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. Turkey
Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface Turkey hosts a flurry of regional diplomacy while fresh debate over Abdullah Ocalan’s future exposes new tensions in the Kurdish peace process. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul EU spotlights digital art in Ankara Also this week: A new chef’s table, ceramics and institutional debuts By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
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. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Hezbollah commanders killed as renewed strikes test Lebanon-Israel talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US pauses Hormuz escort mission as Trump cites progress on Iran talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Are deserted streets, shops the new normal in Ankara? Gripped by fear and panic after an unprecedented string of bombings, Ankara’s residents are shying from streets and shopping malls, hurting the local economy. Turkey
Erdogan vows to punish thought crimes By introducing the concept of "unarmed terrorists," Turkey’s president is resurrecting the old concept of "thought crime" that he used to oppose. Turkey
How the PKK is entering energy wars The PKK has stepped up attacks on oil and gas pipelines in Turkey. Turkey
How terror attacks drive politics in Ankara Turkey is increasingly becoming the scene of Rojava-inspired Kurdish resistance. Syria
Will Israel throw Erdogan a lifesaver? The roles appear to have been reversed, with Turkey more keen on mending fences today than Israel. Israel
Will Israel, Turkey decide the fate of Gaza? Reports on a possible Israeli-Turkish agreement on the construction of a floating harbor off the Gaza Strip and that would be served from Turkish Cyprus rekindled internal Palestinian wrangling between Fatah and Hamas. Palestine
Qasem Soleimani defends Hezbollah In a rare speech, the head of Iran's Quds Force defended his country against accusations that it might be looking for trouble in the region. Saudi Arabia
Internal strife heats up in Turkey’s ruling party Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s fury at the release of two prominent journalists could be only the tip of the iceberg in a simmering power struggle. Turkey
Why Turks are skipping banks and keeping their gold at home Turkish banks hope to retrieve 5,000 tons of gold that Turkish citizens have accumulated since World War I, and return it to the economy. Turkey
How this Kurdish agency breaks news, taboos The journalists of Turkey’s only all-female media outlet, the Kurdish agency JINHA, challenge male dominance in both their society and their profession, braving the harsh realities of a war-torn region. Turkey
Erdogan intensifies assault on independent media US State Department calls on Turkey to respect "democratic values"; Israel considers Erdogan a "lost cause," sees Putin winning "on all counts." Israel
Is Turkey's plan to stop flow of refugees legal? Turkey's offer to the European Union to stop the flow of refugees to Greece is compelling — but is it legal? Syria