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
Why is Israel still silent on Armenian genocide? Israel has not joined the EU Parliament and the pope in officially recognizing the Armenian genocide, partly because of its strategic alliance with Azerbaijan against Iran. Israel
Turkey awaits Obama’s Armenian statement Former Turkish ambassadors to Washington say there are limits to what Ankara can do if President Barack Obama refers to Armenian massacres as genocide. Turkey
Progress stalled on Russia's pipeline through Turkey The project to pump gas from Russia to Europe via the Black Sea and Turkey has not broken ground despite plans for completion by 2019. Turkey
Istanbul Film Festival rejects PKK documentary The Turkish Ministry of Culture is facing strong protests from the film industry over its censorship of Kurdish themes. Turkey
Libya looks to Russia for arms Disillusioned with the West, the Libya government is exploring opportunities in Russia and says it is willing to accept limited participation by Islamists that agree to play by the rules. Legacy: Gulf
Restitution of Armenian property remains unresolved Some Turkish scholars have documented that the expropriation of Armenian property was a systematic and integral part of the genocide that began in 1915. Turkey
MIT gun truck bust lands Turkish gendarmes in prison Turkish gendarmes arrested and prosecuted for stopping and searching trucks — which were chartered by Turkish intelligence — feel they are unfairly prosecuted for obeying orders. Turkey
Saudi Arabia’s deepening isolation in Yemen Saudi Arabia faces a quagmire in Yemen; a US-Iran “catalogue of cooperation” after a nuclear deal; Iranian activists skeptical on human rights progress; Israel unnerved by Russian decision on missile sale to Iran; the Good Friday massacre in Aleppo; is Erdogan shifting from sectarianism? Saudi Arabia
Turkey hopes to deter Obama from using 'G-word' For Turks, it's unimportant what the pope and European Parliament say; what's important is what Barack Obama says. Turkey
What does Armenian diaspora want? Portrayed as a unified obstruction group by Turkey, the diverse Armenian diaspora is eager to keep communication channels open with Turkey. Turkey
Turks link Armenia to US foes in bid to derail genocide nod Ankara's allies raise concerns with Yerevan's ties to Iran and Russia. Turkey
AKP readies diversion as genocide anniversary nears Under the Justice and Development Party, Turkey has refused to face the Armenian question and is instead working to redirect the world's attention. Turkey