US says ‘the time is now’ for Sweden to join NATO and for Turkey to get new F-16s

OSLO, Norway (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday the “time is now” for Turkey to drop its objections to Sweden joining NATO but said the Biden administration also believed that Turkey should be provided with upgraded F-16 fighters “as soon as possible.” ...

With new mandate secured, Turkey's Erdogan likely to continue engaging with both West and Russia

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — After securing a strong new mandate in a runoff presidential election, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan could temper some positions that have irritated his NATO allies. But observers predicted that the country's longtime strongman leader is unlikely to depart from his policy...

What 5 more years of Erdogan's rule means for Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection in a runoff Sunday, following a nail-biter first round two weeks earlier. Having secured another five years, Erdogan now faces a host of domestic challenges in a deeply divided country, from a battered economy to pressure for...

Turkey's Erdogan wins another term as president, extends rule into 3rd decade

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities. A third term gives Erdogan,...

Polls close in Turkey’s presidential runoff election, as Erdogan seeks to extend two decades of rule.

As Turkey heads to runoff presidential race, domestic issues loom large

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has parlayed his country’s NATO membership and location straddling Europe and the Middle East into international influence, is favored to win reelection in a presidential runoff Sunday, despite a host of domestic issues. ...

Humanitarian group blasts Greece over treatment of asylum-seekers on eastern island

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A prominent humanitarian group on Thursday blasted Greece over its treatment of asylum-seekers on the island of Lesbos, repeating allegations of illegal deportations back to Turkey and claiming authorities are using hunger as a weapon against some migrants. ...

Cyprus making extra efforts to ensure air safety amid Turkish warplane incursions

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus authorities say they’re take extra efforts to ensure flight safety isn’t compromised from Turkish warplanes and military drones flying inside Cypriot-monitored airspace without filing either flight plans or communicating with air traffic control. ...

Turkish voters weigh final decision on next president, visions for future

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Two opposing visions for Turkey's future are on the ballot when voters return to the polls Sunday for a runoff presidential election that will decide between an increasingly authoritarian incumbent and a challenger who has pledged to restore democracy. ...

Greece says it's investigating claim migrants were illegally deported back to Turkey

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's outgoing prime minister says he has ordered a probe into a report that authorities illegally deported a group of migrants who had reached an eastern Aegean island from Turkey, allegedly leaving them on a raft at sea for Turkish authorities to pick up. ...