Turkey's Central Bank rate cut hasn’t stopped the lira’s free fall, as Turkey announces an initiative for rapprochement with Armenia.

Pessimism and pressure are the buzz in Vienna, but the Iran nuclear talks still have a pulse.

Despite deadlock in Vienna, expert/technical talks may have a faint pulse.

Also, Al-Monitor’s on-the-ground reporting on the security situations in Syria and Iraq, including the impact of the Turkish lira crisis on Idlib.

Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s AI Minister, explains how COVID-19 has been an accelerator for AI applications; why the US and China would benefit from a ‘constant dialogue’ on AI; and why ‘the new roads that we need to be building right now are roads in the digital realm.’

Also: Syrian Kurdish leader not worried — yet — about Turkish invasion (exclusive).

US fears state collapse, regional spillover in Horn of Africa.

The US is concerned about Israeli settlement policies, recent actions toward the Palestinians, and trade with China, but these issues are more likely to blow over than blow up.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s democratic transition faces ‘worst and most dangerous’ crisis.

The Turkish president’s warnings are targeted as much at Washington and Moscow as they are at Syria’s Kurds.