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
Smuggling crackdown highlights resilience of northeast Syria’s oil trade Despite a joint Kurdish-US crackdown against oil smugglers from northeast Syria toward government-controlled territories, trade continues. Syria
How Iran's protests could impact foreign policy Critical comments from France and Germany about the Iranian protests could further accelerate the dismantling of the Iran nuclear deal. Israel
Istanbul mayor looks overseas as state banks deny him funds Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s new opposition mayor, says government-controlled banks are refusing to finance the city’s stalled infrastructure projects after the ruling party lost control of Turkey’s largest city. Turkey
IS designates Turkey as its next base The Islamic State has selected Turkey as its next base to reorganize, recruit and plan. Iraq
Jewish museums in Istanbul focus on upside of integration Jews have been living in Turkey for many centuries, and both the Sephardim from Spain and then Ashkenazim from Eastern Europe boast their own museums. Turkey
Ottoman 'city of princes' ready-made for the Instagram age Referred to as the "city of princes" for once being a training ground for future sultans, Amasya is attracting tourists with its rich history, museums and natural beauty. Turkey
Turkey’s HDP will not cede political ground Despite pressure from both the government and its own base, Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party has decided against withdrawing from the parliament and local administrations in protest over its treatment. Turkey
Copycat murder-suicides distress Turkey Three separate Turkish families committed suicide by taking cyanide in the first two weeks of November, and despite the government's denials, economic hardship seemed to play a key role in all three cases that shook the country. Turkey
Archaeology's Trojan War: The artist who took on Schliemann Osman Hamdi, a 19th-century Ottoman painter whose works sold at record prices earlier this year, also saved artifacts from being smuggled out of Turkey by foreign archaeologists. Turkey
Turkish court defies higher ruling to uphold verdict in Cumhuriyet retrial A Turkish court has upheld its conviction of 12 Cumhuriyet journalists, defying a September decision by a higher court and exposing discord in the Turkish judiciary. Turkey
Ankara seeks to discipline proxies in northeast Syria Allegations of war crimes committed by the rebel Syrian National Army backed by Turkey in northeast Syria have forced Ankara to take steps to try to rein in its proxies. Syria
Can EU's fear of terrorists give Turkey clout in ocean drilling? Following his threats to flood Europe with Syrian refugees, the Turkish president is now trying to use Islamic State suspects as leverage. Syria