Turkey

The United States' sale of new 40 F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye is not subject to any conditions as the Greek media has claimed, the Turkish sources have said, underlining that these warplanes will be used in line with the security needs of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Canada announced Monday it would no longer bar certain arms exports to Türkiye, a move that comes approximately a week after Ankara ratified Sweden's NATO membership.

Permits for military items and certain types of weapons destined for Türkiye "will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis," the Canadian government said in a notice to exporters.

Türkiye is ready to cooperate with companies and other countries to help Libya unleash its huge potential in energy, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said.

Libya is important not only for Türkiye but also for global markets, Bayraktar said in a speech he delivered at the Energy and Economy Summit held in Tripoli on the weekend.

Foreign tourists entering the former Orthodox Christian cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will have to pay an entrance fee from Monday, as announced by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry. 

Over a year ago there were concerns that Turkey's provocations and threats in the Aegean could turn into conflict. Over the last year, Turkey's President Erdogan has pulled a 180 degree shift in policy, de-escalating tensions.

Turkish President Recep Tayipp Erdogan reiterated his country's determination to defend its "Blue Homeland" from the Aegean to the Eastern Mediterranean, stressing that Ankara has not "changed its axis," but has created its own, which he called the "axis of Turkey."

Ukrainian climber Danil Odynets, who lost his balance and fell on the rocks while climbing the 5,137-meter-high Mount Ağrı, has been rescued.

Türkiye will become one of the five countries in the world producing rare earth elements when the industrial facility in the province of Eskişehir becomes operational, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said.

The Turkish Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Tuesday gave the green light for Sweden's NATO membership.

Following the approval at the committee on Dec. 26, the protocol will now be submitted to the general assembly for a vote. Simple majority of the 600 lawmakers will suffice for the ratification of the bid.

Türkiye may become a hub for the production of innovative technologies, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır has said.

"We will continue to work for this to happen," Kacır said, commenting on his recent visit to China, where he met with top government officials and representatives from major Chinese companies, including carmakers and Huawei.