A senior Turkish official says the fate of the Syrian city of Aleppo has dominated high-level talks between Turkey and Russia.

Turkey's presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said Thursday there was "intense diplomatic activity" in order to bring about a cease-fire and the delivery of humanitarian aid. He says "the events taking place in Aleppo are of serious concern to all of us."

Kalin says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is personally engaged in the effort and has spoken three times with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

The Syrian government with the help of its allies has regained almost complete control of the eastern neighborhoods of the divided city in a devastating military offensive.

Russia is a key ally of the Syrian government and has been carrying out airstrikes for more than a year in support of President Bashar Assad's forces. Turkey is a leading sponsor of the opposition.

JUburton wrote:RIP the EPA

JUburton wrote:RIP the EPA

pacino wrote:

JUburton wrote:RIP the EPA

NY Times editorial board called it a 'poke in the eye'

but then, isn't that sort of the point? wasn't that the point of the entire candidacy? the supposed 'elites' (i guess i'm one of them) deserved a poke in the eye. too bad we're all going to get it, not just elites.

“This is especially true when, as in this case, there is absolutely no evidence of any voting irregularities,” Fletman wrote. “To the contrary, the elected and appointed officials charged with safeguarding our voting system uniformly maintain its integrity.”

pacino wrote:I was told that donating some money to a local GOP after some arson to rebuild was a foolish effort; i hope people got their money's worth here.

Houshphandzadeh wrote:

pacino wrote:I was told that donating some money to a local GOP after some arson to rebuild was a foolish effort; i hope people got their money's worth here.

who is this directed to? are the people who told you donating to the GOP was foolish the same people who are donating to the recount?

Houshphandzadeh wrote:

pacino wrote:I was told that donating some money to a local GOP after some arson to rebuild was a foolish effort; i hope people got their money's worth here.

who is this directed to? are the people who told you donating to the GOP was foolish the same people who are donating to the recount?

pacino wrote:Stein's useless recount efforts are over in Michigan after a judge stated she had no standing and in PA after the Philly Court of Common Please denied her access to the voting machines. Why? BECAUSE THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF TOMFOOLERY. She had the chance to examine them prior to the election:

“This is especially true when, as in this case, there is absolutely no evidence of any voting irregularities,” Fletman wrote. “To the contrary, the elected and appointed officials charged with safeguarding our voting system uniformly maintain its integrity.”

Philadelphia is not in the business of suppressing its own vote. She's going to take it to federal court Friday.

I was told that donating some money to a local GOP after some arson to rebuild was a foolish effort; i hope people got their money's worth here.

drsmooth wrote:wow, Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), one of the 1,328,227 people under consideration for Sec'y of State - what an asshat

Royal Dutch Shell signed a provisional agreement on Wednesday to develop Iranian oil and gas fields, an Iranian official said, the first deal by the world's second biggest listed oil firm in Iran since sanctions were lifted.

The Anglo-Dutch company confirmed it had signed a memorandum of understanding with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) on Wednesday "to further explore areas of potential cooperation", declining to give further details.

Analysts said the agreement underscored major oil companies' willingness to keep doing business with Iran despite the risk that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could scrap the nuclear deal that ended the sanctions earlier this year.

pacino wrote:Illinois agrees to a decent environmental/energy bill