Turkey

12 April 2020; MEMO: A Turkish court on Saturday accepted an indictment on the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, reports Anadolu Agency.

The 117-page indictment prepared by Istanbul prosecutors accusing 20 Saudi nationals of involvement in the gruesome premeditated murder was accepted by Istanbul’s Heavy Penal Court No. 11.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey is not planning to make an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday, as the country eyes funding options to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday, Reuters cited officials as saying Turkey had held talks with the United States about securing a swap line from the Federal Reserve, as well as other funding options.

ANKARA, Apr 12 (NNN-ANADOLU) – In an interesting move that transcends years-long diplomatic standoff between the two countries, Turkey began supplying medical equipment to Israel, to help the country in its struggle against the COVID-19 outbreak.

The medical package comprises face masks, surgical gloves and protective coveralls.

11 April 2020; MEMO: The US Bloomberg TV channel revealed that the Turkish government agreed to provide Israel with medical supplies to help it counter the spread of the coronavirus.

ANKARA, Apr 11 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkey delivered medical aid to Britain and Libya, to help fight COVID-19, Turkish Defence Ministry said, on Friday (yesterday).

“At the direction of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Armed Forces aircraft, which will transport to the United Kingdom, the medical aid supplies, prepared by Turkey’s Health Ministry, to be used in the fight against COVID-19, has departed Ankara,” the Turkish Defence Ministry tweeted.

The medical aid cargo included protective masks and overalls.

ANKARA (Reuters) - The Turkish government plans to send draft legislation temporarily banning layoffs to parliament early next week, to curb an expected jump in unemployment due to the spread of coronavirus, two senior officials told Reuters on Thursday.

Many people have had to stop work as authorities closed shopping centres, bars, cafes and other businesses in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Reuters reported Turkish officials as saying on Wednesday that the draft legislation would temporarily ban layoffs for at least three months.

ANKARA, April 8. /TASS/: Russian and Turkish troops have conducted the third joint patrol in Syria’s Idlib, Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday.

"The third joint patrol with Russia in Idlib was conducted today. Patrols will continue," Anadolu Agency quotes him as saying.

The first joint Russian-Turkish patrol of the M4 highway section in the Idlib de-escalation zone took place on March 15.

03 April 2020; MEMO: NATO must strengthen its political role and dimension in the wake of the coronavirus and beyond, according to Turkey’s Foreign Minister, who said that a group of ten experts has been formed for this goal.

ISTANBUL, Apr 2 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Wednesday, said, if the outbreak of COVID-19 becomes more widespread in the country, tighter measures will be inevitable.

“We have partially limited inter-city transportation and if needed, we can implement similar methods in urban transportation as well,” Erdogan said, while attending his party meeting via teleconference from Istanbul.

Erdogan reiterated his call on the nation, to stay at home and maintain social distance, as part of the measures taken to restrain the outbreak of COVID-19.

01 April 2020; MEMO: Turkish defence and electronics firms are teaming up to produce 5,000 ventilators to help treat coronavirus patients, the head of a military drone manufacturer said on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

Baykar Chief Executive Haluk Bayraktar said 100 engineers from his company, defence contractor Aselsan and household electronics maker Arcelik were working together to have the ventilators ready by the end of May.