Finnish President says Sweden isn't vulnerable if Finland joins NATO first
Finnish President, Sauli Niinistö said that Sweden won't be in a vulnerable position even if Finland joins NATO first, as both Nordic countries negotiate bilateral military pacts with the United States.
Niinistö also commented on Finland's decision to ratify Turkey's offer, stating that it would be crazy to refuse it.
This move highlights the tension between Turkey and NATO over Turkey's recent military actions in Syria.
"Actor Lance Reddick, best known for role in 'The Wire' and 'John Wick' movies, dies at 60"
Actor Lance Reddick passed away at the age of 60.
He was most famously known for his role as a police chief in the critically acclaimed series "The Wire" and also appeared in the "John Wick" movies.
Turkey's upcoming election poses a challenge for Erdogan
Turkey's President Erdogan is facing a tight race in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in May.
Recent polls show his opposition, led by the scholarly Kemal Kilicdaroglu, ahead by over 10 percentage points.
However, due to reports of voter manipulation and suppression, the election outcome is uncertain.
Turkey to ratify Finland’s NATO membership ahead of Sweden
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to ratify Finland's NATO membership application, paving the way for the country to join the military alliance before Sweden.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto visited Ankara to discuss the matter, with Erdogan crediting Finland for their commitment to fulfilling their pledges in the trilateral memorandum of understanding.
The ratification will eventually go to the Turkish parliament, where the President's party and its allies hold a majority.
Ratification is expected before Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for May 14.
Putin and Assad hold talks on Syria’s future
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the focus will be on rebuilding Syria after the civil war.
The two leaders are expected to discuss "further development of Russian-Syrian cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres" among other subjects.
The meeting comes on the anniversary of the start of the Syrian civil war, which has displaced half of the country's population and killed nearly 500,000 people.
Russia has been a major backer of the Assad regime throughout the conflict, and has helped the government to reclaim control over large parts of the country.
Death toll in Turkey earthquakes reaches 48,448
The death toll in Turkey from the earthquakes that hit last month has risen to 48,448, with more than 54,000 deaths when including those in Syria.
Authorities are setting up container cities to house those left homeless by the disaster.
President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to rebuild homes within a year.
Ukraine & Russia agree on the renewal of grain export deal
Ukraine's grain shipment deal with Turkey, which allowed exports through the Black Sea ends today, with Russia and Turkey agreeing to an extension of the deal.
However, they have different views on its duration.
Russia wants it to be extended for only 60 days, while Ukraine and Turkey suggest extending it for 120 days like the initial agreement in July.
Despite the differences, the UN is working to bridge the gap and continue with the deal.
The agreement brokered in July by Turkey and the UN has seen 11 million tonnes of agricultural products shipped from three of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Lawyers Collect Evidence to Prove Earthquake Negligence.
Lawyers in Turkey are collecting evidence from the rubble of the catastrophic earthquake that occurred in February 2022, hoping to prove that the high number of casualties was the result of human negligence.
Ahmet Kandemir, a lawyer from the Turkish Bar Association, is leading the investigation to provide justice to the families who lost their loved ones in the disaster.
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities have arrested 269 suspects, including contractors, as part of the inquiry into the collapse of unsafe buildings.
However, concerns have been raised about President Erdogan's connections to the construction industry and his government's willingness to hold them accountable.
Lawyers try to preserve evidence from Turkish earthquake rubble amid negligence investigation
Lawyers in Turkey are collecting evidence from the rubble of last month's earthquake to prove that not all the deaths were necessary.
More than 46,000 people died when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks hit Turkey, and an additional 6,000 died in neighbouring Syria.
As part of an ongoing investigation into contractors who built tall buildings in one of the most active earthquake zones in the world, 269 suspects have been arrested by Turkish authorities.
Amid concerns over President Erdogan's links to the construction industry and the potential consequences for his government's willingness to prosecute negligence, lawyers like Ahmet Kandemir and others volunteer to bring families justice.
Turkish President sets early parliamentary and presidential elections for May 14
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on May 14, a month earlier than scheduled.
Erdogan cited potential conflicts with university exams, summer holidays, and the Hajj pilgrimage as reasons for the early elections, which come three months after devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey.
The vote will be the president's biggest test in his two decades of rule, deciding not only who leads Turkey but also how it is governed, where its economy is headed, and what role it may play in easing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of Turkey's Republican People's Party, was named as the opposition candidate to challenge Erdogan for the presidency.
