Latest Istanbul News

Doctor at the heart of Turkey's newborn baby deaths case says he was a 'trusted' physician

Nov. 23, 2024 07:29 AM EST

ISTANBUL (AP) — The Turkish doctor at the center of an alleged fraud scheme that led to the deaths of 10 babies told an Istanbul court Saturday that he was a “trusted” physician. Dr. Firat Sari is one of 47 people on trial accused of transferring newborn babies to neonatal...

Turkey removes two more pro-Kurdish mayors from office for links to banned group

Nov. 22, 2024 14:02 PM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Friday ousted two more elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office and replaced them with state-appointed administrators, citing terrorism-related charges against them. With their ouster, the number of elected mayors that have been sacked since October...

Health workers go on trial in Turkey accused of private care scheme linked to 10 infant deaths

Nov. 18, 2024 07:05 AM EST

ISTANBUL (AP) — Doctors, nurses and an ambulance driver are among 47 people on trial accused of causing the deaths of 10 infants as part of an alleged scheme to defraud Turkey’s social security system. The defendants are accused of transferring babies to neonatal units of 19...

Deaths of 10 newborns shake millions' trust in Turkey's health care system

Nov. 01, 2024 15:30 PM EDT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The mother thought her baby looked healthy when he was born 1.5 months early, but staff swiftly whisked him to the neonatal intensive care unit. It was the last time Burcu Gokdeniz would see her baby alive. The doctor in charge told her that Umut Ali's heart...

Hundreds in Turkey protest the arrest and ouster of opposition mayor

Oct. 31, 2024 13:27 PM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds gathered Thursday in Istanbul to protest against the arrest and removal from office of a mayor from Turkey's main opposition party for his alleged links to a banned Kurdish militant group. Ahmet Ozer, mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of...

Mayor from Turkey's main opposition party is detained over alleged ties to Kurdish militants

Oct. 30, 2024 09:59 AM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — A mayor from Turkey’s main opposition party was detained Wednesday on suspicion of being a member of a banned Kurdish militant group, state-run media reported. Ahmet Ozer, mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of the Republican People’s Party, or...

Kurdish militants claim responsibility for deadly attack on Turkish defense firm

Oct. 25, 2024 11:29 AM EDT

BAGHDAD (AP) — A banned Kurdish militant group on Friday claimed responsibility for an attack on the headquarters of a key defense company in Ankara that killed at least five people. A statement from the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, said Wednesday’s...

Turkey and Germany leaders meet in Istanbul and find many avenues of agreement. But not on Israel

Oct. 19, 2024 14:52 PM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday in Istanbul, where both leaders discussed bilateral concerns and opportunities for cooperation. But they couldn't agree on their respective stances toward Israel. During an...

Today in History: October 2, Marshall joins Supreme Court

Oct. 02, 2024 00:01 AM EDT

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 2, the 276th day of 2024. There are 90 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall joined the U.S. Supreme Court at its first African American justice; he would serve on the bench for 24 years until his...

Turkish prosecutors charge 13 over Istanbul nightclub fire that killed 29

Sep. 24, 2024 07:08 AM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Prosecutors in Turkey have charged 13 public officials over a fire that killed 29 people at an Istanbul nightclub that was undergoing renovation, state-run media reported Tuesday. The defendants, who include current and former officials from the Besiktas...