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

Turkey

Turkey

August 30, 2026

Ankara 7:09 am

16°C

Barcelona

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.

Latest News

Explainer

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

Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers

Exclusive

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

Russian servicemen sit in the cabins of S-400 missile air defence systems in Tverskaya Street before a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade, which marks the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in central Moscow, Russia April 29, 2019. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva - RC1E849FD530

Turkey flirts with buying even more Russian missile systems

Turkey seems to be offering a compromise to the United States to avoid sanctions for Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 fighter jets — even as Turkey is in talks to buy more.

Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer won the Best Performance by an Actor award at the 47th International Emmy awards night at New York Hilton on November 25, 2019 in New York City (Photo by Selcuk Acar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Meet the actor who won Turkey's first Emmy Award for best performance

Haluk Bilginer, a veteran actor whose roles range from King Lear to drifters, received an Emmy Award for best acting performance.

Turkey bets on NATO as escape route in S-400 crisis

In a move to buy time, Erdogan is taking the S-400 crisis to NATO grounds, as Ankara’s testing of the Russian-made system the week before a NATO summit shows Ankara still has maneuvering room.

Acrimony erupts ahead of NATO summit as Turkey stalls defense plans

Turkey is impeding a military plan to defend Poland and the Baltics to force the alliance to support its military operation in Syria. The spat underscores political divisions that are shaking NATO ahead of its anniversary summit this week.

Turkish soldiers stand on a watch tower at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, as seen from the Syrian side, in Idlib governorate, Syria May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1525F30880

Despite stepped-up military actions, Turkey still faces jihadi threats

Ankara’s past haphazard policies complicate crackdown on IS; Iran hard-liners gain from protests; Syrian Kurds may not give up sales of Syrian oil to Damascus.

Former top Turkish minister promises new party by year-end

Ali Babacan, once a confidant of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, says he’s building a mainstream political movement to restore the country’s international reputation and bolster its democratic credentials, but analysts wonder if it can draw enough support to challenge the ruling party.

Turkish-Saudi animosity spills over into cultural sphere

A new multimillion-dollar series on a Saudi TV channel broadcast across the Middle East depicts Ottomans as tyrants who ravaged the Arab world.

Why this TV series causes high drama between Cairo, Ankara

After a decade of Ottoman splendors shown in popular Turkish soap operas, "Kingdoms of Fire" casts Selim, the Grim as the villain.

US sanctions on Turkey 'inevitable' after apparent S-400 radar test

US officials are expected to impose sanctions on Turkey following reports that Turkey is testing its Russian S-400 radars in Ankara.

Turkey’s economic crisis takes toll on wealth holders

Hit by the Turkish lira’s slump against the dollar, economic contraction and decline in real estate prices, Turkey’s richest have watched their wealth erode.

Why Turkish government turned a blind eye to draining, excavation of Ice Age lake

Turkish authorities allowed an excavation and draining of the 12,000-year-old Fathomless Lake in pursuit of a rumor that there was Roman treasure on the lake bottom. The lake was drained, revealing no treasure.

Desperate times bring out Erdogan in camouflage

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s biggest promise was to minimize the role of the military in politics. Did he keep his promise?