The suborbital research flight of Türkiye's second astronaut Tuva Cihangir Atasever is scheduled for June 8 from Virgin Galactic's Spaceport facilities in New Mexico, United States, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday. As part of Türkiye's National Space Program, the country has set 10 targets, including the "Turkish Astronaut and Science Mission," Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said at a press conference. "Next up is the suborbital research flight of our other astronaut, Tuva Cihangir Atasever. In this flight, the 'VSS Unity' suborbital vehicle that will carry our astronaut will first reach an altitude of about 45,000 feet via...
Türkiye in International Media
Türkiye and Kuwait signed six cooperation deals aimed at strengthening their countries' ties, including in the fields of defense and diplomacy, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al Ahmad al-Sabah in Ankara on Tuesday. Sheikh Meshal, who traveled to Türkiye for his first foreign visit to a non-Arab country since taking office in December, was welcomed by Erdogan with a state ceremony. Following talks between the two leaders and Kuwaiti-Turkish delegations, Erdogan and the Kuwaiti leader oversaw the signing ceremony of six cooperation deals across various fields to strengthen their collaboration, including in...
Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek on Saturday cited positive results of the government's economic programme in response to credit ratings agency S&P upgrading Türkiye's ratings to "B+" from "B". "We are determined to carry the confidence in our country to the highest level with our strengthened programme," Simsek wrote on the X social media platform.
Speaking in Ankara to the members of the International Union of Democrats, a Germany-based organisation of the Turkish diaspora, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, "At a number of prestigious American universities, conscientious students and academics, including anti-Zionist Jews, have reacted to the massacre," adding, "These individuals are facing violence, oppression, persecution and even torture because they want the massacre in Gaza to cease. Rectors and professors are being fired and lynched solely because they support Palestine." Regarding the West, which he accuses of hypocrisy, the President said, "Yet, when it concerns Türkiye, not a single one of...
Türkiye has told its NATO allies that Ankara will back the Netherlands’ outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s candidacy for the military alliance’s secretary general position, a senior Turkish official said Monday. The official said Türkiye notified NATO allies’ diplomats in Brussels on Monday. The decision comes three days after Rutte traveled to Türkiye to seek support from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his bid. NATO members Türkiye and Hungary had earlier expressed reservations about Rutte’s candidacy, and Erdogan made no commitments during a joint news conference with Rutte on...
Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS), opens new tab is negotiating with both Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab and Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab about buying 235 aircraft as part of its expansion plans, Chairman Ahmet Bolat said on Monday. The airline's 10-year fleet plan, unveiled last year, shows it aims to expand by almost 600 planes. In December it announced a deal with Airbus for 355 firm and optional orders for A321 narrow body and A350 wide body aircraft. "We are negotiating with both Airbus and Boeing for the remaining 235 planes," Bolat said at an event...
Türkiye's public broadcaster TRT launched a new Spanish-language channel on Friday, which will feature information and entertainment programmes targeting the Latin American community and Spain, adding to its current English-, French- and Arabic-language channels. On Friday, TRT Español was launched in Istanbul with a public ceremony that was attended by executives of the channel, diplomatic representatives accredited in Türkiye, and media professionals who speak Spanish. The launch event was chaired by Presidency's Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun, who stated that TRT Español will serve to "enhance relations" between Türkiye and communities in the Latin American...
President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference with visiting President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany. At the press conference, Erdoğan said that both sides had agreed on deepening bilateral relations and wanted to increase the bilateral trade volume to $60 billion. Erdoğan expressed his wish for Germany to lift its sanctions against Türkiye's defence industry and provide further assistance to Türkiye in its fight against terrorism. Steinmeier stated that Türkiye and Germany had close and friendly relations and that his country would continue to aid the victims of...
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he does not believe the Palestinian militant group Hamas will leave Qatar, where it is based, adding he had seen no such signs that Doha wished the group to leave, either. Erdogan, who was returning from a visit to Iraq, was asked by reporters on board the flight about media reports suggesting Hamas may leave its base in Qatar or be asked to leave by Doha. Erdogan said he had received no signs of the Qatari leadership wanting the group to leave. Erdogan, who has called Hamas a "liberation movement," met Hamas leader...