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
Will Egypt join Iraq in the 'Axis of Resistance'? Iraq is playing the role of broker to include Egypt in the Axis of Resistance, led by Iran. Saudi Arabia
How Turkey went back to square one 10 years after murder of Armenian intellectual On the 10th year anniversary of the murder of prominent Armenian-Turkish intellectual Hrant Dink, Turkey appears further from reconciling with its past. Turkey
Talk of Kurdish autonomy still makes Syrians squirm In Syria, traveling from Damascus to Qamishli can prove complicated, as suspicions about Kurdish aspirations of autonomy persist. Syria
US pastor in Turkish jail while Gulen dominates talks Turkey’s prime minister has asked the US president-elect to hand over exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen in the interest of furthering US-Turkey relations even as Ankara continues to hold American pastor Andrew Brunson on terror charges. Turkey
Turkey's AKP scrambles to curb economic woes until referendum Turkey’s government has mobilized public funds to avert a full-blown economic crisis ahead of a critical referendum on transition to a presidential system, expected in early spring. Turkey
US backs Turkish offensive with airstrikes around al-Bab After repeated appeals from Turkey for the United States to help Turkish troops and their rebel proxies to capture al-Bab, US airstrikes are resuming in a move that could help diffuse growing tensions between the NATO allies. Syria
Why Ankara’s honeymoon with Trump may be short-lived By blasting the Obama administration over Gulen and the Syrian Kurds, the Turkish government is signaling to the incoming Trump administration its demands for improved ties. Syria
How women pried open the doors to Turkish military schools again Turkish women successfully pressured the Turkish government to reverse its apparently arbitrary decision to exclude women from naval and air force academies. Turkey
Turkey’s cinema sector reels over probes The Turkish authorities have launched a judicial probe into more than 400 people involved in the country’s cinema industry, fueling concern that the arts and culture realm is next in line for purges. Turkey
Top suspect in New Year's Eve massacre caught in Istanbul The manhunt is over for the prime suspect in the New Year's Eve Istanbul nightclub shooting, and Abdulgadir Masharipov has reportedly confessed to the murders. Turkey
Erdogan calls dollar and euro holders 'terrorists' Turkey’s president has likened dollar and euro holders to terrorists armed with guns and bombs, deepening further the controversy on how the country will overcome its foreign-exchange crunch. Turkey
Iraq seeks to combine Sunni, Shiite troops As part of the national reconciliation, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered that the Sunni Ninevah Guard be included in the Popular Mobilization Units. Iraq