Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface Turkey hosts a flurry of regional diplomacy while fresh debate over Abdullah Ocalan’s future exposes new tensions in the Kurdish peace process. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul EU spotlights digital art in Ankara Also this week: A new chef’s table, ceramics and institutional debuts By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Hezbollah commanders killed as renewed strikes test Lebanon-Israel talks Israeli strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon raise new doubts over a fragile ceasefire ahead of expected talks in Washington. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US pauses Hormuz escort mission as Trump cites progress on Iran talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkey’s defense industry suffers setback but future remains promising The Turkish defense industry saw a significant decline in its revenues last year according to newly released data, but companies in the sector remain optimistic about their growth prospects. Turkey
Anti-vaxxer Turks protest Bill Gates at Istanbul rally Thousands of Turks came together in Istanbul to protest vaccinations, mandatory testing and other coronavirus measures while the country's overworked doctors lashed out at authorities for allowing the demonstration. Turkey
Why has Turkey turned to Libya's Gadhafi family? Realizing that its current allies are not sufficient to secure Turkey’s interests in Libya, Ankara is now seeking to include Gadhafi family members into its calculus. Turkey
Is Turkey’s export-driven growth sustainable? Turkey’s industry remains heavily reliant on imported materials, meaning the country’s current account deficit problem persists despite a record increase in exports. Turkey
Erdogan heralds massive military complex to coordinate military, security agencies A planned joint complex to house Turkey’s top military bodies is touted as a move to enhance the army’s coordination and interoperability, but political and economic motivations also lurk behind the project. Turkey
Turkey’s powerful top cleric called to tone down or resign Ever since he delivered the first sermon at the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque in July 2020 with a sword in hand, Ali Erbas has been on a meteoric rise of visibility. Turkey
Turkish opposition courts Kurds in trip to Erbil The Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s main opposition party, has sent a senior delegation to Iraq's Kurdistan Region, perhaps because popular elections have become difficult to win without Kurdish votes. Turkey
How will Taliban’s return affect jihadi movements in Turkey, Syria? Salafi-jihadi groups in Turkey and neighboring Syria may look for inspiration from the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, but their prospects appear rather limited at present. Turkey
Is Moscow using the S-400 against Turkey? Ankara denies the suggestion from Moscow that a second batch of S-400s is headed for Turkey and says it is an effort to stall Turkey’s talks with the United States and Europe. Turkey
Turkey’s ruling alliance to ease election threshold, but opponents smell trap An agreement between the AKP and the MHP to cut the vote baseline to enter parliament from 10% is seen as a bid to undermine the opposition. Turkey
What Erdogan missed in skipping Baghdad conference The Turkish president’s absence from the regional summit in Baghdad underscores the urgent need for Turkey to mend fences with Iraq and rethink the cost of its confrontational policies in the region. Turkey
Qatar in talks with Taliban, Turkey to reopen Kabul airport Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said there is “no clear indication” of when flights will resume at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Qatar