★ The New York Times reported that Tiffany Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump, and her husband Michael Boulos spent part of their summer vacation aboard a Turkish billionaire family's mega-yacht, the Phoenix 2.

  The Bayegan family, who own the vessel, are prominent oil traders with major investments in Libya. At the same time, Boulos was in Libya pursuing energy deals, raising concerns about blurred lines between Trump family business ties and U. S. diplomacy.

  American diplomats told the Times that Boulos sometimes promoted his own agenda and that even the release of $70 billion in frozen Libyan assets had been floated.

  Their Mediterranean holiday also included stays on a Greek billionaire's yacht and a private French island estate.

★ Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party is locked in a power struggle:

  – Turkey's Supreme Election Council rejected a request to cancel an extraordinary party convention.

  – A court case about the 2023 convention has been postponed to October 24. Some dissent party members started the lawsuit alleging there were procedural violations and vote-buying.

  – The Republican People's Party leadership hopes to hold local conventions before then to strengthen its position.

  – Istanbul's imprisoned mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, said, "Party elections are overseen by the election council, not by courts."

  – President Erdoğan insisted that his ruling "Justice and Development Party has nothing to do with this fight inside Republican People's Party," while international media noted the political uncertainty had even influenced currency markets.

★ A forest fire in Alanya, a resort district in Antalya Province on Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast, spread across three neighborhoods.

  About 100 homes were evacuated, but firefighting planes and helicopters brought the blaze largely under control.

★ Richard Moore, head of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency and a former ambassador to Turkey, bid farewell to his post at a meeting in Istanbul.

  He will be succeeded by Blaise Metreweli. Moore highlighted Turkey's strategic importance and emphasized his reforms on diversity and technology in intelligence work.

★ Turkey's Supreme Court ruled that renters who move out before their lease ends must continue paying rent and fees until the property is re-leased. The ruling clarifies that even a three-month notice of departure does not end the obligation.

★ The Turkish Football Federation referred Fenerbahçe club president Ali Koç to the disciplinary committee after his public comments following a league match. Koç is a leading figure in Turkish sports and heir to one of Turkey's biggest family conglomerates.

★ Greenpeace Turkey launched a campaign called "Make Polluters Pay, Ease Our Burden," urging the government to eliminate tax breaks for polluting industries and redirect funds toward climate justice. Surveys show most citizens already view Turkey's tax system as unfair.

★ Education and children's welfare:

  – A parents' association reported that in 60,000 of Turkey's 75,000 schools, children lack free access to drinking water. Students either bring bottles from home, buy expensive bottled water, or risk drinking from restroom taps.

  – In Hatay Province, still recovering from the 2023 earthquake, a pilot project gave preschool children in container housing free daily meals. Advocates say this low-cost model could be expanded nationwide.

  – In Istanbul, the metropolitan municipality is opening a new student dormitory named after Zübeyde Hanım, mother of modern Turkey's founder Atatürk. It will house 326 young women.

★ The Akbelen Forest struggle in Muğla Province (southwestern Turkey, near the Aegean coast) continues.

  After the death of "Grandmother Zehra," a symbolic activist who chained herself to trees, logging crews moved in. The local mayor vowed to continue resistance.

  Muğla's metropolitan mayor demanded accountability from those who allowed companies to uproot olive groves for mining.

★ Europe–Turkey relations:

  Columnists note that the European Union has softened its criticism of Turkey's democratic decline. The EU Commission expressed concern but continued political dialogue, while the European Council avoided the issue altogether.

★ Human rights and legal cases:

  – A leading doctor argued that chronically ill prisoners should not be kept behind bars.

  – Journalist Furkan Karabay faces charges of "insulting the president" and "targeting officials," with a trial set for December 2.

  – Prosecutors in Bolu demanded nearly 2,000 years of prison time for hotel managers held responsible for a deadly 2024 fire at the Grand Kartal ski resort, which killed 78 people.

  - Three Boğaziçi University students have been acquitted of charges of "insulting the president" after displaying and photographing an AI-generated image of President Erdoğan in front of earthquake rubble labeled "Masterpiece."

  Detained in May 2023 and later indicted under Article 299, they were cleared on Friday by an İstanbul court, which ruled the elements of the crime were not met.

★ Bayrampaşa, a district in Istanbul, is at the center of a corruption scandal.

  The opposition mayor and 25 others were jailed on charges of bribery and rigging tenders.

  In a social media statement today, Bayrampaşa Mayor Hasan Mutlu said he was arrested and suspended from duty solely because he refused pressure to join the ruling Justice and Development Party

  Dozens of city council members resigned, costing the Republican People's Party its majority in the local assembly.

  Opposition leaders accused the government of using prosecutions to intimidate and take over opposition-run municipalities.

  With Bayrampaşa, the number of jailed Republican People's Party district mayors in Istanbul has risen to 11, plus the city's mayor İmamoğlu, making 12 in total.

