Culture Amid political setbacks, Kurds shine at the World Cup Kurdish players and clubs are making rare global gains on football’s biggest stage, offering a brief lift amid ongoing political setbacks across the region. Turkey
Analysis Turkey eyes gains from US-Iran deal as Ankara balances Tehran, Washington Turkey sees the US-Iran memorandum as a chance to reduce regional spillover risks, revive trade with Tehran and gain diplomatic breathing room. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis As Trump admin drops Halkbank case, S-400 last big hurdle in US-Turkey ties The move eases a key source of friction with Turkey ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border. Turkey
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds? By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Inside Turkey’s role in the US-Iran ceasefire By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Ankara might be awaiting Russian OK for Afrin operation Although Turkey keeps signaling an imminent operation against Afrin in northern Syria, it appears Moscow hasn’t yet given the green light. Syria
Iconic lawmaker's ouster a gloomy deja vu for Turkey The crackdown on the Kurdish political movement in Turkey has caught up with iconic politician Leyla Zana, who lost her parliamentary seat for the second time in 25 years. Turkey
Will Erdogan defy Russia, US over Afrin? Turkey’s plan to launch an operation to take Syria's Afrin faces major difficulties, yet if Erdogan succeeds even partially it will boost his image at home. Syria
Struggle with Sochi guest list reflects animosities over Syria As Russia seeks to overcome Turkey’s objections to Kurdish participation in the planned Sochi conference, Moscow welcomed Kurdish commanders to assure them Kurds are not being excluded. Syria
How ‘Kurdistan’ became illegal in Turkey, again The Turkey of 2013 and the Turkey of 2017 are very different places, which is why uttering the word “Kurdistan” is once again a punishable offense in the parliament. Turkey
Turkish government mum about abducted intelligence personnel Several senior Turkish intelligence officials have been in PKK hands for more than three months, but the government is refusing to share what it knows about them with the parliament. Iraq
Turkey’s problem with Syrian Kurds far from over Ankara has accepted the Russian proposal to have Kurdish participation in Syrian national reconciliation while excluding the PYD, but the latter will remain the elephant in the room. Iraq
Turkish Armed Forces seeks female fighters The Turkish military is set to recruit 8,000 women in an effort to bolster its image and defang Kurdish militias' association with female empowerment. Turkey
Turkey backtracking on 'red lines' for Syria's Kurds President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly agreed to accept Kurdish participation at the Syria congress in Sochi, as long as those Kurds do not belong to the Democratic Union Party. Syria
Turkey squeezed between American hammer, Russian anvil on Syrian stage The Kurdish issue is only one of the catalysts to indicate Turkey’s weakened posture in Syria, the Middle East and the world. Syria
Sochi summit leaves Turkey facing unsavory possibilities It's unknown how far Moscow will go to appease Ankara with regard to the Syrian Kurds. Syria
Putin-Trump statement on Syria contradicts Erdogan’s calculations A joint statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump that there is no military solution in Syria infuriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Syria
