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☆ Harvard-trained expert shares how to 'move fast and fix things': It's surprising 'how infrequently people actually do it'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Mark Zuckerberg's five-word motto "move fast and break things" spawned Meta's multibillion-dollar success and inspired an entire generation of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. In a TED Talk earlier this year, Morriss decried the idea behind Zuckerberg's phrase, suggesting instead that CEOs and leaders everywhere should "move fast and fix things." She offered a five-step guideline you can use to fix problems in your workplace, with each step assigned to a day of the week to keep you on schedule. Your goal should be to create a "good enough" plan to fix your problem, Morriss said. So, if we have not first earned trust and we go fast, we will break things guaranteed.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg's, It's, Anne Morriss, Morriss, Zuckerberg, it's, Frances Frei, Frei, Uber, Travis Kalanick, Dara Khosrowshahi Organizations: Harvard Business School, TED, Harvard Business, Khosrowshahi's Locations: Silicon Valley

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Reuters was unable to find any information in customs data about deliveries of coal produced in the DNR to Turkey or other countries in 2022. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

Persons: Vitaliy Khotsenko, Adzhmal, Vostokugol, Anton Nadeyev, Nadeyev, I'm, Denis Karashchuk, Karashchuk, Filipp Lebedev, Gleb Stolyarov, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Balmforth, Julia Payne, Jose Sanchez, Mike Collett, White, Daniel Flynn Organizations: NATO, Reuters, European, British Virgin Islands, Donetsk People's Republic, Russia's Ministry of Energy, Federal Customs Service, Luhansk People's Republics, European Union, United, Ukraine, U.S . State Department, UN, Assembly, Florance, Management, Hong, Brig Management, Rabbit, Belize Companies, Corporate Affairs, Green Rabbit, Coal, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Turkey Ankara, Russia, Turkey, Donetsk, Luhansk, United States, European Union, Moscow . Washington, Moscow, Ankara, Ukrainian, Hong Kong, UAE, Belize, British Virgin, East, Africa, Russian, Rostov, Novorossiisk, Turkey . U.S, Antratsyt, Yasynuvata, Tbilisi, Washington, Kyiv, Brussels

☆ These are the countries with the shortest and longest workweeks—and where the U.S. stands
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here are the 5 countries with the shortest average workweeks, according to data from the International Labor Organization:Vanuatu: 24.7 hours average per week per employed person24.7 hours average per week per employed person Kiribati: 27.3 hours average per week per employed person27.3 hours average per week per employed person Mozambique: 28.6 hours average per week per employed person28.6 hours average per week per employed person Rwanda: 28.8 hours average per week per employed person28.8 hours average per week per employed person Austria: 29.5 hours average per week per employed personThese are the 5 countries with the longest workweeks, according to the ILO:United Arab Emirates: 52.6 hours average per week per employed person52.6 hours average per week per employed person Gambia: 50.8 hours average per week per employed person50.8 hours average per week per employed person Bhutan: 50.7 hours average per week per employed person50.7 hours average per week per employed person Lesotho: 49.8 hours average per week per employed person49.8 hours average per week per employed person Congo: 48.6 hours average per week per employed personIt is important to note that the distribution of these hours is not necessarily even. In the UAE, 46% of those employed work for more than 49 hours a week, which is considered the 'excessive working limit' by the ILO. In comparison, only 8% of those employed in Austria work over the excessive working limit. In a survey conducted by the Randstad Workmonitor, 43% of Americans said they felt compelled to be available to their employers outside of regular work hours. In a separate survey, Morning Consult reported that 51% of Americans support slower employee response time outside of work hours, which is the norm in the European workplace.

