Egypt has announced a month-long state of emergency across the nation on state TV.

Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan told a rally of thousands of supporters that his patience with anti- government protests had its limits, as tens of thousands flooded an Istanbul square demanding his resignation.

Turkey’s deputy prime minister has offered an apology for a violent crackdown on an environmental protest, in a bid to appease days of anti-government rallies across the country as hundreds of riot police deployed around the prime minister’s office in the capital.

Turkey’s president has said his country will take “necessary” but unspecified action against Syria, a day after Damascus said it had brought down a Turkish military plane that had entered its airspace.

The 1993 death of then-Turkish president Turgut Ozal was "suspicious" and should be probed, according to a report by the country's presidential palace.

Iran flooded Tehran with police and militia today to crush any pro-Egypt marches it feared could turn into anti-government demonstrations.

Russia was receptive but stopped short of accepting a historic Nato invitation today to join a missile shield protecting Europe against Iranian attack, the alliance’s chief announced.

The UN Security Council has committed to broadening its approach to safeguarding global peace and security.

Turkey angrily withdrew its US ambassador after a government committee backed a resolution branding the First World War-era killing of Armenians genocide.

Rescuers worked frantically through the night in the central Italian city of L’Aquila searching for survivors of the earthquake that has killed 179 and injured more than 1,500.

A powerful earthquake ripped through central Italy today killing more than 90 people as they slept.

TURKISH authorities have detained at least 24 ultra-nationalists, including two prominent retired generals, in a widening police investigation into a suspected coup plot against the government.

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.

Turkish troops killed more than 30 Kurdish rebels as they set up an ambush near the border with Iraq, it emerged today.

Foreign secretary David Milband today said Britain would continue to guard supply routes in Iraq despite the British forces’ move out of the southern city of Basra.

Turkey’s prime minister laid out his programme for the next five years today, focusing on reforms designed to strengthen the economy and bring the Muslim country closer to European Union membership.

A devout Muslim with a background in political Islam won the Turkish presidency today, in a major triumph for the Islamic-rooted government after months of confrontation with the secular establishment.

Turkey’s Islamic-oriented ruling party has decided to nominate Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul again for president despite strong opposition to his candidacy, a party official said.

Turkish authorities today announced the final results of the country’s general elections, confirming the ruling party’s victory.

FOREIGN Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said he might make a fresh bid for Turkey’s presidency, in comments sure to stir unease in the country’s powerful secular establishment.

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

Kurdish rebels fired rockets and grenades at a Turkish military outpost, killing seven soldiers.

Hundreds of thousands of secular Turks demonstrated on the seafront of Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city today, fearful that the Islamic-rooted government is conspiring to impose religious values on society.

A homemade bomb left on a bicycle exploded at a market in the Aegean port city of Izmir today, injuring 15 people, the city’s governor said.

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

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the head of the country’s armed forces today, a week after the military threatened to intervene in an ongoing presidential election if it thought secularism was in danger.

The US and European Union have warned Turkey, a Nato member and close ally, to prevent its military from defying civilian leaders in a conflict between the Islamic-rooted government and the secular establishment.

Turkey's Islamic-rooted ruling party today appealed to parliament to declare early general elections, opening the way for an easing of tensions with the secular establishment.

Turkish politicians today began voting to choose a new president in an election that has been marked by tensions between the Islamic-rooted government and defenders of Turkey’s secular ideals.

Turkey’s governing political party in has chosen Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as its candidate for president, the prime minister announced today.

Iran said it was ready to negotiate over its nuclear ambitions, but refused to budge on demands that it suspend uranium enrichment.

European Union foreign ministers today struggled to agree on how to sanction Turkey for refusing to open its ports to trade with EU member Cyprus.

The European Union today failed to persuade Turkey to change its stance over EU member Cyprus, further jeopardising Ankara’s bid to join the bloc.

Tens of thousands of people chanted slogans against Pope Benedict XVI and waved banners against his upcoming visit in a defiant display of the pro-Islamic anger that could await the pontiff on his first papal trip to a mostly Muslim nation.

Turkey’s foreign minister today said there would be no response to deadlines on the Cyprus problem, a day after the European Union warned Turkey that it must speed up efforts to resolve the stalemate.

Turkey’s prime minister today offered training for the Iraqi police and army, and urged power-sharing among ethnic groups in the Iraqi oil centre of Kirkuk.

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.

European Union officials today warned that time was running out for Turkey to open its ports to Cypriot planes and ships or face a possible break in EU membership negotiations.

French presidential hopeful Segolene Royal said that Turkey must recognise the mass killing of Armenians early last century as a genocide if it hopes to join the European Union.

Iraqi police today found the blindfolded bodies of three people dumped in two separate parts of eastern Baghdad, while the US military command in Iraq said two American soldiers had been killed.

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 membership negotiations with the EU are back on track, after EU foreign ministers resolved a stand-off with Cyprus over Ankara’s relationship with the divided island.

European Union foreign ministers agreed on a common position to start detailed membership talks with Turkey today after resolving a stand-off with Cyprus, officials said.

Cyprus’ insistence that the EU pressure on Turkey towards establishing relations with the divided island’s government today threatened to derail Ankara’s first detailed negotiations to join the EU before they could begin.