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
Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel could launch new party by August Ozgur Ozel’s remarks on a potential new party came as the legal crackdown on the main opposition widened further this week with the arrest and suspension of the mayor of Cankaya, one of the party’s most secure and symbolically important strongholds in the heart of Ankara. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Erdogan confident he can sway Trump to skip sanctions The two presidents will meet at the G-20 summit to discuss a standoff over Turkey’s purchase of a Russian antiaircraft system that obliges the US government to introduce punishing economic sanctions on its NATO partner. Turkey
Is Qatar still Turkey’s foul-weather friend? Qatar’s friendship is being called into question in Turkey amid disappointment over Doha’s pledges of economic support and signs that Qatari investors are pulling out of the country. Qatar
Has Russia adjusted its Libya vision? Moscow seemingly embraced the new proposal on Libya peace put out by the head of the Government of National Accord but this doesn't necessarily mean Russia has given up on strongman Khalifa Hifter. Turkey
Turkey buys grain from Syrian farmers Al-Rai's local council in Aleppo’s countryside announced its decision to buy crops from local farmers to help them market their products. Syria
House panel advances bipartisan Saudi sanctions bill over Khashoggi murder The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously advances a bill that would sanction Saudis involved in the Jamal Khashoggi slaying. Saudi Arabia
Turkey makes case to Congress to drop S-400 sanctions Turkey is making a final pitch to Congress to prevent US sanctions for purchasing a Russian air defense system, according to documents reviewed by Al-Monitor. Turkey
Opposition retakes Istanbul mayor's office to find powers shrinking As Istanbul’s new Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu retakes office after beating the ruling party's candidate a second time, reports are emerging that his powers and those of other Turkish mayors are already being whittled down. Turkey
Ankara’s economic tasks grow tougher after election rout Reeling from a crushing defeat in a critical election rerun, Turkey’s government faces an uphill track in efforts to fix the economy, littered with major political risks, both at home and abroad. Turkey
Congress advances bill sidelining Turkey on Mediterranean gas dispute The Senate advanced a bill rebuking Turkish attempts to drill for gas near Cyprus. Turkey
Turkey files motion to quash Washington protest attack case Turkey is trying to get a lawsuit thrown out filed by the demonstrators attacked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security guards in a 2017 visit to Washington, DC. Turkey
Why Erdogan’s historic Istanbul defeat is irreparable The government’s defeat in Istanbul's mayoral election is nothing less than a historic watershed, for Erdogan lacks the means to remedy the factors behind this outcome, mainly the economic crisis bruising the country. Turkey
Nostalgia for 19th-century Pera meets modernity in Istanbul exhibit Cosmopolitan Pera, with luxury hotels and entertainment venues, was the recreational heart of 19th-century Istanbul, which an exhibition at the Istanbul Research Institute revisits along with a cultural addition that could have been. Turkey