★ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a direct warning to Qatar and Turkey and demanded that they expel Hamas leaders or face Israeli retaliation.

  Speaking in a video message in English, Netanyahu compared Israel's fight against Hamas to America's response after the September 11 attacks.

  Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Qatar on September 14.

★ Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's closest ally, has called for political parties to take as much responsibility for peace with the Kurds as the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party, saying peace "is not a bird with one wing."

  He urged the reinstatement of veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk as mayor of Mardin and the release of Ahmet Özer, the Republican People's Party mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district, jailed on terrorism charges. Dr. Özer, a respected professor of sociology, is also a Kurd.

  Bahçeli's softer tone contrasts with earlier calls for a military operation in Syria, even as the government continues its crackdown on opposition mayors.

  His remarks underline the paradox of Turkey's politics: pursuing peace while tightening judicial and political pressure on opponents.

★ In seeing that it is no longer the party that can win in polls, machinations by the ruling Justice and Development Party to weaken and cripple the main opposition Republican People's Party took a new turn this week.

  Defying the government's aims, Ankara's Third Civil Court rejected lawsuits to annul the Republican People's Party's Istanbul and general conventions, stripping away the legal basis for appointing a trustee to the Istanbul branch after removing the provincial head.

  Party officials say the ruling confirms the trustee decision was invalid and must be lifted, while the trustee's lawyers insist the Istanbul court order still stands.

  The dispute has already sparked clashes, with police using tear gas on protesters outside the branch and parliamentarians calling for a joint condemnation of the intervention.

★ The Republican People's Party held its first rally after the September 8 events at the Istanbul provincial headquarters. The gathering took place in Kadıköy with strong participation and the presence of many groups beyond the party itself.

  Crowds protested both the government and the court decision that appointed a trustee to head the provincial branch. Slogans against the trustee were heard throughout the march and rally, while former provincial chair Özgür Çelik and party leader Özgür Özel received support.

  Özgür Özel told the rally that the Republican People's Party would never be an opposition party loyal to the palace, nor would it legitimize the ruling party's order. "Palace" here refers to the new presidential complex he had built a decade ago.

  He promised to stand firm against political pressure, saying, "They cannot push us into violence, but they cannot send us home either."

  Özel also announced that he will meet with the co-chairs of the DEM Party in Istanbul later this week, while leaders of other opposition parties have expressed solidarity with the Republican People's Party after the latest events.

★ Suspended İstanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu appeared before a judge in the so-called "diploma trial," where he faces a political ban and up to eight years in prison.

  The case, held at the Silivri Prison Complex, stems from İstanbul University's cancellation of his diploma under pressure from the ruling Justice and Development Party administration.

  During the court proceedings, İmamoğlu, a presidential candidate, said that Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his political rival, ordered the trial.

  Istanbul University argued that the Turkish Cypriot Eastern Mediterranean University İmamoğlu transferred from was not officially recognized in 1990, even though İstanbul University at the time had published advertisements inviting applications from universities including the one in Cyprus.

  In a striking twist, the court allowed one of İmamoğlu's detained lawyers to join his defense via video link, before adjourning the trial to October 20.

  Republican People's Party Chair Özgür Özel, party members, and some of İmamoğlu's former college classmates attended the session.

★ A young Turkish tech entrepreneur's audacious job application is making waves. Ömer Öztok, co-founder of the startup Sondra, a company based in Istanbul, applied to lead Open AI with a slate of radical proposals.

  Open AI says Öztok proposed replacing the executive team with ChatGPT agents, training GPT-6 on his own social media posts, poaching Meta's AI team, and even acquiring Google. The company replied with a witty rejection—praising his enthusiasm but calling the ideas "apocalyptic" and "disruptive"—and opted for a more traditional candidate.

  Öztok says he's unfazed. He believes his time will come and that challenging conventions is the point.

  For now, his application has sparked conversation across the tech community about ambition, AI governance, and the limits of disruption.

★ The erosion of democratic norms in Turkey continues to directly affect investor confidence.

  According to a report by German Institute for International and Security Affairs, the judiciary and media are under heavy influence from the government, while systematic pressure is applied on civil liberties.

