The move comes ahead of Trump’s expected visit to Ankara next month for a NATO summit, where bilateral ties and regional security issues are expected to be on the agenda.

The Halki Seminary, established in 1844 on Heybeliada Island in the Sea of Marmara, served as the principal theological institution of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate before being closed by Turkish authorities in 1971.

The school educated generations of Orthodox clergy, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Christians, whose patriarchate remains headquartered in Istanbul.

According to Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, whose diocese covers Istanbul, Erdogan has directed Turkiye’s higher education authorities to continue consultations with representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding the institution’s future.

The metropolitan said the issue had entered a “new phase” following the president’s intervention, indicating that formal institutional discussions had resumed after years of limited progress.

While no timeline has been established for reopening the seminary, officials and church representatives are expected to address several outstanding issues, including restoration work, governance arrangements and the legal framework under which the institution would operate.

The seminary was closed following a 1971 ruling by Turkiye’s Constitutional Court requiring private higher education institutions to be integrated into the state university system. The Ecumenical Patriarchate opposed the requirement, arguing that it would compromise the school’s religious autonomy.

The reopening of Halki has long been a point of discussion between Ankara and Western governments. The United States, Greece and the European Union have repeatedly urged Turkiye to allow the institution to resume operations, viewing the issue as an important measure of religious freedom and minority rights.

Trump reportedly raised the matter during talks with Erdogan in Washington last year, adding momentum to diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving one of the most enduring disputes involving the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

For Ankara, any progress on Halki could serve as a signal of engagement with Western allies at a time when Turkiye is seeking to balance strategic ties with NATO partners while pursuing an independent regional foreign policy.

Church officials cautioned that significant administrative and legal work remains before the seminary can reopen. Nevertheless, the renewed dialogue marks the most tangible movement on the issue in years and raises the prospect that the institution could eventually resume its role as a center for Orthodox theological education.

State-owned Syria Telecom said services had returned to normal through the Tartus-Alexandria fiber-optic cable connecting the Syrian port city of Tartus with Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.

The restoration came two days after the company announced that the cable had been subjected to an “act of sabotage,” an incident that affected internet connectivity across several parts of the country and forced network operators to activate emergency contingency measures.

According to Syria Telecom, internet traffic was temporarily rerouted through alternative infrastructure, including the Ugarit Cable System, a 239-kilometer submarine connection linking Tartus with Pentaskhinos in Cyprus.

Authorities also relied on another communications route passing through Turkiye, which has been used by telecommunications provider CereTel to deliver internet services to users in Aleppo since the beginning of June.

Syria Telecom characterized the incident as part of a broader “systematic sabotage campaign” aimed at undermining critical national infrastructure, although officials did not provide details regarding the perpetrators or the precise nature of the damage.

The disruption highlighted the vulnerability of Syria’s telecommunications network as the country continues rebuilding after more than a decade of conflict that severely damaged public infrastructure and essential services.

Thirteen years of civil war have left significant portions of Syria’s banking, energy, transportation, aviation and water sectors weakened, creating substantial challenges for reconstruction efforts and economic recovery.

Digital connectivity remains a major obstacle. According to World Bank Group data, approximately 66 percent of Syria’s population still lacks internet access, placing the country among the least connected societies in the region.

In recent months, Syrian authorities have sought to modernize parts of the economy and financial system. Last year, the country introduced contactless payment technologies, marking a significant step toward reintegration with international digital and financial networks after years of isolation.

The latest disruption underscored the growing importance of undersea cable infrastructure to Syria’s communications network and the broader risks posed by attacks or technical failures affecting strategic telecommunications links in the eastern Mediterranean.

Syria Telecom said internet services were operating normally following the restoration of traffic through the Tartus-Alexandria connection.

More than 800 party delegates submitted petitions calling for a special congress to elect a new leader, according to a party source, surpassing the threshold required under CHP bylaws to convene a gathering within 45 days.

The move follows a controversial ruling by an Ankara court in May that annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election over allegations of vote-buying and restored Kilicdaroglu to the party leadership.

The decision triggered strong opposition within the CHP and intensified tensions between rival factions of the party. Critics argued that the court ruling interfered with the internal affairs of Turkiye’s largest opposition movement at a time when it has been gaining political momentum.

Ozgur Ozel, who emerged as a prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his tenure as party leader, has repeatedly rejected Kilicdaroglu’s reinstatement and called for a fresh vote, arguing that the party cannot be governed by what he describes as an imposed leadership.

