Welcome back to the Daily Briefing.

This is Beatrice Farhat, filling in for Gabrielle.

In today's edition:

I highlight these top stories below.

Thanks for reading.

Beatrice

US ambassador to Turkey sees solution to F-35 issue 'by year-end'

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack (L) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan within an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. — UMIT BEKTAS/AFP via Getty Images

New US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack says a resolution to the long-running F-35 dispute could be reached by the end of the year, signaling a potential breakthrough in US-Turkey defense ties.

“My belief is that by year-end, we have the possibility of having a solution,” Barrack told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, adding that Congress is open to “a fresh look” at Ankara’s removal from the fighter jet program over its 2019 purchase of Russian S-400s.

Barrack’s optimism follows a recent Trump-Erdogan meeting in The Hague, where the Turkish president declared “a new era” in bilateral ties. Ankara is seeking either delivery of the jets or reimbursement for its $1.4 billion payment. Technical talks have quietly begun. Read Ezgi Akin’s report.

Wildfires force evacuations, airport closure in Turkish tourist hotspot

Firefighters work to extinguish flames in a forest in Izmir, Turkey, Aug. 16, 2024. — MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Fierce wildfires have swept through Turkey’s Aegean province of Izmir, disrupting travel and prompting evacuations as extreme winds and scorching temperatures batter the region.

The main airport in Izmir — a key gateway to popular resorts and historic sites like Ephesus — was temporarily closed Sunday, stranding hundreds of tourists and delaying flights for up to 21 hours. Fires damaged homes and injured at least 21........

© Al Monitor