The Turkish Parliament has passed a comprehensive law extending parental leave and introducing strict limits on children’s social media use, in a move targeting both family welfare and digital safety.

Under the legislation approved in the General Assembly, maternity leave for working women has been increased from 16 weeks to 24 weeks, while paternity leave has been doubled from five days to 10 days, significantly expanding support for working parents.

The law also introduces a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 15. Platforms will be required to implement robust age verification systems to prevent underage access.

Companies that fail to comply with the new rules will face heavy administrative fines as well as potential advertising bans, according to the legislation. Türkiye is preparing a sweeping overhaul of social media regulations that would require users to verify their identities through the e-Government (e-Devlet) system before accessing major platforms, in a move officials say will increase transparency and curb online crime, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said. Under the proposed system, users opening accounts on social media platforms would be redirected to the e-Government portal, where their identities would be verified. Instead of sharing personal data directly with the platforms, the system would generate a unique, user-specific digital key confirming the verification.

Lawmakers said the measures aim to both strengthen family structures and protect children from risks associated with digital platforms.

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Türkiye’s U.N. envoy Ahmet Yıldız voiced concerns about Israeli military activity in Syria and called on Tel Aviv to reverse course.

“It is essential that Israel refrains from escalatory actions in Syria and rolls back its encroachment,” Yıldız said, adding, “Stability in southern Syria must be ensured in full compliance with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.”

“We reiterate our call for Israel’s withdrawal from the buffer zone and from the areas it has occupied since Dec. 8,” he said, stressing that “Respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity remains indispensable.”

Yıldız was speaking at a U.N. Security Council special session on Syria in New York on Wednesday.

The U.N. called out Israel over a renewed incursion into Syrian territory, warning that repeated military violations are threatening Syria’s “fragile” political transition and demanding an immediate halt to the provocations.

“Let me start by noting that Israeli military activity in southern Syria continues in breach of existing agreements and international law,” U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone told the same event, pointing to Israeli forces conducting near-daily incursions, erecting checkpoints and detaining Syrian nationals.

He singled out an incident on Wednesday in which “dozens of Israelis crossed several hundred meters into the Area of Separation near the village of Hadar,” saying both the crossing and their behavior were “highly provocative.”

“I reiterate our strong call on Israel to cease violations, respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adhere to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and prevent incidents such as the one today,” he said, also demanding Israel return all Syrian detainees taken in violation of international law.

Cordone expressed hope that “talks between Israel and Syria with U.S. facilitation can lead to sustainable security arrangements.”

He commended the Syrian government’s efforts to “shield Syria from the conflicts raging in the region, with Syrian security forces deployed defensively to control borders,” and that “March 2026 recorded the lowest levels of direct conflict-related violence in 15 years, although civilians continued to be killed by remnants of war.”

Warning that the economic picture remained concerning, he said: “Syria’s economic outlook remains fragile.”

“The regional conflict has raised import costs, disrupted supply chains and affected food production,” he added.

U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher shared “a more positive trajectory,” but immediately cautioned that “the progress is fragile” following years of conflict and neglect, pointing to millions of people returning home, growing markets and more electricity coming back on as encouraging signs.

Pointing to three major risks threatening to reverse those gains, he said, “As of April 19, nearly 300,000 people had crossed into Syria from Lebanon, overwhelmingly Syrian nationals, adding to the estimated 1.6 million Syrian refugees who have returned to Syria from across the region since the end of 2024.”

He warned that ongoing disruptions to critical supply routes risked “setting back return and recovery efforts by years.”

Internally, the needs remained staggering, over 13 million people in need of food, 12 million without access to clean water, and mines continuing to kill and maim.

Fletcher made three requests of the council: sustain diplomatic energy, support vital humanitarian operations, and invest in Syria’s future. “The world needs a success story,” he said. “Syria could be one.”

The U.N.’s special representative for children and armed conflict, Vanessa Frazier, said children remained the most vulnerable amid the continued hostilities across the Middle East.

“Sadly, the situation has been taken over by the events in the Middle East immediately upon my return, and once again, children are caught in a spiral of deadly violence and destruction,” she said, expressing hope that international support could still deliver “positive and long-lasting change for children” in Syria.

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U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack revived the country’s hopes for improved defense cooperation with his country.

Barrack described the prolonged dispute over Ankara’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet program as “insane,” urging a swift resolution, and stressing that it would help strengthen the NATO alliance, which both countries are longstanding members of.

In remarks to Fox News Digital following his statements at last weekend’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, Barrack said the impasse underscores the need for a diplomatic breakthrough, reiterating that Türkiye remains a vital ally hosting key U.S. assets, contributing to NATO missions and countering shared threats.

