Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul Yoko Ono comes to Istanbul Also this week: Contemporary art, Pink Martini and Balat mysteries By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Trump taps Russia-born investor to oversee $200M+ fund backing Armenia-Azerbaijan corridor The appointment of Chicago-based investor Konstantin Sokolov to oversee a $200 million fund marks a new phase for Washington's proposed trade and transportation route linking Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. United States
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran declares 'existential war' as US strikes reach near Tehran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel could launch new party by August Ozgur Ozel’s remarks on a potential new party came as the legal crackdown on the main opposition widened further this week with the arrest and suspension of the mayor of Cankaya, one of the party’s most secure and symbolically important strongholds in the heart of Ankara. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Can Erdogan reciprocate Macron’s Beirut stunt? Macron’s call for a “new order” in Lebanon conflicts with Erdogan’s regional ambitions, but the climate in Lebanon is no longer as welcoming to Turkey’s president as it was a decade ago. Lebanon
Iraq tells Turkey defense minister to stay away after its officers killed in drone strike Iraq cancelled a planned Baghdad visit by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and summoned the Turkish ambassador after a a Turkish drone attack killed two senior Iraqi officials. Iraq
Can Malta’s diplomacy tip balance in Libya toward Turkey? The diplomatic track ongoing between Turkey, Malta and Libya’s Tripoli government has sparked questions whether Valletta’s diplomatic support can serve as a much needed jumping point for Ankara to break the Libya stalemate, but the European country’s only focus in the talks seem to be limited with prevention of illegal immigration. Turkey
Turkey to issue new drilling licenses in eastern Mediterranean amid rising tensions Following escalations Aug. 10 between Turkey and Greece over contested areas of the eastern Mediterranean, Ankara officials said they would issue new exploration licenses in the region this month. Turkey
Turkish drone strike kills two senior Iraqi officers, army says Officials say the Tuesday strike targeted a meeting between Iraqi border officials and Kurdish militants. Iraq
What trump cards is Iraq pulling against Turkey to secure water quota? Turkey refuses to abide by the protocols and treaties signed with Iraq on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers acting as if they are local rivers. Iraq
Greece calls on Turkey to stop renewed gas exploration activities in East Med As Turkish vessels are dispatched near Greek territorial waters, analysts say tensions in the eastern Mediterranean Sea could quickly escalate if leaders on both sides do not reengage in diplomatic talks. Turkey
Turkey doubles down in eastern Mediterranean after Egypt-Greece deal The flashpoint of the power struggle in the eastern Mediterranean could shift from Libya to the seas in the coming weeks as Turkey begins new seismic research in response to an Egyptian-Greek maritime demarcation deal. Egypt
Turkey strikes PKK targets in Iraqi Kurdistan Sulaimaniyah province It is less common for Turkey to bomb the Kurdish armed group there. More of the Turkey-PKK conflict in Iraq takes place in Dahuk near the Turkish border. Iraq
Intel: Amid maritime deal with Egypt, Greece invites UN court to settle sea dispute with Turkey Greek Prime Minister suggests that if no agreement can be reached, his country's dispute with Turkey over a maritime boundary should go to an international court. Egypt
Currency tumult hits Turkey’s credit-driven revival Apprehension is rife in Turkey that a loan-driven economic warm-up could devolve into major turmoil in the fall, with Ankara’s dubious management of the coronavirus pandemic feeding the unease. Turkey
Turkey to use 'all available' tools as currency plunges Turkey’s Central Bank says it's ready to use “all available instruments” to calm the market as the Turkish lira drops to new depths, and an interest rate hike is one of the most obvious. Turkey