The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the country where Türkiye increased its exports the most in value terms in the first half of the year, with shipments rising 64.5% to nearly $3.3 billion, according to a report Thursday.

Türkiye’s total exports from January to June rose 4.1% year-over-year to $131.4 billion, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported, citing data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).

In June alone, exports increased 8% from a year earlier to $20.5 billion.

The automotive sector led all industries in export value during the first half, with $19.99 billion in sales. It was followed by chemicals and chemical products at $15.76 billion and the electrical-electronics sector at $8.33 billion.

Exports to the UAE increased by $1.28 billion compared to the same period last year, rising from $1.98 billion to $3.26 billion – a 64.5% jump. That marked the largest increase in value among all export markets.

Germany followed with an increase of $804.8 million, the U.K. with $685 million, Slovenia with $643.6 million, and Italy with $479 million.

In total, exports during the first half amounted to $9.72 billion to Germany, $6.56 billion to the U.K., $6.4 billion to Italy and $1.74 billion to Slovenia.

UAE 10th largest export market

Türkiye’s top 10 export markets in the first half were Germany, the U.K., Italy, the U.S., Spain, France, Iraq, Romania, the Netherlands and the UAE.

The jewelry sector was the leading Turkish exporter to the UAE, with $1.81 billion in shipments during the six-month period. Other top sectors included chemicals and chemical products ($250 million), electrical and electronics ($135.6 million), steel ($94.6 million), grains and pulses ($87.5 million), and ready-to-wear and apparel ($66.7 million).

Istanbul-based companies accounted for the largest share of exports to the UAE, totaling $1.63 billion. They were followed by companies in Çorum with $1.06 billion, Izmir with $72.2 million and Ankara with $69.7 million.

Mehmet Ali Akarca, head of the Turkey-UAE Business Council at the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said the figures reflect the strong level of economic cooperation between the two countries.

“The growth is not only the result of commercial potential but also of strengthening diplomatic relations and mutual trust,” he told AA.

Rise supported by CEPA

Akarca noted that the increase in exports was supported by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into effect in 2023.

“With CEPA, the reduction in customs tariffs and elimination of technical barriers have simplified trade procedures,” he said.

He added that the UAE’s strategic geographic location, strong infrastructure and business-friendly environment make it a valuable trade hub.

“Despite having a population of just 10 million, the UAE plays a key role in global trade. Turkish firms are increasingly establishing offices there,” he said.

Cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Akarca noted, serve as gateways to Asian, European and African markets, offering major logistical advantages with their modern ports, air cargo hubs and free trade zones.

He also said that the UAE’s role as a re-export center helps boost demand for Turkish goods in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Looking ahead, Akarca said sectors such as digital technologies, health care, food, construction and defense are expected to gain importance in Turkish exports to the UAE.

“During our sectoral delegation visit for digital technologies last year, we saw strong interest in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, fintech and software,” he said. “There’s also growing demand for food security and health care services, creating long-term partnership opportunities.”

He added: “The defense sector is also on the rise due to evolving geopolitical dynamics and technological transformation.”

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Italian confectioner Ferrero, known for brands like Nutella and Kinder, said Thursday it would acquire the century-old U.S. cereal company WK Kellogg in a deal valued at approximately $3.1 billion.

The Ferrero Group said it will pay $23 for each Kellogg share. The transaction includes the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of WK Kellogg Co.’s portfolio of breakfast cereals across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

WK Kellogg’s shares were up 30% in premarket trading on Thursday on reports of the acquisition that was later confirmed.

Kellogg, which was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1906, makes Fruit Loops, Special K, Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies.

The current company was formed in 2023, when Kellogg’s snack brands like Cheez-Its and Pringles were spun into a separate company called Kellanova. M&M’s maker Mars Inc. announced last year that it planned to buy Kellanova in a deal worth nearly $30 billion.

Ferrero Group, which was founded in Italy in 1946, has been trying to expand its U.S. footprint. In 2018, it bought Nestle’s U.S. candy brands, including Butterfinger, Nerds and SweeTarts. And in 2022, it bought Wells Enterprises, the maker of ice cream brands like Blue Bunny and Halo Top.

The deal, which still needs approval from Kellogg shareholders, is expected to close in the second half of the year. Once the transaction is complete, Kellogg’s stock will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange and the company will become a Ferrero subsidiary.

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U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he would introduce a steep 50% tariff on Brazil, as he blasted the trial of the country’s ex-leader, and said a U.S. “national security” levy on copper would begin in August.

In a letter addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Trump criticized the treatment of his right-wing ally Jair Bolsonaro as an “international disgrace.”

Bolsonaro is facing trial over accusations he plotted a coup after his narrow 2022 election loss to Lula.

In response to Trump’s tariff letter, Lula warned of possible reciprocation, writing on X that “any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in light of the Brazilian Law of Economic Reciprocity.”

Brazil earlier on Wednesday said it had summoned the U.S. charge d’affaires over Trump’s previous criticism of the Bolsonaro trial.

