Analysis From drones to deterrence: Turkey's ICBM missile signals bigger ambitions Turkey’s planned test of a 6,000-kilometer missile could boost Ankara’s defense industry prestige, strengthen its deterrence messaging and feed a powerful domestic narrative of technological self-reliance, but it also raises questions about cost, timing and NATO protection. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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
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
Turkey's Altay tank project not ready to roll after all Now that Turkey's government has rejected Otokar's bid for the Altay tank contract, other companies will participate in the tender, including BMC — a Turkish/Qatari partnership whose chairman is a close friend of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Turkish opposition struggles to unite amid government crackdown In response to the arrest of one of its deputies, leader of Turkey’s secular opposition party Kemal Kilicdaroglu called for a popular march, but the protest move isn't distracting critics from his timid response to the president's increasing authoritarianism and fraud allegations. Turkey
Turkey's economic interests dictate balanced stance in Gulf crisis Through analyzing Gulf investment into Turkey, it is obvious that taking sides in the GCC dispute could have a detrimental effect on Turkey's economy. Legacy: Gulf
Opposition MP joins other lawmakers in Turkish prison Republican People’s Party member Enis Berberoglu has joined several other imprisoned lawmakers, convicted of revealing state secrets surrounding the MIT truck scandal of 2014. Turkey
Turkey’s top commander may be on his way out The Turkish president soon will decide whether to keep his embattled chief of general staff for a while or replace him immediately. Turkey
Qatar crisis opens gates of anti-Trumpism in Turkey Pro-government Turks who support Qatar have been hesitant to directly blame Saudi Arabia for the recent intra-GCC rift, preferring instead to scapegoat US intelligence services and President Donald Trump. Saudi Arabia
Orwell casts his shadow on Istanbul’s culture scene Orwell’s legacy is reinterpreted in Istanbul’s Pera Museum’s exhibition “Doublethink: Double vision.” Countries
Turks unite to save olive culture Citizens of a small olive-producing town played a key role in defeating a government proposal to allow industrial development among Turkey's olive groves. Near East
Moscow festival reflects hope for Turkey’s tourism sector Russian tourists are returning to Turkey’s relatively warm climes as relations between the countries thaw. Turkey
Turkish crackdown snares Amnesty International chair The Turkish government has arrested and charged the local Amnesty International chair with membership in the so-called Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization even as the rights group monitors political repression in the country. Turkey
Erdogan tries to juggle Iran, Saudi Arabia amid Qatar crisis Retired diplomats say Erdogan’s Qatar policy is driven more by his survival instinct than a rational foreign policy and that Ankara has squandered an opportunity to play a positive role in this crisis. Saudi Arabia
Kurdish independence in Iraq will take more than a referendum The Kurdistan Regional Government has its work cut out for it to achieve an independent Kurdistan, as its plans would require the cooperation of some unlikely players. Saudi Arabia