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Turkey

July 3, 2026

Ankara 2:32 am

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A screenshot of one of Deniz Goktas' standup routines posted to YouTube.

Culture

Turkish standup comic detained after act calling Erdogan 'dictator' goes viral

Comedian Deniz Goktas’ arrest comes as Ankara intensifies prosecutions against opposition figures, journalists, artists and critics ahead of a major NATO summit.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during the launch of an offshore energy exploration at the port in Mogadishu on April 10, 2026.

Turkish jets strike al-Shabab targets in Somalia: What to know

A Somali Defense Ministry statement initially said Turkish F-16s carried out strikes on Al-Shabab targets before a later version referred only to “international partners.”

Syrian textile employees work in a textile workshop in Gaziantep, Turkey, on Jan. 30, 2025.

Explainer

Turkey eases job rules for 1M+ Syrians under temporary protection: What to know

The move, part of a broader easing of restrictions on Syrians living in Turkey, could allow roughly 1.1 million working-age Syrians to enter registered employment more easily as Ankara seeks to reduce informal labor and address workforce gaps.

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, Azerbaijan slam Israel’s Armenian genocide recognition as Yerevan mum

Ankara accused Israel of weaponizing history as Armenia avoided public comment amid delicate regional diplomacy.

Latest News

Analysis

Why Turkey and Egypt are deepening military ties amid regional turmoil

From (L-R) Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attend a meeting in Cairo on June 21, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Explainer

Israel's Armenian genocide recognition marks new front against Turkey

Members of the Jerusalem Armenian community hold placards as they march during commemorations for the 94th anniversary of mass killings of their kin under the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem's Old City, April 24, 2009.

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

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - DECEMBER 05: People wallk past a currency exchange shop on December 5, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. As the Turkish Lira plunged to record lows in past weeks, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a speech Saturday said his political enemies were trying to sabotage the economy and urged citizens to convert their foreign currency savings into lira or gold. Borsa Istanbul, Turkey's main stock exchange, became the first institution to act on the presidents call, converting all it's cash assets to li

Increased gold reserves help stabilize Turkey's currency ahead of May elections

The value of Turkey's gold reserves have reached an all-time high of $50.6 billion and account for almost 40% of the central bank's gross foreign assets.

Piero Cingari

Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu (C).

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party won’t field challenger to Erdogan, boosting opposition’s chances

The pro-Kurdish HDP announced that it will not field a candidate in the May 14 presidential elections and will run under the banner of the Green Left Party to circumvent a potential closure and political ban that it faces.

MICHAEL VARAKLAS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, Greece take strides in Ankara meeting as aid diplomacy continues

A meeting of senior Turkish and Greek diplomats in Ankara is the latest diplomatic contact spurred by post-disaster diplomacy, and the fourth meeting of the “Positive Agenda” initiative.

Muharrem Ince.

18 contenders jump into Turkey's two-horse presidential race to unseat Erdogan

While voting will be between incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, May’s election will see a colorful assortment of would-be presidents.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R).

Turkey, Iraq laud cooperation, but major disagreements remain

Sudani on his first visit to Ankara, stressed the importance of Iraq’s sovereignty in the two countries' fight against terrorism.

JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

2023 Mideast happiness rankings: UAE, Israel happiest as Lebanon hits bottom

The Middle East and North Africa region remains the least happy region after sub-Saharan Africa globally, but several regional nations have become happier in comparison to the previous period.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

EU raises $7.5 billion for Turkey, Syria earthquake victims

Erdogan tells donors that Turkey will continue to facilitate the land and air transfer of humanitarian aid materials from third parties and other countries to the quake victims in Syria.

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks during an International Donors Conference for Turkey and Syria.

US announces $50 million in earthquake aid for Syria, Turkey

The funding announcement brings the total US contribution since the Feb. 6 disaster to $235 million.

People take picture from a observation bridge of Rain Vortex as a train passes at Jewel Changi airport in Singapore on December 7, 2022. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Qatar loses 'World’s Best Airport' to Singapore, Turkey's Istanbul climbs to 6

Most Gulf Cooperation Council city airports went up in rank from last year's SKYTRAX’s World Airport Awards.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the parliament to mark the opening of the new legislative year, at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on October 1, 2022. - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 1, 2022 warned Turkey would not ratify the NATO membership bids of Sweden and Finland until the two Nordic countries "kept" promises they had made to Ankara. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey will ratify Finland’s NATO bid, Erdogan says

Finland’s NATO membership is now pending Hungary’s ratification.

People watch on from a balcony displaying a large banner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan outside a "Yes" (EVET) referendum campaign rally event attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 11, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey.(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Turkey's FM to visit Egypt as Erdogan mends relations with Sisi

The visit will be the first of its kind in more than a decade, following diplomatic deep freeze between the two East-Med countries.

Remzi Kartal, a former member of the Turkish Parliament whose formal title is co-chair of the Kurdistan People’s Congress, in an undated image.

Interview

Kurdish umbrella group says US pressure won't solve Turkey’s Kurdish problem — but Ocalan can

Remzi Karta, a top civilian leader of the umbrella Kurdish group that includes the Kurdistan Workers Party, said in an interview with Al-Monitor that if released, imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan could still solve the Kurdish problem in a week.

Remzi Kartal

Remzi Kartal

Co-Chair of the Kurdistan People’s Congress