Stories from Turkey

MHP Vice Chairman Semih Yalçın announced that the party's 15th congress will take place on March 7, 2027. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) announced that its 15th congress will be held in March 2027.

A field research study involving 1,306 participants identified weak parental relationships as the primary cause of children being driven into crime, accounting for 81.1 percent of cases.

The charges include forming and managing a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, and money laundering. The investigation into the specific allegations has been completed, according to the report. No specific details regarding the nature of the crimes were provided in the report. Istanbul Deputy Chief Prosecutor Osman Sağlam announced that investigations into match-fixing and dealer activities in football have been paused during the World Cup break. Sağlam stated that despite the detention of 500 club officials, match-fixing continues to occur. He identified morality as the primary issue facing Turkish sports. He said that all judicial and administrative actions will be carried out with determination against any attempt to target the integrity of Turkish sports.

Workers and participants have begun marching from Gündoğdu Meydan in Izmir for May Day celebrations. The gathering at the square commenced at 12:00. The march is moving toward central areas of the city. Participants are currently gathering in designated areas to begin the procession. Authorities conducted a bomb search in the area before handing over control of the site. The event is currently ongoing as participants gather in the square, according to the report. Participants also held banners to voice demands from various labor unions. Workers and laborers began gathering at 11:00 AM for solidarity demonstrations in Izmir. Participants started marches from Basmane Square, Al Sancak Port, and Cyprus Martyrs. Various political parties are also participating in the marches, according to the report.

The Turkish Confederation reported membership figures across various sectors. Türk İş has 1,277,000 members, while Hak İş has 827,000 and DİSK has 217,000 members. The largest workforce sectors include trade, office, education, and fine arts with 4,375,000 people.

Seven workers died at a cosmetic factory in the Kocaeli province. According to data from the Occupational Health and Safety Assembly, 2,105 workers lost their lives last year. This figure represents the highest number of worker fatalities since the 2025 pandemic period.

Temperatures in Istanbul and the surrounding Marmara region are expected to reach 7-8 degrees Celsius.

Istanbul and the Marmara region are experiencing winter-like weather on May 1 despite expectations of sunny and warm conditions. Average temperatures for May in Istanbul are typically 22 degrees Celsius, but current felt temperatures are between 7 and 8 degrees Celsius.

A new defense platform named Mızrak, inspired by the Airo Dynamic structure, will debut at a global defense industry event in 2026. The system features land-to-sea deep operation capabilities, high striking power, and flexible mission profiles.

Game distributors with over 100,000 daily users must maintain a local representative in the country. Regulations also include provisions regarding maternity leave. New measures regarding the storage of firearms are being developed in Turkey. Following school attacks in Sanliurfa and Kahramanmaraş, owners of licensed firearms will be required to store weapons in locked areas within their homes. The source noted that current storage in homes is difficult to manage. The measures aim to require firearms to be kept in locked areas within homes to prevent children from accessing them. This follows reports of individuals, including Isa Aras Mersin, posing with weapons on social media, which led to the arrest of his father, Uhur Mersin. The upcoming regulations are expected to provide more concrete requirements for the storage conditions of licensed weapons.