Analysis Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions? Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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
Refugee influx to Turkey sharply rises In the past five months, 551,000 new refugees arrived in Turkey, raising the total number to 3.551 million and the monthly cost to host them to $590 million. Syria
Canal Istanbul: Still hyped, still 'crazy' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is dusting off plans for the megaproject Canal Istanbul ahead of the constitutional referendum as an example of what a strong president could achieve. Turkey
Will Turkey get its way in Raqqa? Turkey is trying to balance its precarious relationships with the United States and Russia while still getting what it wants in Syria. Iraq
Erdogan banks on motley crew of Syrian armed groups Turkey’s Syria partners seen as "ill-disciplined, untrained and inexperienced"; Erodgan links opposition to referendum to coup plotters; Mattis rules out US-Russia military cooperation "for now." Syria
Erdogan presses for 1.5 million new jobs ahead of key vote Faced with a worsening economic downturn, Turkey’s president scrambles to achieve some improvement, even if transient, ahead of a critical referendum in April. Turkey
Is Erdogan promising a ghost army in Syria? Erdogan promises to set up a “national army” in the area to be cleansed from the Islamic State in northern Syria, but with the combat assets available to him, never mind a national army, even a force to secure the cleansed area will not be easy. Syria
Can economic opportunity bring Turkey, Egypt closer? Turkey and Egypt are making investment overtures toward one another despite lingering political animosity that is unlikely to be resolved. Egypt
Washington quietly rebuffs Turkish delegation’s anti-YPG efforts A high-level delegation of Turkish Foreign Ministry, military and intelligence officials has failed to persuade the United States to exclude the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units from a planned offensive to liberate Raqqa. Syria
In run-up to referendum, Turks can say anything but 'no' The Turkish ruling party's campaign to push through amendments to grant the president sweeping new powers is having absurd and sobering consequences. Turkey
Will Raqqa be site for clash of titan generals? Two admired military heroes of Iran and Turkey, both commanding elite military units in Iraq and Syria, could wind up confronting each other in northern Syria. Syria
Turkish puppy saga draws in politicians, public A shaken and polarized Turkey desperate for good news has been elated by a happy ending to the story of a puppy trapped in an Istanbul borehole. Turkey
What’s next for Turkish Kurds' political movement? Hit by an unprecedented crackdown, representatives of Turkey’s Kurdish political movement explain their vision for the future. Turkey