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
Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions. Turkey
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
Small Istanbul publisher sustains Armenian literature Aras Publishing has spent nearly three decades publishing forgotten classics by Armenian writers in both Turkish and the at-risk Western Armenian language. Turkey
Waves of displacement continue amid Idlib escalation Idlib residents continue to flee toward the border with Turkey as Syrian regime forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, advance on the country’s last opposition stronghold. Syria
'There's no mercy': Kurdish Red Crescent perseveres in northern Syria Heyva Sor a Kurdistane, the Kurdish Red Crescent, has been doggedly rescuing the wounded and attending to the sick in northeastern Syria since 2012. Syria
Intel: Why Russia went on counteroffensive against US criticism over Idlib The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the killing of “several Russian and Turkish military specialists” in the Idlid de-escalation zone. Syria
Is France irked by Erdogan’s passion for Africa? Erdogan’s efforts to boost Turkey’s economic role in Africa have been marked by outbursts maligning France’s colonial past, but there is more to Turkey’s Africa opening that fuels the bilateral spats. Turkey
Three die after Turkish plane skids off runway A fatal crash during poor weather at an Istanbul airport comes on the heels of other recent disasters, including an avalanche and earthquake, raising fears about safety in Turkey. Turkey
US envoy presses Russia to halt Syrian offensive on Idlib A top US envoy today pressed Russia to get the Syrian regime to halt a military offensive into the northwestern Syrian enclave of Idlib that has driven some half a million people to flee their homes since December. Syria
Intel: Pentagon pauses program that helps Turkey target PKK The United States has suspended providing real-time intelligence to Ankara that helped it target militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. Turkey
Erdogan threatens Assad forces, seeks de-escalation in Idlib Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will retaliate if Syrian regime forces do not pull back from Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end of the month. Syria
Turkey’s AKP stumbles in efforts to restore economic confidence Turkey’s economic confidence indicators show the government has a long way to go in overcoming the credibility erosion it has suffered over the past two years. Turkey
Recent escalations in Idlib present Russia with tall order As the situation in Idlib heats up, Russian-Turkish "marriage of convenience" gets tested, but it may be too early to call for the divorce. Syria
Syria clashes, Ukraine visit test Turkey-Russia relations Despite their opposing interests, analysts expect continued Ankara-Moscow collaboration following clashes between Turkish troops and Russia-backed Syrian forces. Syria