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Turkey

Turkey

November 11, 2026

Ankara 4:31 am

4°C

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey bars MP’s wife from travel after his fund scandal criticism: What to know

Opposition politicians and rights advocates described Yonca Verdioglu Sik’s brief detention as an attempt to intimidate her husband, opposition lawmaker Ahmet Sik, over his criticism of the government.

A steel worker works in front of giant iron melting pot in Kardemir Iron and Steel Factory in Karabuk, northwestern Turkey, Aug. 26 2005. (TARIK TINAZAY/AFP via Getty Images)

Steel factory explosion in western Turkey kills at least 16

Footage from the scene showed a huge plume of thick smoke spreading into the sky as flames engulfed a tall structure within the plant.

MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions?

Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

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United Arab Emirates

Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkish members of parliament during the opening of the parliamentary session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2026.

Can Erdogan’s Baku visit fix Turkey-Azerbaijan rift?

TOFIK BABAYEV/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Member of parliament (MP) from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ali Ihsan Kokturk's nose bleeds as MPs from the ruling AK Party (AKP) and CHP scuffle during a debate on a draft law which will give the government tighter control over the appointment of judges and prosecutors, at a parliamentary session in Ankara early February 15, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX18UO8

Are Turkey's top judges 'assassins'?

Turkey’s new president's statements indicate that he is preparing for an assault on the judiciary.

Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz (L) shakes hands with his Azeri counterpart Natik Aliyev during a signing ceremony in Istanbul May 30, 2014. Turkey's state oil company TPAO signed a deal on Friday to acquire French energy company Total's 10 percent stake in Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas project, at a signing ceremony in Istanbul. The agreement increases TPAO's stake in the project to 19 percent from a previous 9 percent, while Total exits the project. Financial details of the agreement were not disclose

Looking to Europe, Turkey increases investment in Azeri gas

Turkey paid the French company $1.45 billion to increase its share in gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz-2 gas field from 9% to 19%.

People wave Kurdish flags and hold up a picture of jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan (C) of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) during a gathering celebrating Newroz, which marks the arrival of spring and the new year, in Diyarbakir March 21, 2014. Ocalan called on the Turkish government on Friday to create a legal framework for their peace talks, whose fate is looking increasingly uncertain a year after he called a ceasefire by his fighters. Tens of thousands gathered in Diyarbakir, the largest

Is PKK becoming a new Middle East power?

Turkey’s Kurdish movement is proving to be the only force resolved to fight the Islamic State, while boosting its political might in Turkey.

Displaced Syrian families gather next to a Turkish watchtower as they hope to cross the border into Turkey near the northern Syrian village of Shamarin, in the rebel-held province of Aleppo, on February 5, 2014. Children enduring the war in Syria have suffered terrible abuses, with the government and allied militia responsible for many killings, maiming and torture, according to a grim UN report. AFP PHOTO / BARAA AL-HALABI (Photo credit should read BARAA AL-HALABI/AFP/Getty Images)

In new roles Erdogan, Davutoglu tackle regional challenges

Doubt is spreading that the new administration in regionally isolated Turkey will rise to meet its long list of formidable challenges that require international cooperation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (2nd-R) is congratulated after being named prime minister and leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) during a party meeting in Ankara on August 21, 2014. Turkey's president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan named Davutoglu to succeed him as ruling party leader and prime minister, promoting an ally who is expected to show unstinting loyalty to the new head of state. AFP PHOTO/ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

What exactly is the 'New Turkey?'

The “New Turkey” that President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan hails in every speech simply refers to a Turkey ruled by religious conservatives.

A Turkish flag decorates a grocer's stand on a street in Istanbul November 10, 2007. Turks throughout the country observed a minute of silence when sirens went off, marking the 69th death anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey. Ataturk, the first president of Turkey from 1923 and founder of the modern secular state, died on November 10, 1938. He was 57. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas (TURKEY) - RTX6CA

Russian bonanza or ‘Russian roulette’ for Turkey?

With Turkey’s agricultural output already hit by drought, a deal to increase agricultural exports to Russia threatens to fuel the country’s unruly inflation.

Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Nizar al-Khairallah (R) greets Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil (L) at the Baghdad airport in Baghdad, August 18, 2014. REUTERS/Ali Abbas/Pool (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR42T21

Baghdad welcomes Lebanese, but they don't see eye to eye

The Lebanese delegation to Baghdad offers diplomatic help to confront the Islamic State (IS), but it seems both parties have different priorities.

Social media backs Turkish MP’s threat to throw her shoe

A female opposition member of Turkey’s parliament takes social media by storm after threatening to throw her shoe at ruling party deputies.

Davutoglu faces uneasy relationship with Assad

Ahmet Davutoglu declared two years ago in his role as foreign minister that he would rather resign than shake Bashar al-Assad’s hand; he now has to find a way to coexist with Syria.

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul speaks to Reuters during an interview at the presidential palace in Istanbul March 1, 2012. Gul said on Thursday Russia and Iran would soon realise they had little choice but to join international diplomatic efforts for the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. To match Interview SYRIA-TURKEY/GUL REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2YPBY

What does the future hold for Abdullah Gul?

Having been sidelined from the newly elected President Erdogan’s inner circle, Gul is resentful today, but may make a political comeback in the near future, depending on the performance of the Erdogan-Davutoglu team.

A picture taken on August 19, 2014 shows people making the victory sign as they attend the funeral ceremony of Mehdi Taskin, 24, who died during clashes that erupted between protesters and security forces during an operation to remove a statue of Mahsum Korkmazare, one of the founders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). One person was killed and two were wounded in the clashes that erupted when a group of protesters gathered at the cemetery to prevent security forces from removing the statue. Meh

Provocations in Turkey as Kurdish peace process gets serious

Turkey’s peace process with the Kurds faces a major test amid explosive incidents apparently aimed at shaking the determination of both the government and the Kurdish side.

TALESH, IRAN - MAY 17: Labourers sow rice in a paddy field on May 17, 2007 near Talesh, Northern-Western Iran. Rice in its various forms is the most consumed cereal, totalling a massive one-fifth of all calories consumed by the human race and is a staple in many parts of Asia. The biggest producers of rice, mainly grown in paddy fields are China, India and Indonesia. (Photo by Majid/Getty Images)

Turkey, Iran seek to boost trade as mistrust lingers

Turkey and Iran have activated an accord to reduce tariffs and increase bilateral trade to $35 billion in 2015, but mistrust lingers between the two neighbors, with Turkey seeking international arbitration over the price of Iranian natural gas.