★ According to İrfan Donat of the weekly Oksijen, agriculture in Turkey is both shrinking and fueling inflation.

  Food inflation is running higher than headline inflation.

  In the first seven months of the year, agricultural and food imports rose by more than 18 percent, while exports increased by only 0.3 percent.

★ Turkey's Central Bank cut its policy rate by 250 basis points to 40.5 percent, a sharper move than markets expected.

  The bank had last lowered rates in July by 300 basis points, with markets now anticipating a slower pace of cuts.

  Official inflation stands at 32.95 percent, while the independent ENAG group reports 65.49 percent, fueling concern over credibility.

  Analysts are split: some say the cut was measured, while others accuse Governor Fatih Karahan of breaking promises on inflation targets.

  Global banks and the Central Bank's own survey foresee rates dropping toward 36 percent by year's end and further into 2026.

★ The Turkish government has seized Can Holdings, transferring Habertürk, Show TV, and Bloomberg HT to the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund.

  Can Holding owners are described as being friendly with the Turkish president and his family And analysts described the seizure as a surprise

  Officials cite money laundering and tax evasion, while critics call it part of a broader media clampdown.

  Turkey already controls 90 percent of national media and ranks 159th in press freedom, just below Pakistan.

  Analysts say outlets not deemed "friendly" face state takeovers or crippling fines, leaving citizens increasingly dependent on regulated online news.

★ Turkish Airlines has been honored by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) with the "World Class" award for the fifth year in a row.

  The airline also received "Best in Class" distinctions in sustainability and food and beverage service, and commitment to environmentally responsible operations and high-quality passenger service.

★ Hyundai established its Turkish factory in İzmit, Kocaeli, in 1997 as its first overseas production plant.

  The facility, with a capacity of 230,000 vehicles per year, exports almost 90% of output to European markets, while the rest is sold domestically.

  Hyundai Europe CEO Xavier Martinet recently highlighted Turkey's rising role, saying the İzmit plant will be "one of the front-lines of Europe's electric transformation."

  Analysts say that this marks Turkey not just as a production base but as a strategic center in Hyundai's global automotive plans.

 

★ Yalika Concept Store in Bodrum, known for its handmade design shop, art events, and pet-friendly cafe, continues to host prominent artists.

  The venue recently opened Alun Uluç's exhibition "A Discovery Beyond the Eye," featuring 25 works on paper that combine collage and other techniques.

  Uluç, who studied at Columbia University and the Arts Students League in New York, described the show as an exploration of his "inner world" interacting with the outer world.

  He also highlighted Yalika's mission of caring for sick and abandoned stray animals, noting that nearly all sales proceeds support this cause.

★ The first day of the "Culture, Art, and Administrative Law Symposium" at the Baksı Museum in Bayburt, in eastern Turkey has concluded.

  Sessions focused on the sustainability of cultural investments, legal protections for artists, and the employment rights of rural women.

  Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan, the founder of the museum, spoke on "The Transformative Impact of Art and Baksı," sharing the museum's experiences and future plans.

  The symposium will continue with discussions on women's rights in rural areas, agricultural incentives, and the "Baksı Fallow Project."

★ An archaeology festival was held in the ancient city of Kayalıpınar, Sivas province, supported by the Sivas Chamber of Commerce and Industry (STSO).

  STSO President Zeki Özdemir presented students from local villages with stationery sets, emphasizing the aim of fostering a sense of history among youth.

  Özdemir underlined that Kayalıpınar, known as Samuha in antiquity, hosted four civilizations and remains central to the promotion of Sivas's heritage and tourism.

★ The Emine Göğüş Culinary Museum has reopened in Gaziantep after earthquake restoration, alongside the Balıklı Mosque, Şirvani Mosque, Gaziantep Castle, and Zincirli Bedesten.

  Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Mayor Fatma Şahin, Governor Kemal Çeber, and MP Derya Bakbak attended the ceremony.

  Ersoy announced that all restoration work on earthquake-damaged historic sites in Gaziantep has been completed.

