LAWYER FOR İMAMOĞLU RELEASED UNDER JUDICIAL CONTROL
Nusret Yılmaz, one of the attorneys representing jailed Istanbul Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu and his wife, Dilek İmamoğlu, has been released under judicial control measures.
Analysis
In-Depth Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
ALTIN VARAK
Altın varak, the Turkish expression for gold leaf, is what happens when human vanity finds its most delicate expression. The Ottomans used it with flair: laid onto Qur’an illuminations, painted into miniatures, burnished across mosque panels and palace ceilings. It was a craft in which theology, politics, and decoration were rolled into one, performed with fine brushes.
BEYOĞLU AND THE ARREST OF ITS MAYOR
Don’t underestimate Beyoğlu. If a survey were conducted asking Turks to name the two districts they know best, the top answers would likely be Istanbul’s Beyoğlu and Ankara’s Çankaya. Çankaya is well known because it houses Atatürk’s legacy, the Republic, parliament, state institutions, and embassies.
FROM MOBSTERS TO A HITMAN: NEW TWIST IN ISTANBUL MUNICIPALITY CASE
The corruption probe into Istanbul and other CHP-run municipalities has taken a new turn, extending beyond politicians, lawyers, mobsters, and journalists to include a hitman. The alleged hitman is said to have acted on the instructions of Selahattin Yılmaz, a figure backed by MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli. The latest detentions targeted several lawyers and legal experts, whose ultra-luxurious offices and lavish lifestyles raised questions, with images suggesting close links to the government.
ERDOĞAN NOW ON NEXT SOSYAL
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has joined Next Sosyal, the social media platform founded by his son-in-law Selçuk Bayraktar, chair of the board of directors at Baykar.
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST PRESIDENCY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
A non-governmental organization has filed a criminal complaint with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office over three recent Islamic sermons issued by the Presidency of Religious Affairs and delivered in mosques nationwide.
JOURNALIST LINKS MEDIA ROLE TO IMAMOĞLU PROBE
Pro-government journalist Cem Küçük, known for his close ties with Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek and for publicizing details of probes into the CHP-run municipalities, admitted to carrying out his “duty” in the ongoing investigations.
TURKEY’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE CLIMBS TO 8.6%
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute’s (TurkStat) Household Labor Force Survey, unemployment increased in the second quarter of 2025 while overall employment declined.
INEQUALITY WIDENS ACROSS TURKEY
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has released for the first time socio-economic status data at the provincial and district levels, based on 2023. Covering more than 26 million households, the study highlights sharp inequalities across Turkey, measuring income, education, and occupation.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING HITS AN IMPASSE
No agreement was reached in pay talks between the government and civil servant unions. Memur-Sen, which is known for its closeness to the government and was expected to take the government’s pay rise proposal to the Public Officials Arbitration Board, announced that no application would be made.
FROM SOMALIA TO BURKINA FASO, TURKEY BUILDS PARTNERSHIP OVER PATERNALISM
For the past decade, Turkey’s Africa policy has favored partnership — co-designed projects, capacity building, and trade — over extractive habits associated with colonial legacies. Two countries once written off as “failed states,” Somalia and Burkina Faso, illustrate this shift. Both are edging back toward firmer state capacity under locally led agendas, with Turkey positioned as a security and development partner rather than a patron.
JAPAN SHOWS INTEREST IN TURKISH UAVS AND HÜRJET TRAINER JET
Japanese Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani toured the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Baykar to examine Turkish-made aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. His visit followed a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.