This Sunday, Turkey will hold its general election, with current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan facing off against Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The election is seen as a referendum on Erdogan's 20-year rule, with many voters hoping for a change in leadership. The outcome of the election will be closely watched around the world, as it could signal a shift in the political landscape of Turkey.
Posts tagged as “Turkey”
At the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) Summit in Ankara, Turkey, a Ukrainian official and a Russian representative were involved in a scuffle when the Russian delegate's secretary snatched away a Ukraine flag. The Ukrainian official, Oleksandr Marikovskyi, grabbed it back, punching and slapping the Russian in the process. The incident has gone viral on social media, with many Ukrainians praising Marikovskyi’s actions and condemning the Russian delegate’s behavior. It is unclear what repercussions, if any, the Russian delegate will face for his actions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has been killed in a raid in the northern Syrian town of Jandaris, which was carried out by Turkey's MIT intelligence agency. The suspected leader, codenamed Abu Hussein al-Qurashi, was "neutralized" in the operation, and his death is a major blow to the terror group, which has been weakened in recent years. It is hoped that this will be a major step in the eventual defeat of the terror group.
Turkey's Parliament has voted unanimously to ratify Finland's application to join NATO, ending months of delays and paving the way for Finland to become the 30th member of the Western military alliance. The decision follows Hungary's parliament endorsing Helsinki's accession earlier this week, and is in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said the vote marks a “historic moment” for Finland, and the country is now ready to join NATO.
Kraft Heinz announced that their popular Lunchables snack packs will be available in school lunch programs this fall. The two offerings, Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stacker and Extra Cheesy Pizza, will be available for purchase in the lunchroom or for free through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The company is also testing the addition of packaged Lunchables fruits for sale in grocery stores nationwide.
Ethan Melzer, a former US Army soldier, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Friday for his role in a plot to attack a US military base in Turkey and kill his fellow service members. He had provided sensitive details to a neo-Nazi, pro-jihadist group known as the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A) in connection with its plot to spark a jihadist terror attack. His motivation was to cause a mass casualty event and further the goals of white supremacy and the downfall of Western civilization. The sentence is the maximum penalty for his crimes.
On Monday, a magnitude 6.3 aftershock struck the Syria-Turkey border, causing panic and damaging buildings in the nearby city of Antakya. Eight people were injured and three people were killed, according to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay. The aftershock comes two weeks after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake killed 46,000 people and injured more than 1,000 in the same region. The USGS is continuing to monitor the situation and provide updates.
Tragedy struck the soccer world on Saturday as the body of Ghanaian soccer star Christian Atsu was recovered from the ruins of a 12-story building in Antakya, Turkey, following an earthquake on February 6th. Atsu had recently joined Turkish club Hatayspor and had scored the winning goal for his new team just hours before the earthquake. His agent announced the news of his death on Twitter, and Hatayspor released a statement saying his body will be sent to Ghana. The soccer world is mourning the loss of Atsu, with many expressing their condolences.