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☆ World Bank to increase exposure to Turkey to $35 bln within three years - Anadolu
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The World Bank logo is seen at the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, U.S., April 13, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The World Bank plans to increase its exposure to Turkey to $35 billion within three years, the bank's Turkey country director was quoted as saying by Turkish state-owned news agency Anadolu on Thursday. Humberto Lopez told Anadolu the World Bank planned to add $18 billion worth of new operations to its existing %17 billion exposure in the country, adding this figure included providing direct credits to the government supporting the private sector. Lopez said the $35 billion package was in response to the "strong commitment" by Ankara to re-establish macroeconomic stability and to support steps in that direction, according to Anadolu. Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Daren ButlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Humberto Lopez, Lopez, Nevzat Devranoglu, Daren Butler Organizations: World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, Bank, Anadolu, World Bank, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Rights ANKARA, Turkey, Turkish, Ankara, Anadolu

☆ Turkey hikes inflation view on path to policy orthodoxy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Presenting the new forecasts, Erdogan said that tight monetary policy would lower inflation to single digits, adding Turkey will not compromise on economic expansion as policies are adjusted. It trimmed GDP growth forecasts to 4.4% this year and 4% next year, which is still higher than most economists expect, from 5% and 5.5% previously. The economy is expected to slow through year-end - and ahead of nationwide municipal elections set for March next year - as stimulus tied to the May elections fades and as the policy rate hikes, to 25% from 8.5%, start to weigh. A Reuters poll last month showed expectations of 2.9% full-year growth, lower than trend in the emerging market economy that seeks to reverse a years-long exodus of foreign investors. Inflation will "be very high for an extended period of time, which will trigger second-round effects such as wage settlements."

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Klimentyev, Erdogan, Tatha Ghose, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Peter Graff, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, AK, Ece Toksabay, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Kremlin, ANKARA, Turkey, Istanbul, Ankara

☆ Singapore seizes money launderer's assets in Swiss banks in S$1.8 billion case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Straits Times Illustrations/Cel Gulapa via REUTERS/File Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSINGAPORE, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Police in Singapore investigating a major money laundering operation have seized S$125 million ($91.79 million) from the bank accounts of one of ten foreign suspects accused in the case. The total value of assets seized by investigating authorities now stands at S$1.8 billion, according to prosecutors. The scale of the money laundering operation has shocked the wealthy Asian financial hub, and raised concerns over whether there are loopholes in its financial system. A state court denied bail for two of the accused foreigners, Wang Baosen and Su Baolin, on Wednesday. ($1 = 1.3618 Singapore dollars)Reporting by Chen Lin in Singapore; Additional Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Su Baolin, Su Haijin, Chen Qingyuan, Su Wenqiang, Lin Baoying, Zhang Ruijin, Wang Dehai, Su Jianfeng, Vang Shuiming, Wang Baosen, Bank Julius Baer, Julius Baer, Chen Lin, Yantoultra Ngui, Simon Cameron, Moore, Jan Harvey Organizations: The Straits, REUTERS, Police, Turkish, Credit Suisse Singapore, Bank, Credit Suisse, Thomson Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, Vang

REUTERS/Kostas Mantziaris Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS, Sept 6 (Reuters) - At least two people died and three were missing on Wednesday after torrential rain flooded homes and businesses and destroyed infrastructure in central Greece, the fire brigade said. A Reuters witness said that the river near the nursing home had swallowed the road and flooded a train station in Volos, disrupting train traffic. Greece has said the weather was the most extreme in terms of the amount of rainfall since records have been kept in the country. Police on Wednesday issued traffic warnings for the cities of Trikala and Karditsa as the rainstorm was expected to intensify again later on Wednesday. In northwest Turkey, at least five people were killed after heavy rains triggered flash floods, Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber said on Wednesday.

