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
Turkey chooses pro-Erdogan ambassador to Israel in bid to normalize ties There has been no ambassador in either country since May 2018, when Ankara withdrew its envoy over escalating attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and Washington's decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem. Israel
Eastern Libyan forces intercept Turkish ship en route to Misrata Forces loyal to eastern Libyan strongman Khalifa Hifter intercepted a Jamaican-flagged Turkish ship in the Mediterranean Sea late Monday in a move that could escalate regional tensions. Turkey
Opposition turns up pressure on Erdogan over defense dealings with Qatar Turkey’s political opposition has stepped up pressure on the government over its often-opaque dealings with Qatar as the country’s tank production contract, awarded to a Turkish-Qatari joint venture, remains bogged down. Qatar
Mixed signals over Israel-Turkey relations An article published in the Tel Aviv University Turkeyscope review might suggest that Ankara wants to rehabilitate its relations with Jerusalem. Israel
Facing EU sanctions threat, Erdogan calls for dialogue once more Ahead of a European Council summit in which EU leaders will discuss sanctions on Ankara this week over energy prospecting activities in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated calls for dialogue, urging bloc members not be swayed by Greek and Cypriot agendas. Turkey
Are there signs of thaw in Turkish-Saudi relations? A phone call between the Turkish and Saudi leaders generated hopes for thawing of relations between Ankara and Riyadh, but significant roadblocks must be removed to end bellicose affairs. Saudi Arabia
How realistic are Turkey’s ambitions over strategic corridor with Azerbaijan Turkey is pinning high economic hopes on a transport link that would connect it to Azerbaijan and beyond, but Russia and Iran have caveats and the viability of Turkey’s projects are open to question. Turkey
Turkish inflation creeps higher as Central Bank pressed to act Turkey’s annual inflation hit 14.03% in November, well above forecasts, raising pressure on the nation’s new Central Bank governor to impose tight monetary policies. Turkey
North Cyprus leader pushes for two-state solution, agrees to informal summit North Cyprus President Ersin Tatar reiterated support for a two-state solution as the island’s two leaders agreed to participate in an informal summit during talks with UN envoy Jane Holl Lute Tuesday. Turkey
Cash-strapped Turkey relies on Qatari investments In only five years, Qatar has come to account for 15% of all foreign direct investments in Turkey, second only to deep-rooted Dutch investors. Turkey
What do Turkey's Kurds expect from Biden's presidency? Pro-Kurdish political parties in Turkey are keeping their hope for Joe Biden’s presidency with utmost caution. Turkey
Turkish labor leaders criticize state COVID-19 response as cases surge Turkish officials introduced tighter curfew measures to curb a national surge in COVID-19 rates, drawing criticism from labor rights leaders over exemptions for production workers. Turkey