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
Syrian Kurds squeezed between Turkish threat, Russian pressure in Ain Issa Amid growing fears of a fresh Turkish offensive, the Syrian Kurds are under Russian pressure to cede full or partial control of the strategic town of Ain Issa to the Syrian government. Syria
Turkey arrests 11 over abduction of Iranian dissident Turkish intelligence believe Habib Chaab was lured to Istanbul and abducted by a group working on behalf of Iran. Turkey
Turkey-Iran tensions spike over Azerbaijan Iran is stirring up a diplomatic quarrel over a poem recited by Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his recent visit to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku. Turkey
US sanctions Turkey over S-400 purchase The Foreign Ministry in Ankara said it will "retaliate" for the sanctions on four top officials of Turkey's defense procurement agency. Turkey
Critics say Turkey’s unfinished nuclear plant already redundant Turkey’s power plant building spree has resulted in an enormous idle capacity but the construction of new plants continues at the expense of taxpayers despite the country’s bruising economic woes. Turkey
Congress passes annual defense spending bill mandating sanctions on Turkey Trump has vowed to veto the bill, which includes a mandate for the administration to sanction Turkey over the S-400. Turkey
Turkey’s Erdogan blasts ‘disrespectful’ US sanctions plan President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to reports that Washington is planning on imposing sanctions over Turkey's purchase of Russian-made missile systems. Turkey
European Union has vindicated Erdogan, yet again Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t give a damn about possible European Union sanctions against Turkey, and the EU has proved him right. Turkey
Will Turkish drones help Ukraine reclaim territory? As the Ukrainian news media buzzes with speculation that Ukraine may be planning to reclaim control of Donbass by Turkish drones, direct involvement by Turkey in the Ukraine-Russia conflict would cost Ankara dearly in its relations with Moscow. Turkey
EU to sanction Turkey over gas-drilling activities At a summit in Brussels Thursday, European leaders appeared ready to impose sanctions on Turkish individuals and companies linked to energy-prospecting activities in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that have raised regional tensions over the last year. Turkey
Intel: Russia sets up military positions in Syria’s Ain Issa after shelling from Turkish-controlled side The move follows Russian talks with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces Syria
Shared interests in Iran, Caucuses push Turkey and Israel closer Ankara’s growing isolation and a combination of broader geopolitical factors, including Iran and the Caucasus, are driving a fresh bid to normalize Turkish-Israeli ties. Turkey