Browsing Category: World

ISTANBUL (AP) — High-ranking Turkish officials, including the country’s foreign minister, defense minister, and intelligence chief, made an unexpected trip to Damascus on Thursday, just days after Syria’s interim government struck a deal to incorporate a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led armed group into its national army. The agreement, which integrates the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian military, follows intense clashes last week between government security forces and factions loyal to former Syrian…

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that Russia’s war in Ukraine could soon come to an end during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, the third anniversary of the invasion. In his comments on the conflict, Trump stated that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept the idea of European peacekeepers being stationed in Ukraine to help maintain peace. He also indicated that the war could be resolved…

On Monday, the European Union announced a suspension of sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport, and banking sectors as part of efforts to support the country’s reconstruction following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad. Syria’s new leadership, which has been pressing for the removal of sanctions imposed on Assad’s regime during the civil war, has seen limited support from the West. European nations and other international powers have been cautious, awaiting clear assurances from…

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — In a clear signal of an escalating clampdown on dissent, prosecutors on Wednesday summoned two prominent figures from Turkey’s business community after they harshly criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration. Orhan Turan, who heads the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), and Omer Aras, chairman of its advisory council, were brought in for questioning amid allegations that they disseminated misleading information and sought to influence judicial processes, as…