By Daren Butler, Ece Toksabay and Umit Ozdal ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - Talks aimed at ending a 40-year-old militant conflict have fostered peace hopes in Turkey but the precarious situation of Kurdish forces in Syria and uncertainty about Ankara's intentions have left many Kurds anxious about the path ahead.

Turkey's top diplomat ruled out any role for French troops in Syria Friday, saying Washington was its only interlocutor as US officials sought to head off Turkish military action against Kurdish fighters.

Turkey has again insisted on a two-state peace accord in ethnically divided Cyprus as the United Nations prepares to meet with all sides in early spring. The U.N.

Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party will hold face-to-face talks with imprisoned Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan for a second time, possibly as early as next week, two DEM lawmakers said on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia and others are overlooking the new leadership’s jihadist past, hoping to gain an advantage on rivals in the strategically positioned country.

The Turkish central bank’s strategy for managing the lira is laying the ground for traders to enjoy even more of the world’s most profitable carry trade.

Turkey shows increasing signs that it may add to the nuclear crisis in the Middle East by pursuing its own nuclear weapon.

Turkey won’t undermine next year’s inflation forecast when increasing taxes on fuel and tobacco, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said.

Deptford puts up turkey crossing sign to warn motorists to slow down for notorious wild turkey who stops traffic with his antics.

Most importantly, the commission offers a truism about Israel’s future survival: The Jewish state cannot afford to lose even one major war. In that regard — unsurprisingly given its composition — the commission points to Iran as the country’s long-term primary threat.

Israel’s military says it has carried out new airstrikes in Yemen against what it said were Houthi rebel targets. Its statement Friday said fighter jets struck “on the western coast and inland Yemen,” a day after the Houthis launched three drones at Israel.