Latest developments in Türkiye and around the world

What happened in the world?

Iran-Israel conflict:

• Iran launched an aerial assault on Israel in retaliation for the attack on its consulate in Syria, using hundreds of kamikaze drones and reportedly cruise missiles on April 13. This marked the first direct attack from Iran on Israel.
• Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon closed their airspaces following the announcement of the attacks. Israel reopened its airspace at 7 a.m. on Sunday.
• The United States assured Israel of full support.
• G-7 leaders held a videoconference on April 14 to coordinate a united response to Iran's attack on Israel.
• United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Japan and France condemned Iran over the attack.
• Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken expressed his gratitude toward Fidan for Türkiye's efforts to reduce regional tensions.
• Foreign Minister Fidan also engaged in a diplomatic dialogue with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian. Fidan conveyed Türkiye's stance, emphasizing Ankara's desire to prevent any further escalation of tensions in the region.
• National Intelligence Organization (MIT) President Ibrahim Kalin and CIA Director William Burns spoke on the phone.

Gaza crisis:

• On April 10, seven family members of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh died in an Israeli attack. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered heartfelt condolences to Haniyeh.
• An Israeli strike at the Nusayrat refugee camp in Gaza has severely injured members of Turkish state television's team from TRT Arabi.
• The Israeli army has called reserve soldiers for the attacks in Rafah.
• The death toll in Gaza, where Israel has been carrying out attacks for 192 days, has risen to 33,797.

News from rest of the world:

• Russia: Authorities in Russia are warning people to evacuate affected areas as Russia’s Kurgan and Tyumen regions and swaths of northern Kazakhstan are flooded. Tens of thousands have already abandoned their homes. The TASS news agency cited Russia’s emergencies ministry as saying more than 14,000 houses across Russia have been flooded.
• Armenia: Armenia stated that it is ready to establish stability and peace in the region based on the three principles agreed upon with Azerbaijan.
• Australia: Australian police identified the knife-wielding man who killed six people in a Sydney shopping center before being shot dead.
• Sudan: The war in Sudan, where the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis is occurring, has reached its first year.

What happened in Türkiye?

• In an operation off the Turkish coast of Ayvalik, Balikesir, authorities intercepted a group of 39 irregular migrants who were attempting to reach the Greek island of Lesvos illegally on April 12.
• President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conducted intensive diplomatic traffic throughout the Eid week. The main agenda of the meetings, which discussed bilateral relations and regional and global issues, was Gaza.
• Türkiye's share of global goods exports rose from 1.02% in 2022 to 1.08% in 2023, reaching its highest level in history with a 0.06 percentage point increase.
• Türkiye's unemployment rate dropped to a four-month low of 8.7% in February, down 0.3 percentage points from a month earlier.
• Turkish military eliminated three PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria, with 12 PKK terrorists eliminated in northern Iraq.
• Two defendants who were arrested in Diyarbakir last year on charges of acting as couriers for the PKK terrorist organization and preparing for a bomb attack are facing a trial with a demand for imprisonment ranging from 15 years six months to 31 years each.
• Due to the expiration of Court of Cassation President Mehmet Akarca's four-year term, no candidate was able to secure an absolute majority in the 16th round of presidential elections.
• Between April 1 and April 14 in Van, 222 suspects were detained as part of investigations targeting the PKK terrorist organization.
• Interior Ministry announced that 707 weapons were seized and legal actions were taken against 869 suspects in the Mercek-17 operations.
• Five out of 14 suspects were arrested in relation to the cable car accident in Antalya.
• Istanbul Airport was identified as the busiest airport in Europe, with an average of 1,412 flights per day from April 1 to 7, according to the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation's "European Aviation Report."
• Türkiye's budget balance posted a deficit of ₺513.5 billion ($16.6 billion) during the first quarter of this year.

World Agenda

• G-7 Foreign Ministers Meeting will be held on April 17-19. The G-7 will “coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack,” U.S. President Joe Biden said.
• Israeli Security Cabinet will convene again today to discuss the response to the attack carried out by Iran, while Washington seeks diplomatic measures instead to ease regional tensions.
• Oil prices eased on Monday, but gold rose, and global stocks are mixed after Iran launched an attack on Israel.
• Biden is set to host Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani this week for talks.
• Unlike EU countries, the U.K. will not seize Russian assets in the country to prevent negative impacts on peace negotiations.
• Negotiations regarding hostage swap and cease-fire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas continue in Cairo.
• The death toll in Pakistan from heavy rain and lightning strikes has risen to 39.
• Former U.S. President and Republican candidate for 2024 elections Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial starts on April 15 with jury selection.
• France, with the EU and Germany, will host an international humanitarian conference to support Sudan.

Türkiye's agenda

• Under Secretary of State John Bass will travel to Ankara, Türkiye, on April 15-16 and will meet senior Turkish government officials to "build on the momentum of the successful March 7-8 meeting of the U.S.-Türkiye Strategic Mechanism in Washington, led by Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Fidan.”
• During the visit, bilateral and global issues, including the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ukraine, and expanding trade and investment ties, will be discussed.
• President Erdogan is expected to make a comprehensive assessment of the elections at the AK Party group meeting on April 17.
• Erdogan is scheduled to visit Iraq on April 22, after a 12-year hiatus.
• The Turkish Parliament will resume work tomorrow after the break due to local elections. Parliament is expected to discuss a bill to increase energy efficiency and regulate tourist guides.
• People’s Republic Party (CHP) General Chairman Ozgur Ozel will preside over his party's Central Executive Board meeting on April 15.
• CHP will also elect the Deputy Group Chairmanship in the Turkish Parliament on April 18.
• The Ministry of Treasury and Finance will conduct 3 bond auctions and 1 lease certificate sale on April 16.