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
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 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
Islamic State urges Turkish businessmen to return to Iraq In an interview with Al-Monitor, Turkey's economy minister says that in addition to IS prompting Turkish businessmen to return to Iraq, trade with Israel remains unaffected despite the current crisis, and 2015 will see an increase in exports and decrease in deficit. Iraq
If Erdogan wins presidency, what next? If Recep Tayyip Erdogan is successful in Turkey's upcoming presidential elections, it could mark the rise of a one-man state. Turkey
New moves by Saudi Arabia, Qatar signal drive for cease-fire Regional capitals are seeing intense diplomatic activity, while regional powers and Washington agree on the need to end the war in Gaza as soon as possible. Qatar
Cease-fire initiatives pit Turkey against Egypt Is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan more concerned with undermining Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi than to broker a cease-fire in Gaza? Saudi Arabia
Will foreign investment in Turkey return to pre-crisis levels? Foreign direct investment is rising in Turkey and expected to reach $16 billion by the end of the year and eventually the pre-2008 crisis level of $20 billion. Turkey
Relations with Turkey sink lower after Erdogan's Israel comments The surge of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli demonstrations in Turkey, inspired by critical remarks from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, forces Israel to set aside attempts at reconciliation. Israel
Turkey’s Syrian refugee problem spirals out of control Syrian refugees in Turkey are regularly subject to hostilities by locals, a trend Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan implies the opposition is responsible for. Syria
Iran boosts Hamas rocket capacity Congress is skeptical of extending of Iran talks; Iran has a hand in Gaza; acrimony between Egypt and Hamas is hindering a cease-fire agreement; and the Islamic State using the Turkish Consulate in Mosul as its headquarters. Palestine
Turkey makes strides on deficit reduction Turkey’s current account deficit, a long-standing economic hardship, has dropped to $52.5 billion, already beating the government's year-end target. Turkey
Erdogan ignores market in crusade against interest rates The Turkish prime minister and the minister of economy are pushing to dramatically cut interest rates, though Turkey's Central Bank has expressed reservations. Turkey
Erdogan turns blind eye to online hate speech Anti-Semitic tweets by the pop star Yildiz Tilbe have found support within some Justice and Development Party (AKP) quarters while the government maintains an official silence. Palestine
With Iraqi roads blocked, demand for flights from Baghdad soars The continued instability in Iraq is forcing residents to flee. With land borders blocked by fighting, people are forced to wait more than a month for plane tickets. Iraq