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
Iraqi Kurdistan more vulnerable to Al-Qaeda attacks The war in Syria, including the spread of radical Islamist terrorists, is spilling over into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Iraq
Erdogan's 'morality police' assume duty After the Turkish prime minister expressed his support for gender-segregated living on college campuses, concerns about domestic privacy were mounting. Turkey
Erdogan stirs controversy on women in university housing Erdogan risks losing loyal supporters with another divisive debate about the role of the state in people’s lives. Turkey
Turkey’s wall of shame The mayor of Nusaybin, Ayse Gokkan, is a woman on hunger strike against a wall, and the government that interferes with everything doesn’t utter a word. Syria
Turkey’s English proficiency improving Turkey ranks No. 41 at this year’s English Proficiency Index, but it tops the list of countries that are trending up – which is a fair reflection of its economic achievement. Saudi Arabia
The return of Turkey’s 'zero problems' policy Turkey rebuilds ties to Iran and Iraq and faces the realization that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will likely be part of the transition in Syria. Iraq
Turkey mostly mum on chemicals seized on Syria border The latest chemical-seizure incident is drawing attention to lax control of Turkey’s border. Syria
The challenges of covering Syria Italian freelance journalist Andrea Glioti has covered Syria since the uprising began three years ago, dodging danger and border controls to get the story out. Syria
Iran parliament issues warning against women smoking hookah Twenty parliament members have warned President Hassan Rouhani about the dangers of women smoking hookah at tea houses. Turkey
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations still strong Although Azerbaijan is warming its relations with Russia and Iran, Ankara still remains the most pivotal ally for Baku. Turkey
Time running out for Turkey-PKK peace process The AKP government’s stalling of required steps for peace and a political solution with the Kurds increases the likelihood of controlled violence. Turkey