Persons: Daniel, Kostas Mantziaris, Storm Daniel, Haber, Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Police, Thomson Locations: Nea Lefki, Larissa, Greece, Volos, Trikala, Karditsa, Turkey

☆ What is the Black Sea grain deal and why does it matter?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhat is the Black Sea grain deal and why does it matter? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi to discuss the next steps for the Black Sea grain deal. CNBC’s Dan Murphy explains why that matters.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, CNBC’s Dan Murphy Locations: Russian, Sochi

☆ Turkey's Erdogan says Black Sea grain deal can be revived soon following talks with Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that a resolution to the suspended Black Sea Grain Initiative can be reached "in a short time." The deal — which was brokered between Turkey, the United Nations, Ukraine and Russia in July 2022 — helped ease the Kremlin's naval blockade in the Black Sea and established a humanitarian corridor for agricultural exports. Putin said that he was ready to "consider the possibility of reviving the grain deal" provided that Russian agricultural products are "fully implemented" in the new agreement. The Russian leader also placed the blame on Western governments for stoking a global food security crisis following Moscow's exit from the Black Sea grain deal. "There is no physical shortage of food," Putin told reporters following the bilateral meeting with Erdogan.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, —, Erdogan, Read, Putin Organizations: United, UN Locations: WASHINGTON, Turkey, United Nations, Ukraine, Russia, Sochi, Moscow

☆ Turkey's Erdogan says to discuss grain deal with UN's Guterres this month
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Sept 5 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is in close contact with the United Nations on reviving the Black Sea grain initiative and he will discuss it with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at its general assembly this month, Turkish media reported. Speaking to reporters after talks in Russia with Vladimir Putin, Erdogan was quoted as saying the latest U.N. proposal sought to address some Russian demands, and he repeated he believed a solution could be found soon. NATO member Turkey is seeking to convince Russia to return to the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by Ankara and the United Nations. Erdogan will participate in the G20 summit in India on Sept. 9-10 before attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 18-26. "We will have meetings with Guterres there to discuss these issues," Erdogan was cited as saying.

Persons: Umit, Tayyip Erdogan, Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, Erdogan, General Guterres, SWIFT, Putin, Daren Butler, Jonathan Spicer Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Agricultural Bank, TRT, Haberturk, NATO, Initiative, Moscow, General Assembly, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Izmit, Kocaeli province, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Russia, Moscow, Europe, Ankara, India, New York

CNN —Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has tapped Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar, to become his next defense minister, replacing Oleksii Reznikov at a critical time for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Umerov will have a bulging in-tray if and when the Ukrainian parliament approves his appointment. The Defense Minister is also Ukraine’s main interlocutor with western allies through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Zelensky chose Umerov for the top defense job even though Umerov is not a member of his political party, the Servant of the People. I also explained to colleagues that they should have no hesitation because the invaders are coming to kill.”Rustem Umerov is expected to become Ukraine's next defense minister.

Persons: CNN —, Volodymyr Zelensky, Rustem, Oleksii, Zelensky, Umerov, Stalin, Forbes, “, Catherine the Great, ”, Dogukan, Reznikov, –, impinge, ” Reznikov Organizations: CNN, Defense Ministry, Defense, Ukraine Defense Contact, US, Group, State Property Fund, Center, Humanitarian Dialog, Turkish, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Ukrainian Emerging, Stanford University, Analysts, NATO, Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Twitter Locations: Crimean, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Crimea, Soviet, Russian, Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian, Norway, Turkey

☆ Russian and Turkish Leaders to Meet Amid Push to Revive Grain Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Gaya Gupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Image Grain stored in a warehouse in the village of Moloha, in Ukraine’s Odesa region, in July. The meeting was announced after talks on Thursday between the countries’ top diplomats in Moscow ended with no apparent progress in resurrecting the deal, which Russia withdrew from in July. Moscow complained that the deal was being carried out unfairly, and has since repeatedly bombarded Ukrainian grain facilities and threatened civilian ships heading to Ukrainian ports. On Monday, the two leaders also are expected to discuss a proposal to build a gas distribution hub in Turkey that Russia could use to reroute its gas exports. Establishing a gas hub in Turkey could make Ankara a powerful player in international gas markets and give Russia an intermediary through which to reach European buyers.

