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
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
Is Turkey setting a Kurdish trap? In the lead-up to Turkey's Nov. 1 parliamentary elections, skeptics of the government are wondering if Ankara will resort to something "extreme" in Syria. Syria
Russia puts brakes on Turkey's truck traffic Moscow responds to Ankara’s threats to cancel natural gas and nuclear power station contracts by closing its borders to Turkish trucks. Syria
Turkey's shameful state of media freedom Following new police raids against Ipek Media, home to two newspapers and two TV news channels, Turkey's media suffers another blow. Turkey
When it comes to foreign policy, will Erdogan resort to 'wily Oriental means'? The best-case scenario for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the worst-case scenario for Turkey, could be the failure of possible coalition talks after the snap elections. Syria
Merkel's 'indecent proposal' to Erdogan German Chancellor Angela Merkel's impromptu visit to Istanbul on behalf of the EU was highly criticized as a desperate gift to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as Turkey's elections draw close. Turkey
Planning to rig an election in Turkey? You'd better think twice A fast-growing civic movement has mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to detect vote-rigging in Turkey’s critical parliamentary elections on Nov. 1. Turkey
After its own citizens drown, Lebanese refocus on refugee crisis The refugee crisis in Lebanon has again made headlines with the drowning deaths of Lebanese fleeing the border region due to the Syrian war and heading for Europe. Lebanon
Who is behind violence against the Kurds? Probes into a recent wave of mob violence against Kurds in Turkey suggest connivance between assailants, economic actors and the authorities. Turkey
Is Russian intervention in Syria pushing 'moderate jihadis' toward Islamic State? Russia's attacks on "moderate jihadi" groups appears to be pushing them to consider the possibility of uniting under the umbrella of the Islamic State. Syria
What will Erdogan do if AKP fails again? The prospect of yet another snap election in Turkey after the Nov. 1 polls should not be ruled out if the AKP fails again to clinch the parliamentary majority. Turkey
No breakthrough in Syria possible without Iran Russian foreign minister dismisses rumors of a deal on Assad ahead of Syria talks; Hezbollah takes casualties in Hama; Turkey’s headache over US support for Syrian Kurds; days of rage in Gaza. Palestine
Will Black Sea cuisine be Erdogan's lasting legacy? Once looked down on as bland and basic, Black Sea cuisine flourishes in Istanbul as a nutritional and exotic option. Turkey