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Turkey News

  • UNWTO: International tourism – strongest half-year results since 2010

    AFGHANISTAN, 2017/09/09 Destinations worldwide welcomed 598 million international tourists in the initial six months of 2017, some 36 million additional than in the same period of 2016. At 6%, increase was well above the trend of recent years, making the current January-June period the strongest half-year since 2010. Visitor numbers reported by destinations around the world reflect strong request for international travel in the initial half of 2017, according to the new UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Worldwide, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by 6% compared to the same six-month period last year, well above the sustained and consistent trend of 4% or higher increase since 2010. This represents the strongest half-year in seven years.
  • Turkey relocates medieval tomb over flooding risk

    TURKEY, 2017/09/03 Turkish authorities on Friday conducted a hugely ambitious and controversial operation to move a centuries-old tomb to new location to stave off the risk of flooding from a dam project. The tomb of Zeynel Bey is a 15th century memorial to one of the key figures in the Ak Koyunlu tribe who controlled much of eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus and vied for supremacy with the emerging Ottomans. The exquisite building, known for its dome and intricate coloured stonework, lies in the old town of Hasankeyf in the southeastern Batman province. Much of the town will be under water or risk damage in the next years because of the development of the Ilisu Dam project which aims to drastically improve energy supplies for the Kurdish-dominated southeast. Turkish authorities conduct controversial operation to move centuries-old tomb out of area at risk of flooding from local building projects.
  • First Qatar-Turkey refrigerated container route opens

    QATAR, 2017/08/27 The initial direct refrigerated container service between Qatar and Turkey has been launched by a company linked to the Qatari government, according to Anadolu Agency. Marine transport and logistics conglomerate Qatar Navigation (Milaha) said in a statement that it had arranged voyages on a route between Qatar's Hamad Port and the Turkish port of Izmir, Azertac reported.
  • Russia, Turkey negotiate deals worth $820 million

    RUSSIA, 2017/08/27 Russian and Turkish businesses have concluded preliminary agreements on contracts, the total worth of which is approximately $820 million. Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Georgy Kalamanov announced that the details of the agreements were discussed within the framework of the 86th Izmir International equitable, Sputnik reported. The International equitable with a theme "Innovation — Energy" was held on August 18-22 with participation of additional than 45 Russian companies from different sectors of economy, inclunding energy, coal and oil production, agriculture, construction and engineering, metal working and metallurgy, and tourism, presenting their products and services.
  • Turkey urges Erbil to cancel referendum on independence

    TURKEY, 2017/08/26 Turkey calls on Erbil to cancel the referendum on independence, the Turkish media quoted country’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying, on August 25. Yildirim noted that, the decision to hold a referendum on independence of the Kurdish autonomy of Iraq is erroneous and dangerous. Ankara stands for the integrity of Iraq, said the prime minister.
  • Erdogan: Fight against drug addiction one of Turkey’s priorities

    TURKEY, 2017/08/26 Fight against drug addiction is one of priorities for Turkey, the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Turkish media reported on August 25. He said that the youth is the next of Turkey. “Measures to combat drug dealers have been stepped up in Turkey in recent years,” Erdogan said.
  • Turkish stocks up at close as lira hits 8-month high

    TURKEY, 2017/08/26 Turkey's benchmark stock index went up 601.23 points to close the week at 109,755.14 points while the Turkish lira hit an eight-month high against the U.S. dollar on Friday, Anadolu reported. The Turkish lira strengthened against the dollar and Turkish stocks rose by 0.55 % next Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s speech at Jackson Hole offered no hints on U.S. monetary policy or the outlook for interest rates.
  • Erdogan congratulates Pakistan on Independence Day, vowing to strengthen friendly ties

    PAKISTAN, 2017/08/15 Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday congratulated Pakistan on its 70th anniversary of independence, vowing to boost their friendly ties. "I would like to congratulate the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan and all the people of Pakistan on August 14 Independence Day," the Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying in a Turkish message posted on his Twitter account.
  • Turkish Supreme Military Council replaces land, air and navy commanders

    TURKEY, 2017/08/04 Turkey on Wednesday restored the commanders of its army, air force and navy next their terms in office expired, reshuffling the top of a military that has been shaken by last year's failed coup. Turkey's armed forces - like the media, civil service and police - have been convulsed by the crackdown that followed the attempted putsch, at the same time as a group of rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes in an effort to topple the government.
  • Turkey opens trial of nearly 500 defendants over failed coup

    TURKEY, 2017/08/02 Nearly 500 suspects inclunding army generals and pilots went on trial in Turkey on Tuesday, a lot of of them accused of commanding last year's failed coup attempt from an air base in the capital Ankara. Families of those killed or wounded protested outside the courthouse, with some throwing hangman's nooses or stones toward the defendants as they arrived under tight guard, shouting "murderers" and demanding that the death penalty be reinstated. The government declared a national of emergency next the coup attempt and embarked on a large-scale crackdown that has alarmed Western allies of Ankara, a NATO member and candidate for European Union membership.