Author: Daily Sabah With Agencies

Additional measures have been implemented to prevent the sale and consumption of counterfeit alcohol, the Istanbul governor’s office announced after dozens of deaths related to bootleg beverages. A statement noted that the relevant institutions and law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to combat the issue effectively. The statement recalled that, as per the governor’s directive dated Oct. 10, 2024, businesses selling alcohol are required to install a high-resolution camera system capable of recording 24/7 and covering the entire premises starting Jan. 1, 2025. These recordings must be retained for 30 days. The statement included the following details: “With the governor’s…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington sought President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s help to convince Hamas to return to the cease-fire negotiation table, as he spoke at his final news conference as the top U.S. diplomat on Thursday. Blinken told reporters that he discussed bringing Hamas back to the table with Erdoğan, urging him to use his influence and leverage, to reach a deal. Hamas returned to the table after this, the top U.S. diplomat said. Blinken visited Türkiye in December when he held meetings with President Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The top White House spokesman had…

Teenage qualifier Learner Tien stunned last year’s Australian Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev in an epic Melbourne match that began Thursday night and ended in the wee hours of Friday. The 19-year-old qualifier from California became the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open’s third round since Pete Sampras in 1990. Tien outlasted three-times Australian Open runner-up Medvedev with a 6-3 7-6(4) 6-7(8) 1-6 7-6(7) victory in the 4-hour, 49-minute contest. The match had a bit of everything, including – hard to believe – a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2:30 a.m. with Tien serving at 5-all,…

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised the resistance of Palestinian people in the face of Israel’s genocidal attacks, as he spoke in a joint news conference with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in the capital Ankara on Thursday. Erdoğan said Palestinians did not give up their resistance despite Israel’s genocide, which claimed almost 50,000 lives in Gaza. “Despite losing more than 50,000 martyrs, mostly women and children, Gaza did not surrender, could not be subdued, and Gazans did not bow down to the oppressors,” Erdoğan stressed. “As an alliance of humanity, we must work harder, especially from this point on, to…

The Foreign Ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Thursday slammed the Greek Cypriot administration for “warmongering” on the divided island after a U.S. memorandum allowing military sales, including arms, to the Greek Cypriots. Days before he handed over his duty to Donald Trump, U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday issued a directive to boost his country’s aid to Greek Cypriots by issuing a memorandum that makes the southern side eligible to receive American defense articles, military sales and training. “The U.S. decision shows the Greek Cypriot administration will continue its arms race as if it were…

The day before he handed over his duty to Donald Trump, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a directive to boost his country’s aid to Greek Cypriots. The move will likely anger Turkish Cypriots on the divided island and Ankara, guarantor of peace. The directive allows Greek Cypriots to buy arms from the U.S. government and get surplus American military equipment. From the Greek Cypriot perspective, the development is a key step after the United States in 2020 lifted a decades-long arms embargo on the island nation. The Greek Cypriot administration also sees it as an acknowledgment of their reliability as…

Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open third round while celebrating Grand Slam history Wednesday, as last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen suffered a stunning early exit. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, former Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Alexander Zverev also progressed but Norway’s Casper Ruud went down in four sets to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik to become the highest men’s seed to fall at six. Playing under the roof at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a…

Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open third round while celebrating Grand Slam history Wednesday, as last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen suffered a stunning early exit. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, former Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Alexander Zverev also progressed but Norway’s Casper Ruud went down in four sets to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik to become the highest men’s seed to fall at six. Playing under the roof at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a…

Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open third round while celebrating Grand Slam history Wednesday, as last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen suffered a stunning early exit. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, former Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Alexander Zverev also progressed but Norway’s Casper Ruud went down in four sets to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik to become the highest men’s seed to fall at six. Playing under the roof at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a…

The spokesperson for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s candidacy in upcoming elections was on their agenda. Ömer Çelik told reporters that if the public wants to see him, Erdoğan may run again. Erdoğan has rarely been explicit about his intention to run again but the issue was brought up to the spotlight last weekend after an exchange between Erdoğan and famed singer and Erdoğan supporter Ibrahim Tatlıses during an event in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa. “I am in if you are,” Erdoğan told the former hopeful for parliamentary elections when Tatlıses…