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
Saudi FM in Turkey as Ankara, Riyadh step up coordination amid Iran war Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Ankara comes amid rapidly expanding Turkish-Saudi coordination as the fallout from the Iran war reshapes Gulf security dynamics. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US pauses Hormuz escort mission as Trump cites progress on Iran talks A tentative diplomatic opening with Iran emerges as the US sustains its pressure campaign. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul “Form-Craft-Activism” spotlights the labor behind making By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Nepotism flourishes under AKP Turkey’s main opposition party has revealed a list of government workers who got public jobs through corrupt channels and created a website for citizens to report other cases. Turkey
Erdogan continues to consolidate power Turkey remains a parliamentary system under its present constitution, but there is little preventing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from taking steps to fulfill his ambition of becoming the country’s paramount leader. Turkey
Gulenists defeated on first anniversary of corruption probes A year after the December 2013 corruption probes, Erdogan’s government continues to grapple with the ghosts of the covered-up scandals, while the Gulen community stands defeated in the open war it launched on the government through the probes. Turkey
Israeli attack intensifies Syrian anger, despair Syrians on social media mock “right to respond”; US says Syrian rebels will not overthrow Assad; Syrian patriarch pleads for peace; Russia steps up diplomacy; Jumblatt sees no future for Assad; Turkey’s shadow government; Qatar and Turkey draw congressional ire over support for Hamas. Qatar
Energy deals may make Turkey irreversibly reliant on Moscow Despite the celebratory sentiment in Ankara after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit, Turkey’s energy dependence on Russia is bound to further increase with nuclear power plant projects. Turkey
Shadow government set up in Erdogan’s white palace Worried about corruption investigations and intent on holding on to power, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is setting up a shadow government. Turkey
In natural gas, all pipelines go through Turkey Natural gas from Iraq is to reach Turkey in 2017, Azeri gas is to arrive in 2018 and Iran, Russia and Israel also want to sell their natural gas via Turkey. Iraq
Turkey legalizes alternative medicine The Turkish government has paved the way for hospitals to use treatments dating back to Seljuk and Ottoman times, including bloodsucking leeches and scar-healing flies. Turkey
Erdogan Islamizes education system to raise 'devout youth' Religious education may become compulsory in primary schools in Turkey following the transformation of hundreds of secular schools into religious education establishments. Turkey
What happened at anti-IS coalition meeting? A diplomatic source participating in the gathering of the international coalition against the Islamic State told Al-Monitor that Turkey sought to undermine its regional rivals for its own interests. Iraq
Why Davutoglu's Armenian adviser angered AKP deputies One should listen to Etyen Mahcupyan, now top adviser to Ahmet Davutoglu, to see both a sophisticated defense of the AKP but also to see where exactly it goes wrong. Turkey
Hamas in Turkey on alert after Israeli complaint Hamas officials in Turkey are taking precautions after Israel’s complaint to NATO against Ankara for hosting the Palestinian Islamist group, fearing that Israel might resume assassinating its leaders abroad. Palestine