Erdogan sees ‘new page’ in Turkey-US ties
ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced confidence on Friday that he and Donald Trump can open a "new page" in troubled Turkey-US ties when they meet next month, after discord over Syria and last year’s failed coup. The May summit between Erdogan and Trump, their first face-to-face encounter as heads of state, is a chance to mend a relationship between two key Nato allies that was strained by a ****** of disputes under former president Barack Obama. "I believe that we will open a new page with Trump in Turkey-US relations," Erdogan told the Atlantic Council Istanbul summit ahead of the May 16 meeting in the US.
40 die in clashes near Damascus
BEIRUT: Fierce clashes between jihadists and Islamist rebels near Damascus left at least 40 dead and 70 wounded on Friday, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes pitted the Saudi-backed rebel faction Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) against Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda’s former branch in Syria, and Faylaq al-Rahman, which is backed by Qatar and Turkey. "There were at least 15 dead among the ranks of Jaish al-Islam and 23 among its adversaries" as well as two civilians, the Britain-based Observatory said. Jaish al-Islam said its opponents had provoked the clashes by harassing reinforcements headed for Qabun, east of the Syrian capital, a front with regime forces. Faylaq al-Rahman denied the allegation.