★ In a significant step toward peace, on Friday (July 11, 2025), members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party laid down their arms in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.

  During a ceremony, about 30 Kurdistan Workers' Party members destroyed their weapons by burning them in a large cauldron, marking a symbolic end to decades of armed struggle.

  A delegation from Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party attended the event.

  The disarmed members issued a statement declaring their commitment to pursuing their struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through democratic politics and legal means.

  Citing the words of imprisoned Kurdistan Workers' Party leader Abdullah Öcalan — "I believe in the power of politics and social peace, not weapons" — they called on regional and global powers to respect Kurdish rights and support the peace process.

  The disarmament follows months of negotiations and political statements, which began after Turkish ultranationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli's remarks last October, encouraging the group to end its armed activities.

  After today's ceremony, the Justice and Development Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik urged the Kurdistan Workers' Party to quickly finalize the disbandment of all its branches and illegal structures.

  Bahçeli also issued a statement, saying, "With the completion of the disarmament process within the agreed timeline, bad memories will fade, and the Turkish nation will be the architect and axis of a new century."

  He reportedly called DEM Party negotiator Pervin Buldan to thank her for her contributions.

  Istanbul's dismissed mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, expressed hope that "a period that cost tens of thousands of lives and drained our resources is finally closing."

  Main opposition Republican People's Party leader Özgür Özel stressed the importance of sincerity, legality, and democratic legitimacy for lasting peace.

  The development drew broad international attention. Greek media described it as a "historic milestone," while Israeli and British outlets highlighted its political and economic implications for Turkey. Reuters and Politico noted that the disarmament could also shift the balance in Syria.

  Many countries, including the U.S. and the European Union, consider the Kurdistan Workers' Party a terrorist group. Since the 1980s, about 50,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in its conflict with Turkey.

★ According to Bianet, since March, corruption investigations have led to the arrest of 14 mayors from the Republican People's Party, Turkey's main opposition party, as well as one deputy mayor, with another mayor placed under house arrest.

  High-profile figures from Istanbul, Adana, and Adıyaman are among those detained on allegations including bribery, extortion, and bid rigging.

  The investigations began after the March arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key Republican People's Party leader and presidential candidate. The Republican People's Party argues these probes are politically motivated efforts to weaken its electoral gains, while the ruling Justice and Development Party claims they address genuine misconduct.

  In most cases, Republican People's Party-majority city councils have maintained administrative control despite the suspensions.

★ Mehmet Murat Çalık, the mayor of Beylikdüzü, a district of Istanbul province, was sent back to prison despite undergoing surgery for suspected lymphoma and later receiving an angiography at the hospital.

  The mayor is from the opposition Republican People's Party.

  His condition remains serious, according to his family and lawyers, who expressed deep concern for his health.

  Footage shared on social media showed Çalık being handcuffed as he was transferred from the hospital back to prison.

  Meanwhile, lawyers for former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer have appealed the detention order issued against him as part of an ongoing investigation into the municipality.

  Soyer is also from the opposition Republican People's Party.

 

★ The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the continued detention of Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş since September 2019 was arbitrary, politically motivated, and aimed at suppressing political pluralism.

  The court found Turkey violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, citing unlawful, prolonged, and inadequately reviewed detention based on recycled charges.

  Ordering Turkey to pay Demirtaş 40,950 US dollars in damages and 23,400 in legal costs, this is the second ruling against Turkey over his imprisonment since his arrest in 2016.

  Demirtaş was the co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party. The party later closed, and a successor party was established.

  Under Demirtaş's moderate leadership, the party captured 13.1% of the vote in the June 2015 elections — attracting support from many Turks, leftists, and Alevis — and entered parliament with 80 parliamentarians.

★ With a presidential decree, the short-term withholding tax rate on standard TL deposits and investment funds was raised by 2.5 percentage points, from 15% to 17.5%.

  The market, which had been expecting a reduction in withholding rates amid expectations that the Central Bank would soon begin a rate-cutting cycle, was surprised by the decision.

  While the move is interpreted as an effort to increase tax revenues, it is also among the forecasts that it may lead the Central Bank to implement more limited rate cuts.

