Geography of Asia

Three workers who were installing a water pipeline in the Y?ld?zeli district of the Central Anatolian province of Sivas were killed on Dec. 29 as a result of a landslide.

The landslide occurred when the workers were installing of water evacuation pipeline at the Nevruz Dam around 3 p.m.

Turkey saw a dramatic drop in the number of foreign arrivals from Europe and Russia in the first 11 months of the year, while the number of total foreign arrivals saw only a slight decline (around 1.36 percent) in the mentioned period compared to the first eleven months of 2014, according to temporary data revealed by the Tourism Ministry on Dec. 29. 

Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said on Dec. 29 that Turkey remains an important trading partner of Russia, and Moscow has no intention to create problems for Turkish and Russian businesses and citizens.

Turkey provided logistic support for the evacuation of two besieged areas on Dec. 28 under a United Nations-sponsored agreement brokered by regional powers that are part of efforts by the U.N. to establish local deals on cease-fires and safe passage. 

The Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) call for autonomy in southeastern Turkey is "treason," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said following statements by HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirta? that recommended the establishment of self-governing regions in predominantly Kurdish areas. 

A meeting of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) in Diyarbak?r called for the establishment of a "democratic autonomy."

This is not a demand in a democratic country coming from a segment that has faith in democracy, asking for Western-style autonomy. 

Foreign policy has never been a domain suitable for ambitious scenarios and ill-considered steps. Due to serious policy mistakes by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, Turkey finds itself today facing off against Russia in Syria and the U.S. in Iraq. 

A spokesman for Turkey's president said the country would increase security following a spate of cyberattacks last week that affected government websites and some banks.

The head of Turkey's Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), Mehmet Ali Akben, has said Turkish companies with business ties to Russia were not having difficulty paying their loan debts, but the watchdog will take the required measures to help them in restructuring their debts if they begin to encounter problems. 

Sanctions imposed by Russia on some Turkish products have hurt both countries, Turkish Customs and Trade Minister Bulent Tüfenkçi said Dec. 28 as Russia signaled that new measures against Turkey are planned.