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July 3, 2026

Ankara 4:04 pm

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A screenshot of one of Deniz Goktas' standup routines posted to YouTube.

Culture

Turkish standup comic detained after act calling Erdogan 'dictator' goes viral

Comedian Deniz Goktas’ arrest comes as Ankara intensifies prosecutions against opposition figures, journalists, artists and critics ahead of a major NATO summit.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during the launch of an offshore energy exploration at the port in Mogadishu on April 10, 2026.

Turkish jets strike al-Shabab targets in Somalia: What to know

A Somali Defense Ministry statement initially said Turkish F-16s carried out strikes on Al-Shabab targets before a later version referred only to “international partners.”

Syrian textile employees work in a textile workshop in Gaziantep, Turkey, on Jan. 30, 2025.

Explainer

Turkey eases job rules for 1M+ Syrians under temporary protection: What to know

The move, part of a broader easing of restrictions on Syrians living in Turkey, could allow roughly 1.1 million working-age Syrians to enter registered employment more easily as Ankara seeks to reduce informal labor and address workforce gaps.

Latest News

Turkey, Azerbaijan slam Israel’s Armenian genocide recognition as Yerevan mum

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Turkey and Egypt are deepening military ties amid regional turmoil

From (L-R) Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attend a meeting in Cairo on June 21, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Explainer

Israel's Armenian genocide recognition marks new front against Turkey

Members of the Jerusalem Armenian community hold placards as they march during commemorations for the 94th anniversary of mass killings of their kin under the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem's Old City, April 24, 2009.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

A Free Syrian Army fighter carries his weapon as he stands in front of graffiti that reads "Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ) down" at Masaken Hanano neighborhood in Aleppo January 7, 2014. Five days of heavy rebel infighting has shaken the ISIL, which lost its main base in the northern city of Aleppo to rival rebels on Wednesday, according to a monitoring group. Picture taken January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Jalal Alhalabi (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT MILITARY) - RTX1767F

Islamic Front no answer for Syria conflict

The ascendance of the Islamic Front, while contributing to the recent military defeats of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), may also be a setback for Geneva II and a political solution to the conflict.

Ahmad Jarba, leader of Syria's opposition National Coalition (L-R), French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attend a news conference at the French foreign ministry during a "Friends of Syria" meeting ahead of Geneva II peace talks, in Paris, January 12, 2014. The "Friends of Syria", an alliance of mainly Western and Gulf Arab countries who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-As

The new pulse of Geneva II

The trend in the Geneva II process shifts to cooperation on humanitarian and counterterrorism issues; Erdogan under fire in Turkey.

Will Turkish corruption scandal lead to return of military to politics?

The Turkish military is showing signs of dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the corruption scandal.

For Russia, terrorism priority at Syria conference

US-Russian cooperation will be key to success at Geneva II.

turkey pic.JPG

Turks quietly find love online

While official statistics suggest that very few Turks are finding their partners on the Internet, dating website figures tell another story.

A boy holds bread as he walks in front of the Syrian opposition flag during a protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Aleppo's Salaheddine neighbourhood January 10, 2014. REUTERS/Hosam Katan (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTX178MM

As Assad lingers, Turkey focuses on ISIS

Despite its predictions and aspirations, Turkey has lost what grip it had on many of today's political and military conflicts, to the amusement and satisfaction of many in the region.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki waits to take an oath at the house of parliament in Baghdad December 21, 2010. Iraq's parliament approved Nuri al-Maliki as prime minister on Tuesday, giving the Shi'ite leader a second term as Iraq tries to cement fragile security gains and build its fledging democracy. REUTERS/Saad Shalash (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTXVXLT

The crisis of Iraqi 'democracy'

Many in Iraq have grown to despise the concept of "democracy" over the last 10 years because of the country’s limited experience with it and their failure to build a true, consensual democracy.

Pharaonic artefacts are seen on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, September 30, 2013. Visitors are gradually returning after the worst civil violence in Egypt's modern history, offering hope to an industry that has been brought to its knees, depriving millions of their livelihood and the economy of badly needed dollars. Picture taken September 30, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY TRAVEL) - RTX14AM8

Egypt conducts global search for stolen antiquities

Following successful diplomatic efforts to recover 90 smuggled artifacts from Israel last November, Egyptian authorities continue their efforts to crack down on the antiquities trade and repatriate stolen items.

An African migrant sits with compatriots on the third day of protests against Israel's detention policy toward migrants it sees as illegal job-seekers, in Tel Aviv's Levinsky park January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST SOCIETY IMMIGRATION) - RTX17549

African refugees teach Israeli society lesson in civics

After years of ignoring the fate of African asylum seekers, the human dilemma has risen to the top of Israel's public discourse, forcing the authorities to confront it.

Turkish soldiers with armoured vehicles guard the entrance of Apaydin refugee camp in Hatay province, on the Turkish-Syrian border, May 12, 2013. Turkey accused a group loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday of carrying out car bombings that killed 46 people in a Turkish border town of Reyhanli and said the risk of unrest spreading to Syria's neighbours was increasing. Syrian Information Minister Omran Zubi denied any Syrian involvement and rejected what he called "unfounded accusations". REUTE

Turkey declares vanishing truck to Syria 'state secret'

Turkey’s government has used the "state secret" shield to conceal the cargo of a truck suspected of transporting arms to Syria and banished the prosecutor who attempted to search the vehicle.

An Egyptian soldier guards the border between Egypt and southern Gaza Strip September 16, 2013. The Egyptian army is clearing buildings deemed a security threat at a distance of up to one km (0.6 miles) from the Gaza border, an army spokesman said on Sunday, accusing groups in the Hamas-run territory of mounting joint attacks with Sinai militants. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTX13N6S

Hamas, Egypt ties hit new low

Hamas has accused Egypt's rulers of using the Palestinian group as a scapegoat to distract the Egyptian people from internal woes.

A member of al-Jabha al-Islamiya (the Islamic Front) takes position on a armoured vehicle at a checkpoint between the village of Kafaroumeh and the town of Maaret al-Naaman, to prevent members of the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from advancing towards Jabal Al-Zawiya, in Idlib January 6, 2014. REUTERS/Fadi Mashan (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTX174EP

Erdogan under pressure as Syrian crisis spreads to Iraq

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has limited regional influence and few good options as the pressure builds to slow the spread of the Syria war.