Analysis From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit Turkey is seeking to turn the diplomatic momentum from the Ankara NATO summit into a broad defense realignment spanning US sanctions relief and fighter technology, European air defenses and deeper military cooperation with the UK. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Turkey Erdogan's NATO triumph By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Kremlin confirms S-400 talks with Turkey Lebanon’s PM to meet Erdogan in Turkey; Pakistan, Qatar seek to revive US-Iran talks after renewed strikes; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Lebanese PM Salam in Turkey as Erdogan seeks wider regional role Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s visit to Turkey comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently warned that Israeli attacks against Lebanon and Syria threaten Turkey’s security. Lebanon
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran hits Gulf, warns Hormuz will reopen on its terms By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syria, Turkey more than just neighbors A civil society platform in Erzurum in eastern Turkey has funded the renovation of a damaged school building in the Syrian city of al-Bab. Syria
Why 'vintage' in this Turkish village means confectionaries, not wine In the southeastern Anatolian village of Cirali, harvesting grapes ends with a variety of sweets to consume rather than wine. Turkey
Trump weighs Saudi Arabia’s fate in Khashoggi affair The US president said “a lot of work” is being done on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and promised “there'll be something that has to take place.” Saudi Arabia
Turkey, US share cautious optimism as high-stakes Brunson trial to resume The mood is suddenly a bit lighter as Turkey's trial of US pastor Andrew Brunson continues tomorrow, after the suspected murder of a Saudi journalist offered Washington and Ankara an opportunity to work together for justice. Turkey
Ankara pins electoral hopes on ignoring economic realities The Turkish government’s vacillations and zigzagging in the face of the country’s economic woes reflect how squeezed it has become economically and politically and how concerned it is about it with elections scheduled for March. Turkey
Iranian media see Saudi-Turkey rift in Khashoggi case While some Iranian media see the possibility of tension between Iran and Turkey over the case of Jamal Khashoggi, one analyst in particular warns that such an atmosphere is not conducive to resolving differences. Saudi Arabia
Congress orders federal probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance Bipartisan calls for a federal probe and possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia indicate that Congress has lost confidence in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Turkish FM heads for Iraq to greet new leadership, discuss oil Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set for a two-day visit to Iraq widely taken as an effort to re-assert Turkey’s heft in the country amid the receding fortunes of its local Sunni Arab allies. Iraq
How Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rival operates in northern Syria Al-Monitor interviewed the spokesman of the National Liberation Front, which includes several armed opposition factions in northern Idlib, to find out its goals and plans for the future. Syria
Turkish authorities to search Saudi consulate for missing journalist As the Turkish authorities prepare to search the Saudi consulate where a dissident Saudi journalist disappeared last week, the Turkish opposition is curiously silent about the matter despite the ruling party's harsh treatment of the country's own press. Saudi Arabia