  Mayor Şahin stressed the importance of Gaziantep's culinary heritage, noting that the museum was adapted to modern standards while preserving its historical identity.

★ The restoration of the Tahir Pasha Mansion, a key historical landmark in Van, is nearing completion.

  Led by the Van Governorship's Investment Monitoring and Studies Coordination Department, the project aims to preserve the building's traditional Ottoman-era architecture.

  The 9,150-square-foot mansion once hosted Kazım Karabekir Pasha in his youth and is a prime example of Van's architectural heritage. Kazım Karabekir Pasha was a prominent Ottoman and Turkish military commander, a leading figure in the Turkish War of Independence.

  Once fully restored, the mansion, owned by Elmas Öztürk, will host cultural and artistic activities, with 80% of the work already complete.

★ The Turkish pop group Manifest has canceled its sold-out Turkey tour after members faced charges of indecency and exhibitionism from their September 6 concert in Istanbul.

  A court released the musicians under travel bans and judicial controls.

  Authorities also blocked access to the concert videos, citing national security, a move critics call unjustified.

  Manifest had planned to perform in nine cities, including Izmir, Konya, Antalya, and Ankara.

★ Turkish artist Onay Akbaş marks his 40th anniversary in Paris with the exhibition "The Poetry of Chaos: The Memory of a Tea Garden in Anatolia," opening September 15 at Caserne Napoléon.

  Forty large giclée prints on aluminum will cover the building's facades, each paired with anime-style videos accessible through QR codes.

  The works are rooted in scraps of paper Akbaş collected two decades ago in a tea garden in Datça, transformed into images of memory, migration, and fleeting gestures.

  Born in Fatsa, a town in Ordu Province on Turkey's Black Sea coast, Akbaş has lived in Paris since 1988, building an international career that began with his first solo exhibition in 1989.

★ American feminist artist Suzanne Lacy opened her first comprehensive exhibition in Turkey at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum In Istanbul on September 12.

  Titled "Birlikte/Together," the show brings together video installations and collective projects that highlight women's experiences of identity, freedom, violence, work, and aging.

  Lacy, a pioneer of community-based performance art since the 1970s, is known for large-scale participatory works that connect artists, activists, and local communities.

  The exhibition, supported by the Sabancı Foundation, will run until December 14 and include workshops, children's programs, and an artist talk with museum director Ahu Antmen.

 

★ Arkas Holding has opened a new art center in Izmir's Göztepe district, transforming the historic Ayşe–Seniha Mayda Mansion into Arkas Sanat Göztepe.

  This is the sixth cultural venue established by Arkas, following centers in Alsancak, Bornova, and Urla. The mansion, once home to Turkey's first female orthodontist Ayşe Mayda, was carefully restored and now houses a permanent exhibition of Turkish painting.

  The collection spans from the late Ottoman period to the second half of the 20th century, featuring works by Hoca Ali Rıza, İbrahim Çallı, Nazmi Ziya, Nejad Devrim, Nuri İyem, and Burhan Doğançay. More than 200 works from the Arkas Collection are on view here for the first time in such depth.

  At the opening, Lucien Arkas emphasized the importance of sharing art with younger generations, saying, "Art gains value when it is shared." A new project with Centre Pompidou is planned for Bayraklı in 2026.

★ The third International Mythology Film Festival will take place September 22–30 across five cities: Izmir, Aydın, Manisa, Istanbul, and Çanakkale.

  With the theme "Mythology and Women," the program features short film and digital game competitions, international screenings, panels, and concerts in ancient sites, including Tralleis and Troy.

  Highlights include Sweden's YoJuliet performing live music for silent films at Tralleis and a new digital game contest bringing Anatolian myths to mobile and PC platforms.

  Special awards named after the Turkic deities Ülgen and Mergen will be given, and screenings range from Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo to Turkish films such as Önder Şengül's Balinanın Bilgisi and Ülkü Sönmez's HisTroy.

★ Sevil Dolmacı Gallery in Istanbul is presenting a major retrospective of Austrian artist Peter Kogler, tracing his 40-year journey from the 1980s to today.

