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Turkey

Turkey

April 28, 2026

Ankara 7:12 am

9°C

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

Istanbul

In win for Simsek, Turkey removed from FATF money laundering watch list

Turkey was added to the Financial Action Task Force's watch list in 2021 amid concerns of money laundering and terrorism financing.

TOPSHOT - Smoke billows as an Egyptian farmer burns hay stubbles in Qaliubia, some 40 kms north of Cairo, on October 23, 2006. The post-harvest burning suffocates Cairo, one of the most polluted cities in the world. AFP PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Climate crisis stokes growing challenges amid Middle East economic diversification drives

A large sign put up by private citizens bearing the portrait of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, with text in Arabic below reading "total allegiance", is displayed along Abo Romaneh street in the capital Damascus on May 10, 2021 ahead of the country's presidential elections. - A Syrian former minister and a member of the Damascus-tolerated opposition will face Assad in the May 26 presidential election, according to the constitutional court in Syria. The election will be the second since the start of a dec

As Assad 'welcomes' mending ties with Turkey, can Russia or Iraq mediate?

The stalled Ankara-Damascus dialogue is likely to see some fast developments, one expert says, though he warns not to expect too much thanks to complications including the upcoming US elections.

An exchange office worker counts Turkish lira banknotes in Istanbul, June 8, 2015.

Turkey keeps interest rates on hold at 50% even as inflation soars

The Central Bank reiterated its policy to return to monetary tightening in case of a significant deterioration in inflation.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MARCH 29: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to supporters at his party’s Istanbul mayoral candidate Murat Kurum's campaign rally on March 29, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey will hold municipal elections on Sunday March 31, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party aiming to reclaim cities lost in 2019, including the country's largest city of Istanbul and the capital Ankara. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan warns Israel against Lebanon war, calls Netanyahu 'mentally ill'

The Turkish president's comments have reignited the war of words between Turkey and Israel.

View taken on April 15, 2009 shows Turkey's Dogu Kapi border gate to Armenia, in Kars, Akyaka province on April 15, 2009. Dogu Kapi border gate closed by Turkey during the Azerbaijan and Armenia war in 1993. AFP PHOTO / MUSTAFA OZER (Photo credit should read MUSTAFA OZER/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Fidan, Armenia’s Mirzoyan hold call as normalization momentum grows

The phone call between the two top diplomats comes amid increasing diplomatic traffic between Ankara and Yerevan.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey: UK issues sex-crime warning for travelers, reports 42 cases in 2023

British nationals were the third-largest group of tourists who visited Turkey last year.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.

After Hezbollah, Turkey’s Fidan warns Cyprus to 'stay away' from Israel's wars

The top Turkish diplomat’s warning on Monday came less than a week after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s threats toward Cyprus.

Turkish security forces carry out a raid against ISIS suspects.

Turkey detains over 30 ISIS suspects as raids continue

The detentions come amid a series of attacks by the Islamic State's Khorasan branch in the region.

Argentina's Minister of Defence Luis Petri (R) arrives in a Danish F-16 aircraft at Skrydstrup Airport, Denmark, prior his meeting with Denmark's Minister of Defence on April 16, 2024.

What will Turkey gain from F-16 deal with United States?

As Turkey’s long saga to purchase F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits is nearing completion, experts say Turkey's defense establishment will make additional gains from the deal.

Turkey fire

Wildfires in Turkey: 11 dead, 78 injured as heat soars to 50 degrees Celsius

Turkey has been grappling with wildfires across the country since last week due to hot temperatures soaring up to 50 C (122 F) above the seasonal average.

A stray dog sits in front of the Hagia Grand Mosque, in Istanbul, on May 30, 2024.

Turkey's street dogs face mass cullings as Erdogan touts euthanization bill

The bill has caused uproar among animal lovers, triggering noisy demonstrations.