★ Parliament's "Commission for a Terror-Free Turkey" saw heated arguments. Members of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party walked out, accusing a guest speaker of using "toxic language" against peace efforts.

★ Foreign policy developments:

  – Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of pursuing expansionist policies and called for international action.

  – Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu countered: "Jerusalem is our city and will never be divided."

  In response, President Erdoğan insisted Turkey would never accept Israel's claims to Jerusalem and pledged support for Palestinians in Gaza.

  Also, Turkey's ruling party dismissed Netanyahu's words as meaningless.

  – Turkish pianist Fazıl Say urged the global music community to speak out against what he called genocide in Gaza.

  – Russia praised its cooperation with Turkey, particularly on the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.

  – Tensions flared in the Aegean Sea after Turkey's Piri Reis oil exploration ship issued a maritime notice. Greece responded with a major military drill, and Ankara reiterated its demand that Greek islands remain demilitarized.

★ Turkey's broadcast regulator RTÜK fined major streaming services, including Netflix and Disney+, for allegedly violating "national values."

★ Police launched a tax and fraud probe into Can Holding, a media conglomerate that owns the Can Publications, one of Turkey's major book publisher. CEO Kenan Tekdağ was placed under house arrest and five others jailed.

★ Turkey's banking watchdog extended the deadline for bids on Flash TV, once a well-known independent channel that is now under state control.

★ Religious Affairs: President Erdoğan appointed Professor Safi Arpaguş as Turkey's new head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).

  Arpaguş is a scholar of Islamic mysticism and Mevlevi traditions, known for leading a 2023 commemoration of Atatürk with prayers.

★ In Izmir, on Turkey's Aegean coast, a 16-year-old gunman killed two police officers.

  He later admitted he originally planned to attack a bar or the city's international fair, but decided to target a police station instead. The incident has shocked the country.

★ Nature feature: The European eel, classified as critically endangered, has one of nature's most astonishing life cycles.

  Spawning in the Sargasso Sea near Mexico, larvae drift across the Atlantic to Europe and the Mediterranean. After transforming into yellow eels, some reach Turkey's Bafa Lake near the Aegean coast.

  Mature eels then migrate thousands of miles back to the Sargasso to spawn and die, completing a remarkable 7,000-kilometer journey.

★ Turkey's Treasury and Finance Ministry rejected claims in a pro-government newspaper that foreign currency trades are tax-free.

  The ministry said all such transactions are subject to a small tax, and commercial profits from foreign exchange can be taxed at rates up to 40%.

 

★ Apple has officially released the iPhone 17.

  Pre-orders broke records, especially in India, while Turkey ranked in the top five countries where the phone is hardest to purchase due to demand and cost.

★ Also in the headlines:

  – Turkey posted a budget surplus in August, reducing the year's deficit to 48 billion dollars in local currency.

  – The country's gold stockpile has grown to nearly 3,900 tons, worth about 450 billion dollars.

  – Short-term foreign debt rose slightly to 171 billion dollars.

  – The central bank lowered credit card interest rates and capped debit card fees.

  – Turkey's credit risk premium (CDS) dropped to its lowest in five years, signaling improved investor confidence.

  – August home sales rose nearly 7% compared to last year, though foreign purchases fell 20%.

  – In Istanbul, Akbank's headquarters was renovated with recycled materials, older furnishings were donated to over 1,000 schools.

  – Police raided Investco Holding, a major investment company, detaining 14 people including economist Işık Ökte, on allegations of money laundering and stock manipulation.

  - Turkey's rate of people aged 18–24 who are not in education, employment, or training stands at 31.3%, compared to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 14.1%.

★ The 29th Istanbul Theater Festival opens October 20 and runs through November 22 across 11 venues.

  Curated by Mehmet Birkiye, the program features six international and ten Turkish productions, from Paul Auster's New York Trilogy to Goethe's Faust.

  Highlights include Scapino Ballet Rotterdam's Cathedral, Baro d'Evel's Who Are We?, and an inclusive Hamlet performed by actors with Down syndrome.

  Literary adaptations, young artist projects, and site-specific performances will be joined by free talks and workshops.

  Read more at >> here <<

 

★ Aygaz is marking 20 years of support for archaeological excavations at Sagalassos, an ancient city in Burdur province.

  Recent finds include statues of Hermes and the moon god Men—the oldest life-size marble depiction in Anatolia.

  Restoration work continues on the Agora Gymnasium and city fountains, with the aim of re-watering them by 2029.

  Excavation Director Peter Talloen calls Sagalassos "a cultural treasure of universal value," made visible through long-term sponsorship.

 

★ Borusan Sanat launches its 26th season with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by artistic director Carlo Tenan and honorary conductor Gürer Aykal.

  Guest conductors include Christoph Eschenbach and Barbara Hannigan, with soloists such as Jan Lisiecki, Daniel Hope, and François-Frédéric Guy.

