Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran steps up Gulf attacks after 10 nights of US strikes Lebanese military deploys in south; Turkey's role in thwarting Kurdish offensive; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Iran's Araghchi reveals Turkey's role in thwarting Kurdish offensive The account offers Tehran's first public confirmation of reports that Ankara intervened to stop armed Iranian Kurdish groups from entering the conflict. Iran
Analysis As Turkey eyes US naval revival, here is why big warship deals are unlikely Turkey's shipbuilding industry could help ease pressure on overstretched US naval yards, though political, technological and financial hurdles make support work more likely than building major US warships. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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 By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Trump taps Russia-born investor to oversee $200M+ fund backing Armenia-Azerbaijan corridor 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
Why 'vintage' in this Turkish village means confectionaries, not wine In the southeastern Anatolian village of Cirali, harvesting grapes ends with a variety of sweets to consume rather than wine. Turkey
Trump weighs Saudi Arabia’s fate in Khashoggi affair The US president said “a lot of work” is being done on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and promised “there'll be something that has to take place.” Saudi Arabia
Turkey, US share cautious optimism as high-stakes Brunson trial to resume The mood is suddenly a bit lighter as Turkey's trial of US pastor Andrew Brunson continues tomorrow, after the suspected murder of a Saudi journalist offered Washington and Ankara an opportunity to work together for justice. Turkey
Ankara pins electoral hopes on ignoring economic realities The Turkish government’s vacillations and zigzagging in the face of the country’s economic woes reflect how squeezed it has become economically and politically and how concerned it is about it with elections scheduled for March. Turkey
Iranian media see Saudi-Turkey rift in Khashoggi case While some Iranian media see the possibility of tension between Iran and Turkey over the case of Jamal Khashoggi, one analyst in particular warns that such an atmosphere is not conducive to resolving differences. Saudi Arabia
Congress orders federal probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance Bipartisan calls for a federal probe and possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia indicate that Congress has lost confidence in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Turkish FM heads for Iraq to greet new leadership, discuss oil Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set for a two-day visit to Iraq widely taken as an effort to re-assert Turkey’s heft in the country amid the receding fortunes of its local Sunni Arab allies. Iraq
How Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rival operates in northern Syria Al-Monitor interviewed the spokesman of the National Liberation Front, which includes several armed opposition factions in northern Idlib, to find out its goals and plans for the future. Syria
Turkish authorities to search Saudi consulate for missing journalist As the Turkish authorities prepare to search the Saudi consulate where a dissident Saudi journalist disappeared last week, the Turkish opposition is curiously silent about the matter despite the ruling party's harsh treatment of the country's own press. Saudi Arabia
Outgoing Abadi signs blow to Turkish exports Turkey sees trouble in the new internal customs checkpoints the federal government has established in northern Iraq. Turkey