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
Coronavirus outbreak in Turkish prisons leaves three inmates dead The global COVID-19 pandemic has hit several Turkish prisons, infecting at least 14 inmates so far and killing three. Turkey
Battles rage in Syria despite coronavirus cease-fires Clashes are raging between Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and Syrian Kurdish groups east of the Euphrates River in what Syrian Kurds claim that is a Turkish effort to prevent displaced civilians from returning to their homes. Syria
Turkish pandemic plan raises concerns over citizens' digital rights In effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, Ankara launched a mobile app that tracks patients, raising concern among digital privacy advocates. Turkey
COVID-19 crisis threatens to double Turkey’s unemployed The coronavirus pandemic has raised the specter of a dramatic spike in unemployment in Turkey, but only a small section of those affected are slated to receive government support. Turkey
Intel: Why Russia is getting involved in Mideast COVID-19 fight Syria has requested assisted from Moscow to fight the coronavirus outbreak, as Russia implements a campaign to cultivate its image as a "caring power," approaching Middle East leaders to work together against the spread of the virus. Near East
Turkey’s Roma cry for help as coronavirus claims more lives On International Romani Day, a group of Turkish Roma associations protested that the community still faces “deep discrimination” and risks starvation from the loss of work and state neglect that have compounded the harm of COVID-19. Turkey
A year after local polls, Turkey’s Kurds left with only third of gains Not even the coronavirus outbreak has slowed Ankara’s crackdown on local administrations held by Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party, which, many now fear, will continue until the last one is seized. Turkey
Roadside bombing in southeast Turkey kills five civilians While no group has yet to claim responsibility for the attack, Ankara is pointing the finger at the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. Turkey
Turkey cracks down on journalists, others as coronavirus rumors spread Turkish journalists and social media users alike are facing charges for sharing "lies" and "manipulating the public" as Ankara finds its coronavirus responses under scrutiny. Turkey
For Erdogan’s government, it’s the economy first in COVID-19 crisis Wary of paralyzing its entire economy, Turkey’s government has balked at drastic measures against the coronavirus outbreak in Istanbul, the country’s economic powerhouse and now the epicenter of the pandemic. Turkey
Turkey builds more hospitals as coronavirus cases spike More than 30,000 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 less than a month since it was confirmed to have reached Turkey as the government continues to resist imposing a full lockdown. Turkey
Turkey's state religious body undermines anti-coronavirus efforts Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate is accused of badly mishandling its response to the coronavirus pandemic and its credibility is increasingly under question. Turkey