Newsletter: Turkey Erdogan’s new rival The week’s biggest bombshell came from Ozgur Ozel, the ousted opposition CHP leader, who said he will probably form a new party. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul Yoko Ono comes to Istanbul Also this week: Contemporary art, Pink Martini and Balat mysteries By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Trump taps Russia-born investor to oversee $200M+ fund backing Armenia-Azerbaijan corridor The appointment of Chicago-based investor Konstantin Sokolov to oversee a $200 million fund marks a new phase for Washington's proposed trade and transportation route linking Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. United States
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran declares 'existential war' as US strikes reach near Tehran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syria's new national security force pledges loyalty to Turkey A video of a new police force in Syria trained and equipped by Turkey shows the troops chanting Islamist and nationalist slogans, casting doubt about Ankara's claims that it has no designs on its former Ottoman dominion. Syria
Syrian Kurds rebuilding Kobani from rubble The Kurds have high expectations for Rojava despite challenges. Syria
Rights groups unmoved by Turkey's softened state of emergency As Turkey's state of emergency continues, the government has passed measures establishing a commission for grievances and reducing the period police can hold detainees without charges in what critics call a cosmetic move. Turkey
How are Syrian peace talks holding up? There were no breakthroughs on the first day of negotiating between the Syrian regime and opposition representatives, but talks resumed this morning. Syria
Is Ankara waking up to what Trump really represents? Having vilified President Obama, President Erdogan and his supporters are realizing that ties under Trump may not turn out to be what they hope. Turkey
Reconstruction work brings more gloom to southeast Turkey Renovation work has begun in the emptied, conflict-ravaged old city of Diyarbakir, where the government's restoration project is being criticized as a security move rather than an effort to preserve internationally acknowledged historic sites. Turkey
What's the holdup in Turkey's battle for al-Bab? Turkey's president must be mulling over many factors influencing the stalled action in Syria. Turkey
No major deals likely at Astana talks on Syria The Syrian sides are making no promises at the peace talks in Astana, and despite their joint support for a political solution, neither are Turkey and Russia. Syria
IS reinforces positions in Syria's al-Bab The Free Syrian Army, backed by Turkish forces, is facing major difficulties in their battles against the Islamic State near al-Bab in northern Aleppo, where IS is reinforcing its positions and besieging civilians they use as human shields. Syria
Will presidential referendum kill Turkey's democracy? Turkish voters have a chance to avert the country’s descent into a party-state autocracy in a referendum, after parliament approved constitutional amendments to install a presidential regime. Turkey
Is Turkey’s shift on Assad beginning of the end of Syria’s war? Turkish deputy prime minister says "we just have to work with what we have"; no sectarian divide in Aleppo; the Syrian Kurdish fault line. Lebanon
Turkey's parliament comes to blows over Erdogan-enabling reforms Proposed constitutional reforms have sparked all-out brawling in Turkey's parliament, complete with physical and verbal attacks on female opposition figures. Turkey