Steel factory explosion in western Turkey kills at least 16 Footage from the scene showed a huge plume of thick smoke spreading into the sky as flames engulfed a tall structure within the plant. Turkey
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
Israeli play about French prostitute premieres in Turkey Actor Zion Ashkenazi tells Al-Monitor about the warm welcome he and his one-man play based on the life of French playwright Jean Genet received at a Turkish theater festival. Israel
Turkish exports plunge Turkish businesspeople have long advocated a cheap currency as a means to boost exports, but despite the plummeting Turkish lira, a combination of external factors have led to an alarming decrease in exports. Turkey
PKK, Turkey squabble over same dam issue Turkey's extensive dam construction projects are threatened with attacks by the Kurdistan Workers Party, which sees the projects as destructive and only serving military objectives. Turkey
Is Turkey on brink of more violence? Increasingly militarized conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK has brought Turkey to the brink of a new spiral of violence. Syria
As companies rush to Iran, Turkey slow to wake up to opportunity As Western companies have already set up camp in Tehran, Turkey’s business circles are waiting and hoping, but political tensions with Iran do not bode well for openings to Turkey. Turkey
Turkey’s incomes circle the drain The AKP government’s national income projections fall short of targets. Turkey
Syria’s opposition plans to replace Syrian pound with Turkish lira The Syrian opposition forces in rebel-held northern areas hope a change in currency will put pressure on Bashar al-Assad’s regime on the economic level. Syria
Prisoner scores small victory in struggle for Alevi rights in Turkey An Alevi religious figure was for the first time allowed to pay a counseling visit to an Alevi prisoner in Turkey. Turkey
Gul calls out Erdogan at iftar Abdullah Gul, Turkey's former president and co-founder of the Justice and Development Party, calls for an urgent revision of Ankara’s foreign policy. Turkey
AKP ponders what went wrong While skeptics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Justice and Development Party are still not very vocal, reality seems to be on their side. Turkey
Turkey's brides-to-be flock to vintage look The old dowry chests of middle-aged Turkish women are full with precious, handmade embroideries, some of which are now re-emerging and making their way to luxury stores. Turkey
Ankara cracks down on IS; but is it too little too late? Turkey has recently moved to counter Islamic State recruitment in the country, but it faces a difficult time reintegrating jihadist returnees from Syria and Iraq, some of whom have been traumatized by their experiences. Iraq