Turkey
M360 GSMA Eurasia event spotlights rich promise of mobile tech, 5G and AI
Mobile technologies and services said to have generated 7.7%, or $220bn, of GDP across region last year.
I don’t plan to stand for president again – Erdogan
Top US senator, meanwhile, introduces resolution calling for release of jailed main political rival Imamoglu unless Turkey can present credible evidence against him.
Turkey sticks to end-2025 inflation target of 24%
Space for mid-June policy rate cut to 100-350 bp opens up.
Turkmen labour migrants turning elsewhere as Turkey is less welcoming
Uzbekistan and Belarus new, hot destinations.
Data centre power use expected to increase 20-fold in next five years
The first data centres consumed as much power as 20,000 homes, but the largest today use the same amount of power as100,000 homes, and are on track to burn up 5mn households' worth of power by 2030 – the same amount of power that Japan consumes.
Syria's security forces seize 4mn captagon pills in Latakia
Syria’s Ministry of Interior announced the seizure of more than 4mn of Captagon pills in the western city of Latakia, as part of a crackdown on drug trafficking. The shipment, intended for smuggling, was found hidden inside industrial equipment.
Turkish cement maker Cimko sells $300mn 5-year debut eurobond at 10.75% coupon
First Turkish eurobond sale to take place since market turbulence caused by jailing of Istanbul mayor and candidate for the presidency Ekrem Imamoglu.
Russo-Ukraine Istanbul ceasefire talks break up without result
The first direct meeting between the Kremlin and Bankova for negotiations since the start of the war in Ukraine in Istanbul on May 16 ended in failure with little progress being made.
Borsa Istanbul leads world markets in dollar-basis losses
Turkey’s exchange-traded fund down 9.5% in year-to-date. Thai performance second worst at 6.5%.
Syria’s Foreign Minister al-Shaibani meets US Secretary Rubio in Antalya amid sanctions lift announcement
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on May 15 that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, to discuss the details of lifting sanctions on Syria.
Putin slaps Zelenskiy in the face, skipping the Istanbul meeting, sending a low-level delegation in his place
Russian president Vladimir Putin was a no-show at direct talks he proposed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and sent a low-level delegation instead that didn't include a single minister, in what has been called a “slap in the face”.
Lula presses Putin to attend Ukraine peace talks as Russian leader sends deputies instead
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined the chorus of voices piling pressure on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to personally attend proposed peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, but to no avail.
Turkey’s tourism boom at risk from growing image as “expensive country”, say industry reps
Once seen as more budget-friendly than Egypt or Tunisia, country now often described as on par with Spain, Italy and Greece for overall cost.
China's SWM to launch auto plant in Turkey
BYD's sales of zero-tariff Chinese EVs on Turkish market are, meanwhile, booming.
COMMENT: Amid shrinking civic space, will the EBRD still uphold its democratic mandate?
As the global Democracy Index recorded a historic low in 2024, institutions tasked with upholding democratic values are under increasing pressure to adapt.
US President Donald Trump concludes historic meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa
US President Donald Trump met with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa on May 14, marking the first encounter between leaders of the two nations in 25 years
In Kurdish peace moves, expect ailing founder Ocalan to get Turkish Riviera house arrest and “Real PKK” splinter to emerge, says analyst
Ankara thinks it can “mop up” those who continue fighting, adds Soner Cagaptay.
Afghanistan: Grappling with fall-out of dwindling foreign aid
Almost all US assistance terminated.
EBRD cuts 2025 growth forecasts citing tariffs and global uncertainty
Development bank lowers forecasts for Emerging Europe, Central Asia and North Africa as slowdowns in Germany and China take their toll.
BEYOND THE BOSPORUS: Who's to say PKK guns won't be used under a different name?
And anyway, despite what you are reading, the militants' so-called name has not been in use since 2002.