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Khaleej Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
BYKEPİ opens flagship store in Dubai at Art of Living Mall
Turkish luxury furniture house BYKEPİ has opened its first regional flagship at Art of Living, Dubai's premier destination dedicated to high-end interiors and design. The strategic launch marks the brand's official entry into the Middle East. Spanning over 540 square metres, the flagship combines retail and design services in one space, offering clients a fully personalised journey – from concept to realisation. It brings BYKEPİ's signature sculptural collections, exclusive designer collaborations, and artisanal detailing to a region that continues to invest in luxury real estate and interior innovation. Founded in İzmir in 1994 and officially launched in 2001, BYKEPİ has grown from a small-scale workshop into an internationally recognised brand. Today, it has a presence in over 12 countries, including Canada, New Zealand, and Azerbaijan. Dubai represents a key milestone in the company's global expansion, not just as a sales market but as a creative and commercial hub for the wider region. 'Dubai has long been a magnet for design visionaries, and we are thrilled to bring our world of refined living to such a vibrant and forward-looking city,' said Mustafa KEPİ, CEO and Founder of BYKEPİ. 'This flagship represents more than just a store – it's an invitation to experience the full spectrum of BYKEPİ's philosophy: bold elegance, meticulous craft, and personalised design.' The launch aligns with sustained growth in the UAE's interiors market, which is projected to reach USD 5.4 billion by 2033. With a rising number of branded residences, hospitality developments, and discerning private homeowners, the appetite for high-quality, customised interiors is expanding rapidly. From material mastery to design Innovation the flagship space presents the full spectrum of BYKEPİ's collections across living, dining, and bedroom categories. At its core is the 2025 'Legacy Is Black' collection – an exploration of architectural form, deep tones, and high-gloss finishes inspired by Art Deco. Also featured are limited-edition collaborations, including the Avenue Nova Dining Table and Encanto Lounge Chair by Italian designer Maurizio Manzoni, and the POWDERY collection by internationally acclaimed designer Leyla Uluhanli, which blends parchment, alabaster, and brass into minimalist forms rooted in heritage. Art of Living is the MENA region's first and largest destination dedicated to luxury furniture, and interior accessories. Spanning over 50,000 sqm, the mall brings together 35+ premium brands across styles – from contemporary to classic, minimal to modern luxury. More than a retail space, it's a lifestyle hub featuring exclusive exhibitions, concept cafés, and the Designers' Hub – a collaborative platform for architects, interior designers, and creatives to connect, co-create, and inspire. Dr Samer Al Omari, CEO of Art of Living, commented:'BYKEPİ's arrival at Art of Living elevates our offering of curated global luxury design. Their commitment to tailored interiors, integrity in craftsmanship, and constant innovation aligns perfectly with our vision to be the definitive destination for design professions and enthusiast in the region.' BYKEPİ Dubai Flagship is located on the Ground Floor at Art of Living Mall.
Al Arabiya
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Erdogan says asked Trump to intervene over shootings at Gaza aid centers
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he asked US President Donald Trump to intervene to stop shootings at Gaza aid centers, which the UN says have killed more than 500 people. Erdogan said when he met Trump at a NATO summit in late June, he asked him to step in and halt the bloodshed. 'I asked him to intervene in the Gaza process telling him, 'You are the one who will best manage this process with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.' There are people who are being killed in food queues in particular. 'You need to intervene here so that these people are not killed',' he said, his remarks reported Saturday by Anadolu state news agency. Israel blocked supplies going into Gaza in early March, deepening a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn territory, but on May 26, a group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is backed by Israel and the US, started delivering supplies. However its operations have since been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on people waiting to collect rations from its distribution sites in Gaza, where the Israeli military says it is seeking to destroy Hamas militants. The UN Human Rights Office said Friday more than 500 people had been killed in the vicinity of the GHF sites. Israel's army has blamed Hamas for the incidents and this week, GHF's chairman Johnnie Moore denied any Palestinians have been killed in or near its four distribution sites. Erdogan said ending the 12-day Iran-Israel war had created a new opportunity to end the fighting in Gaza. 'The ceasefire between Iran and Israel has also opened a door for Gaza. Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated its good will in this regard,' he said just days after his spy chief and foreign minister met separately with senior Hamas officials. US pressure on Israel would be 'decisive' in securing the success of the latest proposal for a 60-day truce in Gaza, he remarked, saying the issue of guarantees was 'especially important.' 'In the event of a ceasefire, the international community needs to invest rapidly in reconstruction projects. If a permanent ceasefire can be achieved, a path to permanent peace in the region can be opened.'
Al Arabiya
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Turkish prosecutors add charges of forging diploma against jailed Istanbul mayor
Turkish prosecutors charged Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Friday with falsifying his university diploma, a new case threatening more years in prison for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, already jailed pending corruption charges he denies. Imamoglu, at the center of a sprawling legal crackdown on the main opposition party, has been jailed since March 23 pending trial. He denies the allegations against him, which his party says are orchestrated to protect Erdogan in power. His indictment over his diploma was reported by Milliyet newspaper, which said prosecutors were seeking eight years and nine months of prison time for the new charges. Reuters could not immediately obtain the document. On March 18, Istanbul University said it had annulled Imamoglu's diploma. He was detained a day later on the corruption charges, triggering Turkey's largest protests in a decade, and later jailed pending trial. His detention has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and some foreign leaders, who call the case politically motivated and anti-democratic. The government denies the case is political. Imamoglu is the main opposition Republican People's Party's presidential candidate in any future election. He won re-election as mayor in March last year by a wide margin against a candidate from Erdogan's ruling AK Party.
Al Arabiya
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Turkish cartoonist jailed pending trial over drawing accused of insulting Prophet
A Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan and three others pending trial, after a drawing in their satirical magazine stirred outrage among religious conservatives and condemnation by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pehlevan faces charges, which he denies, of inciting hatred and insulting the president, according to a court document. Justice Minster Yilmaz Tunc said the four had been arrested. The cartoon, published shortly after war ended between Israel and Iran, showed two elderly men named Mohammad and Moses shaking hands in the sky while missiles flew below — a scene critics said blasphemously referenced Muslim and Jewish prophets. On Tuesday, Erdogan called the Leman magazine cartoon a 'vile provocation' and vowed that 'those who show disrespect to our Prophet and other prophets will be held accountable before the law.' His AK Party called it an Islamophobic hate crime. In a court statement seen by Reuters, Pehlevan denied targeting religious figures, saying the names were commonly used and intended to represent ordinary victims of war. 'If I hadreferred the prophets, I would have used an expression like 'Prophet',' he said. 'The cartoon is a call for peace.' Pehlevan faces charges of 'inciting hatred and enmity' and 'insulting the president', the court document said. Three other Leman staff members — the managing editor, graphic designer, and administrative director — were also referred to court under similar charges. Leman has apologized to readers who felt offended and said the cartoon was misunderstood. It said Pehlevan sought to portray the suffering of civilians in wartime and that there was no intent to insult Islam.
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Turkish cartoonists arrested over satirical drawing allegedly depicting prophet Muhammad
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned as a 'vile provocation' a cartoon in a satirical magazine that appeared to depict Prophets Mohammad and Moses, amplifying an outcry by religious conservatives after the arrest of four cartoonists. In a statement on X, LeMan said: 'The work does not refer to the Prophet Muhammad in any way'
