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Turkey

Turkey

May 9, 2026

Ankara 3:50 pm

19°C

MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

How ‘dog mom’ vacuum cleaner ad sparked culture war in Turkey

A Mother’s Day advertisement featuring a “dog mom” triggered a backlash from conservative media, government officials and regulators, turning a soft consumer campaign into a flashpoint over motherhood, declining birth rates, stray dogs and even antisemitism.

People look at a drone on display at the Baykar exhibit at the SAHA International Defence and Aerospace Expo on May 06, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones

The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions.

Latest News

Saudi FM in Turkey as Ankara, Riyadh step up coordination amid Iran war

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, May 6, 2026.

Turkey, Armenia agree to restore medieval bridge in normalization push

A picture taken near Kars on Feb. 28, 2024 shows the ruins of a bridge over Arpacay river, the natural border between Turkey and Armenia.

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

Ouster of Kurdish MPs threatens to fuel separatism in Turkey

Turkish parliament members have stripped themselves of immunity in a move designed to expel Kurdish lawmakers, but pushing the Kurdish struggle out of the political arena may end up fueling violent opposition instead.

Erdogan vs. the world

With Recep Tayyip Erdogan closer than ever to total authority, the world is going to have to deal with an increasingly confrontational Turkish president.

How a Turkish opposition party turned pro-Erdogan

The latest episode in Turkey’s political games sees both the government and the leadership of the opposition Nationalist Action Party (MHP) combine forces to fend off the opposition within the MHP.

How Turkey intends to secure return of Syrian refugees

Turkey is seeking to establish a safe zone on its border with Syria to provide a safe haven for the Syrian refugees that currently number around 3 million in Turkey alone.

New Turkish PM helps Erdogan revive 'Ottoman glory'

Binali Yildirim is the ideal prime minister to usher in one-man rule in Turkey.

From Germany to IS front: a former PKK fighter's return to battle

Some of those fighting the Islamic State in Iraqi Kurdistan are volunteers. One of them is Sait Curukkaya.

Do you really need to know the new Turkish PM?

The appointment of Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim as prime minister implies that the office is about to be mothballed.

Muslim conservatives unveil anger at Turkey's Modest Fashion Week

Modest Fashion Week was greeted with a strong backlash from the religious conservative camp in Turkey.

Why Iran should focus on Turkey, not Russia, for Syria cooperation

Despite all talk of a nascent Russian-Iranian alliance, it appears that Iranian interests — and the objective of peace in Syria — are perhaps best served through Iranian-Turkish cooperation.

European Union (L) and Turkish flags fly outside a hotel in Istanbul, Turkey May 4, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RTX2DYBG

Turkish ambassador calls joining EU Ankara’s 'strategic objective'

In a wide-ranging interview with Al-Monitor, Turkish Ambassador to France Hakki Akil discussed Turkey’s perspectives on a safe zone in Syria, the migration crisis, Turkey’s progress toward EU membership, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russian intervention in Syria and the possibility of international intervention in Libya.

Foreign terrorist fighters, reverse migration are global crises

There is a pressing need for international cooperation to deal with foreign terrorist fighters and overcome the "not in my backyard" mindset.

Is Kim Kardashian leading the evil eye jewelry craze?

Evil eye beads, which have become a celebrity craze in the United States, are the one red line that Islamists in Turkey have not crossed so far.