Newsletter: Daily Briefing US lifts Syria's terror designation Pakistan and Iran report “significant progress” in talks on ending conflict; Lebanon’s Transport Minister Rasamni visits Damascus; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Syria, Israel hold US-mediated talks Pakistan’s Munir arrives in Tehran; major UAE economic delegation to visit Beirut; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say. By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist
Newsletter: Turkey Turkey's Mecca Pact strategy By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Culture Turkey's Hatay kanafeh delicacy granted EU special status Turkey’s earthquake-hit multicultural Hatay province receives recognition for its renowned Mesopotamian dessert. Turkey
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt rank among world’s top 10 arms importers: SIPRI Middle East countries made up more than a fourth of the top 40 global arms importers from 2018 to 2022, according to a new report. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey’s opposing camps seek to broaden base ahead of May elections The rapprochement between Erdogan’s People’s Alliance and the Kurdish Islamist Huda-Par, seen as the successor of Hezbollah, annoys nationalists, while the move toward arch-conservative New Welfare alarms women. Turkey
Russia to host Turkey, Syria, Iran diplomats on Wednesday Senior Turkish, Syrian, Iranian and Russian diplomats are set to meet to advance the stalled rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus. Turkey
MidEast freedom rankings: Syria worst, Tunisia in decline, says Freedom House Syria remains to be the least and Israel the best performing country when it comes civil and political freedoms while the biggest one-year decline has been observed in Tunisia. Turkey
Erdogan’s challenger faces delicate balancing act to win over Turkey's Kurds The compromise that salvaged Turkey’s opposition bloc from collapsing this week lays the ground for enlisting Kurdish support as well, but not without fragilities and risks on the way. Turkey
Turkey’s election races officially begin as Erdogan sets vote for May 14 The country’s executive presidential system will be the focal point of the campaigning period. Turkey
Turkey, Sweden and Finland agree to more talks on NATO accession President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman and foreign affairs adviser Ibrahim Kalin, who took part in Thursday’s talks, described the meeting as “positive.” Turkey
Turkey’s earthquake victims at heart of International Women's Day marches The earthquakes that ravaged 11 provinces in southern Turkey also amplified the socio-economic inequalities between men and women in the region. Turkey
Turkey, Syria, Iran to hold 'technical talks' in Russia next week The technical meeting is aimed at achieving progress in the stalled high-level dialogue process between Ankara and Damascus. Turkey
Iran's top diplomat to visit Turkey in post-disaster diplomacy The top Iranian and Turkish diplomats are also expected to discuss the Syrian, Nagorno-Karabakh and bilateral files during their meeting. Turkey
Support for Kilicdaroglu grows among Turkey’s wider opposition Having been nominated by six-strong bloc, other parties indicate support for Kemal Kilicdaroglu in May presidential election Turkey