Turkey

Turkey Bars Israeli Ships, Flights from Its Territory

Turkey's top diplomat said Friday that Ankara had closed its ports and airspace to Israeli ships and planes, with a diplomatic source telling AFP the ban applied to "official" flights. "We have closed our ports to Israeli ships. We do not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports.... We do not allow container ships carrying weapons and ...

Putin, Erdogan to Discuss Ukraine on Sidelines of China Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the Ukraine conflict with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the sidelines of a regional summit in China on Monday, the Kremlin said. "Turkey plays an important role in the Ukraine resolution process," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, including AFP, on ...

Turkey says Russia Scales Back Ukraine Territorial Demands

Russia is demanding Ukraine cede all of its eastern Donbas region, but would be willing to freeze the conflict in the south of the country along current front lines, Turkey's top diplomat has said. Russia occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, and has claimed to have annexed five of the country's regions -- Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson ...

Hezbollah: The Voice of Its Master

Hezbollah and its weapons, a never-ending tale. Same story, on repeat. Giving up the arsenal? Never. Without it, there is no arbitrary power, no rent to collect. And like any loyal client, Hezbollah clings to its dealer: Iran. Each time an Iranian leader takes the stage or embarks on a “diplomatic” tour, the pattern is predictable. Days ...

Lebanon, a Transit Hub for Iraqi Oil

Will Iraqi oil once again flow through Tripoli, capital of North Lebanon? The project is back on the table, but its outcome remains uncertain. Baghdad is signaling determination. Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani confirmed that the option is under serious study. To show goodwill, he also mentioned the possible rehabilitation of Kirkuk-Baniyas ...

Dozens of Opposition Arrested in Turkey: Media Reports

Turkish police arrested 40 people Friday in the opposition stronghold of Istanbul, including the mayor of the central district of Beyoglu and several of his close advisers, Turkish media reported. The latest wave of arrests over "corruption" allegations is part of a months-long crackdown targeting the main opposition Republican People's Party ...

With Waters at 32C, Mediterranean Tropicalisation Shifts Into High Gear

When Murat Draman went scuba diving off the coast of the southern Turkish province of Antalya and saw the temperature in the depths was pushing 30C, it didn't surprise him. "We were at a depth of 30 meters (100 feet) this morning and the water was 29C," said Draman, a diving instructor in an area which is experiencing firsthand the rapid ...

Turkey Reports Mass Return by Syrians

More than 410,00 Syrians who fled to Turkey during the rule of Bashar al-Assad have returned home since he was overthrown in December, the government announced Thursday. Turkey's interior ministry said 411,649 Syrians had so far returned, the rate picking up in recent weeks, with the immigration service recording 140,000 returns since ...

6.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Western Turkey

A 6.1-magnitude quake struck Sindirgi in western Turkey on Sunday, the Turkish disaster management agency (AFAD) reported. The quake was felt across several cities in the west of the country, including Istanbul and the tourist hotspot of Izmir. No deaths were reported. About 10 buildings collapsed in Sindirgi, the epicentre of the earthquake, ...

Turkey, Italy and Libya Hold Talks in Istanbul

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday hosted a mini-summit in Istanbul with the prime ministers of Italy and Libya's UN-recognized government for talks on several issues, including migration, officials said. Images from what the Turkish presidency called "Turkey-Italy-Libya cooperation summit" at Erdogan's Istanbul office showed ...

Turkey to Begin Supplying Azeri Gas to Syria from Saturday

Turkey will start exporting natural gas from Azerbaijan to Syria from Saturday, the energy minister said on Wednesday. Syria's authorities, who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December, are seeking to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy after almost 14 years of civil war. The conflict badly damaged Syria's power infrastructure, leading ...