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
Breaking | Last Updated: November 5, 2026, 3:56 pm 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
Why are Turks disposing of $1 bills? The discovery of $1 bills on Turkish soldiers involved in the July 15 putsch suggest the greenback has been used as a secret code of communication. Turkey
Is Turkey abandoning NATO or vice versa? Some Turks view NATO’s aloofness regarding the coup attempt as a sign it is fatigued by Turkey's continual crises. Turkey
Did Gulenists sabotage Ankara’s Kurdish peace process? Long-standing allegations of Gulenists meddling in efforts to settle Turkey’s Kurdish problem appear to have gained more credence after the failed July 15 coup attempt. Turkey
Coup attempt could cost Turkey more than military might Many observers fear that measures to radically reshape Turkey’s once all-powerful military are already affecting freedom there. Turkey
Turkey, Iran rekindle courtship but take things slow Ankara appreciates Iran’s position regarding the failed coup attempt in Turkey, but talk of a strategic "axis" between the two countries appears premature. Turkey
Putin gets big kiss-and-make-up gift from Erdogan As part of fence-mending efforts with Russia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged a special status with huge financial boons for the nuclear plant the Russians are building in Turkey. Turkey
Will road to Moscow lead Ankara to Damascus? Turkey has reportedly resorted to the same track II diplomacy to Damascus that it used to reconcile with Moscow. Syria
Who's behind assassination attempt on former Egyptian mufti? Egypt may not have enough evidence to accuse Turkey for the assassination attempt on former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, but they have enough to inflame tensions between the two countries. Egypt
Turkey-EU clash is now just a matter of time Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a series of warnings that Turkey will stop taking refugees back from the European Union if it fails to waive visa restrictions for Turks, signaling the two sides are on a collision course. Turkey
Are regional powers finally reaching consensus on Syria? Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari spoke to Iranian media about Syria after meeting with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister. Syria
What's behind AKP's allegations of Gulen-PKK ties? Some fear the increasing AKP-inspired allegations of a relationship between the PKK and the Gulen movement may be a harbinger of a new round of attacks on Kurds. Turkey
What's next following Erdogan-Putin summit? Ankara was delighted with the recent Turkish-Russian summit, while Moscow sounded guardedly optimistic, but a true assessment of the meeting's implications will take time. Syria