Turkey

A ship spotter in Istanbul says Russia's possible war in Ukraine would be reflected in fewer ships going south through the Bosphorus, Al Jazeera reports.

"Every day, I follow any military ships going to Ukraine, to see who is sending what message," geopolitical analyst and ship spotter, Yoruk Isik said.

According to the report, Istanbul ship-spotter, at the age of 50, monitors moves for war.

25 Jan 2022; MEMO: Some Turkish manufacturing companies have halted production temporarily after Iran cut gas flows last week for up to 10 days due to a technical problem, Reuters reports.

Companies affected include car parts maker Ege Endustri, cardboard manufacturer Kartonsan and defence and automotive parts maker, Katmerciler.

18 Jan 2022; MEMO: Officials want to rebrand the country, "Türkiye" as it is the best way to represent the nation, Erdogan says and Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, President Erdogan said the Turkish government is planning to change its internationally recognised official name in English to Türkiye, by registering it at the United Nations in the coming weeks.

The government wants to register the name with the letter "Ü", which is not in the nominal Latin alphabet, and could be a problem.

23 Jan 2022; MEMO: Both Russia and Ukraine are opening up to the possibility of Turkish mediation in their dispute and military confrontation, Turkish diplomatic sources have reportedly confirmed.

20 Jan 2022; MEMO: Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warns Russia against invading Ukraine, calling the former Soviet republic a "powerful" country with international friends, AFP reports.

According to the report, speaking to Turkish reporters in Albania, Erdogan said he intended to discuss the rising tensions with Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

20 Jan 2022; MEMO: A state-of-the-art Turkish hospital, Medipol, has launched health services for foreigners living in Turkey under its social responsibility program, Anadolu News Agency reports.

20 Jan 2022; MEMO: The Turkish President announced on Wednesday that the country would be sending a "charity train" to Afghanistan carrying emergency goods, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in the capital, Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the train, carrying 700 tons of food, clothing and health and emergency goods are to be sent with the support of 10 non-governmental organisations under the coordination of Turkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency.

ANKARA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Friday issued an arrest warrant for 19 suspected former police chiefs over their alleged links to a network accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016, the capital Ankara chief prosecutor's office said.

The operation has been carried out in 12 provinces as part of an investigation against the "Gulen movement," which the Turkish government accuses of infiltrating into the state bureaucracy and then attempting a coup on July 15, 2016.

11 Jan 2022; MEMO: A Turkish international footballer has been killed at the age of 27 in a motorway crash in the capital city of Ankara, local media reports.

According to the report, Ahmet Calik, who played eight times for the Turkish national team, was alone in his vehicle when the horror crash took place.

He is reported to have been driving on the Ankara-Nigde motorway when he lost control of his car before it overturned into a roadside ditch at around 9 am, local time.

ANKARA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Tuesday detained at least 113 suspects over their alleged links to a network accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016.

A detention warrant was issued for 185 suspects across 40 cities as part of an investigation into the Gulen Movement's influence on the Turkish armed forces, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The suspects were accused of infiltrating into the state bureaucracy and then attempting a coup on July 15, 2016.