The Latest Breaking News from Atilla Yesilada

With Iran suffering setbacks in Syria and Lebanon, regional rivals Azerbaijan and Turkey are stepping up efforts to secure a strategic goal through the Zangezur corridor project that Tehran had been blocking.

Turkey's bid to join the BRICS trading group is the latest move in the Turkish President's delicate balancing act between Western and Eastern allies.

The leaders of Turkey and Russia are continuing to deepen relations as Moscow intensifies its war against Ukraine. Their frequent meetings and close ties fuel concerns among Turkey's Western allies that Ankara is circumventing sanctions against Russia.

With Turkish Russian trade booming since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna's visit to Turkey this week focused on efforts to further isolate Moscow.

A game of cat and mouse between Turkish internet users and the authorities in Ankara is intensifying ahead of looming polls. According to rights groups, Turkey ranks among the world's worst for press freedom. But years of censorship and control are creating a population increasingly adept at bypassing such restrictions.

The arrival in a Turkish port of two superyachts belonging to a Russian oligarch is drawing attention to Ankara's policy of refusing to impose sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. There are concerns that Turkey is becoming a safe haven for those seeking to circumvent sanctions.

The financial turmoil unleashed by the Ukrainian conflict is hitting Turkey harder than most, with its economy still grappling with galloping price hikes caused by last year's currency collapse.