Politics by country

Turkey's President Erdogan signed off on Finland's NATO membership on Friday — removing the biggest obstacle to the Nordic country joining the alliance. With a difficult election coming in May, however, Turkey's president keeps insisting that Sweden is harboring alleged Kurdish terrorists and other dissidents.

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 18 announced the extension of a deal that allowed exports of Ukrainian grain to resume following Russia's invasion.

Türkiye's chief diplomat was in Cairo on March 18 for talks with Egyptian officials as the regional powers seek to mend their frayed ties after years of tensions.

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Türkiye's foreign minister, landed in the Egyptian capital early Saturday. He was the highest-ranking Turkish official to visit the Arab World's most populous nation in over a decade.

Day 388 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Several thousand people gathered in Belgrade to protest against a Western-backed deal to normalize ties between Kosovo and Serbia, which they view as recognition of Kosovo independence.

Angry protesters took to the streets in Paris and other cities for a second day on Friday, trying to pressure lawmakers to bring down French President Emmanuel Macron's government and doom the unpopular retirement age increase he's trying to impose without a vote in the National Assembly.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey's parliament will begin ratifying Finland's NATO bid, but not that of Sweden, removing the biggest remaining hurdle to enlarging the Western defense alliance as war continues to rage in Ukraine.

Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and Serbia's President, Aleksandar Vucic, are due to meet on Saturday in Ohrid, North Macedonia, to discuss the implementation of a deal they agreed last month on normalization of relations under European Union mediation.

Montenegrin parliament session in Podgorica. Photo: Parliament of Montenegro

In their appeal to the Constitutional Court, the ruling majority of 41 MPs in the 81-seat parliament claimed that Djukanovic had violated the constitution.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is meeting his Finnish counterpart in Ankara on Friday, raising hopes that the talks will lead to Turkey's approval of Finland's NATO membership bid.

Despite the rain, Finland's President Sauli Niinisto and Erdogan reviewed military honor guard at the presidential palace in the Turkish capital's Bestepe district.