Newsletter: Turkey Erdogan’s new rival The week’s biggest bombshell came from Ozgur Ozel, the ousted opposition CHP leader, who said he will probably form a new party. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
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
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Ankara warns Hifter to lay off Turkish assets in Libya Threats are escalating between Turkey and Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter, and Moscow seems to be egging them on despite its calls for a ceasefire. Turkey
Top admiral's resignation rattles Turkey The demotion and then resignation of the chief of staff of the Turkish navy, Rear Adm. Cihat Yayci, has led to questions whether the Turkish government is distancing itself from Euroasianist figures to mend ties with its Western partners. Turkey
Ankara unfolds Hagia Sophia card against COVID-19 crisis Erdogan’s government has signaled it could consider turning the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque as part of religious messages aimed at keeping its voter base intact under the strain of economic turmoil, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkey
Qatar triples swap line with Turkey Qatar has offered support to Turkey’s central bank, expanding a currency-swap agreement to $15 billion as Ankara seeks to mitigate economic shocks from the coronavirus pandemic. Qatar
Turkey to relax quarantine rules for citizens returning from abroad Instead of completing quarantine in dormitories across Turkey, arrivals from abroad will be allowed to isolate at home for two weeks. Turkey
Turkey’s crackdown on mayors amounts to coup, says opposition party The arrest last week of five mayors from the Peoples’ Democratic Party leaves it with control of just a fifth of the cities it won in an election last year. Turkey
Intel: Pompeo, Cavusoglu discuss US-Turkey coronavirus cooperation Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed US-Turkish COVID-19 cooperation during a phone call with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday. Turkey
COVID-19 ravages Turkey’s vital clothing, textile industry Turkey’s clothing and textile sector, a vital source of employment and revenues, has become the worst-hit industrial branch in the coronavirus crisis, taking both domestic and external blows. Turkey
New banking regulations threaten press freedom in Turkey Recent measures seeking to limit damaging information on the financial system pose new threats to press freedom in Turkey. Turkey
Turkish opposition trades favors as AKP limps Turkey’s nationalist party leader Devlet Bahceli has floated a proposal to change electoral laws, fueling rumors of a possible snap election. Turkey
Will Libya cheer up Erdogan? Ill-calculated moves by rebel commander Khalifa Hifter have played into the hands of Turkey and its allies in the Libyan conflict, leading to the fall of a strategic air base in al-Wattiya; however, the situation is still volatile, and it is early to declare a victory. Turkey
The not-so-sacred profit bonanza of Syria's jihadi groups Economic gains have been at the core of clashes between rebel groups in Syria’s Idlib and Turkish-controlled regions that Syrian rebels describe as “liberated” areas. Syria