Türkiye draws over 7M foreign tourists in Q1, sees revenues hit $8.8B

ürkiye drew more than 7 million foreign visitors in the first quarter of the year, according to official data on Tuesday that also showed robust arrivals fueled a 5.4% increase in tourism revenue.

The number of foreign tourists arriving from January through March climbed 1…[Read more]

Operation ‘Mahzen-34’ targets organized crime in Istanbul

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the organized crime group led by Sezai Gülmez was dismantled in the “Mahzen-34” (“Vault-34” in English) operation held in Istanbul.

Minister Yerlikaya, in a statement on his social media account, provided information that nine suspects,…[Read more]

Istanbul mayor draws ire for ‘terrorist’ Hamas remarks

Statements by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu in an interview with CNN International angered Turkish social media users and critics of the mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Answering a question on the Palestine-Israel conflict, Imamoğlu criticized Israel’…[Read more]

FM Fidan meets Finnish, Greek, UK counterparts in Brussels

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with his British, Finnish, Greek and Bulgarian counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Fidan and British foreign minister David Cameron discussed a wide range of issues, including conflicts in…[Read more]

No place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future: Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Ankara is determined to show everyone that there is no place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future.

Speaking at an iftar gathering with police, gendarmerie and coast guard members, Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s determination to root out terrorism.

Erdoğan said th…[Read more]

Islamism is dead in Erdogan’s Turkey

There are moments in the political life of every nation that mark the breaking of an old order, even if the new order has not yet been built. Last weekend’s local elections in Turkey marked such a fracture with the beginning of the end of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22 year rule.

Erdogan has bestrode Turki…[Read more]

Turkey’s election authority reinstates pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner

Turkey’s election authority has reinstated a pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner in the eastern city of Van after the annulment of his victory provoked clashes.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) announced on Wednesday that it has overturned a decision by the regional ele…[Read more]

Turkey raises interest rate to 50% amid soaring inflation

Turkey’s central bank has raised its key interest rate by 500 basis points to 50 percent from 45 percent following a deteriorating inflation outlook.

The move comes after monthly inflation was higher than expected in February, driven by services inflation, the monetary policy committee (…[Read more]

UK and Turkey open fresh trade negotiations

The UK and Turkey have launched fresh trade talks targeting the services sector as part of any new deal.

The two countries are planning to enhance their current trade deal, which was negotiated back in the 1990s and has remained despite the UK leaving the European Union in 2020.

Bilateral trade stood…[Read more]

Turkey and GCC to create $2.4trn free trade area

Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will begin negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA), to create one of the world’s largest free trade areas worth $2.4 trillion.

GCC secretary general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi and Turkish trade minister Omer Bolat signed a pact to proceed with the t…[Read more]

Egypt and Turkey turn a corner but Lebanon flounders

The countries of the Eastern Mediterranean have faced significant and ongoing economic, financial and political crises.

But while Turkey and Egypt may have turned a corner, Lebanon’s economic recovery will be more protracted.

Following a $35 billion investment deal with UAE sovereign w…[Read more]

Turkish operator to invest in Saudi airport expansion

Turkish airport operator TAV Airports will invest $71.5 million as part of the $275 million expansion plan for Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, better known as Madinah Airport, in Saudi Arabia, according to a media report.

The new investment will increase Madinah…[Read more]

Turkish steel in the black but EU rules rankle

Turkey’s steel industry has rebounded strongly from a weak 2023, despite facing new emissions standards and competition for important markets.

Crude steel output rose 25 percent year on year to 3.2 million tonnes in January, with domestic consumption of finished steel reaching 3.5 million tonnes, a…[Read more]

Turkey offers to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks as Erdogan hosts Zelenskyy

Turkey is ready to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul.

Speaking after their meeting on Friday, Erdogan, who has balanced relations with…[Read more]

Türkiye rallies Muslim world against Israel’s cruelty: Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that Türkiye was working to mobilize the Muslim world for steps to be taken to stop Israel’s aggression in Gaza.

Erdoğan was speaking in the western city of Balıkesir on Friday, for an election rally for his Justice and Developme…[Read more]

At least 40 people killed in central Gaza as Israel touts post-war plan

Israel’s military has killed at least 40 Palestinians in attacks on central Gaza ahead of a new round of international talks to broker a truce and as Tel Aviv has outlined a plan for the enclave after the war ends.

The “heinous massacre” committed by Israeli forces in Deir…[Read more]

Israel’s war on Gaza: Are boycotts hurting US brands?

McDonald’s has missed sales targets partly due to boycotts against its products in some parts of the world over its perceived support for Israel, the company says.

The war on Gaza “meaningfully impacted” performance in the last quarter of 2023 in some regions, company officials said on Mond…[Read more]

Turkey rescuers battle to save workers trapped in landslide-hit gold mine

Turkey is under pressure to shut down a gold mine buried by a massive landslide, as hundreds of rescuers battle to save at least nine trapped workers.

The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects said on Wednesday that the government should close the Copler…[Read more]

Families of Israeli hostages in Gaza stage roadblock in Tel Aviv

Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza closed a major street in Tel Aviv on Thursday to urge the government to negotiate with Hamas for their release, local media reported.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, “dozens of families of the hostages and Israeli protesters blocked the m…[Read more]

Türkiye, S. Arabia look to deepen ties with new cooperation avenues

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia stressed what they say is the complementary nature of their economies at a major gathering on Friday, expressing commitment to further enhance ties and explore concrete avenues for collaboration.

Senior officials from both nations demonstrated e…[Read more]