Persons: Emile Ducke, Vladimir V, Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russia’s, António Guterres, Guterres, Erdogan, Mr Organizations: The New York Times, Turkish, Initiative, United Nations, NATO Locations: Moloha, Ukraine’s Odesa, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Ukraine’s, Turkey, Kyiv, New York, Sochi, Russian, Turkish, Ankara

☆ Turkey's economic team in Russia as Erdogan meets Putin -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Turkey's Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek speaks during the 66th General Assembly of Turkish Banks Association in Istanbul, Turkey August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Turkey's top economic policymakers are visiting Russia for meetings on Monday, a source said, travelling along with President Tayyip Erdogan who will meet Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to discuss Black Sea grain exports. When the leaders meet later on Monday, Erdogan aims to convince Putin to return to a Ukraine grain-export deal that helped ease a global food crisis. It has opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine while also opposing Western sanctions on Moscow and has advanced economic cooperation with Russia since the invasion early last year. Since June, Simsek and Erkan have moved to roll back regulations, partly free up the currency and launched an aggressive rate-hiking cycle.

Persons: Mehmet Simsek, Murad Sezer, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erdogan, Putin, Simsek, Orhan Coskun, Jonathan Spicer, Daren Butler Organizations: Turkey's, General Assembly, Turkish Banks Association, REUTERS, Rights, Kremlin, Turkish, NATO, Thomson Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Russia, Russian, Sochi, Simsek, Ukraine, Moscow, Kyiv, UAE, Gulf

According to one of the bankers, 20% of the KKM accounts that were initially converted to lira from foreign currency were ended in August. Of those, around two thirds were converted back to forex while the rest moved into regular lira accounts, according to three bankers. But they said depositors were cautious about moving funds into lira deposit accounts just yet given expectations that deposit rates will rise more. More will shift into plain lira accounts - rather than dollars - as that happens, they added. But that trend halted in August at a peak of more than $15.7 billion as more KKM accounts were shuttered.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, depositor, Ebru Tuncay, Daren Butler, Jonathan Spicer, Nick Macfie Organizations: Lira, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ankara, ISTANBUL, forex, KKM

☆ G20 New Delhi summit 2023: Which countries and leaders will attend?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside Le Meridien hotel during a rehearsal ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2023. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAKSunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain's prime minister. GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZScholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSARamaphosa has expressed full support for India's G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

Persons: Le, Adnan Abidi, JOE BIDEN Biden, Biden, XI, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, JUSTIN TRUDEAU Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, RISHI SUNAK Sunak, KISHIDA, ANTHONY ALBANESE, YOON SUK, YEOL Yoon, OLAF SCHOLZ Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON, Modi, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Ramaphosa, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ Fernandez, BOLA TINUBU Tinubu, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL The, SHEIKH HASINA, Sheikh Hasina, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, JOKO, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal Court, ICC, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH, Associated Press, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, African Union, NIGERIA'S, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA Brazil, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL The European Union, BANGLADESH, Thomson Locations: Le Meridien, New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, U.S, RUSSIAN, Russia, South Africa, Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Saudi, SHEIKH HASINA Bangladesh, Bangladesh, MELONI Italy

☆ With grain deal in focus, Putin to meet Erdogan in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The current status (of the grain deal) will be discussed at the summit on Monday. Putin has said Russia could return to the grain deal if the West fulfils a separate memorandum agreed with the United Nations at the same time to facilitate Russian food and fertiliser exports. Ahead of the Erdogan talks, Ukrainian officials said Russia launched an overnight air attack on one of Ukraine's major grain exporting ports. In its report on the Erdogan meeting, Russian state television said promises made to Russia must be implemented. For Russia, Erdogan is a key broker - and one respected personally by Putin.

