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August 30, 2026

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Culture

In divided Cyprus, FC Barcelona youth camp sparks new dispute: What to know

A planned Barca Academy camp in northern Cyprus has offered more fuel to the controversy over the island’s unresolved divide, rasing tensions over recognition, access and international isolation.

Omer Messinger/Getty Images

Top European court says Kavala case exposes erosion of judicial independence in Turkey

Europe's top human rights court has renewed its call for Turkey to immediately release jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala, saying his imprisonment reflects a broader “systemic problem” over independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

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Turkey’s Kurdish peace process moves to implementation: What to know and what’s next

Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers

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Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C) watches as US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack prepares to sign an agreement in Damascus on September 16, 2025. Shaibani announced on September 16 a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly violence in July. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP) (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

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

A photo taken on July 20, 2016 shows a Turkish flag on the Istanbul Justice Palace (Adalet Sarayi).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 20 chaired a crunch security meeting for the first time since the failed coup, as global alarm grew over a widening purge that has seen around 50,000 people either detained or sacked. / AFP / BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish court upholds free speech … for Erdogan

A Turkish court has given sanction to public insults by the president against dissident academics, yet another omen of how subservient the Turkish judiciary has become.

Fighters of the Manbij military council, allied to Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), take an overwatch position in the southern rural area of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria June 1, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo - RTX2ONCT

Will Turkey attack Kurds in Manbij or move on to Raqqa?

Now that the Syrian army has blocked the road from al-Bab to Raqqa, Turkey may instead assault Manbij, which won’t be easy.

File Photo: Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), greets the crowd during a peace rally to protest against Turkish military operations in northern Syria, in Istanbul, Turkey, September 4, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal/File Photo - RTX2RUA4

Turkey downplays Barzani's support for HDP

Now that Iraqi Kurdistan's president has left Istanbul, Turkey is denying reports that he had appealed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to free several prominent Kurdish politicians from jail, probably because suggestions that Barzani was lobbying on behalf of Turkey's pro-Kurdish parties complicated Erdogan's efforts to woo Kurdish voters in the run-up to the April 16 referendum.

Fictional president falls victim to censorship in Turkey

A short comedy film becomes the latest victim of censorship in Turkey, as authorities seem to grow pricklier ahead of a critical plebiscite in April.

Supporters of the ruling AK Party wave Turkish flags during a campaign meeting for the April 16 constitutional referendum, in Ankara, Turkey, February 25, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RTS108VN

Turkey's AKP scrambles to contain crisis ahead of key vote

Turkey’s government has enacted a series of economic measures to woo voters ahead of a key constitutional referendum, but the threat of the economic crisis is far from over.

Iraq's Kurdistan region's President Massoud Barzani (C) speaks during a news conference on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, October 17, 2016. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari - RTX2P71L

Barzani asks Erdogan to free pro-Kurdish detainees

In a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani has called for Turkey to release political leader Selahattin Demirtas and other pro-Kurdish lawmakers.

Turkish soldiers accused of attempting to assassinate President Tayyip Erdogan on the night of the failed last year's July 15 coup, are escorted by gendarmes as they arrive for the first hearing of the trial in Mugla, Turkey, February 20, 2017. REUTERS/Kenan Gurbuz - RTSZGNP

Turkey coup defendants deny Gulen affiliation

The group trials have begun of soldiers charged in connection with the July coup, and although their defenses have varied, all have so far denied being followers of cleric Fethullah Gulen.

A supporter of the ruling AK Party holds a scarf that reads: "We are grandchildren of Ottoman. Recep Tayyip Erdogan." during a campaign meeting for the April 16 constitutional referendum, in Ankara, Turkey, February 25, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RTS108WG

Why is Erdogan rushing into a referendum now?

While Turkey's economic and security vulnerabilities increase, Erdogan has run out of enemies to rally his base against for the April referendum.

Yahya Sinwar (C), the new leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, arrives for the opening of a new mosque in Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip on February 24, 2017. / AFP / SAID KHATIB (Photo credit should read SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images)

Iran pulls Palestine from the margins

The Iranian leadership turns out in force for Palestinian conference; Turkey’s victory in al-Bab may be a prelude to a showdown with the Syrian Kurds.

An imam passes the Turkish flag during a demonstration in support of Turkey's President Erdogan (not pictured) at the Sarachane park in Istanbul on July 19, 2016.
Turkey has demanded the resignation of 1,577 university deans suspected of being connected with Friday's attempted coup, state-run news agency Anadolu reported July 19. The country's higher education board made the demand for deans at state and private foundation universities to resign, Anadolu said.
/ AFP / ARIS MESSINIS (Photo credit sh

'Spying imams' spark new crisis between Europe, Turkey

Because of accusations of espionage, Turkey had to recall religious attaches and official imams from several European countries.

Foreign ministers, Mevlut Cavusoglu (2nd L) of Turkey and Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) of Iran, attend a meeting in Moscow, Russia, December 20, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - RTX2VUBT

Is Iran-Turkey tension intentional?

Turkey, while seeking to access Gulf funds and boost its defense industry exports, has risked economic relations with Iran — but the risk could also hold opportunity.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a lunch with members of the U.S. military during a visit at the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Florida, U.S., February 6, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX2ZWGG

Turkey, Kurds project confidence as Pentagon plans next Syria moves

With the Pentagon close to producing new plans to defeat the Islamic State in Syria, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and Turkish leaders both insist that the United States will pursue an alliance with them, and US officials keep feeding hopes on both sides.