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
Turkey bans Armenian Genocide commemoration ahead of May elections The Istanbul governor has blocked the commemoration of the 1915 atrocities amid reactions to the opposition leader’s proclamation of his Alevi roots. Turkey
Turkey, Syria send defense, intel chiefs to meet in Russia The meeting will mark the second round of talks that began late last year. Turkey
Turkey’s undecided voters could sway Erdogan's fateful elections While sights are largely set on Turkey’s presidential elections, pollsters and pundits warn that the results of parliamentary elections may sway the whole race in the event of a run-off for president. Turkey
Turkey's Kilicdaroglu garners record attention in Alevi video Turkish presidential candidate and top Erdogan challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu garnered record attention in a video he made appealing to the country's youths. Turkey
Erdogan speaks with warring sides in Sudan, calls for truce before Eid Ankara is hoping to strike a conciliation between the sides before the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Turkey
Turkey arrests journalist over 'sleaze' charges against government Serdar Akinan’s alleged crime was to share and comment on videos accusing numerous members of the ruling party and their business cronies of corruption and engaging in extramarital sex. Turkey
Is Turkey’s shutdown of Hatay airport designed to help Erdogan in polls? Hatay's mayor says the continuing halt of flights mean evacuees are unable to return for May 14 polls amid wider concern for election security. Turkey
Turkey detains six Islamic State, al-Qaeda suspects Turkey has stepped up its security operations against terrorist groups, ahead of the decisive May 14 elections. Turkey
Turkey, Greece row reignited over 'Turkaegean' trademark dispute Turkey’s tourism campaign with the slogan “Turkaegean” reignites tensions in Athens, which considers it both cultural usurpation and a threat to Greek sovereignty in the Aegean. Turkey
Turkey's Erdogan opens half-empty financial hub in Istanbul ahead of polls Incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denies the country is facing an economic crisis, while attacking the opposition for making backroom deals with money lenders. Turkey
Fresh Turkey strikes in Syria kill 10 Kurdish militants: Ankara Turkish troops have killed 10 Kurdish militants in a cross-border escalation ongoing since the weekend, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry. Turkey
Turkey’s opposition foreign policy promises gradual departure from Erdogan’s Turkey’s opposition alliance vows to prioritize diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in Ankara’s foreign ties, yet it might adhere to policy continuity on many issues should it win the elections next month. Turkey