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 considers freeing some detainees as virus menaces prison populations Like other countries fearing an outbreak of COVID-19 in overcrowded prisons, Turkey is debating wether to free some of its 300,000 prisoners — but no political detainees, rights groups observe. Turkey
Ankara’s economic measures bring little relief against virus crisis The embattled Turkish lira has continued to nosedive and Turkey’s risk premium has climbed to new highs despite a package of government measures to stem the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Turkey
What's behind arrest of Turkish-Azeri billionaire? Although Azeri-Turkish billionaire Mubariz Mansimov Gurbanoglu was cleared of links to the Gulen movement, he's been arrested again this week. Turkey
Intel: Turkey targeted by both sides in northern Syria conflict The Turkish troops in northern Syria have become a target of all warring parties in the area in less than a month, after a rocket attack by a radical group killed two Turkish soldiers and wounded one in the region yesterday. Syria
Turkish soccer team lands in political hot water The soccer team of Turkey’s largest Kurdish-majority city has become the target of nationalist animosity from rival fans as well as the government, which accuses the club of being linked to armed Kurdish militants. Turkey
Don't let the music die: Istanbul's nightlife grinds to halt due to COVID-19 Istanbul's taverns and halls close their doors as the residents of the metropolis stay in due to the coronavirus outbreak in Turkey. Turkey
Justice Department ordered Turkish TV station to register as foreign agent The decision came amid an intensifying push by the Donald Trump administration and Congress to get foreign media outlets to register. Qatar
Doctors in northwest Syria brace for ‘devastating’ coronavirus Medical personnel in Syria contacted by Al-Monitor worry that Idlib's crippled health infrastructure will not be able to handle a coronavirus outbreak. Syria
Is Turkey ready for social distancing? Turkey’s technological infrastructure is equipped to support the country through the pandemic, but the public lacks awareness of social distancing. Turkey
Despite stimulus, Turkish economy faces grave coronavirus prognosis Economic analysts shared mixed reactions to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stimulus package, with some saying it doesn’t go far enough. Turkey
Why Ankara’s Syrian refugee threat has lost its impact The “refugee crisis” that Ankara triggered at the Greek border has come to an end, as it failed to create the desired impact on Europe. Syria
Egypt and Turkey's energy face-off in the Mediterranean Egypt signing an agreement with five major energy companies to start drilling in the Mediterranean off its coast near Libya raises the prospect of more friction developing with Turkey. Egypt