★ For months, Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party administration has been pressuring the judiciary, nominally independent, to arrest opposition municipal officials and business people associated with them.

  The most prominent figure detained so far is İbrahim İmamoğlu, mayor of metropolitan Istanbul and a potential challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the Justice and Development Party.

  This week, a court ruled that 22 of the 38 individuals detained in the latest police crackdown on May 31 would remain under arrest.

  The prosecutor says the detentions are linked to allegations of bribery, bid rigging, and organized crime.

  In reaction to the detainments and arrests, the Republican People's Party officials have been organizing nationwide protests and denouncing the government's actions as politically motivated.

  So far, police has detained over 1100 people from the hundreds of thousands of protesters.

★ The judiciary is also targeting the main opposition party with a lawsuit seeking to annul the results of its 2024 convention.

  In the convention, the delegates voted to oust Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and chose Özgür Özel as the new leader of the party.

  Some people claim irregularities in the convention and the voting. However, former leader Kılıçdaroğlu is keeping his silence and not confirming or denying the allegations. He also refuses to attend the court proceedings.

  If the court annuls the convention, the authorities may reinstate Kılıçdaroğlu and the previous party administration, or appoint a trustee.

  Current leader Özel said on Friday that they would not let the authorities take over the Republican People's party without an election. "Former chairs wouldn't accept this, and neither would Mr. Kemal [Kılıçdaroğlu]," he added.

  In a rally in Istanbul's Gaziosmanpaşa district, Özel also accused President Erdoğan of trying to eliminate political rivals through judicial means, calling the current process a "coup in a prosecutor's robe."

  The Istanbul prosecutor's office said in a statement that it launched a probe into Özgür Özel over comments he made about the chief prosecutor at the rally for criticizing the targeting of the opposition.

  On the subject of early elections, he said, "If millions demand it, the ballot box will come."

★ A New Era of Female Leadership in Turkish Politics may have started.

  Writing in the Institute for War and Peace Reporting website on June 5, Hilal Yılmaz highlighted a significant shift in Turkish politics following the March 2024 local elections: the rise of a new generation of female politicians.

  Sinem Dedetaş's victory in Üsküdar district of Istanbul exemplifies this, sparking speculation about her national leadership potential.

  The trend, building since 2019, has seen female mayoral representation increase to 42, roughly five percent nationwide, including in traditionally conservative areas.

  While financial barriers and male-dominated networks remain challenges, a policy change allowing muhtars to collect wages has boosted female participation at the grassroots level.

  Despite facing gendered attacks, these women, often chosen for their merit like Dedetaş, are challenging existing norms and are seen as vital for strengthening democracy and equality.

  However, some analysts caution that overcoming deep-seated male resistance within political structures is essential for lasting change.

  Full article Read more at >> here <<

★ The 23,000 workers of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey's third-largest metropolitan area, stopped their strike on June 4. DISK, their labor union, decided to accept the offer of the municipality.

  Workers will get a 30 percent raise for the first six months and a 19 percent inflation adjustment for the second half of the year.

  The wage negotiations started five months ago and the strike began on May 28. It disrupted essential services, including garbage collection, sanitation, and public health operations, leading to visible public concern.

★ Many cities around the world, especially coastal ones, are sinking due to factors such as groundwater extraction, urban development, and natural geological processes. Istanbul is one of them, with its new airport sinking at a rate of 5.5 inches per year. The city's other neighborhoods experience an average subsidence rate of 0.4 inches annually.

  Jakarta, Indonesia, has some of the fastest-sinking urban areas in the world, with certain neighborhoods subsiding at a staggering 12 inches per year. In contrast, San Francisco sinks at an average rate of 0.04 inches annually, though areas built on landfill experience 10 times that rate.

  The ongoing subsidence poses serious risks to infrastructure and increases vulnerability to flooding, making mitigation efforts crucial for cities facing the challenge.

★ The Turkish Statistical Institute disclosed that the inflation figures for May 2025 are 35.41 percent on an annual basis and 1.53 for the month, lower than the expected 2 percent.

  The independent inflation research group also had their figures out. As usual, theirs is twice as high: 71.23 percent.

  The housing inflation was the highest at 67.43 percent. The latest Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development data declared Turkey the annual winner of rental inflation, reaching 89 percent in April, eight times higher than the second-place Hungary.

  Turks are waiting to see what the Central Bank will do with the interest rate on June 19, since economists say the Gross Domestic Product only grew 2 percent annually.