  Born in Innsbruck in 1959, Kogler pioneered the use of computers in art, blending graphics, architecture, and new media, with recurring motifs such as ants, brain patterns, and tubes.

  His immersive installations transform architectural space, inviting viewers into perceptual and participatory experiences, and his works are held in leading institutions including MoMA and Centre Pompidou.

  The exhibition, showcasing both two- and three-dimensional works, is on view at Villa İpranosyan until October 17.

 

★ Dirimart opens its new London space with Ayşe Erkmen's exhibition "Insistence, still," featuring seven site-specific works.

  The exhibition reflects on what it means aesthetically and conceptually for a gallery to relocate to a new environment, combining sculpture, sound, and video.

  Highlights include wooden panels from Dirimart Istanbul reinstalled as if construction is ongoing, a sound piece recalling displaced shops in Dolapdere, and ribbons bearing the artist's name woven onto a column in memory of her grandmother.

  Other works include silver and ceramic pieces that transform material and process into sculptural form, on view until October 4.

★ Summary of archeological discoveries in Turkey this week.

  - Excavations at İnönü Cave in Zonguldak show that prehistoric communities used charcoal for medicine 5,000 years ago, while genetic traces reveal antibiotic resistance existed more than 6,000 years ago. These findings reshape the history of healing practices in Anatolia and prove resistance is an ancient natural process.

  - In Kayseri's Yamula Dam area, archaeologists uncovered three giant elephant skulls dating back 7.7 million years, making it one of the richest fossil sites in Eurasia. The discovery provides rare insights into Late Miocene ecosystems that once hosted rhinos, giraffes, horses, and saber-toothed cats.

  - At İkiztepe Mound in Samsun, 4,500-year-old Mediterranean mussel shells were found, revealing Bronze Age diets and early trade links in the Black Sea region. The long-running excavations also provide valuable data on prehistoric climate, environment, and social change.

  - At Sagalassos in Burdur, archaeologists are studying a 2,000-year-old Roman-era woman's shoe print on a clay tile, proving that women wore hobnailed shoes and took active roles in society. Researchers will reconstruct the leather footwear using hobnails from the site, offering a glimpse of daily life in the ancient city.

  - In Şanlıurfa's Sayburç, excavations are revealing Neolithic remains alongside Roman ruins and 1950s village houses, which will be preserved as part of a new open-air museum. The project will feature both prehistoric monuments and a village museum that highlights Urfa's rural culture.

  - At Karahöyük in Konya, a 3,500-year-old seal depicting a human with an eagle's head was unearthed, reflecting Bronze Age beliefs and identity. The site also revealed infant burials under homes, evidence of squid consumption, and trade links between inland Anatolia and the Mediterranean coast.

  - In the ancient city of Aigai in Manisa, a rare 2,200-year-old Hellenistic sun dial was discovered in the council house, preserved in one piece with detailed carvings. Now on display at the Manisa Museum, the artifact demonstrates advanced timekeeping and astronomical knowledge of the era.

  - In Diyarbakır's Kulp district, archaeologists uncovered a 1,700-year-old church dating to the 4th century AD, proving Byzantine expansion east of the Euphrates earlier than thought. Coins, burials, and artifacts show long-term settlement and early Christian presence in the region.

  - At Çayönü Hill in southeastern Turkey, a 9,500-year-old communal structure with a red-painted floor was uncovered, used for meetings and ceremonies. The building reflects social organization and mastery of natural pigments during the Neolithic Revolution.

★ Special Olympics Turkey will hold the National Basketball Games in Antalya on September 17–18, 2025, with the support of UPS.

  Hosted by Belek University, the event will bring together 60 athletes with special needs, 24 coaches, and 20 volunteers from across Turkey.

  The games begin on Wednesday, September 17, with classification matches, followed by the opening ceremony on Thursday morning and a full day of competition.

★ Turkey's women boxers secured at least three medals at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.

  Büşra Işıldar (75 kg), Şeyma Düztaş (+80 kg), and 2022 world champion Buse Naz Çakıroğlu (51 kg) all won their quarterfinal matches to advance to the semifinals.

