Latest Turkey News

Former Greek premier Samaras is expelled from the ruling conservative party

Nov. 16, 2024 12:04 PM EST

ATHENS, GREECE (AP) — Former Greek Prime Minister and lawmaker Antonis Samaras was expelled from the ruling New Democracy party over his persistent criticism of government policies. Samaras, 73, a hard-line nationalist, has criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ approach...

Greek and Turkish coast guards aim to boost cooperation against migrant smuggling

Nov. 13, 2024 13:22 PM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior Greek and Turkish coast guard officials have agreed to boost cooperation in restricting one of the main illegal migration routes into Europe, authorities said Wednesday. A Greek coast guard statement said Tuesday's meeting on Greece's eastern Aegean Sea...

Ecuador's VP suspended for 150 days deepening rift with president as February election looms

Nov. 09, 2024 13:17 PM EST

QUITO (AP) — Ecuador's Vice President Veronica Abad was suspended Saturday for 150 days accused of “unjustified abandonment” of her duties. It comes during a public rift between Abad and President Daniel Noboa that could have implications for Ecuador 's February elections. ...

Greece cites new trust of Turkey as the neighbors seek to ease tensions

Nov. 07, 2024 09:28 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s foreign minister said Thursday that his country has established a foundation of trust with Turkey, ahead of a visit to Athens by the Turkish foreign minister as the two neighbors try to ease tensions. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet...

Explosion at Turkish oil refinery injures 12

Nov. 05, 2024 08:08 AM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — An explosion at an oil refinery in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday left at least 12 employees slightly injured, the company said. A fire at the facility was quickly brought under control. The Turkish Petroleum Refineries company, TUPRAS, said a fire broke out...

Turkey ousts 3 elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office and replaces them with state officials

Nov. 04, 2024 03:02 AM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Monday removed three elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office over terrorism-related charges and replaced them with state-appointed officials, the Interior Ministry said. The move, which comes days after the arrest and ouster from...

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 leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey

Oct. 29, 2024 17:32 PM EDT

QAMISHLI, Syria (AP) — The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northeast Syria in an interview with The Associated Press called for international mediators to continue pushing for diplomatic solutions to the complex web of conflicts in the Middle Eastern country, including the escalating...