Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface Turkey hosts a flurry of regional diplomacy while fresh debate over Abdullah Ocalan’s future exposes new tensions in the Kurdish peace process. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
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
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
Muslim leaders at Erdogan-led summit declare East Jerusalem Palestine's capital Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a hastily organized meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to condemn US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and galvanize a united Muslim response. Palestine
Jerusalem, missile defense dominate Putin's quick Turkey visit During his speed visit to the region, Putin stopped over in Ankara to discuss Trump's Jerusalem move with Erdogan as well as moving forward with the sale of the S-400 missile defense system to Turkey. Palestine
Turkey's 'shadowy' gold trade raises questions about Iran's involvement Unexplained rises in Turkey’s gold exports and imports have led experts to wonder whether Iran has reintroduced its trade mechanisms to circumvent international sanctions. United Arab Emirates
Former Iran Central Bank chairman denies ever meeting Zarrab The former head of Iran’s Central Bank said he never met with jailed Turkish-Iranian tycoon Reza Zarrab. Turkey
Turkish prisons struggle to cope with demand At least 50,000 people have been jailed in Turkey since the 2016 coup attempt and there are plans to build 228 new prisons over the next five years to make room for more. Turkey
Will Erdogan’s Jerusalem campaign succeed? Erdogan’s supporters are among those who fear his vociferous campaign against the United States and Israel will leave him disappointed and regionally isolated. Israel
Erdogan, Putin strike diplomatic pose in Ankara Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan met today in Ankara, where grandstanding alongside Putin is helping cement Erdogan’s image as a Muslim leader with a real hand in global affairs. Turkey
Turkish military suffers from self-inflicted brain drain Turkey's military is having difficulty retaining qualified personnel, in part because of its rigid personnel policies and inability to take advantage of officers' interests and skills. Turkey
Powdered orchid and water-buffalo cream: Turks delight in Ottoman dishes Authentic Turkish dishes, some going back to Ottoman times, remain popular with locals, but are hard to reproduce abroad. Turkey
Turkey’s girls, women struggle with body image A Turkish woman who died following gastric sleeve surgery has revived the debate about women’s body image in Turkey. Turkey
Trial of Turkey’s opposition leader starts without him in court A court ruled that Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey’s second-biggest opposition party, could not attend his first hearing in person, increasing concerns his trial may not be fair. Turkey
Trump's Jerusalem move may prove blessing for Erdogan While Trump’s Jerusalem statement provided Erdogan an opportunity to present himself as the leader and spokesman of the Muslim world, the move could further polarize the region and destabilize Turkey. Israel