★ Spotify announced that it is considering suspending its operations in Turkey following the launch of an investigation by the country's Competition Authority.

  The regulatory probe was initiated to examine the company's practices in the Turkish market.

★ According to Bianet, shark sightings in the Sea of Marmara have increased, not due to rising populations, but because habitat loss and oxygen depletion are forcing them into shallower waters.

  Professor Firdes Saadet Karakulak notes that sharks, normally at 1,000 meters, now approach coasts, raising interactions with people and fishers.

  The Marmara, heavily polluted and poorly circulated, has suffered ecological collapse, with critically low oxygen and widespread mucilage since 2021. Experts warn that shrinking habitats, destroyed coral beds, and slow recovery threaten already endangered sharks.

  Despite a 2021 action plan, progress is limited, and scientists see these shark sightings as a warning of ongoing marine decline.

★ Turkey is facing an intense heatwave with temperatures 7 to 9 °F above seasonal norms, no rain expected for at least a week, and impacts ranging from wildfires to strain on agriculture and infrastructure, prompting officials to urge the public to avoid peak sunlight hours.

 

★ Istanbul's Enka Open Air Theater crowned summer evenings with music.

  Music lovers met in the world of alternative rock and jazz. Şenay Lambaoğlu and Tuluğ Tırpan and the band Pinhâni took the stage from July 7–11.

  Enka Theater will have the following music events coming up:

  On July 16, nostalgic singer‑songwriter Erol Evgin returns to the stage; on July 18, celebrated vocalist Şevval Sam will perform with a full orchestra; July 23 features a musical journey by Zuhal Olcay; July 28 brings a special concert by Bülent Ortaçgil with guest female singers; and on July 29, the venue hosts "A Midsummer Night's Dream", a unique hybrid performance blending theater and music.

★ The exhibition "Ara Güler's Colorful Anatolia" opened to art lovers on July 11 at the Museum of Modern Art on the Greek island of Rhodes. The exhibition runs until August 20.

  Ara Güler, one of Turkey's and the world's most prominent photographers, immortalized the unique beauty and people of Anatolia in colorful images.

  It features 62 color photographs taken between 1957 and 2003, showcasing Güler's mastery not only in black-and-white but also in color photography.

  The exhibition was established in 2016 as part of Doğuş Group's support for cultural projects, fulfilling the artist's mission to share his works widely in Turkey and abroad. The group is one of Turkey's largest conglomerates, operating in banking and finance, construction and real estate, tourism and hospitality, automotive, and media fields.

  Through exhibitions, publications, and collaborations, the Ara Güler Museum highlights Güler as a photographer, storyteller, and cultural ambassador. This is the museum's first exhibition in Greece.

★ The Princess Lalla Meryem International Piano Competition will be held for the 15th time this year. Turkey's world-renowned pianist Gülsin Onay will serve on the jury.

  The competition, under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, takes place in Rabat from October 24–31 and gives young pianists a chance to shine internationally.

  Gülsin Onay, who has performed in over 80 countries, said, "Witnessing the extraordinary talents of young pianists excites me. We are bringing together talents from all over the world in Morocco."

  Held biennially since 1994, the competition offers awards exceeding 21,000 US dollars and concert opportunities in Europe and Morocco, marking an important career step for young musicians.

★ The Bozcaada Jazz Festival will bring together music lovers and interdisciplinary groups around jazz, improvisation, and new music. In its ninth year, it will take place in Bozcaada from September 5–7.

  With its theme of "Embodiment," this year's festival invites participants to transcend mental ideas and find meaning through action. Meltem Şahin's visual designs, inspired by ancient Bozcaada stories, reflect the festival's spirit.

  Bozcaada is a Turkish island in the northern Aegean.

★ The International Association of Science and Art Creatives is organizing the Universal Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Festival.

  Filiz Dağ, a PhD student, AI robotics and communication scholar, science fiction enthusiast, and cultural innovator, will lead the festival.

  Now in its fourth year, the festival will host audiences in Istanbul from September 29 to October 3, blending technology, art, and creativity. This year, for the first time, the awards ceremony will take place in the metaverse.

