Culture Turkey egg donor scam allegedly sold clients on promise of blond babies An investigation triggered by a husband’s tip has led to at least 45 arrests in an alleged network that sold Turkish donor eggs to foreign clients seeking Scandinavian ancestry. Turkey
Analysis What's at stake as Libya's eastern parliament approves Turkey maritime deal Libya's eastern-based parliament's approval of a long-disputed maritime deal with Turkey marks a strategic win for Ankara as Saddam Hifter seeks Turkish backing for his presidential ambitions, according to analysts. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkey sends Mecca defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to parliament for ratification Ankara is weighing military assistance to Riyadh as Houthi attacks intensify, though any Turkish deployment is expected to be limited. Turkey
Turkey's defense industry set to hit $20B in new contracts in 2026 The expanding defense industry sector has also become a foreign-policy tool for Ankara, deepening military partnerships with countries including Saudi Arabia. Turkey
Analysis Turkey turns to Iran to contain Houthis as Saudi defense commitments grow By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Erdogan woos Armenia with regional cooperation proposal A transport corridor for Azerbaijan via Armenian territory — a plan that has stoked Turkey’s strategic ambitions in the region — remains on paper a year on, but that’s not the only obstacle to normalization between the three neighbors. Turkey
Israel seeks release of couple arrested for espionage in Istanbul In an incident that threatens to further strain Turkey-Israel relations, Jerusalem is working to secure the release of an Israeli couple arrested in Istanbul Friday after reportedly taking photos of a presidential residence. Turkey
Airlines suspend Belarus-bound travel for Middle East migrants Turkish Airlines and Iraqi Airlines restricting flights to Minsk for citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Turkey
Turks demand protection after woman killed with sword In the wake of a headline-making femicide in Istanbul, activists and politicians have revived calls to return to the Istanbul Convention. Turkey
Turkish Airlines denies fueling Belarus-Poland migration crisis After EU officials threatened to blacklist airlines facilitating travel for asylum-seekers amassing at the Poland-Belarus border, Turkish Airlines denied links to the bloc’s latest migration crisis. Turkey
Muslim Brotherhood exiles in Turkey face uncertain future The rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo has catalyzed internal rifts between exiled leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Turkey
Syrian Kurdish commander says Russia opposes further Turkish land grabs Mazlum Kobane, commander in chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, also says Damascus is not yet ready for negotiations. Syria
Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk faces probe for insulting Turkey’s founder Following an Istanbul court’s decision to launch an investigation into “Nights of Plague,” the recent novel by Orhan Pamuk, many writers and activists are rallying to support the Nobel laureate. Turkey
Turkey’s Kurds revive fight for language rights Many Kurdish groups have joined forces to promote the Kurdish language and press Ankara for greater language rights. Turkey
Turkey cracks down on speculation about Erdogan’s health Rumors focusing on Erdogan’s hospitalization and death lead to announcement of investigation against 30 social media users, but online chatter continues. Turkey
Rezoning of Istanbul islands raises concerns of AKP meddling A presidential decree has transferred zoning control of Istanbul’s opposition-run Princes’ Islands to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, raising concerns of anti-democratic practices by Turkey’s ruling party. Turkey
Turkey terminates post of several honorary consuls critical of government The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s termination of posts for nine consul generals, including those from Belgium, Austria, Sweden and the UK, are attributed to some of the consuls’ criticism of government policies and their political links with opposition parties. Turkey