PARLIAMENT PLANS SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR UNDER 15
Those under 15 may be barred from opening social media accounts under legislation that may be discussed in parliamentary commission at the end of January.
Analysis
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NEW REGULATION ON GOLD SALES
All gold will be sold with a tax label under the Precious Metal Tracking System (KMTS) to be launched in April by the Mint, which is affiliated with the Treasury and Finance Ministry.
OVERSEAS SHOPPING GETS MORE EXPENSIVE AS CUSTOMS EXEMPTION REMOVED
Overseas shopping got more expensive after new regulations ended the customs exemption for individual purchases of less than €30.
TURKISH JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS NO NEW EXECUTION LAW, NO AMNESTY ON AGENDA
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said there are no plans for a new execution law and that amnesty rumors are unfounded, responding to remarks by MHP Deputy Chair Feti Yıldız on a possible overhaul of sentence enforcement.
WATER CUT ROW BETWEEN ANKARA MAYOR AND ERDOĞAN
The government and the Ankara Municipality are trading accusations over responsibility for water cuts in the capital after one of the driest years on record.
ANKARA FRAMES ALEPPO FIGHTING AS COUNTERTERRORISM OPERATION
Amid renewed clashes between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led militia in Aleppo, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that the Turkish army would support the operation if Damascus requested assistance.
FROM NEWSROOMS TO FOOTBALL CLUBS, TURKEY’S DRUG PROBE WIDENS
The drug-using operation that started with artists in October, then extended to sports, media, business and politics, continues with the unlawful sharing of private conversations and denials of drug use despite forensic reports. The names of some prosecutors, politicians and advisers appeared in the investigation early on, yet media coverage has so far remained silent about them.
CONCEPT OF THE YEAR: DIGITAL CONSCIENCE
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said, “digital conscience” was selected as the Word/Concept of the Year for 2025 following a public vote organized by the Turkish Language Association (TDK), despite the term not being widely used in daily language.
POVERTY RATE FALLS SLIGHTLY, BUT MILLIONS STRUGGLE
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) released its Poverty and Living Conditions Statistics for 2025, showing a limited decline in the relative poverty rate while material deprivation and social exclusion remain widespread, meaning millions are unable to meet basic needs such as heating.
TURKEY DOES NOT DIVULGE IDENTITY OF DRONE
The Turkish Air Force shot down a drone that entered Turkish airspace from the Black Sea on Dec. 15 but Ankara refused to identify it, although all indications point to Russia.
DAMASCUS–SDF INTEGRATION TALKS ENTER CRITICAL PHASE
The integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian armed forces has entered a critical phase, emerging as one of the central pillars of Syria’s fragile transition following the overthrow of Bashar Assad on Dec. 8, 2024. Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said Syria has formally delivered a 13-point roadmap outlining the integration of the SDF into the new administration, with further details expected in the coming days.
GOVERNMENT SEEKS UNION APPROVAL ON MINIMUM WAGE
Although unions have refused to participate in the ongoing Minimum Wage Determination Commission meetings, the government is seeking their approval on the 2026 minimum wage — a move seen as an attempt to legitimize a process from which labor groups protest for being excluded.