Turkish airstrikes killed eight tourists in northern Iraq and wounded over 20, Iraqi Kurdish officials said on Wednesday. At least four missiles struck the resort area of Barakh in the Zakho district in the semi-autonomous Kurdish-run region, district mayor Mushir Mohammed told The Associated Press. All the casualties were Iraqi citizens. Hundreds of Iraqi tourists come to the Kurdish region from the south during the peak summer months because the weather is relatively cooler. The touristic sites in Zakho is nearby military bases set up by Turkey. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi dispatched a delegation to the area lead by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Turkey regularly carries out airstrikes into northern Iraq and has sent commandos to support its offensives targeting elements of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party or PKK. Read: Iraqi soldiers kill nine IS militants Wednesday's attack marked the first time that tourists had been killed in the frequent attacks by Turkey in the area, the officials said. In April, Turkey launched its latest offensive, named Operation Claw Lock, in parts of northern Iraq - part of a series of cross-border operations started in 2019 to combat the outlawed PKK who are based in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq. The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, and has led an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 which has killed tens of thousands of people. Ankara has pressed Baghdad to root out PKK elements from the northern region. Iraq, in turn, has said Turkey's ongoing attacks are in breach of its sovereignty.

Visiting Turkish entrepreneurs on Monday said they want to invest in Bangladesh as the country is a favorable destination for them. A 14-member Turkish business delegation showed this interest at a meeting with Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI). The visiting delegation, led by Chairperson of Turkey-Bangladesh Business Council Hulya Gedik, met DCCI President Rizwan Rahman and other members of its Board of Directors. Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan was also present. The Turkish entrepreneurs said the business environment, policy and regulatory regime of Bangladesh are congenial for them to make investment here. Also read: Saudi entrepreneurs eye Bangladesh for investment, says its minister Hulya Gedik said Bangladesh is not much known to Turkish entrepreneurs due to lack of communication. So, they opened ‘Bangladesh Business Centre’ in Turkey to facilitate their entrepreneurs to know more how to start business in Bangladesh, she said. The head of Turkish delegation also stressed the need for ensuring the sustainability in the bilateral trade between Turkey and Bangladesh. The Turkish Ambassador said Bangladesh wants to be a developed nation by 2041 and Turkey wants to be the 10th largest economy. So, it is important to strengthen partnership between the two countries to accomplish the respective goals of both countries, he said. He said ICT, pharmaceutical and light engineering sectors of Bangladesh have huge potentials to attract FDI. Though the quality of Turkish machineries is almost like that of European and American ones, the rates of Turkish machineries are cheaper, he said. Mustafa Osman Turan a few large Turkish companies are already in operation in Bangladesh. DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said infrastructure, construction materials, railway, renewable energy, automobile, healthcare, medical equipment, shipbuilding, agriculture and home appliance sectors of Bangladesh are among the potential areas for Turkish investment. Also read: Grab investment opportunities in Bangladesh, PM Hasina to global investors In the FY2020-21, Bangladesh’s export to Turkey was US$ 499.79 million, he said. In FY2019-20, the total bilateral trade between the two countries was US$ 686.41 million. Bangladesh’s export was US$ 453 million against its import of $233.41 million from Turkey, which reflects a positive trade balance of US $220.06 million in favour of Bangladesh, he said. Turkey sourced only 0.21 percent of its import from Bangladesh, said Rizwan, adding that Bangladesh can be a key focus of Turkey for trade and investment under its “Asia Anew” initiative. The DCCI president put emphasis on utilizing Turkey-Bangladesh Business Council to facilitate both-way trade and investment. Commercial Counsellor of Turkish Embassy Kenan Kalayci said the bilateral trade volume increased some 20 percent in the last nine months. He expects that the total trade between the two countries will reach the mark of US$ 2 billion soon.   The Turkish business delegation is in Dhaka to participate in ‘International investment Summit 2021, organised by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

Rescuers recovered more bodies from the site of severe flooding that devastated a town in northern Turkey on Monday, bringing the death toll to 70, officials said. Torrential rains battered the country’s northwestern Black Sea provinces on Aug. 4, causing floods that demolished homes and bridges, swept away cars and blocked access to numerous roads. The Turkish disaster management agency, AFAD, said at least 60 people were killed in the province of Kastamonu, nine died in Sinop and one in Bartin. Emergency crews on Monday pressed ahead with efforts to locate at least 47 people who were still reported missing in Kastamonu and Sinop. AFAD said some 8,000 personnel, backed by 20 rescue dogs, are involved in the rescue and assistance efforts. Also read: Turkish flood deaths hit 55; dispute arises over the missing About 2,400 people were evacuated across the region amid the floods — scores of them lifted to safety by helicopters. Many are being temporarily housed in student dormitories. Around 40 villages remain without power, according to AFAD. The heavy flooding came after Turkey endured a searing heat wave and as crews in the south were taming wildfires that raced across the country’s Mediterranean coast. Also read: Floods & landslides in India kill over 100 Climate scientists say there’s little doubt that climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is driving more extreme events — such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods and storms — as the planet warms.

Working against the clock in freezing temperatures, Turkish rescue teams pulled more survivors from collapsed buildings Sunday, days after a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit the country's east.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday discussed Syria and bilateral relations over the phone, Turkey's presidential office said.

Akcakale,  OCT 20 (AP/UNB) — Turkey's defense ministry says one soldier has been killed amid sporadic clashes with Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, despite a U.S.-brokered cease-fire.

Washington, Oct. 16 (Xinhua/UNB) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Turkey on Wednesday amid ongoing Turkish offensive in northeastern Syria.

New York,  OCT 16 (AP/UNB) — A major Turkish bank was criminally charged in an indictment Tuesday with participating in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Paris, OCT 15 (AP/UNB)— Turkish players defied UEFA with another military salute in Turkey's 1-1 draw with France in their European Championship qualifier on Monday.

Beirut, Oct 13 (AP/UNB) — The United Nations says at least 130,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in northeastern Syria with many more likely on the move as a Turkish offensive in the area enters its fifth day.