Newsletter: City Pulse Istanbul Nisantasi beyond the shop windows Also this week: Hopdaddy burgers, Ara Guler’s photographs and Istanbul’s apartment stories. By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture
Costa Rica's Grynspan extends lead in UNSG poll as Nusseibeh places fourth The Costa Rican candidate received 12 encourage votes in Thursday's UN Security Council straw poll. United Arab Emirates
Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Turkey
Can Erdogan’s Baku visit fix Turkey-Azerbaijan rift? A dispute over religious dress in schools has exposed deeper tensions between the two allies, with energy, arms sales, Israel and financial interests adding to the strain. Turkey
NATO allies read Turkey’s wish list as Ankara holds up membership bids Ankara has listed the presence of what it calls terrorists in Sweden and Finland as its main objection to their accession but other factors could feature. Turkey
Turkey’s middle class priced out of home ownership Buying a home has become an elusive dream even for middle-class professionals in Turkey as the country’s economic woes erupt into a perfect storm over the housing market. Turkey
Airport wars flare up in Turkey amid claims of Gulf acquisition A row over the fate of Istanbul’s iconic Ataturk Airport has escalated in Turkey amid opposition claims that a plan to demolish the facility is designed to gratify Gulf investors interested in operating the city’s newer airport. Turkey
How Sweden, Finland’s NATO membership could impact Turkey If Ankara can be tactful about Stockholm and Helsinki’s possible membership in NATO, it has a chance to see its concerns addressed. Turkey
Turkish government discovers 'astroturfing' Seemingly acting on social media calls, the Turkish government cracks down on the secular lifestyle, experts warn. Turkey
How long can Erdogan sustain threat to veto Finnish, Swedish NATO bids? Erdogan shakes up otherwise unified Western alliance on Ukraine war. Turkey
Opposition claims military contractor poses risk to Turkish elections Kemal Kilicdaroglu has highlighted security company Sadat as a potential threat to polls due over next year. Turkey
Erdogan’s home loan incentives threaten to fan inflation A further increase in already skyrocketing home prices appears inevitable in Turkey following Erdogan’s announcement of loan incentives, a move that many pundits see as pouring fuel on the inflation fire. Turkey
Turkey continues to play hard ball over Sweden, Finland NATO membership Turkey’s Islamic-leaning Justice and Development Party government is demanding that both countries end their arms embargoes on Turkey over its military intervention in 2019 against the Kurds in northeast Syria. Turkey
Is a water crisis brewing between Turkey and Iran? Discord over transboundary waters and dam construction emerges as a major factor underlying the strains in Turkish-Iranian ties. Turkey
Erdogan dampens Finland, Sweden’s hope to join NATO Turkey is pumping the brakes on Finland and Sweden’s NATO bids amid the growing confrontation between Russia and the West. Turkey