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
Charlie Hebdo's humor upsets Turkish Islamists Turks have taken to social media to criticize or applaud their government's reaction to the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, though some individuals have threatened a Turkish newspaper with violence after its publication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons. Turkey
Turkish-Israeli ties worse than ever President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s irritation over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's presence at the Paris rally has contributed to rekindled tensions between Turkey and Israel. Israel
Turkey aims to mend ties with Armenia Armenia’s entry in the Euroasian Economic Union has encouraged Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to implement his formal apology and open the border with Armenia before April 24, 2015, the 100th anniversary of the genocide. Turkey
Turkish military says MIT shipped weapons to al-Qaeda New documents have been leaked online, prompting the government to immediately ban reporting on the scandal and order the content deleted. Syria
Former House Intel chair: Turkey can't have it both ways in NATO Mike Rogers, former chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also sees economic pressure on Russia as presenting a “unique opportunity” for Moscow’s help in Syria. Iraq
Is Erdogan losing touch with reality? Ankara’s welcoming ceremony for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Jan. 12 featured 16 ancient warriors, rekindling the Ottomanism debate. Turkey
Turkish Kurds' electoral strategy is a high-wire act Rumors of electoral collusion between the government and the Kurdish Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) gain momentum. Syria
Erdogan, inadvertently, brings humor to Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comically dressed warriors help Turks regain their sense of humor. Turkey
Kobani hospitals overflow as battle continues Makeshift hospitals are being set up in basements and schools across Kobani to treat fighters and civilians while armed groups have targeted the city’s main hospitals. Iraq
Turkey cannot secure Syrian border alone Turkish officials say Turkey is doing its best to prevent crossings into and out of Syria by Islamic militants, blaming European countries for not furnishing useful intelligence. Syria
Turkish religious thinker ponders future of Islam Turkey’s veteran religious thinker Levent Gultekin may have a solution for both Islamophobia and Islamic extremism. Turkey
How foreign journalists become 'spies' in Turkey Journalism in Turkey is increasingly becoming a nightmare for foreign reporters, too, while the president personally leads psychological lynching campaigns. Turkey