Turkey’s taxpayers in dark over bill of big investment projects

Multibillion-dollar investment projects, built as public-private partnerships, have begun to put major burdens on Turkey’s budget, but taxpayers, the parliament and even auditing authorities remain in the dark on financial risks that might haunt the country for years.

Turkey

White House whips Senate allies to block Armenian genocide resolution

The White House has so far succeeded in keeping the Senate from passing a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide, but the Trump administration is slowly running out of options.

Turkey

US pushes to reintegrate militants after Islamic State fight

A senior State Department official told Al-Monitor the administration is working to help Middle Eastern and African countries reintegrate thousands of fighters who joined the Islamic State and its affiliates.

Saudi Arabia

Womens' groups welcome conviction for student's murder

The rape and murder of university student Sule Cet in Ankara last year spurred activists to demand justice. Some say even harsh sentencing will not stem the rising murder rate of women.

Turkey

Why is delivery of S-400 missiles to Turkey delayed?

The testing of the battle management and multimode engagement for the Russian-built S-400 air defense missile system in Ankara was both a technical necessity as well as an expression of diplomatic determination for full activation of the S-400s.

Turkey

Syrian activist’s rooftop lessons to kids interrupted by Turkey's operation

Salman Ibrahim's Bread Ways drama lessons take Syrian children to the rooftops of repurposed buildings the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib to teach them critical thinking.

Syria

Middle East lobbyists pay op-ed writers to sell their message

A Kuwaiti firm and an armed Iranian opposition group are some of the latest examples of lobbyists paying for positive press coverage.

Kuwait

SDF woos Syrian Kurdish rivals in wake of Turkish assault

Could the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Iraqi Kurdish-backed Kurdish National Council, long at loggerheads, come to an accord in the wake of Turkey's invasion of Kurdish-administered areas of Syria?

Iraq

Erdogan drops block on NATO defense plan as trust issues linger

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped his threat to block a defense plan for the Baltic states and Poland, though disagreements persist among NATO allies.

Turkey

Istanbul's Arnavutkoy embracing change for centuries

Arnavutkoy, Istanbul's chic district, struggles to keep its multiculturalism and serenity through the 21st century.

Turkey

Turkey seeks to refresh NATO ties to balance Russia

Turkey seems to have failed to get all it wanted from the NATO summit in London, but even an incomplete outcome meets its purpose of balancing ties with Russia by refreshing ties with NATO.

Syria

Erdogan to hold up NATO plan unless allies recognize terror threats against Turkey

Seeking a terror designation for Kurdish forces in Syria, the Turkish president has reaffirmed his threat to block a NATO defense plan for the Baltic nations and Poland as the London summit commences.

Syria