Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — The leaders of six opposition parties in Turkey met Saturday to strategize about the future of the country’s governing system — a move that aims to unseat the country’s longtime ruler.

In a statement following the working dinner, the party leaders said Turkey was experiencing “the deepest political and economic crisis” of its history and blamed it on the executive presidential system. They said their joint goal was to transform Turkey’s governance to a “strengthened parliamentary system.”

13 Feb 2022; AA: The Turkish foreign minister discussed the latest developments on the Ukrainian-Russian border late Saturday with his Ukrainian counterpart as tensions rise with a Russian military build-up.

Mevlut Cavusoglu and Dmytro Kuleba spoke via telephone, according to diplomatic sources without providing additional details.

Kuleba said on Twitter that the meeting addressed "the security crisis created by Russia, threats in Black and Azov seas, diplomatic ways to reduce tensions."

12 Feb 2022; AA: Turkiye reported over 86,000 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, according to new Health Ministry data.

The ministry confirmed 86,193 infections, 272 related deaths, and 73,526 recoveries over the past day.

As many as 448,347 virus tests were also done across the country.

To counter the spread of the virus, Turkiye has administered over 143.94 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021.

12 Feb 2022; AA: Western countries must guard against making statements that could cause panic over the situation in Ukraine, Turkiye's foreign minister said on Saturday.

Mevlut Cavusoglu’s remarks came barely a day after the US warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come “at any time.”

Such an invasion would not be right, but Western states should also be careful about statements that might sow panic, Cavusoglu said in televised remarks.

12 Feb 2022; AA: A second "charity train" carrying 921 tons of emergency goods to Afghanistan under the coordination of Turkiye's government, departed from the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday.

Bound for a journey of 4,168 kilometers (3,590 miles), this shipment is carrying aid from 16 humanitarian organizations on its 45 wagons, coordinated by the state-run Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).

11 Feb 2022; MEMO: Turkey's media and telecom regulator gave three international news agencies 72 hours to secure an operating licence on Wednesday.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) announced that German public broadcaster – Deutsche Welle, US broadcaster – Voice of America and France-based network – Euronews, would have their content blocked unless they obtain a licence.

ANKARA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces killed 29 members of Syria's Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkey's Defense Ministry said Friday.

A total of 28 YPG members who attempted to attack the Operation Euphrates Shield zone and one YPG fighter trying to attack the Operation Peace Spring region were "neutralized," the ministry said in a written statement.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to mean militants are killed, wounded or captured in security operations.

ANKARA, February 10. /TASS/: Statements by some Western countries that Russia may allegedly invade Ukraine only lead to an increase in panic and a worsening of the economic situation in the region, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated in an interview with TRT television on Thursday.

ISTANBUL, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Shopkeepers, city councils and a religious community group spoke out over surging energy bills in Turkey on Tuesday, while doctors held a one-day strike over working conditions as a wave of inflation-fuelled discontent spread across the country.

Inflation leaped to near 50% in January, raising the cost of living for Turks already struggling to make ends meet after a currency crash in December sparked by President Tayyip Erdogan's unorthodox low interest rates policy.

07 Feb 2022; MEMO: Greece's Foreign Ministry said, on Monday, images showing a band dancing to electronic music at the former Orthodox Christian Sumela Monastery in Turkey were "offensive" and "a desecration" of the monument, Reuters reports.

The Ministry called on Turkish authorities "to do their utmost to prevent such acts from being repeated" and to respect the site, a candidate for UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.