Author: Daily Sabah With Agencies

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday in the capital Ankara, her second stopover in the region. The two discussed the latest situation in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. The top EU official was in Jordan on Monday where she met Jordan’s King Abdullah. Erdoğan and von der Leyen held a joint news conference after their meeting. President Erdoğan said at the news conference that Syria should not be allowed to be a bastion for terrorism in the post-Assad era. “We discussed the fight against Daesh and PKK and its…

The Turkish Wrestling Federation is set for a decisive general assembly on Wednesday in Ankara, where the spotlight will turn to the election of its new president. The event, hosted at Anadolu Hotels Esenboğa Thermal, kicks off at 10 a.m. and will see former Olympic champions Taha Akgül and Selçuk Çebi contend for the top position. Selçuk Çebi stands on the podium after winning the Greco-Roman style 80 kg. World Wrestling Championships match against Viktar Sasunouski, Minsk, Belarus, Sept. 10, 2015. (AA Photo) Akgül’s presidential blessings Top contender Taha Akgül, a revered Olympic champion and presidential candidate, recently met with President Recep Tayyip…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump hailed Türkiye’s regional role as a major power and his personal ties with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as he said Ankara would play a key role in the future of Syria following the ouster of Assad regime. “Turkey is a major force, by the way, and Erdoğan is somebody I got along with great but he has a major military force. And he has not been worn out with war,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “He’s built a very strong, powerful army.” Trump demurred when asked if he would withdraw American troops from northeastern…

The Zero Waste Project, initiated under the patronage of first lady Emine Erdoğan in 2017, has completed its seventh year. Over these seven years, the movement has contributed to both Türkiye’s economy and its environment. The Zero Waste Advisory Board, led by Erdoğan and established on April 12, 2023, includes notable figures such as Guy Bernard Ryder, U.N. assistant secretary-general for policy, and 13 members from countries including the U.S., Sierra Leone, Chile, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, the Netherlands, Morocco, Belgium and India. After the meeting with the advisory board members, they toured the Painting Museum at Dolmabahçe Palace and answered…

Formula One’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen has seemingly completed his community service for swearing at a press conference after the FIA required him to perform a “work of public interest” following his foul language at the Singapore Grand Prix in September. The 27-year-old Dutch driver, fresh off securing his fourth Formula One title, was photographed in Rwanda over the weekend, engaging with local youngsters at a program organized by the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC). The FIA shared the images on X, captioning them, “Giving back to the community. Thank you, Max.” Verstappen was in Kigali for the FIA awards…

Travis Kelce’s Ohio homecoming was memorable for more than just the Kansas City Chiefs’ 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns. While the nine-time Pro Bowler shone on the field, it was a post-game gesture that captured the hearts of fans and set social media ablaze. After helping the Chiefs clinch their 13th victory of the season, Kelce tossed his game-worn gloves into the stands, a heartfelt thank you to the loyal Kansas City supporters braving the cold Ohio weather. One glove landed in the hands of a young fan, while the other found its way into the hands of a…

A crew of Turkish rescuers began an in-depth search of Syria’s notorious Sednaya prison on Monday, a spokesperson for the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said. Located just north of Damascus, the prison has become a symbol of human rights abuses of the Assad clan, especially since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011. The AFAD said it had sent a team of nearly 80 people to conduct a search-and-rescue operation to “find people thought to be trapped in Sednaya military prison”, with its director due to give a press conference outside the prison about its mission, spokesperson Kubilay…

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will travel to Ethiopia and Somalia early next year after brokering a deal to end nearly yearlong tensions between the Horn of Africa nations. “I will visit Ethiopia and Somalia in the first two months of the new year,” Erdoğan said Sunday at an event with the youth in the eastern province of Erzurum. He referred to the deal between Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Ankara on Dec. 11. The pair agreed to end their nearly yearlong bitter dispute after hours of talks brokered by Erdoğan, who hailed the…

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that a total of 7,621 Syrian nationals returned to their country after the fall of the Assad regime, a happy occasion for millions who suffered under the oppressive regime. Yerlikaya announced daily figures on X for Syrians returning “voluntarily, safely, honorably,” and in an orderly manner from Türkiye before the regime’s fall, with 310 on Dec. 6, 176 on Dec. 7 and 240 on Dec. 8. He said this number rose to 1,259 on Dec. 9 and gradually increased, consistently above 1,000, until Dec. 13. The minister said they adhered to a migration management…

Türkiye’s national football team has landed in Group E for the FIFA 2026 World Cup European qualifiers, facing a challenging lineup that includes the winner of the Netherlands-Spain UEFA Nations League quarterfinal clash, Georgia and Bulgaria. The draw, conducted at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, placed Türkiye in the second seeding pot. Representing the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) were President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu, Vice President Ceyhun Kazancı and head coach Vincenzo Montella, among others. FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the upcoming tournament as “one of the greatest World Cups ever,” while UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin expressed hope for the participation of Europe’s…