What you need to know today (October 16, 2025)
Today is October 16, 2025. Medyascope editors have compiled the day's most important developments for you. Here's what you need to know today.
As part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Anti-Smuggling, Narcotics, and Economic Crimes Investigation Bureau, detention warrants were issued for seven individuals, including businesspeople Sezgin Baran Korkmaz and Cihan Ekşioğlu. Five individuals were taken into custody. Additionally, the TMSF (Savings Deposit Insurance Fund ) was appointed as a trustee for the Bodrum Hotel Operations Corporation (Paramount Hotel).
Ayşegül Doğan responded to İYİ Party Chairwoman Müsavat Dervişoğlu's remarks against the DEM Party, saying, "You are the political extension of a terrorist organization; you are vile, shameless, and impudent." DEM Party spokesperson Doğan said, "They feed on blood, death, and heroism. They are afraid because they know they are heading towards the dustbin of history. But this is their last gasp. "
Ali Eryılmaz, the lawyer representing Nevzat Bahtiyar, who was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for "concealing criminal evidence" in the Narin Güran murder case, announced that he would no longer defend his client. Eryılmaz stated, "The trust that forms the basis of a defense has been undermined by our own companion. "
Three people detained on suspicion of tampering with evidence in the investigation into the murder of journalist Hakan Tosun were released on probation. The security camera that recorded the incident most clearly was given to the family of the arrested defendants. Hakan Tosun was laid to rest today.
Master actor Arif Erkin Güzelbeyoğlu, who is etched in our memories with his role as "Memik Dede" in the TV series "Yanı Damat" , has passed away.
Journalist Ebru Baki, who was recently laid off from TV100, has announced her new address. Posting on her social media account, X, Baki announced that she will continue her work at Halk TV. Baki wrote, "It's difficult to be away from you and apart from you. It will be exciting to meet you at our new address, Halk TV. I hope to be together on this journey. We look forward to seeing you on Halk TV at 8:00 AM on Monday, October 20th. "
The winners of the 5G tender, which will strengthen and accelerate Turkey's communications infrastructure, have been announced. Turkcell submitted the highest bid for the 700 MHz band, with $429 million. 5G services will begin on April 1, 2026.
Netflix's beloved political series The Diplomat returns with its third season today. The series continues its tense story of power, diplomacy, and personal conflicts intertwined between Washington and London.
Legendary cinematic duo Al Pacino and Robert De Niro reunited for a joint advertising campaign for Moncler, following their 1995 film "Heat." The duo's campaign, themed around "friendship and warmth," resonated nostalgically throughout the cinema world .
Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek stated that the club had no outstanding debt as of May 31. Özbek stated that they would open sports schools in Hakkari and Cizre to contribute to the peace process.
Subaşı Municipality and Yalova Kiwi Producers Association announced that the 12th Traditional Yalova Kiwi Festival, planned to be held in 2025, has been canceled due to agricultural frost disaster and economic difficulties.
Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Shara visited Moscow for the first time since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The topics discussed included the future of Russia's military bases in Syria, energy projects, and Assad's extradition. The meeting and the photos released from it generated considerable buzz on social media. So, how will Russia-Syria relations shape in the coming era? Our Foreign News Service has addressed this.
US President Donald Trump announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to halt oil purchases from Russia. The decision is being seen as a new step in Washington's strategy to exert economic pressure on Moscow.
Saudi Arabia has launched the massive "King Salman Gate" project, a 12-million-square-meter area adjacent to the Grand Mosque. The project, aimed at modernizing Mecca, will create more than 300,000 jobs by 2036.
Johnson & Johnson, already facing tens of thousands of lawsuits in the US, will now face trial in the UK over allegations of its "carcinogenic talcum powder." More than 3,000 people claim the company's products cause cancer.
Switzerland-based food giant Nestlé will lay off 16,000 employees worldwide over the next two years as it aims to reduce costs and increase sales. "The world is changing, and Nestlé must change faster ," said new CEO Philip Navratil.
WATCH
In the new episode of Ağır Ekonomi (Ağr Ekonomi), Haluk Levent and Öner Günçavdı discussed the impact of technological innovation and creative destruction on growth. The program also addressed the relationship between culture and innovation and the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics.
Senem Aydın-Düzgit and Ümit Şahin participated in the first episode of the 2025-2026 season program "What Kind of World? What Kind of Turkey?", a collaboration between the IPM-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative and Medyascope. The first episode focuses on Turkey-EU relations, the climate crisis, and the COP31 agenda.
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