Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

May 10, 2026

Ankara 12:42 am

13°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

Some Gazans fear Turkish generosity may come at high price

Turkey’s crucial humanitarian aid and booming economic projects in Gaza could have hidden political motives.

Syrian refugees boost Turkish economy, but for how long?

Syrian refugees provided a much-needed boost to the slowing Turkish economy last year, but their contribution is not expected to last.

Turkish soldiers patrol in Sur district, which is partially under curfew, in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey February 26, 2016. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar - RTX28RTL

How Turkey seeks to kill two birds with one stone in Diyarbakir

The air of secrecy surrounding an urban renewal project in Turkey’s largest Kurdish city sparks anxiety among local residents, already stripped of their homes amid devastating clashes between Kurdish militants and the security forces.

A woman with children talks to soldiers in Baglar district, which is partially under curfew, in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar - RTSAV4F

Why Erdogan can't end PKK war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal agenda precludes a negotiated settlement with the Kurds, and a military solution remains just as out of reach.

A Metropolitan police officer separates a protester from a member of the Turkish security detail in front of the Brookings Institute before the arrival of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTSD14M

West takes Erdogan to task over press freedom

During the Turkish president's US visit, US President Barack Obama openly rebuked Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while Germany told him his undemocratic strong-arming won't work in Europe.

Is Turkey's lax oversight keeping PKK flush with funds?

While the Turkish public is asked to mobilize against PKK terror, are the government’s efforts to curtail PKK financing and money laundering enough?

Military wipes its hands of Turkish politics

Rumors and denials of a possible coup by the Turkish military are a symptom of the malignant political atmosphere in the country.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) attends a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTSD01S

Syrian Kurds proceed with federal structures despite Turkish threats

Washington gets the Erdogan treatment; Syrian Kurds establish federal institutions; Hamas closes Iranian charity.

Turkish security personnel struggle to take a sign away from protesters in front of the Brookings Institute before the arrival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Washington, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTSD14K

Turkish bodyguards take Washington by force

After assaulting a deputy in Ecuador, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bodyguards this time terrorize the media and protesters in Washington.

A lone house is seen at a construction site of an urban transformation project in Fikirtepe, an Istanbul neighborhood, in the Asian part of the city, May 7, 2014. The house belongs to a family who has refused to give its approval for the demolishment of the building, bringing the transformation project to a standstill. The owner of the house has demanded a new contract with further guarantees before signing an agreement with the construction firm behind the project, local media reported. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Is Turkey headed for a housing bubble?

Will Turkey’s housing sector, which leads the world in price increases, continue to attract foreign investors?

Should they stay or should they go? Turkey leaves foreign investors at odds

Short-term foreign investors staged their biggest flight from Turkey last year, while foreign direct investments shot up to a seven-year high.

Turkey's Erdogan openly embraces his naked ambition

President Erdogan tells potential military leaders about his goal of becoming a functioning — not symbolic — commander-in-chief.