★ Syria is getting 7 billion dollars from Qatar-based UCC Holding to rebuild the country's electricity infrastructure. UCC holding in turn established a consortium with Kalyon GES Energy Investments and Cengiz Energy Industries of Turkey.

  Also, TÜRKSAT, a Turkish satellite services company, met with Syrian officials in Damascus and offered satellite communication, disaster communication, and the digitization of public services.

  Moving from Syria in the south to the northern front, Gazprom, the Russian energy company, decided not to open a gas distribution hub in Turkey to supply the European market.

★ According to MDAA, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, NATO's Support and Procurement Agency selected ASELSAN, a Turkish defense technology company, to participate in shaping the future Modular Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system architecture, alongside four global industry leaders.

  The move marks a significant step in integration of Turkey within NATO's cutting-edge air defense initiatives. With air and missile threats evolving rapidly, NATO's GBAD project addresses an urgent operational need, as reported by NATO's Support and Procurement Agency and Turkish defense sources.

  ASELSAN already has systems in layered air defense systems.

  ASELSAN has its headquarters in Ankara, the Turkish capital. Defense News ranks it as the 48th largest defense company by revenue--3.48 billion dollars in 2024. It employs 12 thousand people.

  Details are Read more at >> here <<

★ On June 5, Keir Simmons, an NBC reporter visited Baykar, a Turkish drone factory that supplies Ukraine. He says Baykar's next generation of drones contain AI technology.

★ By 2034, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) plans to produce approximately 1,500 military air platforms, including fighter jets, helicopters, and UAVs, aligning with Turkey's defense autonomy goals.

  This ambitious 10-year roadmap, outlined by CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu, details the production of about 500 fixed-wing aircraft, over 350 rotary-wing aircraft, and around 600 UAVs.

  The initiative emphasizes local sourcing through over 125 completed and 330 ongoing indigenization projects, aiming to save 1 billion dollars annually by reducing imports.

  With 16,000 employees, TAI is also expanding its logistics and maintenance services. Strategically, this production allows Turkey to maintain air superiority without foreign dependence, enhancing its defense sovereignty.

  Furthermore, the plan boosts Turkey's international defense ties and exports, with TAI expanding globally into markets like Africa and planning new offices.

  Existing export orders, such as 55 HÜRKUŞ and 16 HÜRJET aircraft, and a potential deal for over 100 HÜRJET jets with a Spanish consortium, highlight this push.

  Analysts suggest these efforts will elevate Turkey's position in the global aerospace market, transforming TAI into a top-tier aircraft producer and supporting both national security and export ambitions.

★ Newsweek writes that Turkey's ambitious naval expansion is taking shape as new details emerged about its first homegrown aircraft carrier, MUGEM, now under construction in Istanbul.

  With design and system integration work ongoing, priority will be given to homegrown aircraft, including unmanned combat drones and light jets, according to statements by Captain Hakan Uçar, director of the Turkish Navy's Design Project Office, reported by Jane's OSINT on Friday.

  Turkey's defense industrial growth signals Ankara's drive to assert greater strategic autonomy and its importance both within NATO and for the Middle East under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, Newsweek adds.

  Full article Read more at >> here <<

★ Turkish hot-rolled coil exports increased by 50 percent on the year to 320000 tons in April, supported by stronger buying in Italy, Spain and the U.S.

★ Goldman Sachs Group warned that the most successful carry trade in the world looks vulnerable as Turkey's central bank has started allowing the Turkish currency to depreciate faster against the dollar.

  A carry trade is an investment strategy that leverages the difference in interest rates between two currencies.

  For a while, investors from low-interest-rate parts of the world, such as Japan and Europe, would borrow foreign currency and then invest it in Turkey, where the interest rates are very high.

★ Since the opening of its new building, Istanbul Modern has attracted significant international attention.

  At the European Museum of the Year Awards honored the museum with the Portimão Prize for Welcoming, Inclusion, and Belonging, reports the ArtDog Istanbul magazine.

★ Liz Cookman, The Times correspondent in Istanbul, writes that tourists skip Istanbul's glittering sights to pose with its cats.

  Visitors are charmed by its feline residents, but with authorities under pressure to reduce animal populations, life can be harder than it looks for Istanbul's cats

  So to visitors of Istanbul it can hardly be a surprise that the Ottomans had a special word — mancaçı — for someone whose job it is to feed the cats.

★ Setting out to secure support for stray animals, the Four-Legged City: City, Nature, Animal Studies Association organized a special event titled "Four-Legged Exhibition" at the Istanbul Textile Traders Market on May 30 and 31.