The 50% U.S. tariff on Brazilian goods will take effect Aug. 1, Trump said in his letter, mirroring a deadline that dozens of other economies face.

On that same date, a 50% tariff on U.S. imports of copper – a key metal used in green energy and other technologies – will take effect, Trump announced Wednesday evening on social media.

He said the move followed a “robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT,” likely alluding to a Department of Commerce investigation into copper launched earlier this year.

“Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense!” Trump said.

Escalation threats

Trump’s message to Lula was the latest in more than 20 such letters the U.S. president has released since Monday, after repeatedly threatening to simply decide a rate for countries as negotiations continue over his elevated “reciprocal” tariffs.

Brazil had not been among those threatened previously with duties above a 10% baseline, and the U.S. runs a goods trade surplus with Brazil.

On Wednesday, Trump also addressed letters to leaders of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Moldova, spelling out duties ranging from 20% to 30% that would also take effect on Aug. 1.

Similar to a first batch of documents published Monday, the levels were not too far from those originally threatened in April, although some partners received notably lower rates this time.

While Trump in April imposed a 10% levy on almost all trading partners, he unveiled – and then withheld – higher rates for dozens of economies.

The deadline for those steeper levels to take effect was meant to be Wednesday, before Trump postponed it further to Aug. 1.

Countries that faced the threats of elevated duties began receiving letters spelling out U.S. tariff rates on their products.

In the messages, Trump justified his tariffs as a response to trade ties that he says are “far from Reciprocal.”

The letters urged countries to manufacture products in the U.S. to avoid duties, while threatening further escalation if leaders retaliated.

Other countries that have received Trump’s letters include key U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, as well as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand.

EU deal in ‘coming days’?

Analysts have noted that Asian countries have been a key target so far.

But all eyes are on the state of negotiations with major partners who have yet to receive such letters, including the European Union.

The Trump administration is under pressure to unveil more trade pacts. So far, Washington has only reached agreements with the U.K. and Vietnam, alongside a deal to temporarily lower tit-for-tat levies with China.

Trump on Tuesday said his government was “probably two days off” from sending the EU a letter with an updated tariff rate.

An EU spokesperson said Wednesday the bloc wants to strike a deal with the U.S. “in the coming days,” and has shown readiness to reach an agreement in principle.

Apart from tariffs targeting goods from different countries, Trump has rolled out sector-specific duties on steel, aluminum and autos since returning to the White House in January.

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Türkiye on Wednesday announced a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok and said it could impose a full access ban if necessary, amid a flurry of offensive responses.

The chatbot, developed by Musk’s company xAI, posted vulgarities against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his late mother and personalities, while responding to users’ questions on the X social media platform, according to media reports.

The offensive responses were also directed toward modern Türkiye’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and religious values, media outlets said.

That prompted the office of Ankara’s chief prosecutor to file for the imposition of restrictions under Türkiye’s internet law, citing a threat to public order. A criminal court approved the request early on Wednesday, ordering the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to enforce the ban.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu was later cited by broadcaster NTV as saying that Türkiye had not yet imposed a total access ban on Grok but that it would do so if necessary.

“Artificial intelligence is software. It acts within the boundaries and permissions you give it. Of course, it improves itself. But at the end of the day, it’s still software. Therefore, it is unacceptable for it to insult people upon request,” Uraloğlu was cited as telling reporters in Ankara.

Authorities have met with X representatives and had already conveyed a request for the removal of some of the content, Uraloğlu said. He did not say when the meeting took place.

Yaman Akdeniz, a cyber law expert at Istanbul Bilgi University, said authorities had identified some 50 posts by Grok as the basis for the investigation, ruling on the access ban and removal of certain content to “protect public order.”

Broad controversy

The incident is part of a broader controversy surrounding a recent update to Grok, which resulted in more “politically incorrect” and unfiltered responses.

In response to mounting controversy, X said it was aware of the recent posts and had taken immediate action to remove inappropriate content.

“Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,” the company said in a statement.

“XAI is training only truth-seeking, and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved,” it said.

Concerns over political bias, hate speech and factual inaccuracy in AI chatbots have mounted since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022.

Screenshots posted on X showed several posts made by Grok in which it praised Adolf Hitler.

XAI said Wednesday that it’s taking down “inappropriate posts,” which appeared to include antisemitic comments.

Musk has not commented on the controversy, but posted Wednesday: “Never a dull moment on this platform.”

Grok was developed by xAI and pitched as an alternative to “woke AI” interactions from rival chatbots like Google’s Gemini, or ChatGPT.

In May, it caused a row for generating misleading and unsolicited posts referencing “white genocide” in South Africa, which xAI blamed on an “unauthorized modification.”

The probe marked the first official investigation into any chatbot in Türkiye since the launch of ChatGPT.

Chatbots, as computer programs, are designed to stimulate real-time conversation with humans, and have grown increasingly popular, but are also known to produce incorrect data and information.

Last month, Musk promised an upgrade to Grok, suggesting there was “far too much garbage in any foundation model trained on uncorrected data.”

On Friday, he said Grok has been improved significantly, and users “should notice a difference.”