Persons: Mehmet Bey, Mehmet Emin Calsikan, Erdogan, Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Russia, Dmitry Peskov, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Kilic, Russia's, António Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Maria Zakharova, Guy Faulconbridge, Lidia Kelly, Michelle Nichols, Robert Birsel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, UN, Kremlin, United, Haber, United Nations, Russian, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Yenikapi, Istanbul, Turkey, Sochi Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine MOSCOW, Russia's Black, Sochi, United Nations, Moscow, Izmail, Ukraine's Odesa, EU, Russian, Melbourne, Ankara

☆ Russia strikes Ukraine grain port ahead of Putin-Erdogan talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Russia launched an overnight air attack on one of Ukraine's major grain exporting ports, Ukrainian officials said, hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, were due to hold talks. Ukraine's air force urged residents of Izmail port, one of Ukraine's two major grain-exporting ports on the Danube River in the Odesa region, to seek shelter after midnight on Monday. Putin and Erdogan were to meet on Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi as Ankara and the United Nations seek to revive a Ukraine grain export deal that helped ease a global food crisis. After quitting the Black Sea grain deal, Moscow has launched frequent attacks on the ports of the Danube River, which has since become Ukraine's major route for exporting grain. Monday's attack - the scale of which was not immediately known - followed Russia's strikes on Sunday on the other major Danube port of Reni, in which the port's infrastructure was damaged and at least two people injured.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Putin, Erdogan, Lidia Kelly, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Turkish, United Nations, United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Izmail, Odesa, Ukraine, Russian, Sochi, Ankara, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Reni, Melbourne

In remarks ahead of their talks, Putin told Erdogan that Russia is “open to negotiations” on the grain deal. Shifting power balanceErdogan and Putin last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of an Asia summit in the Kazakh capital Astana. Ahead of his re-election, Erdogan hailed his “special” relationship with Putin as Western states pressured Ankara to join sanctions against Moscow. “(Erdogan) has not really gotten in the direction of trying to please Putin,” Ulgen told CNN. The reconfigured power balance between the two leaders could yet yield positive results with the efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal, experts say.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Erdogan, Monday’s, ” Putin, ”, Sinan Ulgen, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, “, ” Erdogan, CNN’s Becky Anderson, Asli Aydintasbas, ” Aydintasbas, ” Ulgen, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ulgen, Turkey’s, “ Putin, ” “ Erdogan Organizations: CNN, TASS, Astana, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Brookings Institution, “ Locations: Russia’s, Sochi, Moscow, Black, Russia, Turkey, Qatar, Russian, Turkish, Asia, Kazakh, Ukraine, Ankara, Istanbul, Washington , DC, United States, ”, Finland, Sweden, East

Moscow has conducted long-range air strikes on targets in Ukraine since the start of its invasion last year. The Romanian Defence Ministry said Romania was not hit. "The ministry of defence categorically denies information from the public space regarding a so-called overnight situation during which Russian drones would have fallen in Romania's national territory," it said. "We heard the drones, the booms and the air defence systems across the river," she told Reuters by telephone. Ukraine has reported suspected Russian weapons flying over or crashing into neighbours, including NATO members, several times during the war.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Daniela Tanase, Oksana Savchuk, Erdogan, Putin, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Pavel Polityuk, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, Luiza Ilie, Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff Organizations: Russia, NATO, Reuters, Facebook, Romanian Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Romania, Bucharest, KYIV, BUCHAREST, Moscow, Ukraine's, Izmail, Romanian, Plauru, Russia, Poland, Ukrainian, Russia's Black, Sochi, Turkey, Kyiv

☆ Two more ships pass through Black Sea corridor, Zelenskiy says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A grain ship carrying Ukrainian grain is seen in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Ukrainian port of Odesa, Ukraine November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Serhii Smolientsev/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 2 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that two more ships had passed through a "temporary" Black Sea shipping corridor established since Russia withdrew from a U.N.-backed grain export deal in July. "Two ships have successfully passed through our temporary 'grain corridor'," Zelenskiy posted on X, previously known as Twitter. Zelenskiy said Ukraine was "restoring true freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. In response, Ukraine announced a "humanitarian corridor" hugging the western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria.

