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Turkey

Turkey

July 16, 2026

Ankara 7:05 am

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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

Will Turkey rid Abbas of Dahlan before Palestinian elections?

The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced that it would include the dismissed leader of the Fatah movement, Mohammed Dahlan, on the list of most-wanted terrorists, which observers see as a golden opportunity for Abbas to rid of his rival before the elections.

United Arab Emirates

The Istanbul Archaeological Museums return, piece by piece

A vast plan to restore and revitalize Turkey's first modern museum, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, established in 1869, remains a partial work in progress, but the completion of the first phase has produced a visitor friendly and engaging environment.

RakıToasting.jpg

Southern Turkish city defiant over its raki and kebab

Although Adana province banned a raki festival for reasons of safety, locals rushed to the bars to celebrate their culture of raki — accompanied by turnip juice — and kebab.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia October 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC11687C0E70

Are Russia and Turkey in tug of war over Libya?

Libya has emerged as a contested issue between Russia and Turkey.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during an event at the Concert Noble in Brussels, Belgium October 24, 2019. Francisco Seco/Pool via REUTERS - RC1B74F188D0

Intel: Pentagon worried Turkey ‘spinning out’ of NATO orbit

Defense Secretary Mark Esper told an audience at a New York think tank he was worried that Turkey is “spinning out” of the NATO orbit.

dpatop - 28 June 2019, Japan, Osaka: Recep Tayyip Erdogan (l-r), President of Turkey, Donald Trump, President of the United States of America (USA), Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdelasis al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, stand side by side in the group picture at the start of the G20 summit. The heads of state and government of the 19 leading industrialised and emerging countries and the European Union will meet at the G20 summit in Osaka (Japan) on 28 and 29 June 2

White House provides lifeline to US ties with Turkey and Saudi Arabia

Turkish and Saudi leaders look to Trump to prevent relations with the United States from going bad to worse.

A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1DD8429180

Will Turkish lira save economy in Syria's opposition-held areas?

As Syria's currency plunges against the dollar, the opposition's Syrian Interim Government plans to replace the Syrian pound with the Turkish lira in the areas it controls.

Armenian-Americans march in protest through the Little Armenia neighborhood of Hollywood, California on April 24, 2018 demanding recognition by Turkey on the 103rd anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide, which Turkey insists did not happen. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Senate recognizes Armenian genocide in latest black eye for Turkey

The Senate unanimously recognized the Armenian genocide today, the latest in a string of major blows against Turkey within a week.

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) holds a press conference at his home in Ankara on September 13, 2019, to announce that he would launch a "new political movement" in the latest challenge to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from his former allies. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Former Erdogan ally establishes new party in Turkey

Following months of speculation, former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is establishing a new party to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hold on center-right voters.

Could Turkey bar US military from Incirlik air base?

Faced with the resurging threat of sanctions in the US Congress, Ankara has brandished another trump card, warning that the US military could lose access to two key bases in Turkey.

Is Turkey about to lose its only ally in the Gulf?

As Qatar's crisis with its Gulf neighbors de-escalates, Ankara is concerned about losing its valuable ally.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 24 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj (L) during a bilateral meeting, held within the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey on May 24, 2016. (Photo by Kayhan Ozer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Turkish-Libyan security, maritime deals spike tensions

Agreements between Turkey and Libya sparked anger among stakeholders in the Libyan civil war and in maritime drilling in the Mediterranean Sea.