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
Is proxy war turning to conventional confrontation in Libya? Albeit late, Turkey seems to have finally understood the importance of diplomacy in Libya. Turkey
It's not safe to insult Erdogan, even from Lebanon Ankara has successfully pressured Beirut into prosecuting a Lebanese talk show host for criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his own country. Lebanon
Turkish border province has created the country's largest potter's field to bury refugees A string of deadly incidents involving migrants has shaken Turkey’s eastern province of Van, which borders Iran and lies on a major route of human trafficking to Europe. Turkey
UN Security Council vote leaves one crossing open between Turkey, Syria The decision has closed another border point after weeks of disagreement between Russia and other member states. Syria
Erdogan: Turkey on path to ‘unstoppable power’ in region Turkish president throws his lot in again with Russia and Iran in Syria, expands plans for influence in North Africa and moves to convert the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. Turkey
First confirmed COVID-19 case detected in northwest Syria The first case of the coronavirus in Idlib follows a veto at the UN Security Council today of a resolution that would have allowed aid to reach the embattled area via Turkey. Syria
Erdogan's order making Hagia Sophia mosque brings cheers, mourning While many pious Turks and some Muslims throughout the world celebrated the decision to revert the world heritage site to its pre-Ataturk status, others warned of the move's potential to create further domestic polarization. Turkey
Foreign investors flee Turkey, Ankara’s isolation grows An exodus of foreign investors has aggravated Turkey’s economic woes and could prove disastrous for the AKP’s political future. Turkey
Why can't Erdogan win over Generation Z? The latest events reveal the diminishing popularity of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan among Generation Z, but will this matter for the next election? Turkey
Why Turkey is trying to improve its profile in the Maghreb In parallel with its military activities in Libya and rising profile in Africa, Ankara moves to strengthen its geostrategic and geo-economic ties with Maghreb countries. Turkey
Intel: Turkey lashes out at new US support for Cyprus Turkey is lashing out at the United States as Washington moves closer to providing Cyprus with military aid as the disputed island nation develops closer energy ties with Israel. Turkey
What would President Kanye West's Middle East policy be? Rapper Kanye West has yet to develop a foreign policy platform for his announced presidential candidacy, but his past lyrics, tweets and travels may reveal some of his views. Iraq