Newsletter: Daily Briefing US pauses Hormuz escort mission as Trump cites progress on Iran talks A tentative diplomatic opening with Iran emerges as the US sustains its pressure campaign. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkey, Armenia agree to restore medieval bridge in normalization push Ankara is pursuing normalization with Armenia ahead of June parliamentary elections in a thaw also positioned to advance its broader Middle Corridor ambitions. Turkey
Turkey hosts Kuwaiti FM as UAE's OAPEC exit fuels Gulf rift Kuwait's top diplomat visited Turkey as the Gulf rift deepens following the UAE’s exit from OPEC and its affiliated alliances, forcing Ankara to balance ties between Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Turkey
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi, is expected to sustain growing economic and strategic ties with Turkey thanks to his business-oriented approach, though uncertainty over his political stance could test cooperation on sensitive issues. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul “Form-Craft-Activism” spotlights the labor behind making By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Will Turks give blessing to Erdogan’s autocratic course? President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s referendum campaign is drowning Turkey in populist and nationalist bluster, but it seems to have little effect in swaying the vote, including in Erdogan’s own conservative base. Turkey
Is Manbij the latest Kurdish poke in Erdogan's eye? Erdogan's plan to contain Kurds suffers a setback as Manbij on Syria's northern border with Turkey declares itself a self-governed canton. Syria
Turkey determined to test NATO Turkey’s bargaining with Russia for the S-400 air defense system raises a number of military issues, the least of which being that the system is incompatible with NATO's defense structure. Turkey
Idlib — more than Raqqa — may be decisive Syria fault line Russian-Turkish agreement under strain in key northern city. Iraq
Turkey's drive to attract Iranian tourists hits political snags Scrambling to compensate for lost markets, Turkey’s tourism sector aims to attract 2 million tourists from Iran this year, but Ankara’s erratic foreign policy could throw this target into jeopardy. Turkey
Is Turkey rattled by Russian-Kurdish deal? Turkey may feel its already tenuous footing in Syria slipping now that Russian troops have arrived in Afrin, after making a pact with the Kurds. Syria
What's behind Erdogan's recent angry outbursts? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s blustering toward the West seems to have run its course with the exhausted Turkish public; however, it still works to coax Justice and Development Party elites. Turkey
Iranian tourists flock to Turkish border towns While Turkey's tourist industry is affected by Russian and European tourists no longer traveling to its shores in the large numbers seen previously, Iranian tourists party the night away in border towns such as Van. Turkey
What role will Crimean Tatars play in Russian-Turkish relations? Observers wonder just how far Turkey is willing to stick out its neck to support Crimean Tatars during its quest to further reconcile with Russia. Turkey
Iraq’s Sunnis eye post-IS future under regional cover Under Arab and international sponsorship, Iraq’s Sunni leaders recently attended a conference in Turkey to discuss the future of Sunnis in post-IS Iraq, with the conference sparking Shiite outrage and dissent among other Sunni officials opposed to the Turkish role in Iraq. Iraq
How TV series can create new reality for traumatized Turks Riding the populist wave of patriotism, Turkey’s entertainment sector has tuned to stories of bravery on the battlefield. Turkey
Does Turkey's Erdogan expect more gain than pain from ditching EU? As the April 16 referendum approaches, Turkey's president is trying to whip his supporters into a frenzy by lashing out at Europe, spewing epithets and pledging to reinstate the death penalty. Turkey