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
Outrage at violence unites women across Turkey's ideological divide Turkish women across political and ideological divides are united in anger over news that an abduction and rape victim has died. Turkey
Doctors warn Turkish outbreak 'out of control' as COVID-19 cases pass 250,000 The government says inspections of businesses will be increased to ensure enforcement rules on masks and physical distancing as the country battles more than 1,000 new cases a day. Turkey
Why Erdogan must expand his ultranationalist alliances President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s growing dependency on Gray Wolves may mean more trouble for the Kurds and political dissidents in Europe, while increasing risks for Syrian refugees inside Turkey. Turkey
Turkey takes aim at Biden after old comments on Erdogan resurface Turkish politicians are expressing outrage over presumptive US presidential candidate Joe Biden calling for the Turkish president's ouster back in December, likely because Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using them to whip up nationalist fervor against the United States. Turkey
What's next for Turkish-Iraqi ties after deadly drone strike? The killing of Iraqi border guards in a Turkish drone strike undermines Baghdad’s traditional flexibility toward Ankara at a time when Turkey’s Arab adversaries are seeking to draw Iraq to their side. Iraq
Turkey threatens to cut ties with UAE over Israel normalization as feud continues Turkey and the UAE disagree on the Turkey-Kurdish conflict, Libya, drilling in the eastern Mediterranean and more. Israel
Turkey grows increasingly isolated in eastern Mediterranean dispute with Greece Recep Tayyip Erdogan's assertive stance in the eastern Mediterranean maritime dispute is being challenged by a bloc comprising Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel and France. Turkey
Economic policy reversal fraught with political risks for Erdogan Ankara’s bid to warm the pandemic-hit economy has backfired, forcing a policy reversal that threatens to aggravate popular grievances and heighten political risks for Erdogan. Turkey
Turkey’s 'healthy tourism' efforts tested as foreign tourists trickle in Some 40,000 Russian holidaymakers have thrown a life jacket to Turkey’s main touristic hub of Antalya, while other coastal areas count on locals to keep afloat. Turkey
Turkish officials delay school reopenings as new daily COVID-19 cases remain above 1,100 Turkish health officials delayed plans to reopen schools later this month, as medical experts warn of rising infection rates throughout the country. Turkey
Can Erdogan reciprocate Macron’s Beirut stunt? Macron’s call for a “new order” in Lebanon conflicts with Erdogan’s regional ambitions, but the climate in Lebanon is no longer as welcoming to Turkey’s president as it was a decade ago. Lebanon
Iraq tells Turkey defense minister to stay away after its officers killed in drone strike Iraq cancelled a planned Baghdad visit by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and summoned the Turkish ambassador after a a Turkish drone attack killed two senior Iraqi officials. Iraq