A court in Turkey has issued a formal warrant for the arrest of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government accuses of being behind the failed coup that left more than 270 people dead.

Turkey’s president is democratically-elected, but has been stripping power from politicians, media, judiciary, and the army. Friday’s coup will give him the pretext for a further clampdown, writes Howard Eissenstat

To address today’s challenges, Europe and Turkey must build a partnership based on their common interests, particularly security, writes Ana Palacio

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed a big victory for his ruling party in parliamentary elections and demanded the world respect the result.

Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu resigned yesterday in a procedural move after a parliamentary election but will remain in his post until a new government is formed, president Tayyip Erdogan’s office said in a statement.

In a stunning rebuke of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ambitions to expand his powers, Turkish voters have stripped his party of its simple majority in parliament, preliminary election results show.

Turkey’s governing party was debating who should be the country’s next prime minister after incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan became the country’s first popularly elected president in a historic vote.

Turkey warned it may bring in the army to help quell nationwide anti-government protests after a weekend of heavy clashes between riot police and demonstrators sent tensions soaring.

Protesters have set up barricades in Istanbul’s streets after Turkish riot police cleared out the occupation of a park at the centre of the strongest challenge to prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 10-year tenure.

Riot police fired water cannons and tear gas as they drove protesters out of Istanbul’s Taksim Square and neighbouring Gezi Park today, an intervention that came shortly after the prime minister warned that security forces “know how to clear” the area.

Turkey’s prime minister has lashed out at protesters behind a two-week sit-in at an Istanbul park in a boisterous speech to tens of thousands of his supporters.

Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to halt plans to redevelop an Istanbul park at the centre of two weeks of mass anti-government unrest, in a move protesters welcomed as “positive”.

A meeting between Turkey’s prime minister and representatives of anti-government protesters ended early today.

"Lawbreakers" will be removed from Istanbul's Taksim Square, Turkey's Prime Minister declared today, rejecting the European Parliament's resolution condemning the excessive use of force by Turkish riot police against demonstrators.

A protester injured during clashes with Turkish riot police has died, raising the death toll to five from the two-week stand-off, lawyers said.

Turkish police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse thousands of demonstrators as the country’s biggest wave of anti-government protests in decades entered its second week with no signs of waning.

A bomb exploded in Turkey’s largest city today, injuring 10 people and wrecking a police bus and nearby vehicles, authorities said.

MOROCCO was yesterday awaiting the final results from polls in which moderate Islamists emerged as the dominant political force, the latest religious party to achieve huge gains on the back of the Arab Spring.

TURKEY’S ruling Islamist-rooted party clinched a record landslide in yesterday’s parliamentary polls, but appeared short of the two-thirds majority it needs to rewrite the constitution, unofficial results showed.

THOUSANDS turned out to welcome Islamist leader Rached Ghannouchi after more than 20 years in exile, as he eyed a political future for his Ennahda movement after the fall of Tunisia’s regime.

A solid majority of Turkish voters approved sweeping changes to their military-era constitution – a referendum hailed by the government as a leap towards full democracy in line with its troubled bid to join the European Union.

A performance by Elton John sparked outrage among Morocco’s anti-gay conservatives and tested the limits of the country’s modernisation drive.

Turkish police detained 52 military commanders for allegedly planning to blow up mosques in order to trigger a military takeover and overthrow the Islamic-oriented government.

Turkish people were today voting in local elections that prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes will strengthen his party’s hand in pushing for constitutional reforms.

TURKEY’S top court has annulled a law allowing women to wear Islamic headscarves in universities on grounds it violates secularism, in a huge blow for the prime minister and his Islamist-rooted party.

Turkey’s top court decided yesterday to put the Islamist-rooted ruling party on trial for alleged anti-secular activity, in a case that could threaten national stability and Ankara’s bid to join the European Union.

Turkey’s parliament today approved the first of two constitutional amendments that would lift a decades-old ban on Islamic head scarves in universities despite the fierce opposition of the secular establishment.

Some 125,000 flag-waving Turks, mostly women, denounced the Islamic-rooted government today over its plans to lift a decades-old ban on Islamic headscarves in universities – a move the foreign minister said would expand Turkish freedoms.

The Turkish government is to seek parliamentary approval for a military operation to chase separatist Kurdish rebels who operate from bases in northern Iraq, a party official said.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband today called on the European Union to "reach out" to Turkey after it re-elected an Islamic-rooted ruling party, to ensure it keeps to Western-minded reforms.

Turkey’s Islamic-rooted ruling party won parliamentary elections by a big margin tonight in a contest that had pitted the government against opponents warning of a threat to secular traditions.

Polls opened in Turkey today for parliamentary elections that were called early amid a growing rift over the role of Islam in society.

Turkish people – instead of legislators – will be allowed to elect their president under a constitutional amendment approved by parliament.

The Vatican today sought to play down suggestions that Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was snubbing Pope Benedict XVI by attending a Nato meeting during the pontiff’s upcoming visit to the predominantly Muslim country.

Turkey became the second Muslim country to commit troops to the expanded United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, with the Ankara parliament voting in favour of deployment despite widespread public opposition.

Turkey’s entry to the EU could take 10 years, writes Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill.

A bomb exploded in front of an office belonging to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, causing damage, but no injuries.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Israel today for a visit seeking to mend relations with the Jewish state and join in a new wave of Middle East peace efforts.

Turkey will mark the start of 2005 by ceasing to be the land of the millionaires and billionaires.

Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to Turkey early today to a hero’s welcome, as hundreds of supporters waved Turkish and European Union flags at the airport to celebrate a historic agreement to start EU membership talks next year.

TURKEY cleared another hurdle in its application for EU membership in Brussels yesterday after giving undertakings to introduce a bill containing new laws criminalising people trafficking, genocide, virginity tests and honour killings.