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
Solidarity Visits to Gaza Dwindle International solidarity delegations to Gaza have struggled to enter the territory since Egypt's tightening of its blockade, cutting off a vital source of essential medical assistance. Palestine
Why Turks Are Fighting Over Trees The controversy over thousands of trees to be uprooted on a university campus in Ankara for a construction project is reminiscent of Gezi Park. Turkey
Aleppo's war economy Residents of Aleppo have moved beyond the initial shocks of war and are adjusting to make ends meet. Syria
Al-Qaeda Sinks Roots in Mosul Al-Qaeda continues to gain strength in Iraq, taxing the residents of Mosul, attacking minorities and "collaborators" and making the city a base of operations in Ninevah province. Iraq
Turkey's Road to China Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said NATO or any other country does not have the right to question Turkey’s decision to co-produce missiles with China. Turkey
Turkey on Defensive Over Hamas Claims that Turkey is obstructing Palestinian reconciliation are fueling the AKP's belief in an international campaign to isolate Ankara politically at an already low point in its foreign relations. Palestine
UN Envoy on Yemen Deserves Spotlight Jamal Benomar, special adviser on Yemen to the UN secretary-general, has succeeded with a difficult brief. Yemen
Turkey’s Online 'Halal' Sex Shop Draws Ridicule, Criticism The Turkish media's response to the nation's first "halal" online sex shop has been a mixture of criticism and ridicule. Turkey
Turkey’s Spymaster: The Making of a Hero An impressive campaign by Hakan Fidan’s media team has made almost an entire nation worship him. Israel
Turkey Rescues Its Pilots in Swap Deal Turkey’s silent diplomacy yielded results on Oct.19, when it rescued the two Turkish Airlines pilots kidnapped in Beirut on Aug. 9. Lebanon
Turkey: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of the Hakan Fidan Story During a 10-day holiday break, a series of Western news reports roiled Turkey's pro-government establishment. Israel
Turkish Intelligence ChiefBoth Iconoclast and Target Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s highly intellectual and pro-West intelligence chief, has drawn a lot of attention and criticism as the architect of the peace process with the PKK. Turkey