Organizations: International Labor Organization, ILO, United, Union worker's, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, CNBC Locations: Vanuatu, Kiribati, Mozambique, Rwanda, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Bhutan, Lesotho, Congo, UAE, South Korea, China, Russia, India, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Norway

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Turkey, a major coal consumer and importer, is bucking the global trend by increasing coal's share in electricity generation. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

☆ US Caver Who Was Trapped 1,000 Metres Deep in Turkey May Be Rescued by Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - An American caver who had become trapped more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) underground in southern Turkey has been moved closer to the surface and is expected to be rescued by Tuesday morning, rescuers said. Previous footage from the operation showed Dickey lying inside the cave and receiving treatment by a medical team. It is a very particular phase of the cave here because there are so many slopes it is a bit tricky," Giuseppe Conti, European Cave Rescue Association technical commission chairperson, told reporters. More than 150 rescuers from Turkey and other countries have been working for days to rescue him from the country's third deepest cave. "The rescue operation will continue from the -180 meters after Mark has rested at the camp here for a while.

Persons: Mark Dickey, Tulga Sener, Dickey, Sener, Mark, Giuseppe Conti, Conti, Ali Kucukgocmen, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Cave Rescue, Rescue Association, Speleological Federation of, Ece Locations: ANKARA, American, Turkey, Mersin, Cave, Speleological Federation of Turkey

☆ US caver rescued after days-long climb from 1,000 metres deep in Turkish cave
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Ali Kucukgocmen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MERSIN, Turkey, Sept 11 (Reuters) - An American caver who had become trapped more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) underground in southern Turkey after falling ill was rescued early on Tuesday, Turkey's TUMAF caving federation said, after a days-long international rescue operation. "Dickey was removed from the last exit of the cave," TUMAF wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. [1/4]Italian Alpine rescuers (CNSAS) carry U.S. caver Mark Dickey on stretcher as part of a rescue operation in Morca Cave in Mersin province, southern Turkey September 11, 2023. Italian Alpine Rescue/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights"Thus, the cave rescue part of the operation has ended successfully. Footage from previous phases of the operation showed Dickey lying inside the cave and receiving treatment by a medical team.

Persons: Mark Dickey, Dickey, TUMAF, caver Mark Dickey, Ali Kucukgocmen, Aurora Ellis, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: MERSIN, Turkey, American, Mersin, Italian, Cave, Mersin province, Croatia, Italy

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

The surprise move leaves the policy rate at its highest level since 2019, and sent the Turkish currency to its strongest level since mid-July. The bank has raised its one-week repo rate (TRINT=ECI) by 1,650 basis points since June. The lira had touched new all-time lows almost daily in recent weeks, including in the minutes before the policy decision. The central bank said that rising oil prices and a deterioration in inflation expectations suggests that inflation will end the year at the upper bound of its forecasts. The central bank has also selectively tightened credit.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Piotr Matys, Dado Ruvic, Erdogan, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Osman Cevdet Akcay, Fatih Karahan, Hatice, Ezgi Erkoyun, Christina Fincher, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Analysts, Istanbul bourse, Touch, Turkey Lira, REUTERS, Wall Street, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Ankara

☆ Forest fire shuts down Turkey's Dardanelles Strait for maritime traffic
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Maritime traffic from the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara has been suspended due to the ongoing forest fire in the Turkish northwestern province of Canakkale, the transport ministry and a shipping agency said on Tuesday. "The traffic at Dardanelles was suspended for both directions on Tuesday at 18:45 (1545 GMT) hours due to the aircraft intervening in the forest fire in the region by safely taking water from the sea," Tribeca shipping agency said. The Dardanelles Strait, a narrow and historically significant passage connecting the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, serves as a vital shipping route for vessels travelling between Europe and Asia. "Tugboats are prepared to intervene if the fire approaches the seafront, providing additional support to the ongoing firefighting operations," the Transport Ministry said in a statement. Reporting by Ece Toksabay Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bill Berkrot Organizations: Tribeca, Transport Ministry, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Marmara, Turkish, Canakkale, Dardanelles, Europe, Asia

☆ Turkey begins rolling back costly FX-protected deposits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a reversal, the central bank now wants lenders to set a new goal of transitioning KKM accounts into regular lira accounts, in part by dissuading companies and individuals from renewing the KKM accounts. According to a separate decree in the Official Gazette, the central bank also raised lenders' reserve requirement ratios for FX deposits, further nudging customers into regular lira accounts. KKM accounts have since ballooned to some $117 billion, or 3.1 trillion lira, around a quarter of total bank deposits. To cover KKM depreciation costs, the central bank paid an estimated 300 billion lira ($11 billion) in June and July, when the lira plunged again. The central bank said the KKM move would "enforce macro financial stability by supporting lira deposits" and pledged more such steps.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Hakan Kara, Jonathan Spicer, Azra, Deepa Babington, Frances Kerry Organizations: Turkish Lira, REUTERS, Rights, Official Gazette, Bilkent University, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Turkish, Rights ANKARA

Analysts said it tests President Tayyip Erdogan's resolve to maintain good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has invited to Turkey this month to discuss resuming the UN-brokered deal that had protected grain exports from Ukraine. "Ankara's silence is strange but shows it is still counting on Putin to visit and return to the grain deal." It wants the West to accept some Russian demands, and for Russia to drop others, to restart Ukraine grain exports under UN and Turkish oversight. A Turkish defence ministry official, requesting anonymity, said Ankara was looking into the Black Sea raid but gave no more details. "Therefore Erdogan should negotiate and try to convince Western countries, not Putin, for the reinstatement of the grain deal," he said.

Persons: Mehmet Bey, Umit, Erdogan, Putin, NATO's, Tayyip Erdogan's, Vladimir Putin, Yoruk Isik, Grynspan, Sezer, Huseyin Hayatsever, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Coordination Centre, REUTERS, Ankara, Analysts, UN, Bosphorus Observer, United Nations Conference, Trade, Development, Thomson Locations: Yenikapi, Istanbul, Turkey, ISTANBUL, Ukraine, NATO, Moscow, Russia, Ankara, Odesa, Turkish, Palau, Russian

☆ German MP says she was detained in Turkey for social media posts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Aug 13 (Reuters) - A German lawmaker said on Sunday she was detained for several hours when entering Turkey earlier this month based on social media posts she made in 2019, adding that she would still travel to Turkey and speak her mind about its government. Akbulut, a Turkey-born German citizen of Kurdish heritage, was released after making contact with the German foreign ministry, she said. It was not clear exactly what she was referring to, nor which social media posts she believed triggered the Turkish arrest warrant. The German embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Antalya were in contact with lawmaker, a source at the German foreign ministry told Reuters. Reporting by Riham Alkousaa in Berlin Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara Editing by Ros RussellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Goekay, Tayyip Erdogan's, Akbulut, Riham Alkousaa, Ros Russell Organizations: Linke, Kurdish, Turkish Parliamentary Group, Reuters, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Turkey, Antalya, Turkish, Germany, Berlin, Ankara, Syria, Akbulut, United States

The biggest contribution to the sharp rise in the 2023 forecast came from forecasts deviations and a change in forecasting approach. "The central bank did not only provide an inflation forecast that is in line with economists predictions but... the emphasis in the report very much matched those of the market. We had not seen this from the central bank in many years. CENTRAL BANK INDEPENDENCEEconomists expect the policy rate to rise further to 25% by year-end, still leaving real rates negative. "Defining interest rate hikes as sufficient or insufficient can only be done after inspecting the intricacies of this holistic approach," she said.

Persons: Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, Nilufer Sezgin, Sahap Kavcioglu, Erdogan, Ali Kucukgocmen, Daren Butler, Andrew Heavens, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Wall Street, CENTRAL, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Ankara

☆ Erdogan says Putin talks could lead to restoring Black Sea grain deal, media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, July 21 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his planned talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to restoration of the Black Sea grain initiative, and called on Western countries to consider Russia's demands, Turkish broadcasters reported on Friday. "I believe that by thoroughly discussing the matter with President Putin, we can ensure the continuation of this humanitarian effort," Erdogan added. Western countries say Russia has had no trouble selling food, which is exempt from financial sanctions. "We are aware that President Putin also has certain expectations from Western countries, and it is crucial for these countries to take action in this regard," Erdogan said. "I believe that, without prolonging the process, we will ensure the continuation of the Black Sea grain initiative.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Erdogan, Putin, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Jason Neely, Peter Graff Organizations: United, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkish, Gulf, Cyprus, Russia, United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow

The lira hit a record low of 26.9 against the U.S. currency, sliding from Monday's close of 26.3505. The central bank will announce its rate decision at 1100 GMT on Thursday. "News saying that the central bank's interest rate hike will be below market expectations is triggering the lira depreciation," said one trader. But June's hike was below expectations, with economists saying Erdogan's influence over the central bank limits how far they can go in tightening policy. Turkey's annual inflation surged to a 24-year high of 85.51% last October, mainly due to lira depreciation because of Erdogan's policy of low rates.

Persons: Abdulkadir Selvi, Tayyip Erdogan, Nevzat Devranoglu, Daren Butler, Christina Fincher Organizations: Hurriyet, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL

☆ Turkey increases fuel tax as it bolsters stretched budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, July 16 (Reuters) - Turkey raised tax on petrol on Sunday to help to fund a 1.12 trillion lira ($42.2 billion) increase to its 2023 budget after February's earthquakes and the May presidential election sent spending soaring. The wider deficit was largely because of increased spending ahead of May elections, when President Tayyip Erdogan was elected for a third term, as well as on rebuilding work after the earthquakes in southern Turkey. The earthquakes, which killed more than 50,000 people, are expected to cost Turkey more than $100 billion in total. In the latest step to strengthen the Treasury's cash reserves, the tax rate for gasoline was increased to 7.52 lira per litre from 2.52 lira ($0.1) while tax on diesel oil rose to 7.05 lira from 2.05 lira. The 1.12 trillion lira boost to Ankara's budget was approved by parliament on Saturday and follows various other recent tax increases among efforts to bolster government coffers, including a two percentage point increase to VAT.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ali Kucukgocmen, Diane Craft, David Goodman Organizations: stoke, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey

☆ Erdogan says he is in agreement with Putin that grain deal should be extended
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, July 14 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he is in agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that a deal allowing the Black Sea export of Ukraine grain should be extended. Speaking to reporters, Erdogan said that the deal will hopefully be extended from its current July 17 deadline as results of the efforts by the United Nations and Turkey. The European Commission is helping the United Nations and Turkey try to extend the grain deal and is open to "explore all solutions", a European Union spokesperson said on Thursday. The U.N. and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Russia and Ukraine in July 2022 to help alleviate a global food crisis worsened by Moscow's invasion and blockade of Ukrainian ports. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's leading grain exporters.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Erdogan, Huseyin Hayatsever, Ali Kucukgocmen, Alison Williams Organizations: Black, United, European Commission, European Union, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Ukraine, United Nations, Turkey, Russia, Ukrainian

☆ Erdogan links Sweden's NATO membership to Turkey's EU accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkey's bid to join the EU has been frozen for years after membership talks were launched in 2005 under Erdogan's first term as prime minister. In a surprise change of tack, Erdogan on Monday linked Ankara's approval of Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey finally joining the EU. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. Erdogan also said that an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia would ease Kyiv's NATO membership process.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's, Erdogan's, Erdogan, Huseyin Hayatsever, Ali Kucukgocmen, Toby Chopra, Alex Richardson Organizations: Union, NATO, EU, European Union, Kurdistan Workers Party, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Ankara, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Stockholm, Madrid, United States, Russia

☆ Turkey lifts minimum wage by 34% to address inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, June 20 (Reuters) - Turkey raised monthly minimum wage by another 34% beginning on July 1, the government said on Tuesday, bringing it to a net 11,402 lira ($483) for the second half of the year in an effort to address soaring inflation. "The minimum wage assessment commission completed its work with an agreement between the workers and employers," Labour Minister Vedat Isikhan said in announcing the decision. Inflation is well above the official 5% target and touched a 24-year peak of 85.5% in October, prompting Ankara to raise the minimum wage by 100% over the course of last year. Annual inflation dipped to 39.6% in May as the government provided natural gas free of charge, offsetting price rises in other goods. The central bank is holding its policy-setting meeting on Thursday and is expected to start ramping up its rate from 8.5% currently.

