Operation ‘Mahzen-34’ targets organized crime in Istanbul

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the organized crime group led by Sezai Gülmez was dismantled in the “Mahzen-34” (“Vault-34” in English) operation held in Istanbul.

Minister Yerlikaya, in a statement on his social media account, provided information that nine suspects,…[Read more]

Istanbul mayor draws ire for ‘terrorist’ Hamas remarks

Statements by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu in an interview with CNN International angered Turkish social media users and critics of the mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Answering a question on the Palestine-Israel conflict, Imamoğlu criticized Israel’…[Read more]

FM Fidan meets Finnish, Greek, UK counterparts in Brussels

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with his British, Finnish, Greek and Bulgarian counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Fidan and British foreign minister David Cameron discussed a wide range of issues, including conflicts in…[Read more]

No place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future: Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Ankara is determined to show everyone that there is no place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future.

Speaking at an iftar gathering with police, gendarmerie and coast guard members, Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s determination to root out terrorism.

Erdoğan said th…[Read more]

Islamism is dead in Erdogan’s Turkey

There are moments in the political life of every nation that mark the breaking of an old order, even if the new order has not yet been built. Last weekend’s local elections in Turkey marked such a fracture with the beginning of the end of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22 year rule.

Erdogan has bestrode Turki…[Read more]

Turkey’s election authority reinstates pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner

Turkey’s election authority has reinstated a pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner in the eastern city of Van after the annulment of his victory provoked clashes.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) announced on Wednesday that it has overturned a decision by the regional ele…[Read more]

France to repatriate bodies of colonial soldiers killed in 1954 Vietnam defeat

The operation will happen “in the coming days”, the statement added.

Dien Bien Phu in northern Vietnam was the site of an epic battle against Vietnamese communist forces in 1954 that spelt the end of France’s colonial empire in Indochina.

Vietnamese fighters hemmed…[Read more]

France to deliver old armoured vehicles, new missiles to Ukraine

In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Lecornu said that President Emmanuel Macron, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, had asked him to prepare a new aid package, which will include old but still functional French equipment.

“The Ukrainian army needs to…[Read more]

Former French PM Philippe’s mayoral office searched in corruption inquiry

The mayor of Le Havre, is widely seen as a potential candidate to succeed Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 French presidential election.

The judicial source, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the search was “part of a preliminary investigation opened in…[Read more]

Award-winning French writer Maryse Conde dies at 90

the writer born in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe did not pen her first book until she was nearly 40, and it triggered a controversy that saw authorities in several countries order the copies destroyed.

The mother of four, who once said she “did not have the confidence to present her…[Read more]

French defence minister Lecornu holds rare phone talks with Russia’s Shoigu

French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that France had always been ready to face down “terrorism” and was prepared for “increased exchanges with the aim of fighting this threat as effectively as possible,” a French defence…[Read more]

Japan raids factory making health supplements linked to deaths

Health officials in Japan have raided a factory belonging to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical after the drugmaker reported a fifth death possibly linked to its dietary supplements advertised as helping to lower cholesterol.

On Saturday, officials from the ministries of health, labour and…[Read more]

Japan to resume funding to UNRWA, following Sweden, Finland and Canada

Japan is planning to resume funding to the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees after suspending assistance over Israeli claims that some of its staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met UNRWA chief Philippe L…[Read more]

Japan, China hold ‘expert dialogue’ over Fukushima water releases

Japan and China held an “expert dialogue” on Saturday over the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in their latest effort to address the dispute about the issue.

During the talks in Dalian, northeastern China, the…[Read more]

Central Tokyo logs 28.1 C on Sunday; record-high temperature for March

Central Tokyo experienced a record-high temperature for March at 28.1 C on Sunday as a high-pressure system brought summer-like heat to parts of the Japanese archipelago, the country’s weather agency said.

The high was marked at 1:32 p.m. in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, according to…[Read more]

Record 63% of Japanese in financial stress, poll shows

A record 63.2 percent of respondents said they do not feel financially secure in Japan and have a negative outlook on their future, a recent government survey showed.

The proportion of people who experienced financial stress in 2023 rose 0.7 percentage point from a year earlier against the…[Read more]

Homes under threat as Perth bushfire sparked by caravan blaze

Homes are under threat after a caravan burst into flames and the fire spread to bushland Perth’s south.
A watch and act is in place for parts of Oakford.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advised people to leave now if the way is clear.

There are two blazes burning, which…[Read more]

Smoke chokes Melbourne as grass fire burns close to homes

A grassfire emergency in Melbourne is adding to the smoke haze which is choking the city.
The flames came close to homes in Altona in the city’s south west.
The fire is burning out of control in swampland near Purnell Street.

It’s heading towards a train line, with services replaced by…[Read more]

Australian soldier on peacekeeping mission injured in blast near Lebanon-Israel border

An Australian solider is among three injured in an explosion near Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, as the warring Middle Eastern countries both deny responsibility. 
The trio were acting as military observers for the United Nations and were unarmed and o…[Read more]

The New Boy: Cate Blanchett film tackles faith and colonialism in Australia

It would take a remarkable acting performance to rival Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett on screen.

But that’s exactly what untried child prodigy Aswan Reid has done in her latest movie, critics say.

Barely 11 years old when The New Boy was shot in the dusty South…[Read more]