Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Turks enter uncharted waters as Erdogan forges ahead with new powers

[logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Monday, July 16 | Daily Briefing [By: Sibel Hurtas on Friday, Jul. 13, 2018]( Turkey 1 [Turks enter uncharted waters as Erdogan forges ahead with new powers]( Armed with sweeping powers under Turkey’s new governance system, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has quickly issued a slew of decrees that bring almost all state institutions under his control. Russia / Mideast 2 [Khamenei adviser warns Moscow of 'empty promises' from US]( Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent his top adviser to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the Russian leader's meeting with Trump, in hopes that Moscow will remain wary of US promises. Palestine 3 [Hamas feeling consequences of touting ties with Iran]( Hamas needs its connection with Iran, but some within the movement say it must stop boasting about renewed relations before it undoes any progress it's made to change its international image. Israel 4 [Is Israel's popular justice minister a threat to Netanyahu?]( Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surely took note of the latest polls indicating Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of HaBayit HaYehudi has become extremely popular within his own Likud Party. Iraq 5 ['Snake man of Baghdad' spreads love for wild animals]( Wildlife lover and environmental activist Mahdi Laith says his mission in life is to change Iraqi attitudes toward the country's many exotic species. Iraq 6 [Oil installations hit by protests in southern Iraq]( The wave of protests in the southern province of Basra is escalating, even as the government promises to improve the status of the province in order to calm the street. Israel 7 [Will court's decision to dismiss Israeli arson confession set precedent?]( An Israeli court has ruled that the Shin Bet's interrogation methods used on Jews suspected of terror attacks against Palestinians were unacceptable, freeing a confessed arsonist implicated in the murder of the Dawabsha family. Egypt 8 [Egypt's Al-Azhar, Awqaf Ministry renew wrangling over fatwas]( The dispute between Egypt’s religious authority and the Ministry of Endowments has escalated over the ministry’s right to issue and challenge fatwas as stipulated in a new draft legislation. Washington 9 [Pentagon eyes shrinking role in Syria as Trump and Putin negotiate deal]( Syrian rebels have presented the White House with military options to push back against Bashar al-Assad’s gains in the southwest, Al-Monitor has learned. 10 [Mideast risks escalation as Iran ponders response to US]( Rather than looking for a graceful exit from the region, Iran could escalate tensions in response to rising US pressure. Israel 11 [Are Israel's ultra-Orthodox schools following Jewish values?]( Ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi leaders of rabbinical schools discriminate against Mizrahi students because they fear a more open-minded influence on their conservative educational system. Palestine 12 [Islamic Jihad says Israel’s tightened siege ‘a declaration of war’]( Palestinian factions are condemning the recent Israeli decision to impose more sanctions on Gaza in retaliation against the launch of fire kites into southern Israel. Palestine 13 [Fatah seeks to rekindle ties with Syrian regime]( Rival Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas are both making overtures to Syria, but one appears to be having considerably more success than the other. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2018 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA