ISTANBUL — In the heart of Istanbul, on top of the towering minarets that dot the city’s skyline, 68-year-old Kahraman Yildiz toils away at a craft that has illuminated the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for generations. Yildiz, a master of Mahya, the unique Turkish tradition of stringing religious messages and designs between minarets, is … Read more
The Maslak financial and business center in the Sariyer district of Istanbul. Ayhan Altun | Moment | Getty Images Turkish annual consumer price inflation soared to 67.07% in February, the Turkish Statistical Institute said Monday, coming in above expectations. Analysts polled by Reuters had anticipated annual inflation would climb to 65.7% last month. The combined … Read more
ISTANBUL — One person died and two assailants were fatally shot in an attack on a courthouse in Istanbul on Tuesday, Turkish officials said. The attackers, a man and woman, were killed during an “attempt to attack” a security checkpoint at the Caglayan courthouse, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on social media. He said six … Read more
ISTANBUL — The governor of Turkey’s central bank has resigned only months after taking office amid allegations of improper use of power and family interference in the workings of the financial institutions. Hafize Gaye Erkan who took over as central bank governor in June was the bank’s first female chief. She announced her resignation on … Read more
DENPASAR, Indonesia — Indonesian police said Tuesday they have arrested three Mexicans for alleged robbery on the resort island of Bali that left a tourist from Turkey badly wounded. The arrests were made Saturday at a villa in Ungasan village of Badung district in Bali where the Mexican men had been staying since Dec. 7 … Read more
NICOSIA, Cyprus — The government of ethnically split Cyprus on Friday promised breakaway Turkish Cypriots a package of measures aimed at winning their trust ahead of a renewed United Nations attempt to revive long-dormant peace talks. It includes promises to expedite citizenship applications, grant pensions to widows, offer more job training opportunities and allow easier … Read more
Comment on this storyCommentAdd to your saved storiesSave ISTANBUL — After 20 months of demands, obstruction and delay, the Turkish parliament on Tuesday night voted in favor of Sweden joining NATO, clearing one of the final hurdles for a major expansion of the military alliance set in motion by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkish President … Read more
BEIRUT — Turkish shelling and airstrikes have targeted dozens of infrastructure facilities in northeast Syria over the past days, wounding at least 10 people and cutting out electricity and water supplies in wide areas held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the war-torn country, Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria said Monday. The statement by … Read more
A tram passes shoppers as it travels along Istiklal Street in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images As inflation eases in most of the world’s major economies, eye-watering price rises continue to blight citizens in Turkey. Inflation in the country rose to 64.8% on … Read more
ANKARA, Turkey — A chain-reaction crash Thursday involving seven vehicles on a motorway in northwest Turkey killed at least 10 people and injured 57 others, officials said. The pileup occurred in dense fog and low visibility on the Northern Marmara Highway in Sakarya province, some 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Istanbul. An investigation has been … Read more