Analysis Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions? Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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
Tillerson's departure could disrupt US-Turkey progress With US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson leaving office, critical Turkey-US plans to meet about Syria could be delayed as Ankara recalibrates to face incoming Mike Pompeo. Syria
Mystery lingers over Turkey’s missing weapons The Turkish government is reluctant or unable to explain the extraordinary increase in lost or stolen guns in the country, including weapons distributed and now missing since the 2016 coup attempt. Turkey
Why Erdogan called for updating Islam Misogyny in the name of Islam proved shocking to Turkey’s secularists, but it also was disturbing to most moderate religious conservatives, many of whom vote for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Turkish-Arab ties marked by fear and loathing A senior Turkish diplomat says Ankara misread the Middle East and ended up relying on Iran and its backer Russia, the two countries that Arab regimes fear the most. United Arab Emirates
Life sentence hangs over US pastor as Washington sizes up Ankara Though Congress was reportedly deterred by the State Department from imposing sanctions on Turkey, the indictment of pastor Andrew Brunson may alter the mood as Mike Pompeo replaces Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. Turkey
Eastern Mediterranean starting to resemble disputed South China Sea Military activities in the eastern Mediterranean have escalated considerably in 2018, as have tensions. Israel
Erdogan menaces Afrin as YPG digs in As Turkish troops head for Afrin, will Turkey commit to the next-level battle it will face there if the People's Protection Units stay and fight? Syria
Is Greece Turkey’s new site of confrontation with the West? Turkey may escalate the tension with its NATO neighbor in a move to display its displeasure over NATO's — namely Washington's — stance on Syrian Kurdish groups. Turkey
Some 40 million Turks ruled by appointed, not elected, mayors Institutions, including private ones, whose officials were once elected are being taken over by government-appointed trustees in the president's ever-expanding arena of influence. Turkey
Culture Alert: March salutes women of all nationalities and sizes Many cultural activities in March focus on women, as artists and muses, in addition to the search for identity. Also of note is the first cooperation between the Louvre and the National Museum of Iran. Palestine
Turkey poised to open a military front in Iraq Improved relations between Iraq and Turkey have raised the possibility of a joint offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan’s not so friendly skies opening again soon Baghdad to formally take charge of Kurdistan Region airports and borders; shift in Syria strategy by Moscow may follow Russian presidential election; Jordan’s king and Turkish president find common ground. Iraq