Citrus producers in Turkey's south are expecting a 10 percent increase in exports this year.

The unemployment rate in Turkey stood at 13% in June, the country's statistical authority announced on Sept. 16.

Global energy prices spiked on Sept. 16 after a weekend attack on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia caused the worst disruption to world supplies on record, an assault for which President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" to respond.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) needs Ankara's guarantorship "more than ever", Turkish foreign minister said on Sept. 15.