  In the exhibition, aimed to establish a strong connection between contemporary art and the struggle for animal rights, 21 artists came together to reveal how solidarity with stray animals can be possible through art.

  Among the activities at the event were

  A performance titled "Animal Court" by İris Ergül that questioned how the living spaces for animals have transformed during the urban transformation process for Istanbul.

  A mask workshop that let the participants search for a common language of expression where they created their own fables inspired by animal figures.

  During another event, attendees met with dogs looking for homes for possible adoption.

★ On Wednesday (June 4, 2025), London hosted a special gastronomic event as part of International Turkish Cuisine Week, bringing a taste of Turkey to the UK.

  National Geographic Traveler (UK) organized the annual event at the residence of Turkish Ambassador Osman Koray Ertaş.

  Ambassador Ertaş emphasized that Turkey's diverse cuisine stems from its rich geography and history, also serving as a cornerstone of social identity, solidarity, and shared experiences.

  Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu Vice General Manager of the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), highlighted that British visitors increasingly come to Turkey for its culture, unique experiences, and particularly its gastronomy, beyond just sun and sea.

  She noted this year's theme, "classic dishes of Turkish cuisine," celebrates timeless recipes that embody memories, values, and rituals central to Turkish life.

  Pat Riddell, Editor of National Geographic Traveler (UK), thanked the hosts and partners, stating that Turkey offers an ideal destination with its wide variety of experiences.

  Foreign diplomats, journalists, and British state officials attended the distinguished event.

★ Aslı Arıkan Dayıoğlu's "Endless Cycle – NAVİN" exhibition, on view at Goba Art Gallery, presents works crafted from natural materials like glass, ceramics, and gold.

  The exhibition delves into the cyclical nature of time, human fragility, and art's transformative power, inspired by the non-linear flow of time.

  Dayıoğlu's art blends natural rhythms with the delicate aspects of humanity, guiding viewers on an intuitive exploration of memory and intuition.

  Her Raku ceramic pieces, with their intentional cracks and sooty textures, symbolize lived experiences and inner change, beautifully highlighted with gold accents that transform fragility into aesthetic strength.

  A notable inclusion is the "Navin Sehpa," a table featuring traditional Çeşm-i Bülbül glass art's spiral pattern, representing the continuous cycle of time and energy.

  Aslı Arıkan Dayıoğlu is an interior designer and artist. She is the founder of Designist, a project and design firm established in 2007 in Istanbul.

  She studied Interior Architecture and Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States from 1995 to 2000, graduating with honors.

  Aslı Arıkan Dayıoğlu and her firm Designist have received numerous national and international awards for their interior design projects:

  German Design Awards 2024:

• Winner for the Marriott Executive Apartments project.
• Winner for the Flamingo Lara project.
• iF DESIGN Interior Design Award 2022 (Berlin):
• Winner for the Lamartine Hotel Project.
• BIG SEE Interior Design Award 2022 (Ljubljana):
• Winner for the Ulus Residence Project.
• Architecture Masterprize:
• Honorable Mention in Interior Design / Hospitality Interior for the Urfa DoubleTree by Hilton project.

  This exhibition at Goba Art & Design in Beyoğlu uniquely merges art and design, offering a distinctive and contemplative experience.

  The exhibition will and on June 20.

★ On June 8, Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Pera Museum will open all its exhibitions to visitors on its 20th anniversary for free.

  The museum establishes a connection between the past and the present and attracts attention with its comprehensive exhibitions. It offers the viewer different worlds with its versatile exhibition program ranging from architecture to contemporary art, from photography to tiles and ceramics.

  At any given time, Pera Museum have nearly 20 exhibitions.

  Here is what they have this month:

  Pera Museum collection exhibition On the Trail of Ceramics: Extraordinary Minas. The exhibition focuses on Minas Avramidis's figurative narratives and unique productions.

  Its title is The Story of Inspiration and Innovation in Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics. It brings a cultural, narrative and aesthetic perspective to tile making beyond being a traditional craft.

  Ceramic plates themed around the Genovefa Story and lithographs that meet the audience for the first time reveal the artist's narrative power. Selected works from the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation collection offer a new reading of Kütahya tile making.

  Canadian artist Marcel Dzama's first solo exhibition in Turkey, Marcel Dzama: Dancing with Moonlight, brings together the artist's productions in different media such as drawing, sculpture, film and diorama.

  Addressing universal themes such as war, environmental destruction and authoritarian structures through black humor and chess metaphor, the exhibition also includes Dzama's collaborations with Raymond Pettibon. The exhibition combines current political debates with references to art history in a multi-layered narrative.

