In Turkey, a parliamentary commission has approved draft constitutional amendments that would abolish the office of the prime minister and give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more powers. The changes are supported by Erdogan’s ruling party and are expected to be approved by lawmakers. It’s the latest effort by Erdogan to consolidate his rule since Turkish officers launched an unsuccessful coup attempt last July. Erdogan has since jailed scores of journalists and pursued a brutal government crackdown aimed at Kurdish militants. Amnesty International estimates a half-million people have been displaced by the conflict in Turkey’s southeast.