Turkey

Following serving as advisor responsible for European and Turkish relations of French President Emmanuel Macron for three years, Isabelle Dumont, newly appointed ambassador to Türkiye, will begin her mission in the capital Ankara this week.

Previously unpublished images of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye, along with various historical recordings, have been added to a web archive called Film Mirasım (My Film Heritage, in English) launched by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

U.K. holidaymakers are flocking to Türkiye and Egypt to take advantage of favorable currency exchange rates, British daily The Independent has reported, citing a statement by travel company On the Beach.

The number of bookings it has received for summer trips to those destinations is more than double the level from 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, On the Beach said.

People gather for a mass held on August 15 last year by Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Soumela to mark the Dormition of the Mother of God in Turkey's Trabzon region, known to Greeks as Trapezounta.

Turkish diplomatic efforts have surged ahead as Ankara plays a pivotal role in spearheading Russia's talks with Ukraine, the United States and EU nations with the aim of reviving a crucial grain agreement.

Qatar Postal Service (Qatar Post) has acquired a 40 percent stake in the Turkish e-commerce platform Turkish Souq.

The deal came after President Recep Erdoğan's visit to Qatar last month, part of his three-nation Gulf tour, which also included Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Hopes are running high among Turkish tourism companies that the country may finally lure more tourists from China as Beijing this week lifted a COVID-era ban on outbound group tours to foreign countries.

Türkiye is closely followings developments regarding the United States' attempts to establish a new base and enhance its military presence on the Aegean islands, say sources from the Turkish Defense Ministry.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has announced a new mission in the Mediterranean of the Abdulhamid Han drillship, which is the latest addition to the Turkish Petroleum Company's (TPAO) exploration fleet.

Given that it will operate within an area of Turkish jurisdiction, Athens is not concerned, and it will not affect the Greek-Turkish rapprochement. 

Greek Foreign Minister Yorgo Yerapetritis has lauded a burgeoning relationship with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, asserting that their personal relationship has paved the way for diplomatic breakthroughs, thus averting potential conflicts.