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
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
High stakes for Erdogan in fight against IS Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turns hawkish on the Islamic State, but he is aware that the stakes are high if Ankara joins the war against the group. Syria
Exclusive: PKK commander threatens to resume war In an exclusive interview, the Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) top military commander, Cemil Bayik, says that Turkey has sabotaged the peace process and the PKK is ready to resume open conflict. Turkey
Turkey threatens credit rating agencies Turkey’s top leaders have threatened to cancel the contracts of credit rating agencies Fitch and Moody’s as financial markets get nervous at the prospect of Turkey being downgraded. Turkey
Turks dislike Islamic State, but would leave fight to others A recent survey by Metropoll, a prominent Turkish polling company, indicates that only 1.3% of Turks are sympathetic toward the Islamic State. Syria
Erdogan says Turkey will join fight against Islamic State Ankara is being forced to get off the fence and join allies against the growing threat from IS and similar groups. Turkey
What will Turkey do if Russia turns off gas? The risk of Russia cutting gas supplies to Europe amid the Ukraine crisis has exposed Turkey’s energy vulnerability, with Istanbul, its most populous city and main industrial hub, dependent on Russian gas. Turkey
The truth about Turkey and Islamic State oil While oil sales by the Islamic State across the Turkish border are a real problem, the Turkish government does not condone it. Syria
Can Turkey set up buffer zone inside Syria? The idea of a buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border has been revived again, but faces serious feasibility questions. Syria
Turkey's Family Ministry shames singles in new ad Turkey’s Family and Social Policies Ministry evokes comparisons to Islamist radicals after using the image of headless figures in a controversial campaign “to battle aloneness.” Turkey
Turkey’s economic growth fizzles Turkey’s economic growth slowed to 2.1% in the second quarter, well below expectations, forcing the government to review its year-end target of 4%. Turkey
Erdogan's $350M presidential palace President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filled his newly constructed palace in Ankara with symbolism of his overthrow of Turkey’s old regime. Turkey
Davutoglu sets ambitious target for Turkish democracy Developments contradict claims by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that Turkey will become a global power in terms of universal democracy over the next nine years. Turkey