Turkey, Armenia agree to restore medieval bridge in normalization push Ankara is pursuing normalization with Armenia ahead of June parliamentary elections in a thaw also positioned to advance its broader Middle Corridor ambitions. Turkey
Turkey hosts Kuwaiti FM as UAE's OAPEC exit fuels Gulf rift Kuwait's top diplomat visited Turkey as the Gulf rift deepens following the UAE’s exit from OPEC and its affiliated alliances, forcing Ankara to balance ties between Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Turkey
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi, is expected to sustain growing economic and strategic ties with Turkey thanks to his business-oriented approach, though uncertainty over his political stance could test cooperation on sensitive issues. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul “Form-Craft-Activism” spotlights the labor behind making Also this week: A century-old lokanta, cartoonists and labor cinema By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Turkish, Iranian media trade barbs Analysts say angry reports and comments in the pro-government media of both sides reflect official thinking, but expect the legacy of maintaining relatively good ties between the two countries to prevail. Yemen
Now Erdogan is cooking up a coup to overthrow himself Erdogan has been promoting his “presidential system” as the way for Turkey. Now, without any amendment in the constitution, he is declaring it as a “de facto reality.” Turkey
Turkey's Temple of Apollo may decode gray mysteries of antiquity Recent restoration efforts at the Temple of Apollo in western Turkey seek to answer questions about the history of this ancient structure. Turkey
Which ancient leader is really buried in colossal Tower of Tughrul? Controversy surrounds a 12th-century tomb tower carrying the name of the founder of the Seljuk dynasty, Tughrul Beg. Turkey
What’s behind Zarif’s visit to Beirut? An Iranian diplomat shared with Al-Monitor some behind-the-scenes information regarding the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Beirut and its implications for Lebanon and the region. Palestine
Bathing in Ankara’s ancient history An ancient Roman site in Ankara was occupied by brothels until recently, and though the brothels have been demolished, the remains still wait to be fully discovered. Turkey
Turks turn to dollar as lira hits low Turkish depositors are abandoning the Turkish lira and clamoring for the US dollar. Turkey
Zarif presses diplomacy on Syria Iran brokers humanitarian cease-fires in Syria; Yair Lapid discusses “dreadful gamble” in US-Israel relations; Turkey’s Stone Age temple may predate Stonehenge and Egyptian pyramids by thousands of years. Oman
Weaving through Turkey's history of kilims Hand-woven kilims are inspired by a rich culture, but are also gaining global popularity among rich, modern-day nomads. Turkey
Ankara slices away at meat prices The Turkish government has intervened in the market to address soaring food prices as the Central Bank stumbles in its fight against inflation. Turkey
PKK vs. Turkey: Violence plagues people of Basak Turkish security forces expand their operations to urban areas in the southeast of the country. Iraq
Who is targeting Iranians in Turkey? A series of attacks on Iranian interests in Turkey raises the question of why the PKK may seek to hit Iran at this point. Iraq