Interview Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future. Mazloum Kobane SDF commander in chief
Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know The move removes a decades-old reexport mechanism routed largely through Georgia as Ankara and Yerevan step up normalization efforts. Turkey
New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus Turkey’s draft maritime bill seeks to formalize Ankara’s claims in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black seas, raising tensions with Greece and Cyprus over contested maritime boundaries and offshore energy rights. Turkey
Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump rejects Iran's latest proposal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis From drones to deterrence: Turkey's ICBM missile signals bigger ambitions By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syrian rebel force to receive Saudi arms has worked with al-Qaeda group The leader of the Saudi-backed rebel Southern Front, which Riyadh intends to arm with advanced weaponry, has openly collaborated with al-Qaeda during the course of the Syria war. Syria
Al-Monitor recognized by IPI as 'Free Media Pioneer' The International Press Institute has awarded the annual Free Media Pioneer Award to Al-Monitor as “a model for independent coverage of the region through its news, features, analysis and commentary at a time of political upheaval.” Palestine
Hamas uses backchannel to Tel Aviv According to Hamas sources, the Islamist movement sent an indirect message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and not for the first time. Palestine
Why is Turkey buying more gas than it needs from Iran? Why does Turkey want to double its gas imports from Iran when it's already importing more gas than it consumes? Turkey
Erdogan counting on elections to recoup from scandals Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is banking on the polls, not the courts, to vindicate himself from the current allegations of corruption. Turkey
Turkey’s warring personality cults In the absence of well-grounded institutions, politics in Turkey often devolves into a battle of personalities, as we see now between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. Turkey
Sisi not Egypt’s civilian Messiah Whoever becomes Egypt’s next president must do three things, including bringing all political parties together if Egypt is to be able to rebuild its economy and political institutions. Egypt
Barrel bombings cause mass evacuation in east Aleppo An exclusive first hand report on how fearful residents, along with opposition forces, have fled east Aleppo en masse as the Syrian government's barrel bombing campaign shows no sign of relenting. Syria
Turkmen caught between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi Turkmen are getting pressure from the Turkish government to work more closely with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq. Iraq
Turkey’s Armenians in crisis over patriarch A rift over the spiritual leadership of Turkey’s Armenian community exposes the Turkish state’s political machinations in dealing with this minority. Turkey
Erdogan enraged The corruption probe and alleged phone leaks between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his advisers raise grave concerns about Turkey’s political direction. Turkey
Another sensational scandal rocks Turkey Pro-government dailies are reporting a massive wiretapping scandal. Turkey