Barrack, who also serves as the U.S. special envoy for Syria, said U.S. sanctions and Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program, triggered by its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, have unnecessarily strained ties while benefiting Russia.

“The S-400 issue can and should be resolved within months through surgical diplomacy,” Barrack said, pointing to efforts led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and grounded in the relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Addressing concerns in Congress, including criticism from Senator Rick Scott over potential arms transfers, Barrack said any resolution would fully comply with Section 1245 of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“That means verifiable cessation of possession and operability of the Russian S-400 system,” he said, adding that formal certifications from the U.S. Departments of Defense and State would confirm there is no risk to sensitive F-35 technology. “There will be no shortcuts on American security standards,” he stressed.

Barrack said a breakthrough is within reach, adding: “What I am signaling is that real breakthroughs are imminent: restoring Turkey’s role in the F-35 ecosystem, strengthening NATO interoperability, boosting US industry, and denying Russia leverage.”

Describing the approach as aligned with Trump’s foreign policy, he said: “This is classic Trump deal-making: enforce the law, protect our technology, and rebuild alliances that advance American strength.”

“In every one of these statements, I am speaking directly in support of this administration’s foreign policy. We believe in peace through strength, candid assessment of realities, and delivering results that protect U.S. interests without dragging America into endless conflicts,” said Barrack.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that ongoing wars in the region are beginning to weaken Europe, cautioning that failure to adopt a peace-focused approach could lead to far greater damage, during a phone call with German President Frank Walter Steinmeier.

According to a statement from the Communications Directorate, Erdoğan stressed that without timely diplomatic intervention, the consequences of the conflicts would deepen, affecting not only the region but Europe as well.

The two leaders also discussed Türkiye-Germany relations and broader regional and global developments, with Erdoğan noting that bilateral ties have gained momentum through recent high-level contacts.

He reiterated that Türkiye continues efforts to end conflicts through negotiations, including initiatives related to tensions involving Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Former European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday expressed support for Türkiye and appeared to question recent remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that grouped the NATO member alongside Russia and China as influential actors.

In a post on X, Michel highlighted Türkiye’s strategic importance and called for continued engagement.

“Türkiye is a core NATO ally, a key migration partner, an energy corridor, a major defense actor on Europe’s flank, and a serious regional power,” Michel wrote in his post tagging von der Leyen. “Europe doesn’t get stronger by applying double standards or simplifying reality.”

Michel’s remarks followed the European Commission president’s remarks at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the newspaper Die Zeit in Hamburg on Monday. Von der Leyen mentioned her support for EU enlargement and said: “We must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China.”

Von der Leyen drew criticism from Turkish officials who said the characterization did not reflect the country’s status as a key partner and NATO ally.

Ömer Çelik, the spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said

von der Leyen’s approach reflected a lack of vision and risked increasing tensions in the Balkans.

“Von der Leyen’s statement is something that should be seen as a manifestation of a lack of vision,” Çelik said, adding that framing the issue in such terms could “trigger more fault lines and produce stress in the Balkans.”

He also criticized the characterization of Türkiye as a rival, saying it revealed a deeper contradiction in the EU’s approach. “Seeing Türkiye, a candidate country, as a competitor of the European Union is a grave mental and political contradiction,” he said, adding that Türkiye has long promoted a peace-based and integrative vision for the Balkans.

EU officials later sought to ease the tensions, stressing Ankara’s strategic role and significance for Europe, underscoring ongoing cooperation.

“Türkiye is unquestionably an important partner in the region both economically and politically, including in strategic areas such as the Connectivity Agenda, with the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor where Türkiye is a key anchor in the region, and on migration management where Türkiye is a long-standing partner,” said a Commission spokesperson Tuesday.

The spokesperson added: “Türkiye is also an important NATO ally and EU candidate country, and as such, a key interlocutor.”

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday, diplomatic sources said. The two ministers discussed negotiations between the U.S. and Iran mediated by Islamabad, sources added. Dar was in Türkiye last week to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

A second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran had been expected this week in Pakistan, but Tehran said it would not attend the meeting until Washington ends its “illegal blockade of Iranian ports.” The U.S. had said its delegation would be led by Vice President JD Vance.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump extended a two-week cease-fire with Iran to allow time for Tehran to prepare a “unified proposal,” following a request by Pakistani officials.

Washington has called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained largely closed since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

Tehran declared the strait open Friday but closed it again a day later after Trump announced that the blockade of Iranian ports would continue. On Sunday, U.S. forces detained an Iranian cargo ship after opening fire and boarding it.

Pakistan brokered a two-week cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran on April 8, followed by critical talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 attended by senior delegations from both countries. However, the sides did not reach an agreement to end the Middle East war.

The cease-fire had been set to expire Wednesday, but Trump extended it without announcing a new timeframe.

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