Author: Cemil Aydin

RAMALLAH, Palestine A Palestinian rights group said Saturday that a decision by Israel to stop issuing administrative detention against illegal settlers accused of attacking Palestinians in the West Bank “puts them above any legal accountability.” The decision at this time “is evidence of the extent of the occupation’s audacity, its disregard, and its arrogance toward the international system and its structures,” Qadoura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, said in a statement. Fares said it “facilitates settlers in committing more crimes against Palestinians and removes some of the formal restrictions, of which administrative detention was part.”…

In this episode of Explore Türkiye, we visit a city where the pace of life is slow, cycle along eco-trails, and take a look at ancient ruins. Köyceğiz is a picturesque little Turkish town in the country’s Dalyan region. Five years ago, it joined the Cittaslow programme – a network of towns and villages that embrace a slow pace of life and work to prevent the impact of globalisation on local customs. Our presenter Cinzia Rizzi visited the region looking to get totally immersed in nature. She rented a bike to tour some of the 740 km of eco-trails created…

Turkish security forces “neutralised” 16 PKK terrorists, including a number of terrorist ringleaders, in northern Iraq, an area near the Turkish border, the country’s National Defence Ministry has announced. The terrorists were neutralised in an air operation conducted in the Hakurk, Metina, and Gara regions of northern Iraq, the ministry announced on X on Monday. The ministry reiterated its resolve “to eradicate terrorism and rescue our nation from this scourge.” PKK in northern Iraq “Our determination to obliterate terrorist nests continues with growing impact and intense pressure,” it added. Turkish authorities use the term “neutralise” to imply the terrorists in…

A Pole, a German, a Frenchmen, and a Swiss meet in a bar, or was it a Swiss, a French, a German, and a Slovak, I forgot. However, what otherwise sounded like the beginning of a quirky joke was in fact an informal luncheon by some of the brightest analysts of the European Union in early December last year. Nationalities aside, the topic of the lunch was, of course, the Ukraine. The basic question was simple, Are We at War? Will Russia win? What’s the consequence for Europe if Russia wins? What is the European Union willingness to defend the…

Türkiye has aspired to rally the world to help Palestinians suffering under Israeli aggression since Oct. 7 and find a solution to the ongoing conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives. An intrepid defender of the Palestinian cause, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is at the forefront of diplomatic pressure to achieve this goal. Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 8, Erdoğan held 30 face-to-face meetings and 32 phone calls with heads of state and other prominent figures. He also attended four international summits where he raised Türkiye’s voice for the prevalence of peace in the region. Erdoğan’s speeches, whether at…

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he would visit Türkiye in early 2024 while heaping praise on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his efforts to solve the Palestine-Israel conflict. As he answered a question by journalists during his annual news conference in Moscow, Putin said Erdoğan was playing a significant, leading role in terms of resolving the situation in Gaza. “He is one of the leaders of the international community who pays attention to this tragedy. He is doing everything to change the situation for the better, for a lasting peace,” he said. “He is very active on this…

Türkiye has welcomed the recent confidence-building measures taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan and underlined that the South Caucasus is closer to historic peace than ever before with calls on the third parties not to hinder the talks between the two countries.“We are closer to regional peace and stability more than ever. We are in uninterrupted coordination with Azerbaijan for seizing this opportunity,” Fidan told reporters at a press conference with Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov in Baku on Dec. 14. Fidan paid a one-day visit to Baku where he had talks with his counterpart on bilateral issues as well as regional developments, particularly on the ongoing…

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has launched a significant venture in Niger, establishing a vast vegetable and Moringa production garden spanning two hectares, expected to offer employment opportunities for nearly a thousand individuals. TIKA’s project, situated in the M’Bama village of Balleyara city within the Tillaberi region, aims to foster economic growth by cultivating a range of produce including onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, carrots, eggplants and the highly sought-after Moringa leaves. The primary focus of this initiative is to swiftly generate income, leveraging the rapid growth cycle of the Moringa plant and its high demand in Niger.…

Archaeologists have recently discovered mosaics believed to be from the Roman era during a rescue excavation undertaken in the rural expanse of southeastern Mardin, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the district center, colloquially known as Kela Hanma (Lady’s Castle). Following reports of illicit excavations and the destruction of the architectural fabric in the area, researchers delved into the site to uncover ancient treasures hidden beneath the ground. Under the leadership of Abdulgani Tarkan, director of the Mardin Museum, and the expertise of archaeologist Volkan Bağcılar, along with Museum expert archaeologist Mehmet Şan and a dedicated team, a rescue excavation…

President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) Abdullah Eren highlighted the pivotal role of educated Turkish Alumni in fostering stronger bonds between Türkiye and African nations during a significant visit to Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya. Eren, accompanied by a delegation, engaged in several high-level meetings with key figures including Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, Tanzanian Deputy Minister of Education Omari Kipanga, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mbarouk Nassor Mbarouk, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Responsible for Diaspora in Kenya Roseline K. Njogu and Deputy Minister of Education in Kenya Belio Richard Kipsang. Meetings were also conducted with officials…