In December, US President Donald Trump declared victory over the Daesh* terrorist group and said he would withdraw some 2,000 US troops who are currently deployed in the Middle Eastern country.

At a rally in Ankara over the summer, held by the women’s branch of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced: "From now on, there will be no fight for freedom of faith, freedom of thought and freedom of opinion. Everyone will be free …

The U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions imposed on three companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska have been lifted. The action, which was vehemently opposed by the Democratic-controlled U.S. House, was announced on January 27 in a statement by the Treasury.