Rick Steves

Writer of European travel guidebooks and host of travel shows on public television and public radio (www.ricksteves.com)

Finally, after over a month in the Middle East, I'm heading west. For the next few weeks I'll be in Europe again (Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Portugal)....

Harun Yahya

A solution in Syria can be found through sound mediation by Turkey and Russia, both of which know the country best, which are trusted and have enjoyed bilateral relations with it for many years.

David L. Phillips

Director, Program on Peace-building and Rights, Columbia University Institute for the Study of Human Rights

President Barack Obama and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a daunting agenda when they met at the White House last week. The Syria crisis was top of the list. The peace process between Turkey and the PKK was also a priority.

Magda Abu-Fadil

Director of Media Unlimited in Lebanon

Strutting onto the stage at this week's Arab Media Forum (AMF) to a burst of applause and cheers, Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef had a captive audie...

Katie Beck

Journalist and budding francophone

I have heard some absolute doozies in cities all over the world and even if the surroundings are pretty, the words are not.

Melis Figanmese

Program Assistant, Turkish Philanthropy Funds

There have been situations of honor killings, where no one is willing to bury the body of the woman, or severe beatings and women have no one to sit beside their hospital beds and KAMER steps in and plays their role in standing up for women.

Claude Salhani

Journalist and political analyst

After two massive car bombs exploded in a Turkish border town last week killing at least 43 people, Turkey warned it will take the necessary measures to protect itself.

Oyster

Oyster.com visits, photographs, reviews, and rates each hotel, uncovering the truth before it's "uh-oh" time

Whether they're on business or leisure, with the family or solo, almost all travelers consider a book (or a Kindle, whatever) a must-have while on a t...

Blue Apron

Blue Apron delivers original recipes and all the ingredients you need to make incredible dinners.

Ground meat dish that make us think of home.

Yavuz Baydar

Columnist, 'Today's Zaman'; Ombudsman, 'Sabah'

Given the importance of Turkey as a critical regional player, its status as the negotiator with the European Union and the reform process which is going on for years, every such move to keep its media in leash only exposes it more as an issue to be addressed decisively.

James Dorsey

Senior fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

In the latest incident of racism, Iran's soccer federation this month banned Paykan FC coach Firouz Karimi for eight games and fined him $3,000 for calling Dutch player of African descent Sendley Sidney Bito a cannibal and a Negro and refusing to shake his hand.

Dr. Josef Olmert

Adjunct Professor, University of South Carolina

Reyhanli is a town on the Turkish side of the border with Syria. Nothing special to write about this sleepy coastal town, until two days ago that is. Out of the blue, two car bombs exploded there, leaving a trail of blood and misery with 43 innocent civilians dead.

James Zogby

President, Arab American Institute; author, 'Arab Voices'

Make no mistake about it, Syria has become a proxy war, but neither the Americans nor the Russians are calling the shots. More significant roles are being played by competing regional groupings who are supporting, and even driving, their Syrian allies.

Alon Ben-Meir

Senior Fellow, NYU's Center for Global Affairs

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington on May 16 comes at a pivotal time when the Middle East is riddled with extraordinary conflicts that have the potential of exploding into a regional war.

Hulya Aksu

CEO, CriticMania.com

Coffee is a real labor of love. You have to create your own ritual for drinking it.

James P. Farwell

Defense consultant; author, 'Persuasion & Power: The Art of Strategic Communication'

Those seeing the human tragedy unfolding in Syria with a heart full of hell, ready to jump in, stop the bloodshed, and deliver Bashar al Assad a knock-out punch might do well to recall a telling anecdote from journalist Dexter Filkins from his days in Iraq.