Steel factory explosion in western Turkey kills at least 16 Footage from the scene showed a huge plume of thick smoke spreading into the sky as flames engulfed a tall structure within the plant. Turkey
Analysis Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions? Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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
Fury erupts after mayors detained in Turkey's Kurdish southeast The Turkish authorities have arrested both co-mayors of Diyarbakir, Gultan Kisanak and Firat Anli, sparking massive protests that the press is having trouble covering after internet access was cut across the city. Turkey
The many dimensions of Mosul, and what comes next There's much more at play in Mosul than a campaign for its immediate liberation from the Islamic State. Iraq
The brewing battle over coffee in Turkey Amid an increase in coffee consumption in Turkey, leading international coffee chains have stormed into the local market, luring the young clientele. Turkey
Why Netanyahu and Erdogan prefer ‘cold normalization’ Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are particularly enthusiastic about implementing the reconciliation agreement between the two countries. Israel
Have Turkey's neo-Ottomans abandoned Yemen? Turkish media ignores Yemen despite mounting civilian casualties, but hard-core Islamists and secular groups blame the neo-Ottoman government for being a pawn of Western and Saudi interests. Saudi Arabia
Why KRG will remain Turkey’s main ally in Iraq Despite warnings from Turkish nationalist quarters about ultimate Kurdish aspirations, Ankara and Erbil are likely to maintain their pragmatic ties. Iraq
Pizza wars: flatbread becomes latest battlefield in Turkey-Armenia dispute Shared cultural heritage often leads to cuisine wars between Turkey and its neighbors. Turkey
Syria rejects Russian proposal for Kurdish federation Russia's attempt to broker a Kurdish solution was warmly received by Kurds but got the cold shoulder from Damascus. Syria
How Turkey is becoming a snitching paradise The aftermath of the July 15 coup attempt has seen a surge of informants in Turkey, compounding an already terrible climate of fear. Turkey
Did Putin give green light to Turkish attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds? Kurds again in crosshairs as Turkey weighs options in Mosul. Iraq
How Ataturk became a model for Erdogan Although Erdogan’s ideology is very different from that of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s, he wants a similar role — that of a savior-founder who will rule Turkey single-handedly. Turkey
Are Turkish leaders ill-informed about their own history? Many question whether Ankara has aspirations in Iraq linked to a misunderstanding of Turkish history. Iraq