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
Black Palestinians shrug off racism Racist taunts toward Gaza’s African minority are not uncommon, despite centurieslong African migration to Palestine. Palestine
How independent is the Iraqi-Kurdish pipeline to Turkey? Turkey can be instrumental in brokering a grand bargain on oil policy that affirms Iraqi sovereignty while assuring the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s contribution to export growth. Iraq
How did Turkish media 'lynch' Kurdish singer? The late Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor after his life was ruined by Turkey’s “deep state” and mainstream media 14 years ago. Turkey
The Al-Monitor Debate on Gulf Cities The Wall Street Journal reports on the Al-Monitor debate on Gulf cities; former Israeli, Palestinian negotiators differ on whether Palestinians should recognize Israel as a Jewish state; hope for Syrian bishops' release; a new Al-Monitor design. Palestine
Turkey-Iran Talks Can Begin To Defuse Syrian Tragedy Discussions between the foreign ministers of Turkey and Iran reflect a serious departure from the polarization; especially on Syria & between the two regional powers. Lebanon
AKP Trips on Islamic Tweets Religious rhetoric by Justice and Development Party elites over marginal or irrelevant issues often seem unnecessary and divisive. Turkey
Turkey’s Militant Left Treads On 'New' Roads With its roots in armed rebellion against the state, the Turkish and Kurdish militant left looks for ways of waging political battles under a new banner. Turkey
Veiled MPs Set Milestone in Turkey The end of headscarf restrictions in Turkey will deprive the Justice and Development Party of the “victimhood” narrative and further expose the party’s authoritarian leanings. Turkey
Turkey Crosses Threshold On Islamic Headscarves Turkey is breathing a sigh of relief after four female AKP deputies wearing headscarves to the parliament's general assembly caused only minor grumbling from the staunchly Kemalist opposition. Turkey
Al-Moussawi Says Iraq Can Be'Bridge' to Syria Solution In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Ali Al-Moussawi, top media adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, discusses the Geneva II Syria conference and Iraqi-Turkish relations. Iraq
AK Party’s Sovereignty Over Istanbul Threatened Polls show current mayor of Istanbul Sisli district Mustafa Sarigul is likely to win local elecations as main opposition CHP candidate if he chooses to run in 2014. Turkey
Headscarf Returns to Turkish Parliament Four female deputies from Turkey's Justice and Development Party went on the hajj and are now making history by returning to parliament wearing headscarves. Turkey