  Tribute to Samih Rifat: "There is Much Work to Do" Bringing together photography, poetry, translation, music and intellectual production, the exhibition titled Samih Rifat: "There is Much Work to Do" offers a comprehensive look at the intellectual legacy of Samih Rifat, the "hezarfen" of the cultural world.

  Rifat's notebooks, translation notes, manuscripts and previously unexhibited photographs come together for the first time in an exhibition designed with an interdisciplinary sensitivity. The exhibition is also a special tribute project to the 20th anniversary of Pera Museum.

  The museum's three collection exhibitions present multi-layered narratives about the Ottoman world and the history of science. The Osman Hamdi Bey exhibition sheds light on the artist's identity as both a painter and an archaeologist, while documenting his pioneering efforts to protect cultural heritage.

  The Art of Weights and Measures brings together the historical development of weights and measures systems with aesthetic forms, making visible a technical and cultural accumulation extending from the Ottoman period to the present day.

  The exhibition Intersecting Worlds: Ambassadors and Painters focuses on artistic representations of the interest in the Ottoman Empire in 17th and 18th century Europe; it offers a striking archive on diplomacy, representation and cultural perception.

★ Edouard Louis, one of France's rising writers and one of the most striking voices in contemporary literature, will be a guest at Moda Sahnesi in Istanbul on June 18 and 19. Louis, who draws on his own life experiences in his works to highlight social inequalities, marginalization, and class violence, is preparing to meet his readers in Turkey for the first time.

  There will be special performances of his novel adapted to stage at Moda Sahnesi and Lois will be present. On June 19, Louis will have a discussion open to the audience.

★ Istanbul's Pera Museum is organizing the "Language of the Visual, Form of the Word" program for adults, in parallel with the Samih Rifat exhibition, from June 13-29.

  The program will offer the Participants a multifaceted art experience with guided exhibition tours and artist workshops.

  In the workshops prepared by Pera Learning, purchase of its will carry out a wide range of art activity, from visual literacy to collective production, from memory and urban experience to abstract expressions.

★ The countdown has begun for the Ayvalık Open Air Film Nights, organized in collaboration with Seyir Derneği and Ayvalık Municipality.

  The event will be in the seaside yard of the Ayvalık Municipality New Building between June 21-29, and bring together film lovers with the year's notable films that have won awards at world festivals.

  The films are:

  Maria: a film about Maria Callas directed by Pablo Larraín

  Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold

  I'm Still Here: directed by Walter Salles. Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, and Fernanda Montenegro. The movie tells the story of Eunice Paiva, a mother of five, whose husband, a former Senator, arrested and then disappeared.

  Saint-Ex: a movie inspired by the life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the renowned French writer, poet, journalist, and pioneering aviator, and directed by Pablo Agüero and starring Louis Garrel, Diane Kruger, and Vincent Cassel.

  A Real Pain: A movie starring Jesse Eisenberg and directed by himself.

  My Favorite Cake: An Iranian movie directed by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha

  Aznavour / Monsieur Aznavour: a movie about the renowned French singer, directed by Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade. Tahar Rahim acts as Aznavour.

  Mickey 17: the movie is a science fiction black comedy based on the novel by the same name by Edward Ashton. Bong Joon-ho is the director.

  Ayvalık is a small town on the norther Aegean coast of Turkey.

★ According to gezelim.com, a Turkish Travel site, the historic Orient Express, carrying 64 passengers, entered Turkey through the Kapıkule Train Station in Edirne. A folk dance group greeted the passengers with a performance upon their arrival.

  The Orient Express, which has been operating between Paris and Istanbul since 1883, began its journey this year on May 30 from Paris with 66 passengers. The train's first stop was Budapest, Hungary, followed by Bucharest, Romania, where two passengers disembarked.

  On June 4, the train, carrying 64 American, British, Spanish, and Japanese guests, arrived in Turkey. The operating company organized the folk dance performance, and passengers enjoyed dancing along with the drum and zurna music.

  Later in the day, the express arrived in Istanbul, its final destination.

★ The jury awarded Turkish author Ayşe Kulin the 54th Orhan Kemal Novel Prize for her all works published by Everest Publishing House.

  The jury highlighted Kulin's realistic novels, which masterfully explore themes of war, migration, and family, as well as her significant contributions to literature.

  Kulin was born in Istanbul in 1941. She has received many other awards for her works.

★ The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism is continuing its "Night Museum" initiative, which began last year.

