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 is Erdogan threatening showdown on EU visa waiver? The EU's visa waiver promise to Ankara concerns a relatively small number of Turks who have little sway on Erdogan's political aspirations. Turkey
What's next after Germany's Armenian genocide resolution? The German parliament's historic resolution on the Armenian genocide led to predictable responses from Ankara while creating further uncertainty in Turkey's relations with the West. Turkey
Erdogan kicks off African tour with creative history lesson As Turkey’s relations with the West continue to sour, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is off to try his luck in Africa. Turkey
Is Turkey hiding alien encounters? The number of UFO sightings over Turkey has significantly increased in the past few years, with some Turkish Airlines pilots convinced that the bright lights in the Turkish airspace are in fact UFOs. Turkey
Is Ennahda following in AKP footsteps? Similar to the AKP's founders, Tunisia’s Ennahda is now seeking to enter a post-Islamist era. Turkey
Syria’s Qamishli a window onto Turkish-Kurdish conflict across border For months, residents of a northern Syrian city have watched helplessly as their neighbors and fellow Kurds battle Turkish forces across the border. Syria
How a US prosecutor is jolting Turkish markets US prosecutor Preet Bharara’s probe into the dealings of a Turkish-Iranian businessman has both political and financial repercussions in Turkey. Turkey
How Turkey's spies found new ways to escape oversight Even as rumors continue as to who will replace Hakan Fidan, Turkey's national intelligence chief, the Turkish spy has found ways to expand his political power. Turkey
Erdogan engineers his own conquest of Istanbul The 563rd celebration of Istanbul's conquest was overblown, much like the omnipresent pictures of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's head on giant posters. Turkey
Turkey faces multiple dilemmas in Syria Ankara’s Kurdish phobia underlies its inability to come up with realistic strategies that will also serve its own long-term security interests. Syria
Turkey's latest 'civilian coup' A civilian takeover of the top management of OYAK, a company owned by Turkish military personnel, has raised questions. Turkey
Can US, Turkey keep up appearances in Syria? Russia weighs escalation in Syria; CENTCOM commander seeks to balance Turkey, Syrian Kurds in campaign against Islamic State; return to Sur. Syria