Political analysts expect a fierce internal contest in the coming weeks. While Ozel’s supporters have succeeded in forcing the issue onto the party agenda, observers say Kilicdaroglu is likely to resist efforts to organize a rapid leadership vote and could seek procedural or legal avenues to delay the congress.

The dispute has further deepened divisions within a party already grappling with years of internal debate over strategy, leadership and electoral performance.

The CHP, founded by the republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has recently strengthened its position against Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), particularly after securing significant victories in the 2024 local elections.

Opposition figures have accused authorities of pursuing politically motivated actions against the CHP in an effort to weaken its growing electoral appeal. Those accusations intensified following the court decision and subsequent police operations at party headquarters.

Kilicdaroglu led the CHP for more than a decade before being voted out at the party congress in 2023. His departure followed a closely contested presidential election in which he lost to Erdogan, prompting widespread calls within the party for leadership renewal.

The outcome of the proposed extraordinary congress is likely to shape the future direction of the CHP and could influence the broader balance of power in Turkish politics as opposition parties seek to challenge Erdogan’s long-standing dominance.

With rival camps now preparing for a potentially decisive confrontation, the CHP faces one of the most consequential internal battles in its recent history.

Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in parliament, Erdogan said Ankara’s security was directly linked to developments in neighboring Syria and Lebanon and accused Israel’s leadership of expanding its military actions in the region.

“The attacks by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his network of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkiye,” Erdogan said, adding that Turkiye would not remain unaffected by instability along its southern borders.

NATO member Turkiye has been among the most vocal critics of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and has repeatedly called for international legal action against Israel. Ankara has also suspended trade with Israel in response to the conflict and has urged coordinated international measures.

Erdogan said Israel’s actions were not limited to the Levant, accusing it of attempting to destabilize regions beyond the Middle East, including parts of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. He also referred to tensions involving Cyprus, warning against what he described as efforts to inflame divisions on the island.

“These small entities, whose ambitions far exceed their size, have boarded Israel’s boat of mischief,” Erdogan said, without providing further detail, adding that Turkiye would respond strongly to any perceived infringement of its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Turkish president also urged global powers to take a firmer stance against Israel, arguing that it had been emboldened by what he called the “silence of the international community.”

“Pulling Israel back to within the bounds of the rule of law has become a shared duty not just for certain countries, but for all of humanity,” he said.

Turkiye shares borders with Syria and lies near Lebanon across the Eastern Mediterranean, placing it within the broader strategic arc affected by the ongoing regional conflict.

The operation followed a decision by an appeals court on Thursday that annulled the results of the CHP’s 2023 party congress and removed party leader Ozgur Ozel from office, citing irregularities in the internal election process.

The court reinstated former CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who led the opposition against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 presidential election but was defeated at the polls.

A Reuters witness said riot police used tear gas and forced entry into the CHP headquarters as supporters and party officials attempted to resist efforts to implement the court order. Images from the scene showed party supporters gathering outside the building in central Ankara while security forces secured the area.

The confrontation marked the latest development in a growing dispute over the leadership of the CHP, Turkey’s largest opposition party and the principal challenger to Erdogan’s ruling political bloc.

Ozel rejected the court ruling and described it as a “judicial coup,” arguing that the judiciary was interfering in the internal affairs of the opposition. He vowed to challenge the decision through legal channels and pledged to remain at party headquarters while pursuing appeals.

On Saturday, Ozel called for a new party congress to be convened as quickly as possible in an effort to resolve the leadership dispute through another internal vote.

Kilicdaroglu, meanwhile, said a congress would be organized at what he described as an appropriate time, signaling a different approach to managing the transition following the court decision.

Despite the ruling removing him as party chairman, CHP lawmakers on Saturday elected Ozel as leader of the party’s parliamentary group, underscoring continued support for him among many elected party representatives.
The leadership battle comes at a sensitive moment for Turkish politics, with the CHP seeking to maintain unity after years of internal debate over strategy and leadership following Erdogan’s victory in the 2023 presidential contest.
The court decision and subsequent police operation are likely to deepen tensions between the opposition and the government, with CHP officials continuing to argue that judicial institutions are being used to influence political outcomes, an accusation authorities reject.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said five Indonesian citizens were detained after Israeli forces boarded flotilla vessels approximately 250 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast, while four other Indonesians remained aboard two of the 10 boats still heading toward the territory. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said 16 Malaysians had also been detained during the operation.

The flotilla coalition, comprising more than 50 boats and nearly 500 participants from 45 countries, departed from Turkiye last week on what organizers described as the final leg of a mission to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and protest Israel’s restrictions on aid access.

“The situation on the ground remains highly dynamic,” Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said in a video statement, adding that Indonesian nationals still at sea remained vulnerable to interception by Israeli forces.