Persons: Vedat Isikhan, stoked, Tayyip Erdogan, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Jonathan Spicer Organizations: Labour, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ankara

Erdogan spoke as officials from Turkey, Sweden, Finland and NATO met on Wednesday in Ankara for talks to try to overcome Turkish objections holding up Sweden's NATO membership bid. The parties agreed to continue working on the "prospective concrete steps" for Sweden's NATO membership, the statement said. In justifying its objections to Swedish membership, Turkey has accused Stockholm of harbouring members of Kurdish militant groups it considers to be terrorists. While he was having talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg earlier this month, a similar protest was held in Stockholm, Erdogan said. He added that he also told Stoltenberg Sweden should prevent such actions to secure Turkey's approval for its NATO membership.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Umit, Erdogan, Oscar Stenstrom, Stenstrom, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Huseyin Hayatsever, Simon Johnson, Johan Ahlander, Niklas Pollard, Daren Butler, Nick Macfie, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, NATO, Wednesday, Turkish, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, ANKARA, Sweden, Stockholm, Azerbaijan, Finland, Madrid, Ukraine, Hungary, extraditions, Stoltenberg Sweden, Vilnius

☆ Erdogan sees swift steps from new finance minister but says his own monetary views unchanged
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Some of our friends should not be mistaken, such as (asking) 'Is our president going for a serious change in interest rate policies?'" "But upon the thinking of our treasury and finance minister, we have accepted that he will take steps swiftly, comfortably with the central bank," Erdogan said. Analysts at leading investment banks now expect Turkey's central bank to start ramping up rates at its monetary policy committee meeting on June 22. Erdogan said he told the new central bank governor about his expectations. "God willing, neither our finance minister nor our central bank governor will embarrass us and I think we will hopefully obtain positive results."

Persons: Erdogan, Tayyip Erdogan, Mehmet Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Simsek, Orhan Coskun, Nevzat Devranoglu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Ali Kucukgocmen, Daren Butler, Peter Graff Organizations: stoke, Authorities, Wall Street, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Azerbaijan, Turkish, Ankara

☆ Turkey won't back Swedish NATO bid unless it stops anti-Turkish protests -Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Erdogan made his comments before officials from Turkey, Sweden, Finland and NATO met on Wednesday in Ankara for talks to try to overcome Turkish objections that have delayed Sweden's NATO membership bid. In justifying its objections to Swedish membership, Turkey has accused Stockholm of harbouring members of Kurdish militant groups it considers to be terrorists. On the day he was having talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg earlier this month, a similar protest was held in Stockholm, Erdogan said. He added that he also told Stoltenberg Sweden should prevent such actions to secure Turkey's approval for its NATO membership. After meeting Erdogan, Stoltenberg said a deal on Sweden joining the alliance could be reached before the NATO summit in Vilnius next month.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Nick Macfie, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: NATO, Wednesday, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Sweden, Ankara, Turkey, Stockholm, Azerbaijan, Finland, Hungary, Madrid, extraditions, Stoltenberg Sweden, Vilnius

☆ Blast at explosives factory in Ankara kills five workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ANKARA, June 10 (Reuters) - Five workers have been killed in a blast that rocked an explosives factory in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Saturday, Turkey's defence ministry said in a statement. The blast occurred at the MKE Rocket and Explosives Factory some 40 km (25 miles) outside Ankara. Ankara governor Vasip Sahin told reporters there were no more workers trapped, waiting to be rescued, or hospitalized. Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vasip Sahin, Alex Richardson Organizations: Explosives Factory, Ece, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkish, Ankara

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