  Meanwhile, Buse Naz Çakıroğlu has been elected to the athletes' committee of world boxing by the votes of active competitors at the Championships.

  Busenaz Sürmeneli, a three-time world champion, and Elif Güneri were both eliminated in the quarterfinals, while Hatice Akbaş and Emrah Yaşar also exited the tournament.

★ According to BBC's Turkish service, Turkey's national men's basketball team has reached the final of EuroBasket 2025, defeating Greece with a commanding performance. It is the team's first final in 24 years.

  Turkey led the first quarter 26–16.

  The twelve giants extended their dominance in the second quarter, going into halftime ahead 49–31.

  In the third quarter, the margin grew to 21 points, with Turkey leading 72–51.

  The strong play continued in the final quarter. Turkey won the game 94–68.

  In the final, Turkey will face Germany, who beat Finland 98–86.

  The championship game will be played on Sunday, September 14, at 21:00 Turkey time, and will be broadcast live on TRT1.

  Turkey had advanced to the semifinals by defeating Poland 91–77.

  Greece had reached the semifinals with an 87–76 win over Lithuania.

★ The QNB İstanbul Challenger 77th TED Open Tennis Tournament concluded in Istanbul with Alex Molcan crowned champion.

  Molcan defeated Nicolas Mejia in the singles final with scores of 7-6 and 6-2 before more than 3,000 spectators.

  The TED Open, part of the ATP Challenger Tour, has been held without interruption since 1946, making it Turkey's longest-running international sports event.

★ The Turkish Rowing National Team made history at the 2025 European Under-23 Rowing Championships in Racice, Czechia, where athletes competed from 27 countries.

  Halil Kaan Köroğlu won gold in the lightweight men's single sculls, Cevdet Ege Mutlu took silver in the men's single sculls, and the pair of Enes Biber and Aytimur Selçuk secured silver in the men's pair.

★ The 15th TransAnatolia Rally Raid, one of Turkey's most prestigious international races, ended in Bolu after a grueling 1,360-mile course.

  Starting in Bursa on August 30, the rally passed through 17 provinces before finishing on September 6, with 98 competitors from eight countries taking part in motorcycle, 4x4 car, SSV, quad, and truck categories.

  San Marino's Thomas Marini won the motorcycle class, the Bekir Kuvvet Erim–Onur Sırımoğlu duo topped the car category, and Italy's Marino Mutti–Andrea Mazzoleni team claimed first place in the truck class.

★ Turkey's Red Bull athlete Toprak Razgatlıoğlu claimed his tenth straight victory at the World Superbike Championship's ninth round in France, winning the 21-lap opening race at the 2,740-mile Magny-Cours circuit with his ROKiT BMW Motorrad team.

  Aruba Ducati rider Nicolo Bulega finished second and Kawasaki's Alex Lowes took third, while fellow Turkish rider Bahattin Sofuoğlu placed 10th with Yamaha Motoxracing.

  In the overall standings, Razgatlıoğlu extended his lead with 432 points, 31 ahead of Bulega, while Petrucci sits third with 246 and Sofuoğlu holds 20th place with 23.

★ Esra Gümüş Kırıcı, Vice President of the Turkish National Olympic Committee and former captain of the Turkish Women's National Volleyball Team, has been selected as one of the new ambassadors of the International Olympic Committee's "Believe in Sport" program.

  The program aims to raise awareness against competition manipulation and appoints athletes from five continents to serve as role models for young people.

  Esra Gümüş Kırıcı will take an active role in efforts to protect fair play and the integrity of sport. IOC official Friedrich Martens emphasized that the new ambassadors will make a significant contribution to this fight.

★ Turkish chess prodigy Ediz Gürel (born 2008) scored a historic win over reigning world champion GM Dommaraju Gukesh in round 7 of the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand.

  With this result, Gürel became the first Turkish player to defeat a sitting world champion; he and compatriot Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş are both on 4 points after 7 rounds.

  The tournament's top two qualify for the 2026 Candidates, and Turkey's sports minister Osman Aşkın Bak issued a congratulatory message to Gürel.