United States

Canada's border authorities detained more Mexicans in the first 67 days of 2017 than they did annually in any of the three previous years, according to statistics obtained by Reuters.

The spike comes immediately after Canada's federal government lifted its visa requirement for Mexican citizens in December.

Istanbul prosecutors had issued an arrest warrant for 55 former senior jurists allegedly linked to the Gülen movement who were recently dismissed from their posts, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Turkey's highest judicial regulatory body in Ankara has dismissed 202 more judges and prosecutors on March 17 for alleged links to the Fethullahist Movement, according to a senior judicial official. 

Defense Minister Fikri Işık has said over 22,000 cadets from the army and military schools have been expelled for links with the Fetullahist Movement following the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt . 

US President Donald Trump has welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the White House for the first face-to-face meeting between two leaders known for holding opposing views on a host of issues, according to Reuters.

Items on the agenda for Friday's meeting included the fight against ISIL, strengthening the NATO alliance and resolving Ukraine's conflict with Russia.

Turkey failed to convince the United States and Russia to allow it to assume active participation in retaking the Syria town of Raqqa from the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), or DAESH, on the condition of stopping collaboration with the People's Protection Units (YPG), an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), diplomatic sources in Ankara have told the Hürriyet Daily

March 15 was a very interesting day, or at least it was for me. The Netherlands held general elections, and the Turkish Institute of Statistics (TÜİK) released its Bulletin of Unemployment. I think it proved to be a day of glory for the Dutch, and despair for Turks. The Islamophobic Geert Wilders was sidelined by Dutch voters, who have turned up at a record 85 percent.

The wave is getting bigger. First it was Germany, Austria and the Netherlands; then it was Sweden and Denmark that barred Turkish politicians from speaking in their country as part of political campaigning among Turkish emigres.

Panathinaikos saw off Euroleague leader Real Madrid on Thursday, while Olympiakos was upset at home by Galatasaray on Friday and is yet to clinch home advantage for the play-offs.

The Greens produced a great performance in offense to beat Real 88-82 at the Olympic Sports Hall in Athens and reach a 15-11 record that keeps them in fifth, two wins behind the top four.

President Trump came face-to-face Friday with a putative rival for global leadership, German Chancellor Angela Merkel.