The Dispatch

Turkey ready to mediate between the US, and Iran

In comments published Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had discussed the possible mediation between Iran and the USA with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the…

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Joint foreign policy for Kosovo and Albania

Kosovo and Albania signed a landmark agreement to coordinate their foreign policies and which will include joint embassies. The agreement was signed after Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli visited his…

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Win for Albanian Socialists in municipal elections

Preliminary results show that Albania’s ruling Socialist Party won all but two districts in last weekend’s municipal elections that were boycotted by the opposition. Counting on the website of…

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Reports of a Turkish drone shot down over Libya

Amid rising tension between Turkey and Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, his fighters are claiming to have shot down a Turkish drone that entered Libyan airspace. A Turkish drone has been…

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Erdogan threatens Haftar that Turkey ready to take necessary action over detained Turks in Libya

Turkey warned that forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar would become a “legitimate target” if a group of Turkish citizens that were detained over the weekend were not released immediately.…

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Photo Story: Turkish Javelin Throwing

Players throw javelin during the Turkish Javelin Throw League game between Uzmanlar Sports Club and Ilica Sports Club in Erzurum, Turkey, 30 June 2019. Mounted javelin throwing, which is known…

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Aylan Kurdi family heartbroken over unauthorized movie about ‘ the boy on the beach’

Reader’s discretion is recommended due to the graphic nature of the photo attached to the story Aylan Kurdi’s family is feeling heartbroken and angry about the unauthorized movie that's…

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Haftar threatens to arrest Turkish citizens in Libya

The Libya Observer reports that a spokesperson of Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, Ahmed Al-Mismari, threatened to arrest Turkish citizens and attack Turkish companies and interests in Libya. In the same…

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Tension as Albania goes to the polls

Albania is set for an election like no other since emerging from half a century of communism in 1990. Prime Minister Edi Rama has campaigned hard for Sunday's local…

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EU threatens Turkey with sanctions over drilling off Cyprus

The EU has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if it continues "illegal drilling" in waters near Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. The warning came at an EU summit…

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Photo Story: Protests in Albania

Riot police throws pepper spray on supporters of the Albanian opposition during a protest in Shkoder, Albania. Opposition has called to boycott the local election process on 30 June. Photo:…

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Bulgarian Cybercrime Department in action against IPTV criminal network

Under the supervision of the Bulgarian Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of Cassation, police officers from the Bulgarian Cybercrime Department from the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Interior…

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EU delays accession talks with N. Macedonia and Albania

EU ministers have decided to delay opening accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia. The European Commission last month recommended that accession talks should begin with the Balkan countries after…

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Turkey to launch second drilling vessel for natural gas operations near Cyprus

Reuters reports that Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez announced that Turkey will launch a second drilling vessel, the Yavuz, on Thursday that will begin natural gas operations near Cyprus at…

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Tourism industry in Croatia appeals for more foreign workers

Croatia’s association of tourist firms (HUT) and the national association of employers (HUP) said in a joint appeal to the Government in Zagreb to allow more foreign workers into the…

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Bulgaria ready to protect North Macedonia’s airspace

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said his country could help protect its southwestern neighbour North Macedonia’s airspace if it completes a deal for the purchase of eight F-16 aircraft from…

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Pressure continues on the government of Albanian Prime Minister Rama to quit, local elections cancelled

The streets of Tirana were once more paralyzed Sunday as Albanian opposition leader Lulzim Basha again brought thousands of his supporters onto the streets of the Albanian capital in his…

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Photo story: Turkish President Erdogan is best man at footballer Mesut Ozil’s wedding

A handout photo made available by the Turkish President Press office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2-R) his wife Emine Erdogan (R) attend a wedding ceremony of German…

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Frontex border agency deployed for the first time outside the EU

Frontex officers for the first time were deployed out the borders of the European Union. The European Union's border agency on Tuesday, for the first time stationed officers along…

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The Netherlands warns about travel to Turkey

The Dutch foreign ministry has warned holidaymakers heading to Turkey that their phones and other electronic apparatus can be confiscated if officials think there may be a connection to organisations…

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EU warns Turkey about drilling off the coast of Cyprus

As several leaders voiced support for sanctions against Turkish companies, the European Union has warned Turkey about drilling off the coast of EU-member Cyprus. As tension escalates in the Mediterranean, the EU-27 at the…

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Ferry stranded in rough sea off the coast of Croatia

A ferry carrying almost 350 people is drifting in the Adriatic Sea after experiencing technical problems. The ferry 'Aurelia' left the Italian city of Ancona late on Wednesday heading for…

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Slideshow: The Pope in Bulgaria

On his second day in Bulgaria, Pope Francis made an early morning visit to a refugee center, thanking children and families for their joy despite the pain of leaving their…

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North Macedonia elects pro-western president

North Macedonia’s pro-western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, won a run-off presidential vote after a campaign dominated by divisions over a change to the country’s name that was agreed to mollify Greece…

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Possible final vote in North Macedonia presidential election

Polls have opened in North Macedonia for a presidential election runoff between two top vote-getters from the first round. More than 3,400 polling stations opened Sunday for the final vote.…

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Pope Francis Sunday starts trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia

Pope Francis on Sunday starts a trip to Bulgaria and North Macedonia where he will have to tread carefully because of sensitive relations with the dominant Eastern Orthodox Church in…

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Turkey pushes EU for membership decision

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the EU needs to decide what's going to happen regarding Turkey's application for EU membership. The Turkish President suggested the EU should halt full EU…

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Czech international Sural killed in car accident in Turkey

Czech Republic international footballer Josef Sural, 28, was killed and six other Alanyaspor players were injured Monday when their van was involved in an accident on the way home from…

