Istanbul

Voices from the Arab Press: Red lines in Syria, Azerbaijani oil, and Anwar Sadat

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses of the Arab media around the world.

|ByTHE MEDIA LINE
A WORKER rests next to an oil pump in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Protesters hold up Pride flags as they stand in front of riot police officers in Izmir, Turkey, on June 27, 2026.

Turkey detains 26 people in raids targeting LGBTQ+ associations over accusations of obscenity

Dubbed "My Family is Safe," the government's crackdown comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promotes a "Decade of Family and Population," an initiative designed to tackle falling birth rates.

|ByREUTERS
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and other officials pose before the first committee meeting for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, in Istanbul, Turkey, August 31, 2026.

Turkish FM calls Netanyahu 'enemy of humanity,' claims Mecca agreement not directed at any country

"The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is not directed against a specific country," Fidan said, adding that the member states are considering establishing a mechanism to add new members.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS
Turkey offers world-class hair restoration - the key to natural results is choosing the right doctor, not just the lowest price.

Restore fuller hair with a hair transplant

|ByIN COOPERATION WITH SMILE HAIR CLINIC

Turkey detains 115 suspected Islamic State members believed planning Christmas and New Year attacks

Istanbul Police obtained information that Islamic State members had planned attacks in Turkey during Christmas and New Year celebrations, the prosecutor's office posted on X.

DECEMBER 25, 2025ByREUTERS
A member loyal to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) waves an ISIL flag in Raqqa June 29, 2014

Jews attacked en route to Hanukkah candle lighting at Istanbul synagogue

Jews heading to a Hanukkah candle lighting in Istanbul were attacked amid protests and anti Israel slogans, according to footage from the scene.

DECEMBER 21, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Gate of Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul, Turkey.

Hamas chief, Turkey's intelligence head discuss Gaza ceasefire's second phase in Istanbul

Forces from the IDF's 16th Brigade operating in the northern Strip identified the terrorists, who were shot dead by the Israeli Air Force.

DECEMBER 20, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Then-Hamas Arab relations chief Khalil al-Hayya (R) hold a press conference during a visit to the Syrian capital Damascus on October 19, 2022

Hamas's Khaled Mashaal: We will not disarm, give up control in Gaza, or accept int'l oversight

Israel's Foreign Ministry, sharing footage of Mashaal's address, slammed the comments, calling them a "direct contradiction of the core terms of the peace plan itself."

DECEMBER 7, 2025ByJAMES GENN
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal addresses an Istanbul conference, December 6, 2025.

Pope Leo XIV lands in Beirut during first Middle East visit

Pope Leo XIV begins a three-day visit to Lebanon, meeting leaders, touring five cities, and honoring victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

NOVEMBER 30, 2025ByREUTERS
Pope Leo XIV disembarks the papal plane upon arrival at Rafic Hariri International Airport, during his first apostolic journey, in Beirut, Lebanon, November 30, 2025.

Prominent Turkish journalist gets 4-year sentence for Erdogan comments

Fatih Altayli was sentenced after referencing a historic Ottoman Turkish practice of killing or drowning rulers they no longer wanted in power.

NOVEMBER 26, 2025ByREUTERS
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, October 30, 2025.

Ukraine seeking exchange of 1,200 prisoners with Russia

Ukraine says it is pushing to restart prisoner exchanges with Russia, aiming to bring home 1,200 Ukrainians.

NOVEMBER 16, 2025ByREUTERS
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses for a picture with service members while he visits a command position of the 128th Zakarpattia Separate Mountain Assault Brigade at a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine November 13, 2025.

Newborn African lion cub rescued from Istanbul smugglers

The cub was discovered after a tip-off on a veterinary clinic holding the cub in the Tuzla district.

NOVEMBER 15, 2025ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
Turkish authorities rescued a 35-day-old African lion cub after it was trafficked into Istanbul, the Agricultural and Forestry Ministry confirmed last week.

Turkey court orders arrest of Istanbul's jailed mayor for 'political espionage'

Turkey intensifies its crackdown on dissent as a court orders the new arrest of jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu over alleged ‘political espionage.’

OCTOBER 27, 2025ByREUTERS
Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu shout slogans in front of the Justice Palace, October 26, 2025.

Pakistan reports border clashes during talks with Afghanistan

The Taliban denies accusations of sheltering insurgents and says Pakistan's military operations violate Afghan sovereignty.

OCTOBER 26, 2025ByREUTERS
People inspect houses and vehicles destroyed during an airstrike, following a temporary ceasefire, amid the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, October 16, 2025.