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
Should Gulen face trial for Turkish coup attempt? With Erdogan blaming Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen for masterminding the recent coup attempt, there have been increasing calls for his extradition from the US to Turkey. Turkey
Erdogan’s bossy anti-smoking drive crosses borders Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's heavy-handed approach to cigarettes, aimed to project a fatherly image in Turkey, has now spread to his interactions with foreign officials. Turkey
Kerry: Critics of Obama administration's Syria policy 'completely screwed up' US secretary of state says the terrorist attack in Nice “could just as well have come from [Jabhat al-] Nusra”; Erdogan refers to coup attempt as a "gift from God" to "cleanse" army. Syria
Why Turkey's coup didn't stand a chance Turkey did not fail its test of democracy on July 15, but what about the inevitable aftershocks? Turkey
Misreading of a coup attempt The amateurism of the attempted coup on the night of July 15 raises questions. Turkey
Anatomy of a Turkish assassination fable The scenario of a fictional Tel Hamis Brigades assassinating key Kurdish military leader Bahoz Erdal bombed badly, but revealed that Turkey's intelligence service and special forces are hunting the PKK beyond Turkey's borders. Syria
Pokemon Go brings Turkish gamers out to streets As the Pokemon Go game becomes a global phenomenon, the Turks question whether the game can be banned before becoming available in the country. Turkey
Moscow’s turnaround on Turkey Common national interests such as security and economic issues remain the prime core of improved relations between Moscow and Ankara. Syria
Is the Islamic State planning a cyber-caliphate? Under pressure on the battlefield, IS has been moving its caliphate to the virtual world and is targeting Turkey in particular. Iraq
Why Sisi, Erdogan won't be making up anytime soon Relations between Egypt and Turkey may remain cold as long as Cairo continues to repress the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt
Why recent steps with Israel, Russia won't really change Turkish foreign policy Ending the Mavi Marmara crisis with Israel and extending an apology to Russia is not enough for a true change in Turkish foreign policy as long as it remains in the grips of Islamism and sectarianism. Turkey
Can Erdogan make more friends at home as well? Turkey's diplomatic overtures abroad may be far simpler than achieving national reconciliation within the country, where creeping authoritarianism has left little room for plurality. Turkey