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Turkey

Turkey

July 4, 2026

Ankara 9:29 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.

Latest News

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

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

An Emirates Airlines Boing 777 plane unload a coronavirus vaccine shipment at Dubai International Airport on February 1, 2021 as key transport hub Dubai announced an initiative to accelerate the delivery of coronavirus vaccines, particularly to developing nations. - The Vaccine Logistics Alliance, which includes Dubai-based Emirates airline and global logistics giant DP World, is designed to "speed up distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world through the emirate". The alliance will "support" the Wo

Long-term transport growth bodes well for Middle East airlines, airports as competition intensifies

Afshin Molavi

DEPO PHOTOS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish pop star jailed over joke placed under house arrest

Turkish pop singer Gulsen is under house arrest after spending the weekend behind bars for a four-month-old quip about religious school alumni.

Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin.

Swedish, Finnish NATO bids face test as officials meet Turkey’s representatives

Lack of movement on extradition of “terrorist” suspects still poses threat to Nordic states joining alliance.

A stray dog lies on a street at Besiktas in Istanbul on April 11, 2020, as Turkish government announced a two-day curfew to prevent the spread of the epidemic COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Defending dogs pays dividends in Erdogan’s Turkey

Following a public outcry, a Turkish court has suspended an app used to report the location of stray dogs after the information was allegedly used to kill canines.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Exam fiasco exposes rot in Turkish bureaucracy

The scandal surrounding a civil service exam has painted a grim picture of Turkey's bureaucratic corruption.

Masoud Barzani

Barzani says former Turkish president wanted federation with Iraq’s Kurds

In his memoir, Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani shares that Turkey's former President Turgut Ozal had once floated the idea of "annexing" Iraqi Kurdistan.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Tourism up 128% in Turkey with travelers from Germany, Russia

Turkey's foreign visitors are up despite concern that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would hurt its tourism industry this year.

US dollar banknotes and Turkish lira banknotes, photo taken in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 7, 2021.

Turkey’s 'covert' interest payments on course to exceed regular ones

The cost of state safeguards in a deposit scheme meant to curb dollarization in Turkey has ballooned to alarming levels as the Turkish lira continues to tumble.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey hopes to extend mediation role in Ukraine war after grain deal success

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said the agreement to ship Ukrainian foodstuffs could be a stepping stone toward peace.

BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey signals new rules of engagement to Syrian Kurds, Damascus

Turkish strikes on Syrian government troops and overt Kurdish attacks on targets inside Turkey signal that both sides are changing the rules of the game as Ankara eyes normalization with Damascus.

Erdogan and Zelenskyy

Analysis

Turkey’s economic crisis coincides with new diplomatic initiatives

Finding solutions: Turkey and the UN are pursuing diplomacy to end Ukraine war while Ankara is considering rapprochement with Syria and mending ties with Israel.

Week in Review

By Week in Review

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shake hands.

UN, Turkey and Ukraine discuss grain exports, nuclear safety 

Turkey and Ukraine sign a memorandum of understanding on reconstruction of Ukrainian infrastructure destroyed by war.