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
Saudi FM in Turkey as Ankara, Riyadh step up coordination amid Iran war Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Ankara comes amid rapidly expanding Turkish-Saudi coordination as the fallout from the Iran war reshapes Gulf security dynamics. Turkey
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
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom 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
Who's behind Russian diplomat's murder in Ankara? Turkish officials are seeking the true motive behind the slaying of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov at a public event in Ankara Dec. 19. Syria
Thousands flee Aleppo as regime regains control Three years after the opposition took control of Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods, the Syrian regime’s army, with the help of foreign militias, entered the city and began evacuating civilians to the city’s countryside. Syria
Turkey gripped by terror as Russian ambassador killed in Ankara Turkish media outlets are scrambling to cover the killing of Russia's ambassador to Turkey, a break from their calls to attack the Kurdistan Workers Party's bases in response to the suicide attack that killed 13 Turkish conscripts on leave in the central Anatolian town of Kayseri. Iraq
Is Turkey recruiting militants evacuated from Aleppo? After the Aleppo rout, Turkey considers boosting the ranks of its Free Syrian Army ally fighting in Operation Euphrates Shield, while fortifying the buffer zone and raising the bar in bargaining with Damascus. Syria
What's behind Erdogan's call for 'national mobilization'? Is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s surprising call for national mobilization a tool to eliminate objections to his executive presidency? Turkey
How Turkey used math to drastically boost its economy A 20% upward revision in the size of the Turkish economy will notably improve the country’s economic profile on paper, but not without controversy over the new calculation method and the discrepancies it created. Turkey
Three reasons Iran should worry over Russia’s Syria plans Despite successful cooperation with Moscow to help retake Aleppo, Tehran is likely to remain suspicious of Russian intentions and maneuvering in Syria. Syria
Obama’s Aleppo defense US President Barack Obama says the brutality in Aleppo is solely the fault of "the Assad regime and its allies Russia and Iran." Does Israel benefit from Russia’s role in Syria? Bombings in Turkey spur an anti-Kurdish frenzy. Syria
Turkish families cope with aftermath of failed coup With their fathers in jail following the failed July 15 coup in Turkey, these children struggle to convince others of their fathers' innocence. Turkey
Turkey upbeat, nervous as first civilian convoy evacuates Aleppo Turkish media outlets across the political spectrum are reporting on the evacuation of the first group of residents from eastern Aleppo with hope, but also apprehension. Syria
How does Erdogan win with a losing hand? Criminal court cases against Israel over the raid on the Mavi Marmara flotilla are being dismissed due to the agreement Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed, but Islamists lash out against the judge and prosecutor. Palestine
Is Turkey turning its stern on the West in the Black Sea? The regional power balance could change if Russia and Turkey carry their rapprochement in Syria to the Black Sea. Turkey