Indonesia urged Israel to release all detained activists and vessels and allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians “in accordance with international humanitarian law,” the ministry said.

Video footage circulating online showed Israeli naval personnel approaching several vessels in speedboats before boarding them in daylight on Monday. Organizers from the Global Sumud Flotilla said at least 41 boats had been intercepted and 337 participants detained.

Anwar said Malaysia was coordinating with other governments to secure the activists’ release. In a statement posted on social media, he said the interception violated international law and obstructed humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza’s civilian population.

Israeli authorities have not publicly detailed the status of those detained. Activists from several Asian countries, including South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, were also reported to be among those taken into custody.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono joined counterparts from Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Libya, the Maldives, Pakistan and Spain in issuing a joint statement condemning attacks on civilian vessels and what they described as arbitrary detentions of humanitarian activists.

The ministers said such actions constituted violations of international law and called for the immediate release of all detainees while urging respect for the activists’ rights and safety.

The latest interception follows similar incidents in recent months involving aid flotillas attempting to reach Gaza. Last month, Israeli forces intercepted more than 20 boats near the Greek island of Crete and detained roughly 175 activists, according to organizers.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have continued to deteriorate amid ongoing Israeli military operations following the outbreak of the war in October 2023.

The United Nations has said approximately 1.8 million people in Gaza have been displaced and remain heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid mounting shortages of food, medicine and shelter.

Major General Avi Bluth, commander of the Israeli military’s Central Command, signed the implementing order required to enforce the legislation in the West Bank, according to Israeli media reports.

The measure follows legislation passed by the Knesset in March authorizing capital punishment for Palestinians convicted of attacks resulting in the deaths of Israeli citizens.

Under the military order, courts handling such cases must impose the death penalty as the default sentence unless judges determine that unspecified “special circumstances” justify life imprisonment instead.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that provisions within the legislation make its application overwhelmingly directed at Palestinians. The law requires proof that the accused acted with intent to undermine the existence of the State of Israel or the authority of the military commander in the territory, conditions critics say are unlikely to be applied to Jewish Israeli suspects.

The legislation has prompted legal and diplomatic criticism amid heightened tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza Strip.
Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt jointly condemned the measure, warning that it entrenched discriminatory policies against Palestinians.

In a joint statement, the countries described the law as a dangerous escalation and accused Israel of advancing practices amounting to apartheid while denying Palestinians’ rights in the occupied territories.
The ministers also cited what they called credible reports of abuses against Palestinian detainees, including torture, starvation and denial of basic rights, arguing the death penalty law risked intensifying existing tensions.

Israeli authorities have defended the legislation as a counterterrorism measure intended to deter attacks against civilians.

The flooding struck the Havza district in Samsun province after heavy rains caused local rivers to overflow, sending fast-moving water through streets and sweeping away vehicles and debris, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Emergency footage broadcast by local media showed submerged roads and stranded residents, including a truck driver standing atop his vehicle awaiting rescue as floodwaters surged around him.

Authorities said basement and ground-floor levels of multiple buildings were flooded as rescue teams worked overnight to evacuate residents and clear blocked streets.

Anadolu reported that none of the injured were in critical condition. Some victims sought treatment independently, while others were transported to hospitals by emergency responders.

Firefighters, police units and disaster response teams were deployed across the district to assist stranded residents and remove debris left behind by the floodwaters.

Turkiye has faced repeated episodes of severe flooding in recent years, particularly along the Black Sea region, where mountainous terrain and intense seasonal rainfall have increased the risk of flash floods and landslides.

The aircraft was en route to Armenia when the incident occurred, where Sanchez was scheduled to attend a meeting of the European Political Community.

Spanish authorities said the delegation would remain overnight in Ankara before continuing the journey on Monday.

No details were provided regarding the nature of the technical problem.European leaders are gathering in Yerevan for the EPC meeting, which is set to begin Monday.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Barrack said discussions between Washington and Ankara were progressing toward a settlement over sanctions imposed following Turkiye’s acquisition of the .

“I think you are going to see the S-400 situation solved soon,” Barrack said, adding that, from Washington’s perspective, Turkiye’s potential re-entry into the would be acceptable.

The United States imposed sanctions on its NATO ally in 2020 after Turkiye purchased the Russian S-400 system, citing concerns over compatibility with NATO defence infrastructure and risks to sensitive military technology. The move also led to Ankara’s removal from the multinational F-35 production and procurement programme.

The dispute has been a longstanding source of tension in bilateral relations, with both sides seeking a framework that addresses security concerns while restoring defence cooperation.