Middle East pins Oscar hopes on young directors

From Lebanon to Egypt to Tunisia, regional countries' Academy Awards nominees for best foreign language film are mostly the works of young directors and center on the lives of young adults and children.

Egypt

Erdogan offers few answers, no smoking gun in Khashoggi killing

The Turkish president shared few new details in his much anticipated public address on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but made it clear that Ankara will continue pressure on Riyadh over the case.

Saudi Arabia

Turkey tightens Khashoggi noose as Saudis flail

Footage of another man leaving the Saudi Consulate in the missing journalist's clothes and of officials burning documents leave no doubt that his murder was pre-planned, if clumsily executed.

Turkey

Turkey’s fantasy war on inflation

Ankara has declared an “all-out fight against inflation,” cajoling sellers into 10% discounts and sending municipal police to hunt hoarders, and while this bizarre strategy is unlikely to bear fruit, it might be a sign of other plans that are being cooked up in Ankara.

Turkey

Aynur Dogan gets Americans to sing her tune

"In the US, unlike Europe, many in the audience heard Kurdish music for the first time," says Aynur Dogan, a Kurdish-Alevi musician from Turkey, after her tour.

Turkey

Hunt for Khashoggi's body continues in Istanbul

As a search continued for a dissident Saudi journalist's body in Istanbul, Turkey's president said more will be revealed Tuesday; a Saudi official tells Reuters the body was rolled up in a carpet and given to a collaborator for disposal.

Saudi Arabia

Saad Hariri: loose witness in MBS prosecution

The Lebanese prime minister now has one on the crown prince; Mohammed bin Salman goes after his inner circle; Netanyahu needs Putin for possible deal on the Golan.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi killed in ‘brawl'

In a statement Friday night, Saudi Arabia said Jamal Khashoggi died in an Oct. 2 fistfight at the country’s Istanbul consulate, after days of denying knowledge of the dissident journalist’s whereabouts.

Saudi Arabia

Intel: Why Khashoggi affair won’t resolve US-Turkey tensions

Turkey

Turkey’s Protestants see silver lining in Brunson ordeal

A representative of Turkey’s Protestant Christians talks to Al-Monitor about how the politically charged trial of their co-religionist, American pastor Andrew Brunson, affected the tiny community.

Turkey

Decoding the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Investigators are making headway in the death of a journalist with Saudi, Turkish and US ties.

Saudi Arabia

Afrin residents fear continued kidnappings

Rogue members of the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces are thought to be behind kidnappings of Afrin residents in exchange for money.

Syria