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Turkey

Turkey

July 16, 2026

Ankara 4:48 am

19°C

Ozgu Ozel

Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel could launch new party by August

Ozgur Ozel’s remarks on a potential new party came as the legal crackdown on the main opposition widened further this week with the arrest and suspension of the mayor of Cankaya,one of the party’s most secure and symbolically important strongholds in the heart of Ankara.

Visitors stand inside Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul on April 14, 2025.

Russian couple faces deportation from Turkey after Bible reading at Hagia Sophia

The couple were detained after reading from the Bible inside the Istanbul landmark, which remains one of Christianity’s most important historic sites despite its conversion into a mosque.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Egyptian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher, met at the Turkey’s Defense Ministry in Ankara, July 13, 2026.

Turkey, Egypt expand military ties with cooperation frameworks: What to know

Increasing defense cooperation between Ankara and Cairo comes as Turkey seeks to offset the expanding Greek-Cypriot-Israeli alignment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Latest News

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Lebanese PM Salam in Turkey as Erdogan seeks wider regional role

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam speaks during a joint declaration press event with French President following their meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on April 21, 2026.

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

Turkey’s girls, women struggle with body image

A Turkish woman who died following gastric sleeve surgery has revived the debate about women’s body image in Turkey.

Trial of Turkey’s opposition leader starts without him in court

A court ruled that Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey’s second-biggest opposition party, could not attend his first hearing in person, increasing concerns his trial may not be fair.

Trump's Jerusalem move may prove blessing for Erdogan

While Trump’s Jerusalem statement provided Erdogan an opportunity to present himself as the leader and spokesman of the Muslim world, the move could further polarize the region and destabilize Turkey.

How Mideast turmoil boosts Turkey’s housing market

Turkey enjoys a significant increase in real estate purchases by foreigners, but other foreign direct investments are on the decline.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC14EE3228D0

The next battle in Syria

With the war on the Islamic State winding down, other tensions in Syria are dialing up as Israel and Turkey worry over forces amassing on their borders.

Kurds claim Turkish airstrike targeted refugee camp in Iraq

Fingers are pointed at Turkey as the dust clears from an explosion that killed five people in an Iraq refugee camp for displaced Kurds.

Gulenists speak out at last

A group of young academics who have been in or close to the Gulen community are speaking out publicly, daring to question others' blind allegiance to their imam.

Syrian Kurds move closer to Russia

The Russian-Kurdish collaboration in Deir ez-Zor shows that after the United States, Russia, too, will be standing in the way of Turkey's efforts to block out Syria’s Kurds.

U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State, Brett McGurk, speaks with media during a briefing to Defeat ISIS and an update on the Coalition's efforts during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - RC1818FBC0E0

Pro-Erdogan groups call for Brett McGurk's arrest

A no-name group claiming to work against the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen has called for the arrest of US diplomat Brett McGurk, the most recent American to be targeted by supporters of the Turkish president.

#MeToo movement is stillborn in Turkey

The #MeToo movement has focused on violence in Turkey with significant support, but the attackers are neither named nor punished, and sexual misconduct is still a taboo subject, so its victims often suffer alone in shame.

US sanctions-busting trial fails to shock Turkish markets

Turkey’s financial markets remained relatively calm in the face of bribery confessions and other allegations targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Two years after jet crisis, do Russians really trust Turkey?

Russians appear to have forgiven Turkey for its jaw-dropping decision two years ago to shoot down a Russian jet, but forgetting is another matter.