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Turkey

Turkey

November 28, 2025

Ankara 9:45 pm

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President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets Pope Leo XIV during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Ankara, Nov. 27, 2025.

In first foreign visit, Pope Leo meets Erdogan, urges Turkey to uphold pluralism

On his inaugural foreign visit to Turkey, Pope Leo called for respect for pluralism after meeting with the Turkish president.

Andreas SOLARO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Pope Leo heads to Turkey, navigating faith, politics and Orthodox tensions

The visit will bolster Turkey’s image on religious tolerance and shared positions with the Vatican while Ankara navigates sensitive issues surrounding the Halki Seminary and the Greek Patriarchate’s ecumenical status.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli is pictured in this undated image.

Turkey sentences journalist over 4 years in jail for threatening Erdogan

Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli was sentenced to over four years in prison in a trial government critics say aimed at silencing one of Turkey's most influential journalists and intended to intimidate journalists nationwide.

Latest News

Analysis

PKK leader Ocalan gains legitimacy in Turkey, bigger sway over Syria’s Kurds

People take part in a demonstration to call for the liberation of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan outside the European Council in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Sept. 15, 2025.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkey’s spy chief holds talks in Egypt over trapped Hamas militants

BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

Turkey’s graphic-novel culture blossoms in face of censorship

cartoons

Culture

Can AI save Turkey’s endangered Laz language?

A villager stands at a high point to survey the damage to the hill sides by quarrying in Ikizdere in the Rize Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey on June 7, 2021. A government-friendly company plans to extract 20 million tons of stone from a quarry in the northeastern town of Ikizdere for one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's latest development projects. The locals are rising up in protest, challenging the government and its priorities in a region dear to the domineering Turkish leader's heart. (Ph

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

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

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar is seen standing at the start of the North Atlantic Council meeting of defence ministers during the second and final day of the NATO defence ministers' meeting at the NATO headquarters on October 13, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. The North Atlantic Council (NAC) Defence Ministers are convening at the NATO headquarters in Brussels for a two-day summit as the war in Ukraine continues into its seventh month. (Photo by Omar Havana - Pool / Getty Images)

Turkey, Syria defense chiefs meet in Russia, discuss ‘normalization'

The Moscow meeting was described as “positive” by both sides since Syrian-Turkish rapprochement took off last year.

The Barbados-flagged ship"Nord Vind" coming from Ukraine loaded with grain is anchored for inspection in Istanbul, on Oct. 11, 2022.

Turkey imposes 130% tariff on grain imports

The move follows a tariff on electric vehicles and comes ahead of Turkey’s crucial elections.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey detains Kurdish figures ahead of vital polls

At least 126 politicians, journalists, lawyers and artists have been detained in an operation that observers call an intimidation tactic before the May 14 elections.

Portraits of Armenian intellectuals, detained and deported in 1915, are displayed during a rally on the Istiklal avenue in Istanbul, on April 24, 2017 to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the 1915 mass killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey bans Armenian Genocide commemoration ahead of May elections

The Istanbul governor has blocked the commemoration of the 1915 atrocities amid reactions to the opposition leader’s proclamation of his Alevi roots.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) arrive for a joint press conference with their Iranian counterpart following their summit in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey, Syria send defense, intel chiefs to meet in Russia

The meeting will mark the second round of talks that began late last year.

Supporters wave Turkish national flags as they attend a rally of Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and Presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Canakkale, western Turkey, on April 11, 2023.

Turkey’s undecided voters could sway Erdogan's fateful elections

While sights are largely set on Turkey’s presidential elections, pollsters and pundits warn that the results of parliamentary elections may sway the whole race in the event of a run-off for president.

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

Turkey's Kilicdaroglu garners record attention in Alevi video

Turkish presidential candidate and top Erdogan challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu garnered record attention in a video he made appealing to the country's youths.

People flee their neighborhoods amid fighting between the army and paramilitaries, following the collapse of a 24-hour truce, Khartoum, Sudan, April 19, 2023.

Erdogan speaks with warring sides in Sudan, calls for truce before Eid

Ankara is hoping to strike a conciliation between the sides before the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Muhammed Yakut

Turkey arrests journalist over 'sleaze' charges against government

Serdar Akinan’s alleged crime was to share and comment on videos accusing numerous members of the ruling party and their business cronies of corruption and engaging in extramarital sex.

BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images

Is Turkey’s shutdown of Hatay airport designed to help Erdogan in polls?

Hatay's mayor says the continuing halt of flights mean evacuees are unable to return for May 14 polls amid wider concern for election security.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey detains six Islamic State, al-Qaeda suspects

Turkey has stepped up its security operations against terrorist groups, ahead of the decisive May 14 elections.

A woman enjoys the sea as a Greek army rib returns from patrol on the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo.

Turkey, Greece row reignited over 'Turkaegean' trademark dispute

Turkey’s tourism campaign with the slogan “Turkaegean” reignites tensions in Athens, which considers it both cultural usurpation and a threat to Greek sovereignty in the Aegean.