By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the ancient building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.Erdogan spoke on Friday just hours after the court ruling was published, brushing aside international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument that is revered by Christians and Muslims alike.The United States, Russia and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the...…By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the ancient building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.Erdogan spoke on Friday just hours after the court ruling was published, brushing aside international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument that is revered by Christians and Muslims alike.The United States, Russia and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the...WW…

By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the ancient building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.Erdogan spoke on Friday just hours after the court ruling was published, brushing aside international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument that is revered by Christians and Muslims alike.The United States, Russia and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the...…By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the ancient building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.Erdogan spoke on Friday just hours after the court ruling was published, brushing aside international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument that is revered by Christians and Muslims alike.The United States, Russia and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the...WW…

By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday U.S. sanctions over Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles would be disrespectful to a NATO ally, after sources said Washington was poised to take the step likely to further strain relations.The report of imminent U.S. sanctions targeting Turkey’s defence industry over missiles comes as EU leaders at a summit discussed separate sanctions against Turkish officials over gas exploration in disputed parts of the Mediterranean.Both developments -- examples of Erdogan’s long-strained relations with Western allies -- have...…By , ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday U.S. sanctions over Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles would be disrespectful to a NATO ally, after sources said Washington was poised to take the step likely to further strain relations.The report of imminent U.S. sanctions targeting Turkey’s defence industry over missiles comes as EU leaders at a summit discussed separate sanctions against Turkish officials over gas exploration in disputed parts of the Mediterranean.Both developments -- examples of Erdogan’s long-strained relations with Western allies -- have...WW…

By , IZMIR (Reuters) - A mother and three of her children were pulled to safety on Saturday after being trapped for almost 18 hours under a building in the western Turkish city of Izmir that was flattened in a powerful earthquake.One of the children succumbed to his injuries later in hospital, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters in Izmir. The child was one of 37 people killed in Friday’s quake: 35 in Turkey and two on the Greek island of Samos.Rescuers were continuing efforts to free the woman’s fourth child. The mayor of the Aegean port city said around 180 people remained...…By , IZMIR (Reuters) - A mother and three of her children were pulled to safety on Saturday after being trapped for almost 18 hours under a building in the western Turkish city of Izmir that was flattened in a powerful earthquake.One of the children succumbed to his injuries later in hospital, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters in Izmir. The child was one of 37 people killed in Friday’s quake: 35 in Turkey and two on the Greek island of Samos.Rescuers were continuing efforts to free the woman’s fourth child. The mayor of the Aegean port city said around 180 people remained...WW…

By , ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s president said on Wednesday that Western countries mocking Islam wanted to “relaunch the Crusades”, heightening a confrontation with France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that have stirred anger in Muslim-majority countries.In a speech to lawmakers of his AK Party in parliament, President Tayyip Erdogan said that standing against attacks on the Prophet was “an issue of honour for us”, suggesting Ankara may be digging in for a prolonged standoff.The row with France flared after a French teacher who showed pupils cartoons of the Prophet published in the...…By , ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s president said on Wednesday that Western countries mocking Islam wanted to “relaunch the Crusades”, heightening a confrontation with France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that have stirred anger in Muslim-majority countries.In a speech to lawmakers of his AK Party in parliament, President Tayyip Erdogan said that standing against attacks on the Prophet was “an issue of honour for us”, suggesting Ankara may be digging in for a prolonged standoff.The row with France flared after a French teacher who showed pupils cartoons of the Prophet published in the...WW…

By , ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s president said on Wednesday that Western countries mocking Islam wanted to “relaunch the Crusades”, heightening a confrontation with France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that have stirred anger in Muslim-majority countries.In a speech to lawmakers of his AK Party in parliament, President Tayyip Erdogan said that standing against attacks on the Prophet was “an issue of honour for us”, suggesting Ankara may be digging in for a prolonged standoff.The row with France flared after a French teacher who showed pupils cartoons of the Prophet published in the...…By , ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s president said on Wednesday that Western countries mocking Islam wanted to “relaunch the Crusades”, heightening a confrontation with France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that have stirred anger in Muslim-majority countries.In a speech to lawmakers of his AK Party in parliament, President Tayyip Erdogan said that standing against attacks on the Prophet was “an issue of honour for us”, suggesting Ankara may be digging in for a prolonged standoff.The row with France flared after a French teacher who showed pupils cartoons of the Prophet published in the...WW…

By , ANKARA/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Turkey will send troops to Libya at the request of Tripoli as soon as next month, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, putting the North African country’s conflict at the center of wider regional frictions.Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has been struggling to fend off General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, which have been supported by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan.An official in Tripoli confirmed a formal request had been made for Turkish military support in the air, on the ground...…By , ANKARA/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Turkey will send troops to Libya at the request of Tripoli as soon as next month, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, putting the North African country’s conflict at the center of wider regional frictions.Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has been struggling to fend off General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, which have been supported by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan.An official in Tripoli confirmed a formal request had been made for Turkish military support in the air, on the ground...WW…