  New award categories include "Best Film Screenplay," "Best Artificial Intelligence Film," "Best Short Film," "Best CGI," "Best Actor," "Best Director," and "Best Scientific Content."

  The detailed program, along with special screenings of national and international feature films, will be announced at the press conference on September 4.

★ Public outrage is growing over the decision to demolish the Antalya Archaeological Museum, with professional chambers, civil society groups, and scholars urging the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to reverse it, warning that the city's cultural memory is at risk.

  The ministry justified the demolition, citing earthquake risk and storage needs, but critics argue the building—Turkey's first museum designed through a national architectural competition and a recipient of the 1988 Museum of the Year award—should be preserved and restored.

  Professor Gül Işın and others highlighted the museum's architectural and cultural significance, criticized the rushed process, and noted their appeals to have it protected were ignored.

  Academics and institutional representatives also stressed that reinforcing the existing structure is scientifically and economically more sensible than demolition, calling on the public to defend their heritage.

★ Other headlines in the arts and culture:

  - Launched for the first time this year with the aim of promoting art writing and critical thinking, the Turgay Sönmez Criticism Award is now accepting submissions focused on Ömer Uluç's exhibition Beyond the Horizon Line at Istanbul Modern. The deadline for applications is August 15.

  - Baksı Museum in rural Eastern Turkey is hosting two new exhibitions: Utopia Workshops, which brings together the dreams of young artists, and Silent Lives, Great Stories, which bridges the past and present through the works of Helga Franke.

★ UNESCO has officially inscribed the Sardis Ancient City, capital of the ancient Lydian civilization, and the Thousand Hills mound in Salihli, Manisa Province, Turkey, on the World Heritage List.

  With this recognition, Turkey adds its 22nd cultural site to humanity's shared legacy.

★ An illegal excavation in Tokat's Zile district in the mid-Black Sea region of Turkey uncovered a colorful Roman-era mosaic, revealing new insights into the region's ancient history.

  Archaeologists believe the intricately designed floor once adorned a Roman public building.

  Experts note that the vivid green, yellow, blue, and white tiles include inscriptions celebrating "abundance, prosperity, peace, and well-being."

★ Excavations in the ancient city of Herakleia, in Muğla's Milas district in southwestern Turkey, uncovered numerous Byzantine-era burials, including a strikingly high number of child graves.

  Researchers believe this unusual concentration may indicate a historical epidemic in the area.

★ Dating back to the 8th century BCE, and excavated and restored since 1905, the Temple of Apollo in Didim, Aydın Province, western Turkey, stands as one of the ancient world's most mystical and awe-inspiring landmarks.

  Now, under the "Heritage for the Future" initiative by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the ancient prophecy center started welcoming nighttime visitors, its illuminated ruins offering a breathtaking experience under the stars.

★ Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable find in the ancient city of Uzuncaburç, located in Turkey's southern Mersin province — a complete set of iron weights shaped like ancient Greek letters, alongside a Roman-era balance scale dating back approximately 1,600 years.

  Uzuncaburç, located 30 kilometers north of the Silifke district, is renowned for its well-preserved ruins from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including colonnaded streets, monumental temples, fountains, and a theater.

★ Unearthed at the 12,000-year-old Çayönü Hill in the southeastern Anatolia region of Diyarbakır, Turkey, the world's oldest architectural house model — reflecting early Neolithic urban planning and communal life — is now on display at the Diyarbakır Museum.

Ankara, in central Turkey        : 100/70 Mostly Sunny
Antalya, on the Mediterranean    : 88/73 Mostly Sunny
Erzurum, in Eastern Turkey       : 91/61 Partly Cloudy
Istanbul, in northwestern Turkey : 88/70 Partly Cloudy
Izmir, on the Aegean             : 97/72 Mostly Sunny
Trabzon, on the Black Sea        : 81/75 Thunderstorms

Black Sea measured at Trabzon         : 75
Marmara Sea measured at Tekirdağ      : 76
Aegean Sea measured at İzmir          : 77
Mediterranean Sea measured at Antalya : 83