Interview Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future. Mazloum Kobane SDF commander in chief
Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know The move removes a decades-old reexport mechanism routed largely through Georgia as Ankara and Yerevan step up normalization efforts. Turkey
New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus Turkey’s draft maritime bill seeks to formalize Ankara’s claims in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black seas, raising tensions with Greece and Cyprus over contested maritime boundaries and offshore energy rights. Turkey
Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump rejects Iran's latest proposal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis From drones to deterrence: Turkey's ICBM missile signals bigger ambitions By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Ankara uses water pipeline to drown out opposition in Turkish Cyprus Turkish Cyprus has been plunged into a political crisis in the wake of Ankara’s imposition of a tough water-supply agreement coupled with the suspension of financial aid to the island. Turkey
Why a seaport won't solve Gaza's problems Israel cannot simply offer some gestures to improve the situation in Gaza without negotiating a comprehensive solution to end the occupation. Palestine
How Turkish police could have prevented IS massacre in Ankara Recent reports in the Turkish press have fueled claims that police were more than just negligent in their failure to act on intelligence reports before the Islamic State attacked Ankara on Oct. 10. Turkey
Political humor no joke for Turkish satirists As the Turkish president's wrath reaches German satirists, their Turkish colleagues soldier on amid constant intimidation, prosecution and even physical attacks. Turkey
Why Jordan's king is criticizing his country's closest allies King Abdullah has made harsh statements against Obama’s war on IS, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy and Russia’s policy in Syria, yet due to Amman's precarious geostrategic position he doesn't always fully stand by his own comments. Israel
US should ditch 'plan B' for Syria UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura says the fragile cessation of hostilities “continues to give hope” as Syrians anticipate the battle for Aleppo. Syria
EU report ruffles Turkey's feathers The European Parliament chastises itself for delaying the release of a progress report in which it condemns Turkey's many human rights violations. Turkey
Turkey's 'Campus Witches' take on sexual harassers A growing group of feminist university students in Turkey is taking direct and aggressive action to confront men accused of harassment and sexual assault. Turkey
'Imamization' raising eyebrows in Turkey The Religious Affairs Directorate has begun subcontracting imams to other government agencies, raising questions about their ultimate purpose. Turkey
Will the true culprits surface in Lebanon's infamous Internet racket? Officials are investigating claims of corruption and espionage in Lebanon's Internet management. Israel
Why Israel is staying silent on Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict Despite its strong ties with Azerbaijan, Israel has kept silent on the conflict with Armenia out of wariness of raising the issue of occupation. Israel
First Turkey-backed operation against IS becomes a fiasco Just days after Turkey-backed groups claimed victory against IS in Syria’s al-Rai, the area has fallen back under the extremist group’s control, supporting claims that cooperation with Kurdish forces is needed to defeat IS. Syria