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Australia Prime Minister downplays terror threat at ANZAC Gallipoli event

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday played down any potential link between the arrest of a suspected Islamic State group member in Turkey and the ANZAC commemoration attended by…

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Turkey foils terrorist attack during ANZAC commemorations in Gallipoli

Turkish authorities have arrested a suspected Islamic State member they believe was planning to attack a World War One commemoration at Gallipoli attended by hundreds of Australians and New…

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EPP leader Weber insists no EU membership for Turkey

Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), insisted that Turkey cannot become a member of the European Union, in an interview with Euronews. Weber, tipped to replace…

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North Macedonia presidential vote heads for run-off

Following the first round of North Macedonia's presidential election, which has been overshadowed by the country's name change deal with Greece, none of the three candidates won support from…

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Historic first Presidential vote in North Macedonia tainted by fears of low turnout

Voters in North Macedonia on Sunday will vote to elect a new president in the country's first election since it changed its name. The vote for the largely ceremonial post…

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Widow of late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has died in Russia

Once dubbed "Lady Macbeth of the Balkans," Mirjana Markovic, the widow of ex-Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic has died in Russia. Her husband died in jail in 2006 while on…

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Illegally sold public land in Albania confiscated

Prosecutors have confiscated public land on the western Albanian coast that was illegally sold or owned by a former lawmaker and other officials. The land is estimated to be worth…

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Deadly shootout at Albania’s airport

A gang of thieves broke into Tirana International Airport and grabbed bags of cash as they were about to be loaded onto an Austrian Airlines plane flying to Vienna. As…

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Bulgaria seizes 1,500 kg of cannabis at Serbian border

Bulgarian border police seized nearly 1,500 kilograms of cannabis at a checkpoint on the Serbian border. The drugs were discovered hidden inside a truck among linoleum during a routine check…

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Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson made honorary citizen of Sarajevo

Bosnia’s capital has declared Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson an honorary citizen for the concert he performed while the city was under siege during the 1992-95 war. The award…

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Turkey condemns Netanyahu’s plan to change West Bank status

Turkey on Sunday criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "irresponsible" for saying he would annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins Tuesday's election. Turkish Foreign…

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Joint European police action against Albanian drugs traffickers

Police in five European countries carried out a huge strike against a gang of Albanian drugs traffickers, making 67 arrests. A total of about 650 police officers in Belgium, the…

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Turkish election board rules in favour of partial Istanbul recount

Turkey’s High Election Board ruled in favour of a recount in seven of Istanbul’s 39 districts after an initial count showed the main opposition candidate earned a narrow victory in…

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Erdogan loses capital in local elections

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered a major setback in local elections after his party lost the control of the capital Ankara. The opposition party is also claiming victory…

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Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to become a mosque

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul will be controversially turned into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia, known as Ayasofya in Turkey, in the…

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Pressure so Turkish firms resume construction in Libya

Mithat Yenigün, the Chairman of Turkey's Association of Construction Material Producers, said that Turkish firms wish to resume work in Libya despite the current crisis. In comments to the Turkish…

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Karadzic has sentence increased to life in prison

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic Wednesday had his sentence increased to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal. The International Criminal Tribunal cast the final judgement on whether…

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Istanbul’s new airport to be fully operational in April

Turkish authorities have set the full opening of Istanbul’s new airport, Istanbul Airport (ISL), for next month and the relocation of operations and equipment from Atatürk International Airport (IST) to happen…

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Turkey and Bulgaria investigating alleged visits by New Zealand mosque killer

Turkish authorities have opened an inquiry after it emerged that the man behind the Christchurch shootings made several visits to Turkey. A similar investigation has also been opened in Bulgaria.…

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Interpol issues Red Notices over Khashoggi killing

Turkish officials revealed that Interpol had issued red notices for 20 people in connection with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. An Interpol red notice informs the police…

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Germans warned of travel to Turkey

The German government advised its citizens to be cautious when travelling to Turkey after Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu (photo above) had threatened to arrest German "terrorists" and "traitors" at…

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Erdogan expected to be sworn tomorrow amidst the firing of over 18,000 state workers

BBC: Turkey has sacked another 18,000 state workers, in the latest purge triggered by a failed coup two years ago. Those dismissed include soldiers, police and academics. A TV channel and…

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Updated: Turkey’s presidential election – Results

AP: Turkey's incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory in critical elections based on unofficial results, securing an executive presidency with sweeping powers. Speaking in televised remarks from Istanbul…

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Things to watch out for in Turkey’s elections (Analysis)

On Sunday Turkish citizens are called to the polls for general elections, initially scheduled for 3 November 2019 and then anticipated as announced on 18 April by a presidential note.…

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Balkan’s conflict tensions echo in World Cup

The Guardian: Swiss footballers Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri have risked inflaming political tensions in the Balkans after they used an Albanian nationalist symbol to celebrate their goals against Serbia in…

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Erdogan in pursuit for greater powers in by seeking new term

ABC News: Since he took office in 2003, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given a name to each stage in his consolidation of power in Turkey. First he called himself the…

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Protests in Macedonia

Euronews: Protestors threw flares, rocks and bottles at police outside the national parliament and chanted "Macedonia, Macedonia." Officers responded with tear gas and flash grenades. The demonstrations are a result…

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Insight – Macedonia and Greece (explainer)

EuroNews: It's a controversial and long-running dispute that has derailed attempts by FYR Macedonia to join the EU and NATO. But what's it all about and why does it incite…

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Turkey’s Erdogan threatens Moody

Financial Times: Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to conduct an “operation” against Moody’s, less than two weeks after the ratings company placed Turkey on review for a downgrade, state-run media reported.…

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