Poland to report Grok to EU

Separately on Wednesday, Poland said it is going to report xAI to the European Commission after Grok made offensive comments about Polish politicians, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Poland’s digitization minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, told RMF FM radio that the government will ask Brussels to investigate the chatbot’s offensive comments.

“I have the impression that we are entering a higher level of hate speech, which is driven by algorithms, and that turning a blind eye or ignoring this today … is a mistake that may cost humanity in the future,” he said.

“The Ministry of Digitization will react in accordance with current regulations, we will report the violation to the European Commission to investigate and possibly impose a fine on X. Freedom of speech belongs to humans, not to artificial intelligence.”

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Russia has seized assets valued at 3.9 trillion rubles – approximately $50 billion at current exchange rates – over the past three years, highlighting the extent of its shift toward a “fortress Russia” economic model, according to the Kommersant newspaper.

Foreign companies have grappled with the risk of state seizure since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, but Moscow, citing strategic stability and domestic security, has increasingly turned its attention to domestic assets too.

The size of the asset seizures, calculated by the NSP Law Firm, shows the extent of Russia’s move from a relatively open economy toward a “fortress” model, Kommersant, one of Russia’s most respected newspapers, said.

The law firm advised business owners to shed potential weak points which could be used as a basis to seize assets, including second passports or economic ties with countries which Russia classifies as “unfriendly” – broadly the entire Western world, Kommersant said.

It also suggested owners should consider entering into business with state-owned partners, Kommersant said.

About 1.54 trillion rubles worth of assets have been seized under the law on strategic companies, 1.07 trillion rubles worth seized on corruption grounds, 385 billion rubles on alleged privatization violations and 621.5 billion rubles due to claims of ineffective management, Kommersant said.

The 1991 fall of the Soviet Union ushered in hopes that Russia could transform into an open free-market economy integrated into the global economy, though vast corruption, economic turmoil and crime undermined confidence in democratic capitalism in the 1990s.

President Vladimir Putin, in his first eight years in power, supported economic freedoms, targeted some so-called oligarchs and presided over significant economic growth, seeing the economy grow to $1.8 trillion in 2008 from $200 billion in 1999.

In the 2008 to 2022 period, the economy grew to $2.3 trillion, though Western sanctions hit it hard after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, according to figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Though the Russian economy has performed better than expected during the war in Ukraine, its nominal dollar size in 2024 was just $2.2 trillion, according to IMF figures.

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Türkiye has achieved significant progress in the field of intellectual property over the past two decades, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said on Tuesday, citing a surge in patent filings and global rankings in design and trademark applications.

Speaking during a visit to Geneva for the closed-door ministerial meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Kacır told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Türkiye currently ranks second globally in design and geographical indication registrations, sixth in trademark applications and 12th in patent filings.

“Twenty-three years ago, the number of patent applications made in Türkiye in an entire year was only 414. Last year, more than 10,000 patent applications were submitted. This year, our number of patent applications is over 20% higher than last year,” he said.

Kacır emphasized the country’s commitment to strengthening its innovation and R&D ecosystem, calling the increase in applications “a concrete indicator” of Türkiye’s scientific and industrial progress.

The minister also announced the launch of three pilot projects in cooperation with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office and WIPO. One initiative aims to increase the value-added potential of Türkiye’s geographically indicated products, particularly those rooted in local Anatolian culture.

“We are taking steps to accelerate the transformation of Anatolia’s local values into economic value,” Kacir said, referencing the “Anadoludakiler” (“Those in Anatolia”) project supported by first lady Emine Erdoğan.

A second project focuses on the commercialization of university-generated knowledge, with pilot implementations at several universities in Türkiye’s Black Sea region. Kacır said that technoparks, now home to over 11,500 firms, have played a crucial role in bridging academia and industry.

The third initiative seeks to boost intellectual property capacity among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Kacır said these efforts were discussed in a bilateral meeting with WIPO’s director general, and both sides expressed willingness to deepen cooperation.

Türkiye contributing to CERN

While in Geneva, Kacır also held talks with the director general of the International Trade Center (ITC), stressing the importance of protecting SME resilience amid global trade transformations.

Kacır’s itinerary also included a visit to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Türkiye is an associate member of CERN, and according to the minister, is increasingly contributing not only through researchers but also via engineering and industrial partnerships.

“Many Turkish companies have now reached the level where they can offer engineering contributions to the work at CERN,” he said, adding that Türkiye now receives an industrial share close to its financial contribution to the institution.

He underscored the relevance of CERN’s particle physics research in areas such as cancer treatment, space exploration and materials science, and said Türkiye aims to deepen its scientific and technical engagement.

“I believe that all these will further strengthen and accelerate Türkiye’s national technology initiative and the ambitious programs and projects being pursued under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” Kacır also said.

The minister concluded by reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to contributing to global intellectual property governance and said that Türkiye’s Patent Office president would continue engagements at WIPO meetings.

“The World Intellectual Property Organization is an important organization for creating a global platform in the field of intellectual property. We see this platform as valuable and hope it will continue to play a strong role in international trade,” he added.

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