Persons: Serhii, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Ron Popeski, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Twitter, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Odesa, Russia, Pivdenny, Liberia, Marshall, Romania, Bulgaria, Russian, Black, Sochi, Ankara

☆ Ukraine's military shared video of the moment it says one of its aerial drones sank a Russian naval vessel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Video posted by the Ukrainian military purports to show the moment it destroyed a Russian boat. The missile strike on a KS-701 patrol boat killed six Russian forces, according to the Ukrainian navy. But since the 2022 invasion, Kyiv has invested heavily in both aerial and naval drone technology, threatening not just Russian forces — and oil tankers — but the Kerch Bridge. The release of the video Sunday is likely intended to boost morale as Ukrainian forces are bogged down in a counteroffensive that has cost thousands of lives. Last month, US officials told The New York Times that about 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year (compared to about 120,000 Russian soldiers killed in action).

Organizations: Service, Ukraine's, New York Times, United Nations Locations: Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Kherson, Turkish, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, Kerch

CNN —Russian forces attacked Ukrainian port facilities on the Danube River used for food exports on Sunday, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss reviving a grain export deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Ukraine’s Air Force said 25 drones were used in overnight attacks on the Odesa region, 22 of which were shot down. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it was targeting fuel storage facilities in the Ukrainian port of Reni used to supply Ukraine’s military. An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of trying to create a “food crisis” with the attacks. He will likely to discuss reviving the deal while meeting with Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Monday.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Reni, “, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Andriy Yermak, Erdogan, Putin, Sergey Lavrov Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, NATO, Romania’s Ministry of Defense, Russian, UN Locations: Ukrainian, Port, Romania, Romania’s, Moscow, Russia, Russian, Black, Sochi, Ukraine, Kyiv

As the volleyball game neared its end, thousands of fans watching on giant screens in an Istanbul park rose to their feet and fell silent. The ball soared, a Turkish player set it up near the net, and her teammate spiked it. Her Italian opponents blocked the shot but knocked the ball out of bounds, handing victory to the Turks and causing the crowd to erupt into chants of “Turkey! Turkey!”The nail-biter victory on Friday by Turkey’s national women’s volleyball team in the Women’s European Volleyball Championship was the most recent conquest by the country’s most successful major sports team, a record that has turned it into a rare source of national pride that holds appeal across the country’s social divides. Affectionately referred to as “the Sultans of the Net,” the team won the Volleyball Nations League championship in July in Arlington, Texas, and became the world’s top rated women’s national team, according to FIVB, the sport’s international governing body.

Persons: laud Organizations: Turkey’s, volleyball, Volleyball, Volleyball Nations League, FIVB Locations: Istanbul, Turkish, Turkey, Arlington , Texas, Serbia, Brussels

☆ Erdogan's Russia visit vital for grain deal, Turkish leader's chief aide says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will focus on the Black Sea grain deal during their meeting on Monday as Turkey seeks to bring Moscow back to the deal, Erdogan's chief foreign policy advisor said. "The current status (of the grain deal) will be discussed at the summit on Monday. We are cautious, but we hope to achieve success because this is a situation that affects the entire world," Kilic said. Ankara acknowledged the technical complexities surrounding the agreement, particularly concerning Russian grain and payment mechanisms, Kilic said. I believe that the bilateral meeting between President Erdogan and Putin will play the most important role in this issue."

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Kilic, SWIFT, Erdogan, Putin, David Evans Organizations: Haber, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Moscow, Russian, Russia, Ankara

☆ Cyprus police make more arrests as racism-fuelled violence spreads
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NICOSIA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Police in Cyprus have made 20 arrests after a spate of racism-fuelled violence against migrants which erupted in the west of the island last week and spread to its southern city of Limassol in a weekend rampage. Last week Syrians living in Chlorakas, a village in western Cyprus, were targeted by hooded attackers in sporadic incidents over two days, leading to 22 arrests. Overnight Saturday to Sunday, three people from southeast Asia were attacked and robbed, state media said. Among the victims of the weekend's violence were a group of visitors from Kuwait, according to social media accounts of witnesses. "This isn't the Cyprus I was born, raised, had a family and am getting old in," he said.

