Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul EU spotlights digital art in Ankara Also this week: A new chef’s table, ceramics and institutional debuts By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions. Turkey
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 By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Pro-Kurdish opposition prepares for snap poll in Turkey Despite the wave of arrests and disillusioned voters, the new leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party says it will still win enough votes to enter parliament if elections are moved forward. Turkey
Turkey's march on Manbij stalled by wall of reality The United States and Russia don't appear to be on the same page as Turkey in Syria, despite Ankara's expectations, which hang in the balance. Syria
Turkey mulls 'national' bitcoin A government-promoted push for the "native and national" in almost every realm has reached the sphere of cryptocurrency despite Turkey's lingering mistrust of bitcoin. Turkey
Al-Qaeda could stand to gain from changing Syrian situation Divergent goals of the major players in Syria, along with the apparent evolution of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Islamist group, could all wind up strengthening al-Qaeda. Syria
Life sentences for Turkish journalists chill others awaiting verdicts A court jailed three prominent journalists last week to life imprisonment, stoking fears that others in prison for their work may also see harsh penalties. Turkey
Is Erdogan using imprisoned foreigners as bargaining chips? A reporter for Germany's Die Welt newspaper was recently released after a year in prison with no trial, but Turkey is likely to continue detaining foreigners for political bargaining. Turkey
Turkey works to secure its future relevance in Syria Turkey’s efforts to make progress in Operation Olive Branch while working on new Syrian de-escalation monitoring outposts east of Idlib may increase military risks, but they keep Turkey in the game. Syria
Conference for Iraq draws investors instead of donors The reported success — and failure — of a fundraising effort for Iraq could become a political football in the May general elections. Saudi Arabia
Turkey shells pro-Assad militias entering Afrin to aid Kurdish rebels Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s warnings fail to deter groups loyal to Damascus from entering the region where Turkey is fighting Kurdish forces, risking a new front line in the spiraling Syrian conflict. Syria
'Black Friday' of Turkish democracy Three events from Feb. 16. — a deal to release a Turkish-German journalist, the verdict against three prominent journalists and censorship in the trial of a prominent Turkish-Kurdish politician — demonstrate how Turkey's democracy is being undermined. Turkey
Despite progress on paper, Turkey, US still leagues apart US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit may have averted a major clash, but the volatile situation in Syria will ensure that ties between Ankara and Washington remain fragile. Syria
Cairo removes Ottoman name amid Egypt-Turkey strife As tensions escalate between Egypt and Turkey, Cairo governorate has decided to rename Selim I street, named for the "grim" Ottoman sultan who conquered Egypt. Egypt