  From June 1 to October 1, 2025, 27 museums and archaeological sites across Turkey will be illuminated and open to visitors until late hours.

  The "Night Museum" program offers a unique opportunity to explore historical and cultural heritage in a distinct atmosphere, enhanced by moonlight, stars, and special lighting.

  For those who find daytime visits challenging due to summer heat, this arrangement provides a cool and comfortable option, promising an unparalleled experience for history and culture enthusiasts.

  The initiative spans a wide geographical area, with museums and archaeological sites in cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Adıyaman, and Nevşehir welcoming visitors during the evening hours.

★ Applications are now open for the third annual "Memory of Water Short Film Competition," organized by the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ).

  The competition, centered on the theme "From the First Drop to Eternity," aims to raise awareness about the crucial issues of water resource protection and environmental sustainability.

  The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2025.

★ French artist Alix Marie is presenting her first major exhibition in Turkey, titled "Mother / Island," in Ankara and Izmir, with the support of Institut Français [franseyz] Turkey. The exhibition brings together concepts of mythology, body, and ritual with Anatolia's rich cultural memory of symbols and materials.

  You can visit The "Mother" section of Marie's exhibition at Ka for Visual Culture and Artistic Thought in Ankara until June 28. This captivating exhibition invites viewers into a multi-layered experience, intertwining Anatolia's symbolic heritage with contemporary art themes of body, ritual, and memory.

  The exhibition is presented in two distinct parts across two different cities, forming a shared memory. "Mother" is hosted at Ka Mekân, an independent cultural space in Ankara, while "Island" is on display at Çatı Open Art Space in Izmir. In both presentations, Marie's striking narrative language integrates seamlessly with the historical and cultural contexts of the materials she uses. Her works primarily feature photography, sculpture, and installation techniques.

  Alix Marie is a French multidisciplinary artist who primarily works with photography, sculpture, and installation. She was born in 1989 in Bobigny, France, and is based in London.

★ On June 6, 2025, Turkish Airlines hosted an "Agency Awards" dinner in Toronto to celebrate its top Canadian partners and commemorate 15 years of service from Toronto. The event, held at the Design Exchange, showcased Turkish culture through cuisine and music.

  Guests enjoyed a Turkish-inspired dinner featuring braised beef short ribs, sumac-seared chicken, and a dark chocolate dome with sour Turkish cherry compote. A highlight of the evening was the performance of traditional Turkish music by a trio, with lyrics displayed on screen for songs like "Yıldızların Altında" and "Nihavend Longa."

★ A royal wooden tomb chamber has been unearthed in the ancient city of Gordion, Turkey, a discovery Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced on Wednesday. Dating back to the eighth century B.C.E., this cremation tomb, known as Tumulus T26, may belong to a member of the legendary King Midas' dynasty.

  Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University's Professor Süleyman Yücel Şenyurt led the excavation of the 47th tumulus at the site, which took place between September 2024 and January 2025. Within the 8-meter-high, 60-meter-wide burial mound, archaeologists found human remains and over 100 high-value artifacts. These included 88 well-preserved bronze and iron items, and a remarkably preserved 2,700-year-old bronze jug covered with linen, a rare textile find in Anatolian archaeology.

  Professor Şenyurt noted that the tomb's grandeur and its rich contents, such as large cauldrons, tripods, and iron incense burners, suggest the buried individual was a king or high-ranking aristocrat. This discovery is also significant as it represents the earliest known example of cremation from the region, offering crucial insights into Anatolian burial diversity and Phrygian funerary customs.

  Professor Charles Brian Rose, director of the Gordion excavations, described the find as "extraordinary." He pointed out that the tomb's vessels closely resemble those from the famous burial mound believed to have been built by King Midas for his father, Gordios, strengthening the connection to Midas' family.

  This important discovery, unveiled on June 4, 2025, after 121 days of systematic excavation, is expected to greatly enhance our understanding of Gordion's rich political history.

★ UNESCO-listed Phrygia, a 3,000-year-old cultural treasure in Turkey's Afyonkarahisar province, has suffered irreversible damage after treasure hunters blew up parts of the ancient Ornas Rock Complex with dynamite.

  Ahmet Levent Zeybek, an archaeologist and former Director of Culture and Social Affairs at Iscehisar Municipality, described the site as a unique multi-story rock sanctuary used during the Phrygian period. "There is no other complex like this in the world," he told Hürriyet "The comparison of before and after images shows the scale of destruction. It's a tragedy for both Turkey and global archaeology."