Israel's foreign minister officially thanked Ankara for helping to thwart an alleged Iranian plot targeting Israeli tourists in Istanbul, in a further sign of a revival in ties between the two countries.
Yair Lapid called his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday to thank him for his country’s efforts to protect Israeli tourists, according to the Israeli media.
Israel this week raised its risk warning for travel to Istanbul to four, the highest level, citing the threat of an Iran-led plan to target Israeli visitors to Turkey’s economic and cultural hub.
The security notice issued by Israel's Counter Terrorism Bureau, which is affiliated to the National Security Council, excluded flights with connections in Istanbul as long as Israelis do not leave the airport.
Israel earlier this month reissued a travel warning for Turkey over what the government said were Iranian attempts to attack Israeli targets around the world, but especially in Turkey.
Mr Lapid spoke on Monday about “a series of attempted Iranian terrorist attacks” against Israelis on holiday in Istanbul.
“We call on Israelis not to fly to Istanbul, and unless there is an essential need: do not fly to Turkey at all. If you are already in Istanbul, return to Israel as soon as possible,” Mr Lapid said, in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.
“In recent weeks, Israeli security services, the ministry of foreign affairs, and the prime minister's office have put tremendous effort into saving Israeli lives, some of whom have returned to Israel and are walking among us without knowing their lives were saved.”
The warnings come amid the latest surge in tensions between Iran and Israel, with Tehran blaming Israeli security services for a series of attacks on its nuclear and military infrastructure as well as scientists and Revolutionary Guard members.
Iran has not officially commented on the Israeli allegations and its foreign ministry’s Twitter account was highlighting visits by high-level delegations from Pakistan, Nigeria and Turkmenistan.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian held a phone conversation on Tuesday with Mr Cavusoglu to “discuss the latest developments in bilateral relations”, according to the ministry’s website.
“In the phone talks, the Iranian foreign minister stressed the need to keep up the consultations between the two countries and promote co-operation, especially in bilateral trade and consular issues,” the statement said.
Turkey responded to the Israeli security warnings by assuring the world that it is a safe country.
“These travel warnings are considered to be related to different international developments and motives”, its foreign ministry said.
Israel and Turkey's long-running co-operation has been under strain over the past decade. Diplomatic ties hit an all-time low in 2010 when Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists aboard a Turkish-owned ship in international waters.
The Mavi Marmara was part of a flotilla attempting to break a blockade on the Gaza Strip. Israel said its special forces were attacked first by the activists, contrary to Turkey's account of the incident.
In 2016, Israel and Turkey officially announced the end of their six-year diplomatic rift. Both countries have maintained strong co-operation for many years, especially in the fields of science, technology, trade and agriculture.
Turkey became the first Muslim-majority country to recognise Israel in 1949.
In May, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog in Ankara, calling it a “historic visit that will be a turning point in relations”.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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SPEC%20SHEET
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Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
