Newsletter: Turkey Turkey navigates Gulf rivalries while Kurdish peace efforts resurface Turkey hosts a flurry of regional diplomacy while fresh debate over Abdullah Ocalan’s future exposes new tensions in the Kurdish peace process. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul EU spotlights digital art in Ankara Also this week: A new chef’s table, ceramics and institutional debuts By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Hezbollah commanders killed as renewed strikes test Lebanon-Israel talks Israeli strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon raise new doubts over a fragile ceasefire ahead of expected talks in Washington. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US pauses Hormuz escort mission as Trump cites progress on Iran talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkish soccer team lands in political hot water The soccer team of Turkey’s largest Kurdish-majority city has become the target of nationalist animosity from rival fans as well as the government, which accuses the club of being linked to armed Kurdish militants. Turkey
Don't let the music die: Istanbul's nightlife grinds to halt due to COVID-19 Istanbul's taverns and halls close their doors as the residents of the metropolis stay in due to the coronavirus outbreak in Turkey. Turkey
Justice Department ordered Turkish TV station to register as foreign agent The decision came amid an intensifying push by the Donald Trump administration and Congress to get foreign media outlets to register. Qatar
Doctors in northwest Syria brace for ‘devastating’ coronavirus Medical personnel in Syria contacted by Al-Monitor worry that Idlib's crippled health infrastructure will not be able to handle a coronavirus outbreak. Syria
Is Turkey ready for social distancing? Turkey’s technological infrastructure is equipped to support the country through the pandemic, but the public lacks awareness of social distancing. Turkey
Despite stimulus, Turkish economy faces grave coronavirus prognosis Economic analysts shared mixed reactions to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stimulus package, with some saying it doesn’t go far enough. Turkey
Why Ankara’s Syrian refugee threat has lost its impact The “refugee crisis” that Ankara triggered at the Greek border has come to an end, as it failed to create the desired impact on Europe. Syria
Egypt and Turkey's energy face-off in the Mediterranean Egypt signing an agreement with five major energy companies to start drilling in the Mediterranean off its coast near Libya raises the prospect of more friction developing with Turkey. Egypt
Egypt’s censors shift into high gear over coronavirus coverage Press censorship in Egypt has most recently hit The Guardian and The New York Times following what it claims are "false rumors" of the coronavirus crisis in the country. Egypt
Erdogan focuses on Turkish economy in first major coronavirus speech Responding to the growing number of domestic coronavirus cases, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled measures to safeguard the nation’s economy while advising citizens to practice social distancing. Turkey
Turkey’s geostrategic orientation at crossroads amid Idlib tangle Confusion prevails in Ankara on how to resolve the entangled Idlib crisis and the choices it will ultimately make could bear on its geostrategic orientations in the coming years. Syria
Members of popular Turkish folk collective approach death on hunger strike Turkey's iconic Grup Yorum has not been able to perform since 2016 and a number of its members have been jailed on dubious terror charges. Turkey