ISTANBUL
Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Türkiye, where Erdogan questioned Germany’s silence on Israel’s Gaza attacks and Merz expressed Berlin’s desire to see Türkiye in the EU, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit kicking off in South Korea’s coastal city of Gyeongju, Hamas transferring the remains of two more Israeli hostages, and Afghanistan and Pakistan agreeing to maintain a ceasefire during talks mediated by Türkiye and Qatar.
TOP STORIES
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin desires to see Türkiye in the EU, noting Ankara’s role in foreign policy.
Merz said he told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he seeks to launch a strategic dialogue on the issue at the European level and that they discussed the Copenhagen criteria.
“We want to continue these discussions going forward,” Merz, who visited Türkiye as chancellor for the first time, said in a news conference with Erdogan in the capital Ankara.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sharply criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and called on Germany to join efforts to end the humanitarian crisis during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ankara.
The Turkish president said he could not agree with earlier remarks by the German chancellor supporting Israel, adding that Israel’s attacks have killed nearly 60,000 people, including children, women and the elderly.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit began in South Korea’s coastal city of Gyeongju as leaders sought to boost growth amid trade tensions.
The two-day summit, chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, is being attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The Palestinian group Hamas handed over the remains of two Israeli hostages to the Red Cross under a ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army confirmed.
A military statement said the coffins were transferred by the Red Cross and the bodies were taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for forensic tests.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed following the identification process that the bodies belonged to the Israeli hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch, noting that their families have been informed.
Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to maintain a ceasefire during talks via the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar.
A statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said meetings were held Oct. 25-30 in Istanbul, with the attendance of Türkiye, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan to strengthen a ceasefire agreed on in Doha earlier this month under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar.
The statement noted that the parties reached a consensus on the continuation of the ceasefire.
NEWS IN BRIEF
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Europe’s evolving security landscape demands resolving defense supply challenges and strengthening cooperation via joint projects at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the capital Ankara.
"In light of changing security conditions in Europe, we need to move past the difficulties previously encountered in the supply of defense industry products and focus on joint projects," Erdogan said.
Emphasizing that Ankara welcomed Berlin’s recent positive steps in this field, such as the procurement process of Eurofighter aircraft, Erdogan noted that given the momentum Türkiye has gained in the defense industry, there are extensive opportunities for cooperation with Germany.
He added that this collaboration could be further strengthened on a "win-win basis."
US electric vehicle (EV) giant Tesla is recalling 6,197 Cybertrucks in the US over concerns that an optional off-road light bar may detach while driving, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.
The recall affects model year 2024 vehicles manufactured between Nov. 13, 2023 and Nov. 5, 2024 that had the optional accessory installed by service technicians, according to the report.
The issue stems from service technicians inadvertently using incorrect surface primer to attach the light bar to the windshield, which can cause partial detachment.
Finnish oil company Teboil confirmed that it will be sold to the multinational Gunvor Group, transferring ownership from Russia's Lukoil, local media reported.
According to the Finnish daily Ilta-Sanomat, Teboil announced the change of ownership in a letter to its stakeholders, stating that the transfer will take place following Lukoil’s decision to sell its international holdings to Gunvor due to sanctions imposed on the Russian oil company.
Teboil said in the letter that it "will take all reasonable steps to fulfill its obligations," which have been delayed due to sanctions-related restrictions, the report said.
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