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Turkey

Turkey

May 17, 2026

Ankara 4:28 pm

14°C

Ships navigate the Bosphorus Strait on May 02, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, forcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and together with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, global shipping routes have been severely impacted. Soaring shipping costs, lengthening delivery times and less efficient routes have seen increased pressure on energy markets and supply chains worldwide. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Analysis

Why Turkey sees opportunity in Hormuz crisis to boost Middle Corridor

Ankara seeks to exploit transport disruptions from the Iran, Ukraine wars to push the corridor, but high costs, logistical bottlenecks and South Caucasus politics pose obstacles.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Mazloum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 26, 2025.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible

The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future.

Mazloum Kobane

Mazloum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Latest News

Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shake hands before a meeting at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus

The helicopter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands on Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on Aug. 9, 2022, before being sent for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Gazipasa.

Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkish Red Crescent's cars and trucks cross the Turkish border as they leave the Syrian city of Tel Abyad on Oct. 19, 2019, in Akcakale, Turkey.

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

Turkish military purges decimate career officer, pilot ranks

The impending dismissal of another 3,000 Turkish soldiers suspected of disloyalty is raising concerns about military readiness.

Villagers drive a tractor carrying olive tree branches near the border city of Kilis in Gaziantep province April 21, 2012. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: SOCIETY TRANSPORT) - GM1E84L1OQW01

Turkey’s agricultural decline rings alarm bells

The Turkish government is under fire for mismanaging the agricultural sector, whose decline has sent food prices soaring and forced the importation of basic items such as wheat, beans, meat and even straw.

People look at a Turkish attack helicopter "T129 ATAK" on May 9, 2017 during the opening day of the 13th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul. / AFP PHOTO / YASIN AKGUL (Photo credit should read YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish defense industry at critical juncture

After significant progress on the domestic level, the Turkish defense industry has reached a challenging phase in which it needs to enhance its export capacity to ensure sustainable growth.

Turkey's 'Lord of the Herbs' prescribes civil war

In a TV interview, a Turkish writer vowed to support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling party should they lose in the upcoming elections by promising to dig up a buried weapons stash and "take to the streets."

Turkey's traditional carpets meet quantum physics

The Turkish artist Belkis Balpinar adds new interpretations, including inspirations from science, to the tradition of symbolism in Anatolian kilims.

The unorthodox theory behind Erdogan's monetary policy

Economists and investors are not buying the controversial economic theory invoked by Turkey’s president to justify low interest rates in the face of high inflation and the lira's collapse.

Bowing to market pressure, Turkey's Central Bank hikes rates

The Turkish currency's nosedive continues, with the nation's Central Bank hamstrung by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's resistance to intervention.

IZMIR, TURKEY - MAY 26: View of the city of Izmir on May 26, 2016 in Izmir, Turkey. NATO's Standing Maritime Group 2 including the German combat support ship "Bonn" is currently deployed in the region between the mainland of Greece and Turkey, and will conduct surveillance and monitor illegal crossings in the Aegean Sea. The number of attempts by refugees to reach the islands of Greece has dropped rapidly. (Photo by Alexander Koerner/Getty Images)

Weary Istanbulites flock to seaside Izmir

Tired of traffic, extreme concretization and decelerated social interaction, white-collar, educated Turkish people are abandoning Istanbul for Turkey’s Aegean coastal province of Izmir.

A money changer counts Turkish lira banknotes at a currency exchange office in Diyarbakir, Turkey May 23, 2018. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar - RC1EF7A7FF30

Turkish lira in tailspin as Erdogan spooks investors

Clinging to unorthodox economic views, Turkey’s president has effectively paralyzed the central bank as the Turkish lira’s meltdown continues, threatening major economic turmoil.

Erdogan’s heir apparent

The candidate lists for Turkey's upcoming elections have been released, and the ruling party's is led by the president's son-in-law.

A picture taken on February 15, 2018 shows a Turkish military convoy driving through Syria's northwestern Idlib province.

/ AFP PHOTO / OMAR HAJ KADOUR (Photo credit should read OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish army's Idlib action 'riskiest cross-border operation' to date

Experts list the possibility of confrontation between Turkey and Syria, a new influx of refugees and activity by radical groups as potential hazards of Turkey’s deployment into Idlib.

Israeli right shifts stance on Armenian genocide amid Turkey spat

Israeli lawmakers on the right are finally set to recognize the "Armenian Holocaust" — but perhaps just to spite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and score points with their bases.