White House expresses willingness to cooperate with Russia on Islamic State

The White House said Monday that President Donald Trump is open to cooperating with Russia on combating the Islamic State extremist group, if Russia shares U.S. interests in doing so, but didn’t outline plans or a process for establishing joint military ventures or strikes. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, opened the door to […]

Syria talks in Kazakhstan will test Russia-Turkey cooperation

Russia and Turkey, which for years have backed opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, say they will work to map the outlines of a peace agreement during negotiations this week, the first major test of whether the powers’ newfound cooperation can achieve a breakthrough to end the conflict. The Trump administration has said it won’t […]

Trump administration not sending a delegation to Syria peace talks

The Trump administration will not send a delegation to next week’s Syrian peace talks, sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran, because of the “immediate demands of the transition,” the State Department said Saturday. Russia’s ambassador to the United States had personally invited President Trump’s national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, to the meeting, scheduled to […]

Handcuffs and hair-pulling: Turkey’s parliament debates, then approves new powers for the president

ISTANBUL — After weeks of raucous parliamentary debate that included fisticuffs and chair-throwing, lawmakers in Turkey overwhelmingly passed several constitutional amendments early Saturday that, if approved by the public, would grant President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greatly enhanced powers. The changes include amendments that would abolish the post of prime minister, curb governmental oversight by the […]

A Marine-turned-novelist takes on the Syrian War

Elliot Ackerman served five tours of duty with the Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan, receiving both the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for Valor. Readers could be forgiven for expecting his novels to be heroic war narratives. Instead, his 2015 debut, “Green on Blue,” took the point of view of a young Pashtun […]

Istanbul New Years gunman arrested, Turkish officials claim

Turkish authorities claim that they have apprehended the man responsible for the deaths of 39 people in the New Years celebration attack at club Reina in Istanbul, Turkey. What we know so far is that the Uzbek national has been caught in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district while at a friend’s house. Abdulkadir Masharipov is believed that committed […]

MPs back new Turkey constitution cementing Erdogan’s power

The Turkish parliament on Sunday passed in a first reading a controversial bill bolstering the powers of the presidency under Recep Tayyip Erdogan that critics claim will lead to one-man rule. The parliament approved the two final sections of the 18-article new constitution after a marathon week of debating that began on January 9 and […]

Turkey arrests two Chinese Uighurs over Istanbul nightclub attack

Two Chinese nationals of Uighur origin (Turkic-speaking Chinese Muslims) were arrested in connection with the Istanbul nightclub attack. The two suspects, Omar Asim and Abuliezi Abuduhamiti, who are Chinese citizens, were remanded in custody on charges of being members of an armed terrorist organization, and aiding in 39 counts of murder. Turkish authorities last week […]

First sign of enhanced U.S.-Russia relations under Trump: An invite to Syria talks

Russia has invited the incoming Trump administration to Syrian peace talks it is sponsoring later this month with Turkey and Iran, part of a process from which the Obama administration pointedly has been excluded. U.S. participation, especially if an agreement is reached, would be the first indication of the enhanced U.S.-Russia cooperation that President Vladi­mir […]

Trump’s foreign network

Donald Trump will enter the White House with a network of un­or­tho­dox foreign contacts — some of them high-living risk-takers, some with past trouble with the law — who have done business with him in nations from Latin America to the Middle East to Asia. Several of Trump’s foreign business partners have been investigated for […]

Erdogan says early Turkish election not desirable, but not unthinkable

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday early elections would not be out of the question if parliament becomes unable to do its job, as lawmakers debate constitutional changes which would introduce a full presidential system. Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers, Erdogan said he had always been against early elections and he hoped the […]

Turkey’s parliament to debate greater powers for Erdogan as president

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is moving to consolidate more power to the office of the president, in a move that raises many questions for the future of democracy in Turkey. Vasilis Chronopoulos  Turkey’s parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, is considering the introduction of constitutional amendments that would hand sweeping executive powers to the office […]