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
Will Azeri-Armenian flare-up change energy game in South Caucasus? Azeri-Armenian clashes in the strategically significant Tavush area could be the harbinger of tectonic changes in the energy politics in the South Caucasus, Turkey and Iran. Turkey
Top German diplomat criticizes Turkey's drilling plans in Mediterranean German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas repeated the concerns of other European states regarding Turkey's gas drilling plans in what Greece and Cyprus consider their waters. Turkey
Hagia Sophia's Christian icons to be covered with curtains during prayers The 1,500-year-old Byzantine structure, which functioned as a museum for nearly 100 years, will reopen as a working mosque this week. Turkey
Five years on, no justice for victims of IS suicide bombing spree in Turkey Families of the 33 victims of the devastating Suruc attack by an Islamic State suicide bomber commemorated the massacre today, reminding Turkey and the world that justice has yet to be served. Syria
Turkey suspends Iran and Afghanistan flights due to virus concerns Turkey resumed international passenger flights last month. Both Iran and Afghanistan are experiencing hardship containing the coronavirus. Turkey
Iraqi Kurds fear Turkey’s military campaign aims beyond PKK Iraqi Kurds worry that Turkey’s pursuit of PKK militants inside Iraqi Kurdistan could result in a permanent Turkish military presence and moves to undermine their autonomous region. Turkey
East-Med undersea pipeline project now ratified by Israel Advancing the East-Med project one step further, Israel’s government ratified the agreement signed last January with the governments of Cyprus and Greece. Israel
Turkey helps Moldovan family escape Islamic State camp in Syria The woman and her family had been living in al-Hol since 2019, but their exact connection to IS is unclear. Syria
Turkey sends virus aid to Venezuela US sanctions on Venezuela allow for humanitarian exemptions. Turkey is active in delivering coronavirus-related aid around the world. Turkey
Erdogan condemns Egypt's actions in Libya as ‘illegal’ The Turkish president's remarks came a day after his Egyptian counterpart met with Libyan tribesmen in Cairo. Egypt
Turkey sentences Germany-based journalist to prison in absentia Deniz Yucel was convicted of "incitement to hatred" and spreading "terror propaganda." Turkey
Is Erdogan after a Caucasus adventure? Ankara’s harsh outbursts in favor of Baku in Azerbaijan’s rekindled conflict with Armenia might be aimed at domestic consumption as well as pressuring Russia into concessions in Libya and Syria. Turkey