Pope Leo continued his visit to Türkiye in Istanbul on Thursday (27 November), following a round of meetings in Ankara. This marks his first trip outside Italy since being elected in May as the leader of the 1.4-billion-strong Catholic Church.
On Friday (28 November), Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to lead a prayer service in Iznik, the north-western town where the first ecumenical council was convened 1,700 years ago. Earlier, he will meet bishops and clergy at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul and visit a nursing home.
The pontiff arrived in Ankara on Thursday (27 November) for his first overseas trip since his election, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The official visit, which also includes Lebanon, will continue through Sunday, with stops in Ankara, Istanbul, and Iznik.
Following his first-day meeting with President Erdogan, Pope Leo warned that the world is witnessing “an unusually high number of bloody conflicts” and cautioned that a third world war is being fought “piecemeal,” placing humanity’s future at risk. The first US-born pope in history criticised “ambitions and choices that trample on justice and peace,” saying these forces are destabilising the world, fuelled by “prevailing strategies of economic and military power.”
President Erdogan described the visit as a “very important step that strengthens our common ground,” noting that the pope’s messages would reach both the Turkish-Islamic world and the Christian world, reinforcing hope for global peace. He highlighted Türkiye’s tradition of religious coexistence, pointing to mosques, churches, and synagogues often standing side by side, including Istanbul’s Hagia Irene Museum and Neve Shalom Synagogue, Trabzon’s Sumela Monastery, and Van’s Akdamar Museum. Since 2002, nearly 100 religious sites have been restored, with five more due to reopen by the end of the year.
Erdogan emphasised inclusivity, saying: “Every one of our citizens, regardless of language, religion, sect, or ethnic background, is a first-class citizen of the Republic of Türkiye.” He praised the pope’s statements on protecting the institution of the family and underlined the importance of dialogue in supporting diplomatic efforts, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
On the ongoing situation in Gaza, Erdogan said: “As the family of humanity, our greatest debt to the Palestinian people is justice. The way to pay this debt is to implement a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.” He stressed the importance of preserving the historical identity of East Jerusalem and noted that Israeli military actions have targeted civilian areas, including Gaza’s Holy Family Church.
“Preserving the historical status quo in the Holy City of Jerusalem carries critical importance,” the president added.
American Airlines said on Thursday it plans to resume daily service to Venezuela once regulators approve and security assessments are complete, markin...
Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said on Thursday that the government has stepped up investment across the railway network after years of und...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for o...
Gaza families are watching the Rafah crossing closely as expectations build for a phased reopening under the peace plan, though no timetable has been ...
U.S. border czar Tom Homan, newly appointed to oversee President Donald Trump's immigration surge in Minneapolis, said agents would concentrate on tar...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week, citing extreme cold weather across Ukraine.
The European Union has added Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organisations, citing the group’s role in recent deadly crackdowns on protesters. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it a “decisive step” to ensure that “repression cannot go unanswered.”
Iran’s armed forces are prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any U.S. attack, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, as American military assets arrived in the Middle East amid renewed tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The decision is made that the Qamishli air base is not needed anymore,” political analyst Dmitry Bridzhe said, as Russia begins withdrawing forces from its facility in northeastern Syria amid shifts in the country’s political and security landscape.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase match. Despite the setback, Qarabağ secured a play-off spot, with results elsewhere going in the Azerbaijani champions’ favour on the final matchday.
Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday that he rejects U.S. interference in Iraq's internal affairs, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off support to the country if Maliki was picked as prime minister.
China is supplying key industrial equipment that has enabled Russia to speed up production of its newest nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, an investigation by The Telegraph has found, heightening concerns in Europe over Moscow’s ability to threaten the West despite international sanctions.
Chevron is in talks with Iraq’s oil ministry over potential changes to the commercial framework governing the West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world’s largest producing assets, after Baghdad nationalised the field earlier this month following U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia’s Lukoil.
Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall have pushed vulnerable Afghan families to breaking point, adding new pressure to a country already battered by poverty and food shortages.
Iran’s armed forces are prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any U.S. attack, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, as American military assets arrived in the Middle East amid renewed tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The decision is made that the Qamishli air base is not needed anymore,” political analyst Dmitry Bridzhe said, as Russia begins withdrawing forces from its facility in northeastern Syria amid shifts in the country’s political and security landscape.
The 27 European Union member states have approved €20 million (approximately $23.3 million) in assistance for Armenia from the European Peace Facility, following Hungary’s decision to lift its earlier veto, European media reported on Wednesday (28 January).
Kazakhstan lost around 3.8 million tonnes of oil exports following an attack on facilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said, stressing that it is still too early to assess the losses in monetary terms.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment