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
Ankara’s IS militants return home In one of the Islamic State’s main recruitment grounds in Turkey, about half of the recruits have returned home, but experts warn that the organization’s appeal is far from over. Syria
Erdogan’s latest wake-up call on Islamic State The Obama administration weighs deeper coordination with Moscow against Jabhat al-Nusra; Erdogan’s slow turnaround on Syria policy; Hamas seeks to resume ties with Iran. Palestine
Could Turkish-Israeli reconciliation eventually end Gaza siege? The reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey has been modestly welcomed in the Gaza Strip, as Palestinians hope it will lead the way to the end of the blockade. Palestine
Welcome to the most vulnerable country to terrorism As long as the Turkish government does not attach priority to the fight against IS, Turkey will remain the most vulnerable country in the world. Syria
As bloodshed plagues Turkey, politicians enjoy full security A wave of terrorist attacks in Turkey has claimed hundreds of innocent lives, but never the armchairs of government and security officials. Turkey
Forgotten Ottoman Eid traditions make comeback in Turkey Although Turks cannot agree on the name of the holiday, all agree to keep Ramadan traditions alive in modern times. Turkey
Did Turkey abandon Hamas in Israel deal? As Hamas absorbs the aftermath of the Turkish-Israeli agreement, some wonder whether Turkey should be blamed for failing to lift the siege on Gaza. Palestine
Battle for Syria's Manbij may redraw local alliances The Syrian Democratic Forces are leading the battle to liberate Manbij, close to the Turkish border, which pushed Turkey to warn the Kurds about expanding their influence in their areas of control. Syria
What Israel's payoff for Turkish civilians means for Palestinians Now that Israel has agreed to compensate the families of the Mavi Marmara casualties it calls terrorists, Palestinians are hoping to advance their own claims for compensation. Palestine
After 20-year break, these Iranian Kurds are taking up arms again In a surprise development, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, which has not used guns against the Iranian regime for 20 years, has resumed fighting, reportedly instigated by regional powers. Iraq
How Erdogan’s Israeli gambit may cost him Islamist support For the first time, the Islamist opposition is raising its voice loudly against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decrying the normalization agreement with Israel. Palestine
Has Turkey finally made nice with Russia? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s apology appears to have broken the ice with Russia, but the relationship still needs time to thaw. Syria