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
Turkey's 'foot-dragging' on fight against IS continues Diplomats say Turkey’s sincerity will be judged by its determination to continue its active support of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State. Syria
The Iraqi Kurds' waning love affair with Turkey Relations between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Regional Government look likely to deteriorate as Turkey escalates its war against the Kurdistan Workers Party. Iraq
Turkey’s protracted PKK problem Although many Kurds do not like the leftist and secular agenda of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the PKK has shown great resilience, in part as the result of the fragmented Iraqi and Syrian states and political missteps by Turkey. Iraq
As Turkey's consumer confidence plummets, what does that mean for the AKP? Turkey’s consumer confidence index — a key indicator that is closely correlated with the AKP’s electoral showings — is on the decline, signaling further losses for the party in the Nov. 1 early elections. Turkey
PKK looks to the future with creation of youth militias Spiraling urban violence is spearheaded by the PKK’s young militias. Turkey
Yazidi students abandon Arabic script with eye toward Europe Yazidi refugees in Turkey are struggling to restart their children’s education, and many are now learning the Latin alphabet with the hope of one day starting new lives in Europe. Iraq
Ankara needs to explain its turnaround in dealings with PKK As confrontations persist between Turkish government forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party, the government has remained mum about the reasons for the breakdown of the Kurdish peace process. Syria
Death sentences passed on Turkey's hungry bears Rather than feeding hungry wild bears, officials charged with preserving ecological life have decided to kill 15 of them. Turkey
What's the greatest risk to Turkey's economy? Regional and domestic volatility is threatening Turkey’s finances while the country’s political and financial uncertainties worry global investors. Turkey
Erdogan’s war backfires For the first time in 13 years, Turkey is headed into elections in an environment of bloody conflict with the PKK — a deliberate political choice on the part of the government. Turkey
Has Syria's Arab-Kurdish rivalry reached a breaking point? The establishment of a safe zone on the Turkish-Syrian border is likely to further deepen the divide between the Arabs and Kurds in the area. Syria
Will Erdogan’s big gamble pay off? Surveys suggest there is no certainty that early elections will produce the results Erdogan is banking on for his leadership ambitions. Turkey