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
Speculation about Turkish civil war is just that Clashes between Turkish security forces and the PKK are intensifying and becoming more violent. Iraq
Turkey's baby boom sends many children into state care The increasing number of children left to state care in Turkey raises fresh questions over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call on families to have at least three children. Turkey
Turkish men not so worried about worry beads The traditional use of worry beads, or tesbih, thrives in modern times as a tool for personal therapy, a status symbol and a faithful companion. Turkey
Turkey treads carefully on new gas pipeline with Russia Ankara doesn’t want to put all of its energy eggs into the Russian basket. Turkey
Is Turkey's 'emergency rule' back? With increasing tensions in the region, declaring 37 areas "provisional security zones" off-limits to civilians is seen by some as a resurrection of Turkey's emergency rule. Turkey
Ankara warms to idea of political solution in Syria Ankara seems to be growing more amenable to a solution that includes the Syrian regime, unhappy about perceptions that it has used the international effort against the Islamic State as an excuse to resume strikes against the Kurdistan Workers Party. Syria
Islamic State ups rhetoric against Ankara Following a Turkish-American deal allowing US warplanes to use Incirlik Air Base in the fight against the Islamic State, the terrorist group has lashed out at the ruling AKP government. Syria
Has press freedom fallen victim to AKP’s Syria policy? Has the Turkish government once again tried to silence a journalist, this time one who has drawn links between the AKP government's Syria policy and terror attacks by Islamic State in the country? Syria
After 500 years, Turkish coffee percolates in popularity On the brink of oblivion about a decade ago, Turkey’s ancient coffee culture is revived by a vibrant new generation of entrepreneurs and young consumers. Turkey
Nuke deal won't change Iran's approach to region In the aftermath of the JCPOA, Iran and other regional powers are seeking to engage, but will likely pursue policies to strengthen positions ahead of anticipated talks. Saudi Arabia
Is Ankara headed toward all-out war with Turkey’s Kurds? Unless a deus ex machina like the United States enters into the equation between the Turkish government and the PKK, the clashes between the sides will continue. Iraq
The $55 billion cost of abandoning the Kurdish peace process The economic burden of the Kurdish conflict was one of the government’s key arguments when it launched the Kurdish peace process in 2013, but today, Ankara seems to be braving a hefty economic bill for the sake of its political interests. Turkey