Persons: Kyriakos Kouros, Michele Kambas, Ros Russell Organizations: Police, Migrants, Reuters, Turkish, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: NICOSIA, Cyprus, Limassol, Chlorakas, Asia, East, Africa, Turkish, Kuwait

☆ Russia says it thwarted attacks on Crimea bridge. Shelling and strikes leave at least 2 dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A general view of the Crimea bridge as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Crimea on July 25, 2023. A key supply route for Kremlin forces in the war with Ukraine, the Kerch bridge has come under repeated attack since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. On Saturday afternoon, one civilian was killed and two wounded during shelling of Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, Belgorod Gov. Meanwhile, four people were wounded in the Ukrainian shelling of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, Moscow-installed mayor Aleksei Kulemzin said Saturday. One person was killed and two were wounded during shelling of Ukraine's southern Kherson region on Saturday, according to Gov.

Persons: Vyacheslav Gladkov, Roman Starovoit, Aleksei Kulemzin, Oleh, Oleksandr Vilkul, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's, Hanna Maliar, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Dmitry Peskov, Putin, Erdogan Organizations: Saturday, Russia's Defense Ministry, Kremlin, Belgorod Gov, Russian, Gov, Donetsk, Moscow Locations: Crimea, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Kerch, Russia's Belgorod, Belgorod, Valuysky, Grayvoronsky, Kursk, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Ukraine's, Kherson, Kryvyi, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, Ankara, Russia's Black, Sochi

☆ Datça: The beautiful Turkish peninsula forgotten by time
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Feride Yalav-Heckeroth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —With untouched and natural rugged scenery, forested with pristine bays on both sides, the Datça peninsula feels a world away from the touristy towns of this popular corner of the Med. Strict laws about construction have protected Datça from large-scale tourism projects, leaving its eponymous small port town, located around midway on the peninsula, rooted in the past. Where to stayThe Palaia Hotel, a modern take on traditional Datça architecture and culture. Ayhan Altun/Moment RF/Getty ImagesIn downtown Datça, shops such as Pehlivan and Datça Köy Ürünleri sell local almonds in every form imaginable. “Datça is a peninsula, but it’s more like an island, we’re very isolated and have our own way of life,” says Boylu.

Persons: Furkan Uyan, “ I’ve, ”, Ismet Tekinalp, Almond, Kurabeyicisi, Kaya Balları, badem, Datça, Hestia, Hestia Mey, Yücel, Ali Somer, Ayça Boylu, Axel Korf, “, Feride, Conde Nast Organizations: CNN, ”, Getty, Kaya, Usta, Winery, Culture, Art Academy Locations: Turkey, Marmaris, Knidos, Caria, downtown, Turkish, “, Datça, Cumalı, Yaka, Knidia, Değirmenbükü, Istanbul, Lake Constance, Kinfolk

☆ Swedish foreign minister still hopeful Turkey will ratify NATO bid in Oct
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Swedish and NATO flags are seen printed on paper this illustration taken April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Swedish foreign minister said on Friday he remained hopeful that Turkey will ratify Sweden's planned NATO membership when the Turkish parliament reconvenes in October, as agreed with President Tayyip Erdogan at a summit of the alliance in July. Sweden applied for NATO membership last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and most alliance members quickly ratified its bid. After months of pressure, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after a NATO summit in Vilnius in July he would forward the ratification of Sweden's NATO bid to parliament in October when it reconvenes after the summer break. Tensions with Turkey have also been heightened by demonstrations in Sweden where protesters have burned copies of the Koran, enraging many Muslims.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sweden's, reconvenes, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, U.S . Congress, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkiye, Ankara

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