Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — Voters in Turkey began casting ballots in Sunday’s municipal elections, which are seen as a barometer of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s popularity amid a sharp economic downturn in the nation that straddles Europe and Asia.

28 Mar 2019; DW: A court in Istanbul has rejected "defamation and slander through press" charges against freelance journalist Pelin Unker, who also works as a contributor for DW.

The presiding judge said that the case would be dismissed due to the statute of limitations specified in the Turkish Press Law.

Talking to DW correspondent Julia Hahn, Unker said the trials against reporters "are aimed at intimidating us."

ANKARA; 25 Mar 2019; AA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday applauded the humane stance of the people of New Zealand following last week's twin mosque attacks in Christchurch city.

“The people of New Zealand gave a lesson of humanity to those who did not get their share of humanity,” Erdogan told a live broadcast in Istanbul.

ANKARA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey will take the issue of U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights to the United Nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on Golan Heights is a "gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of parliamentary elections set for April, Erdogan said in an interview with local broadcaster TGRT Haber.

ANKARA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's banking and capital markets watchdogs said late Saturday they had launched investigations into JP Morgan and other banks over "misleading and manipulative actions" after the lira plunged sharply Friday.

In a written statement, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) said it received complaints that a report JP Morgan published on Friday hurt the reputation of Turkish banks and led to volatility in financial markets.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Turkey’s president says authorities are investigating the movements and possible contacts in Turkey of the man suspected of attacking two mosques in New Zealand.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also demanded that New Zealand ensure that the perpetrators of the attack be punished.

State broadcaster TRT says the suspect, Brenton Tarrant, visited Turkey twice in 2016 — on March 17-20 and Sept. 13 to Oct. 25. The station has released a security camera image of him arriving at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.

13 Mar 2019; AFP: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday blasted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu as a "tyrant" who "massacred" Palestinian children as the two leaders exchanged insults in their latest spat.

Erdogan was responding to earlier comments from Netanyahu who slammed the Turkish leader as a "dictator" and "a joke", after a day of tit-for-tat exchanges between government officials in both countries.

ANTALYA, 12 Mar 2019; AA: Turkey's foreign minister on Tuesday called on the global community to stand against Israeli aggression in the sacred places of Islam.

"Unfortunately, today, Israel's aggression has increased with encouragement from the U.S. We talk about all these issues and will not give up our sacred and national causes," Mevlut Cavusoglu said, speaking at a public gathering in the Mediterranean province of Antalya.

GAZIANTEP; 10 Mar 2019; AA: Syrian refugees have found peace and security in Turkey, a UNICEF official in Turkey told Anadolu Agency during his visit to this southeastern province. 

"I have seen refugees settling over four years and finding the peace and the security they were looking for while crossing the border [to Turkey]," said Philippe Duamelle.

SANLIURFA, 8 Mar 2019; AA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday inaugurated the ruins of what is thought to be the world's oldest temple.  

“Turkey is an open-air museum,” said Erdogan, speaking at a ceremony at the Gobeklitepe archaeological site located in Turkey's southeastern province of Sanliurfa.

Erdogan added that archaeological research should be promoted in order to uncover more historical artifacts and sites in Anatolia region.