This is Beirut

Turkish Airlines Orders Up to 225 Boeing Jets After Erdogan’s White House Visit

This is Beirut, 26/09 10:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey United States Recep Tayyip Erdogan Donald Trump

Turkish Airlines announced on Friday a deal to buy up to 225 Boeing jets, one day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first White House visit since 2019. The order includes 150 confirmed aircraft to be delivered between 2029 and 2034, with an option for 75 more, the company said in a statement, without giving a figure of the ...

Trump Urges Turkey's Erdogan to Stop Buying Russian Oil

This is Beirut, 25/09 21:01 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Turkey USA erdogan sanctions

US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine, as Erdogan sought a long-awaited deal to buy US stealth fighter jets. As Erdogan visited the White House for the first time since 2019 during Trump's first term, Trump called on him to use his influence with ...

Pope Leo XIV to Visit Lebanon in Late November, Local Media Reports

This is Beirut, 23/09 11:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Pope Francis Turkey Pope Leo XIV

For weeks, speculation ran high about Pope Leo XIV’s possible visit to Lebanon, met with denials from the Apostolic Nuncio and silence from the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke. But the secrecy appears to be lifting. According to MTV Lebanon, the Vatican is set to officially confirm the papal visit, scheduled for November 30 to December 2. A ...

Trump to Host Erdogan at White House on September 25

This is Beirut, 19/09 22:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkey United States

US President Donald Trump said Friday he will welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House next week and expects a resolution to a long-running rift on fighter jets. It will be the first visit to the White House by Erdogan since 2019 during Trump's first term, with former president Joe Biden having a tense relationship with ...

Pope Leo XIV in Lebanon at the End of November: What About the Visit’s Program?

This is Beirut, 19/09 12:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Pope Francis Lebanon Turkey

The much-anticipated visit of Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon has reportedly been confirmed by senior church officials, according to the daily Nidaa al-Watan. Although no official announcement has yet been made by the Holy See, preparations—both spiritual and protocolary—are said to already be underway to welcome the head of the Catholic Church. The ...

Turkey Court Tries Case that Could Oust Opposition Leadership

This is Beirut, 15/09 09:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Tens of thousands of people protested in Ankara ahead of a key court hearing Monday targeting Turkey's main CHP opposition party that could see its leadership upended. Critics say the vote-buying case is a politically motivated attempt to undermine Turkey's oldest political party, which won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip ...

Schroeder Seals Euro Basketball Title For World Champions Germany

This is Beirut, 15/09 09:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Germany Schroeder Basketball

NBA star Dennis Schroeder came good when it mattered most as Germany edged out Turkey 88-83 to win the EuroBasket title, two years after lifting the World Cup. Despite a quiet first half, the 31-year-old Shroeder came into his own late on. With his team trailing by a point as time ticked down, Schroeder scored six unanswered points to give ...

Tens of Thousands Join Ankara Protest ahead of Court Showdown

This is Beirut, 14/09 19:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan CHP

At least 50,000 people joined a protest by Turkey's main opposition CHP in Ankara Sunday ahead of a key court hearing that could oust the party's leadership, the organizers and AFP correspondents said. The protesters packed into the Turkish capital's vast Tandogan Square in a massive show of defiance on the eve of the hearing at an Ankara court, ...

Turkey: New Crackdown on Opposition in Istanbul

This is Beirut, 13/09 12:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey

An Istanbul prosecutor on Saturday ordered the arrest of 48 members of the Bayrampasa municipality, an opposition-run district of the city, including the mayor, on charges of “corruption,” the state news agency Anadolu reported. Mayor Hasan Mutlu, a member of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP, social democratic), and ...

Why Qatar and Turkey Are Seen as 'Next in Line' for Conflict with Israel

Salam El Zaatari, 11/09 11:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Iran Israel Turkey Qatar United States

The Israeli airstrike on September 9, 2025, against Hamas leaders in Doha shocked the Middle East, not only for its audacity but also for its symbolism: Israel was willing to strike inside the territory of a US ally, Qatar, long considered a safe haven for Hamas’ political leadership. The strike has since fueled speculation that Qatar, and by ...

Turkey Prosecutors Seize 3 TV Stations as Part of Fraud Probe

This is Beirut, 11/09 10:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey TV Fraud

Turkish prosecutors on Thursday seized control of a 121-company conglomerate, which includes three major television stations, and ordered the arrest of 10 of its executives on fraud charges, media reports said. The arrest order targeted management at Can Holding, which is known for its energy and education assets and which last year acquired ...

MP Alameh: Up to 400,000 Syrian Refugees Would Return Home Soon

This is Beirut, 10/09 15:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey United Nations Jordan lebanon Syria General Security Refugees

Lebanon may see up to 400,000 Syrian refugees return home in the near future, MP Fadi Alameh said on Wednesday, noting that between 200,000 and 250,000 have already gone back. Speaking after chairing a session of the Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Committee, Alameh said the meeting focused on the refugee return file and was attended by Deputy ...