Lebanon seeks Turkey’s help to join Syria-Saudi rail link: What to know Beirut is seeking Ankara’s support to link its ports to a railway project aiming to link Turkey to the Gulf, through Syria and Jordan. Turkey
Turkey's FM in UAE to discuss Yemen war, Hormuz closure: What to know The top Turkish diplomat was set to stress Ankara's support for a peaceful and “united Yemen” amid renewed Houthi advances. Turkey
Turkey widens $18B fund probe as fallout hits ruling party, free speech More than 50 people have been detained in connection with the investigation into the fund scandal, the ruling party’s deputy chair has resigned, and the X accounts of dozens of journalists and economists have been blocked. Turkey
Analysis Why Turkey is drawing the line at defense in its support for Saudi Arabia Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are forcing Mecca pact signatories to quickly operationalize their agreement, but are unlikely to draw Turkey into direct action against the Iran-backed group. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Can Turkey’s Bashiqa withdrawal pave the way for deeper Iraq ties? By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Turkey Turkey’s UNGA scorecard By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul Galerist turns 25 with a ‘Labour of Love’ By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Jordan Deals With Backlash From Iraq, Syria Jordanians may be becoming more xenophobic as the Hashemite Kingdom deals with pressures from Iraq and Syria. Jordan
Davutoglu Cautiously 'Not Pessimistic' On Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says US-Turkish policies on Syria are now synchronized. Syria
Turkey Puzzled by US Stance On Exxon-KRG Oil Deal Ankara questions US concerns over its arrangement with ExxonMobil for energy exploration in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Iraq
Syria’s Conflict May Already Be in Lebanon Following recent conflict in Lebanon’s Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, it is becoming ever more apparent that Syria’s conflict, as represented between Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah, is already in Lebanon. Lebanon
Turkey’s Clash of Civilizations Turkey’s secular and democratic identity should not be compromised for religious orthodoxy. Turkey
Misreading The 'Syria Transition Act' In Turkey The Senate Foreign Relations Committee bill does not signal the imminent arrival of US arms to the Syria opposition. Syria
Iran’s UN Ambassador Welcomes Geneva II Conference on Syria Mohammad Khazaee, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, discusses Iran’s position on Syria in an email interview with Al-Monitor. Turkey
Turkish-Kurdish Leader Cautious, Hopeful on Peace Plan Ahmet Turk, a pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party member, draws attention to a new legislation bringing municipalities under direct tutelage of governors, and argues that is in direct contradiction to the government’s Kurdish initiative. Turkey
AKP Wages Jihad Against Alcohol in Turkey The AKP’s draft law of aggressive alcohol restrictions aims not only to engineer an Islamic society but to prevent possible losses in its conservative electoral base. Turkey
Turkey’s Syria Policy: No Easy Answers Turkey’s Syria policies were not wrong, but poorly presented. Syria
Iraq to Simplify Visa Procedures For Foreign Oil Workers The Iraqi government has announced that it will simplify entry-visa and residency-permit procedures for foreign oil workers, following complaints that the current lengthy process deters investors. Iraq
Is Gulen Movement Against Peace With PKK? The Gulen Movement in Turkey is not against the peace process with the PKK, but is not on its bandwagon either. Turkey