  The season will present premieres and classics from Beethoven to Shostakovich, concluding with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in May 2026.

  Selected concerts will also air on Borusan Klasik radio and stream on YouTube.

★ Brief headlines in the arts

  – Businessman Osman Kavala, imprisoned since 2017 over the Gezi Park protests, received Germany's prestigious Goethe Medal. His wife, academic Ayşe Buğra, accepted it.

  – Six cartoonists from the Turkish satirical magazine LeMan remain jailed despite prosecutors requesting their release.

  – Turkish pianist Fazıl Say urged the global music community to speak out against what he called genocide in Gaza.

  – At the opening of the 18th Istanbul Biennial art festival, industrialist Ömer Koç criticized global silence over Gaza.

  – Scriptwriter Merve Göntem of the popular drama "Cornelian Cherry Sorbet" was briefly detained over old comments but released with a travel ban.

 

★ Turkey's Family and Social Services Ministry has asked a court to ban pop star Mabel Matiz's new song Perperişan, claiming it threatens "public order," harms children, and undermines family values.

  Matiz, who says the lyrics simply tell a metaphorical love story in the folk bard tradition, rejected the claims, calling the ban request the first of its kind in Turkey and part of broader government moves against LGBTI+ rights during the declared "Year of the Family."

 

★ Göktepe, a neighborhood in Muğla's Menteşe district, will host the 11th Traditional Göktepe Culture and Solidarity Festival on September 27.

  Local artists including zurna master Mesut Külahlı, singer Mehmet Topçuoğlu, and the Karauzunlar İnce Saz Ensemble will perform, along with a riverside DJ set to add a modern touch.

  The festival will feature a 600-person breakfast, traditional keşkek (wheat and meat stew), a village tour, and the sale and promotion of local products throughout the day.

 

★ The International Bodrum Fish Festival, highlighting Bodrum's maritime culture and fishing heritage, will take place on Sunday, September 28, 2025,

  at Akyarlar Karaincir Beach, organized in partnership with Bodrum Marmara College and Club Marma Hotel.

  One of the main events will be the release of thousands of baby fish into the sea, coordinated by the District Agriculture Directorate to support the ecosystem and promote sustainable fishing.

  The festival also welcomes a 20-member team from Greece, who will prepare traditional dishes and perform folk dances, alongside gastronomy workshops, seafood tastings, and craft stalls.

  Children will enjoy nautical knot workshops, games, and sea-themed activities, while visitors can swim safely and join sports on the beach. The festival aims to preserve cultural heritage, strengthen community solidarity, raise environmental awareness, and foster a love for the sea, with support from Turkish ministries, local government, and maritime organizations.

 

★ On September 17, Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdoğan hosted Japanese Princess Akiko Mikasa at the Presidential Guesthouse in Ankara, where they discussed cultural heritage, archaeological excavations, and strengthening ties between Turkey and Japan.

  Joined by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister and Japan's ambassador, the meeting highlighted joint projects, including excavations starting September 20 at the Ayanlar site in Şanlıurfa.

  Both sides emphasized the importance of preserving traditions and culinary culture, with Erdoğan noting the value of passing this friendship to future generations.

  Princess Mikasa drew attention by wearing a brooch crafted with the traditional Turkish filigree technique and nail polish featuring the flags of Turkey and Japan.

  Earlier in the week, Princess Mikasa visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Turkey's first president and the independence war hero.

 

★ Unearthed in 1987 in Bolu's city center, the Gladiator Tomb Monument has gone on display for the first time at Bolu Museum's "From Kalkhedon to Klaudiopolis" exhibit.

  Dating to the 2nd–3rd centuries CE, it lists the names and victories of local gladiators, revealing the city's role as a Roman arena center.

  The Greek inscription records fighters with dozens of wins, underscoring both the brutality of the games and the fame gladiators could achieve beyond Rome itself.

★ Headlines:

  – The Turkish Football Federation referred Fenerbahçe president Ali Koç to the disciplinary committee after critical remarks.

  - Galatasaray lost 5–1 to Eintracht Frankfurt in their opening UEFA Champions League soccer match, with German media praising Frankfurt's pressing game.

  - Bursaspor faces Braunschweig in a FIBA Basketball Champions League qualifying match.

  – Soccer fans can expect a busy weekend of matches from Turkey's Süper Lig and Europe's top leagues.

 1 - G. Saray        15
 2 - Göztepe         12
 3 - Fenerbahçe      12
 4 - Samsun          11
 5 - Trabzon         11
 6 - Antalya         10
 7 - G. Antep        10
 8 - Alanya           9
 9 - Konya            7
10 - Başakşehir       6
11 - Beşiktaş         6
12 - Kasımpaşa        5
13 - Rize             5
14 - Kayseri          4
15 - Eyüp             4
16 - G. Birliği       3
17 - K.gümrük         3
18 - Kocaeli         2