IstanbulTurkish police

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of precision bomb kits valued at $70 million to Turkey, the Pentagon said on Oct. 29. 

Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare. Once it has cleared that hurdle, Turkey and the U.S. government can negotiate the actual sale. 

The historical Troy National Park in the northwestern province of Çanakkale will be renewed within a recently approved development revision plan. 

The site was declared a national park in 1996 and has been one of the nine UNESCO world heritage sites in Turkey since 1998.

The Nov. 1 election turnout of Turkish nationals living abroad is around 44 percent, Turks Abroad and Related Communities Chair Kudret Bülbül said on Oct. 29, heralding a steady rise in recent elections. 

After voting at customs gates and airports is completed on Nov. 1, an attendance of 45 percent is expected, Bülbül told Anadolu Agency.

The Iranian TV show "Next Persian Stars," a talent finding show inspired by "American Idol," kicked off its final competition in Turkey's touristic resort town of Alanya located in southern Antalya province.

The Interior Ministry removed a district co-mayor in the southeastern province of Van from her post on Oct. 28, on charges of "declaring self-governance."

The Turkish Lira has lost value after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted at a possible December interest rate hike and rallied against most emerging currencies. 

The lira's value declined to around 2.93 from 2.89 against the dollar after the Fed decision on Oct. 28. The Turkish currency then rebounded to 2.916 early Oct. 29. 

Turkish police detained 15 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants in simultaneous raids in Istanbul on Oct. 29, in an escalation of anti-terror operations against ISIL following the twin suicide bomb blasts in Ankara earlier this month. 

At least five migrants, including three children, died Oct. 28 after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek Coast Guard has said.

Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest lender, announced Oct. 29 it would cut 9,000 jobs and pull out of 10 countries in a new 3.8-billion-euro cost-cutting drive after it ran up record losses in the third quarter.

Istanbul's historical Haydarpa?a Train Station hosted Republic Day celebrations on Oct. 27, with a concert of the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra and an exhibition displaying photos dating back to the birth of the Republic.