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's Gul Calls Syria Events 'Disgrace' Turkish President Abdullah Gul asked UN members if they would have just continued to watch the Syrian disaster unfold had it not been for chemical weapons. Turkey
Turkey, AKP Can Correct Mistakes The right stance for Turkish liberals in the face of such a complicated Justice and Development Party (AKP) is to be critical, not hostile. Turkey
Rouhani Offers Chance for Turkey, Too Better relations with Iran could relieve some of the pressure on Ankara caused by the Syrian war. Turkey
Roma Lose in Urban Development In Turkey A massive urban redevelopment drive in Turkey victimizes already disadvantaged communities, especially the Roma. Turkey
Turkey Lags Behind Europe: With or Without EU Membership Turkey's goal is less to one day become an EU member than to catch up with the European Union’s advanced standards. Turkey
Erdogan Silent on Nairobi Mall Attack Erdogan’s silence on terror attacks in Kenya and Pakistan raises the question of whether he is taking a balanced approach in his criticism of the West. Turkey
Turkish Muezzin Who Couldn’t Lie Is Exiled The muezzin of a mosque in central Istanbul lost his position after he denied Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s assertions that alcohol was consumed inside the mosque during the Gezi Park protests. Turkey
Turkey Should Postpone Bill On Sending Troops Abroad It is not time for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ask the parliament to pass a new bill authorizing sending troops abroad, including Syria. Syria
Is Turkey Giving Up on EU Membership? Turkey’s Middle East policies would benefit from joining the European Union. Turkey
Impressions From Turkey’s Syrian Frontier A visit to Turkey’s border with Syria provides context for the complexity of Ankara’s choices in dealing with the Syria war. Syria
Alevi Anger Boils Over in Ankara Simmering anger in Ankara’s iconic Alevi neighborhood of Tuzlucayir suggests that the prime minister might be too late in addressing Alevi grievances. Turkey
Rouhani Heads to New York, Offers Help On Syria Talks Al-Monitor’s analysis and coverage of what to expect at the UN General Assembly this week. Israel