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Turkish President visits earthquake-affected areas facing criticism
Lawyers Investigate Failure of Buildings in Deadly Turkish Earthquake
Following the catastrophic earthquake in Turkey that claimed thousands of lives, a lawyer Ahmet Kandemir and other members of the Turkish Bar Association are attempting to gather evidence from the rubble to prove that the building contractors were responsible for the high number of deaths.
Meanwhile, 269 suspects have been arrested, part of an ongoing investigation into contractors who constructed buildings in one of the world's most active earthquake zones.
However, concerns were raised about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's close ties with the construction sector, and how this could influence the willingness of the government to hold perpetrators accountable.
Turkey's Opposition Names Presidential Candidate
The main opposition party leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has been named as the presidential candidate for Turkey's opposition coalition, ahead of the upcoming elections in May.
Many believe that this election will be a make-or-break event for Turkey's democracy, with Kılıçdaroğlu offering a more diffused vision of power and democracy than current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has centralized power in his own hands.
Turkey's opposition parties navigate alliances ahead of presidential elections
Turkey's upcoming presidential elections have prompted opposition parties to consider alliances in the face of President Tayyip Erdogan's two-decade reign.
The left-wing Peoples' Democratic Party has suggested talks with an opposition alliance on supporting their joint candidate, which has unsettled some nationalist elements of the diverse union.
Meanwhile, the right-wing IYI Party could return to an alliance that it quit three days ago after Meral Aksener rejected the expected candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
IYI is the second-largest in the alliance of six parties.
New Earthquake Hits Southern Turkey, Leaving One Dead and Many Injured.
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake has hit southern Turkey, just three weeks after a devastating quake struck the region.
The latest tremor caused buildings to collapse, injured more than 100 people, and caused the death of at least one person.
The disaster comes as the region is still rebuilding from earlier earthquakes.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visits Oman, signaling easing of isolation
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Oman on Monday, his first foreign trip since the deadly earthquake, indicating a potential easing of his diplomatic isolation after nearly 12 years of civil war.
This move also marks a shift for Damascus allowing aid to enter rebel-held northwest Syria through more border crossings from Turkey.
Meanwhile, the Omani ruler extended his condolences and sincere sympathy to Assad and to the brotherly Syrian people for the victims of the devastating earthquake.
While The Independent notes that Oman preserved "its balanced policies and credibility," according to Reuters, Arab states have poured aid into Syria since the quake, including previously anti-Assad supporters such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Yorkshire Ripper's Ashes Reportedly Scattered in Beautiful Coastal Village
According to Peter Sutcliffe's niece, Emily Sutcliffe, some of the Yorkshire Ripper's ashes were scattered in the beautiful village of Arnside, Cumbria.
Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of 13 murders and passed away in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Turkey investigates over 600 people linked to collapsed buildings in earthquake
Turkey's justice minister, Bekir Bozdag, has announced that 612 people are being investigated in connection to the collapse of buildings during the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that happened on 6th February.
Of those, 184 have been arrested, including property owners and contractors.
As the search for evidence in the debris continues, officials have now confirmed that the death toll has exceeded 50,000.
Turkish journalists under investigation for earthquake reporting
Multiple journalists in Turkey are facing legal action for reporting/commenting on the February earthquake amid accusations of spreading "fake news" and causing "social chaos".
Among them is freelance journalist Mir Ali Koçer, who is being investigated and may face up to three years in jail for sharing stories on Twitter.
Additionally, dozens more have been detained, harassed, or prevented from reporting on the event.
Press freedom groups and media advocacy groups, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have criticised the investigation and labelled it "absurd."
Turkey earthquake death toll rises to over 51,000
The death toll from the earthquake that struck Turkey last month has risen to 45,089, with over 108,000 injured and millions left homeless.
President Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to rebuild homes within a year, but it will be many months before thousands can leave tents or container housing, and lines for food remain a daily occurrence.
The disaster has also come at a politically difficult time, with presidential and parliamentary elections due to be held by June.
Turkey's Erdogan confirms May 14 for elections despite earthquake tragedy
Turkish President Erdogan has confirmed that elections will be held on May 14th, just over three months after a devastating earthquake killed more than 45,000 people in Turkey.
This timing has been subject to conflicting signals, with some suggesting they could be postponed until later in the year or held as scheduled on June 18th.
Erdogan has faced criticism over his government's handling of the deadly earthquake.
Turkey Implements Wage Support Scheme and Layoff Ban in Earthquake-Hit Regions
Turkey has taken measures to protect workers and businesses financially impacted by the devastating earthquakes that hit 10 cities in the southern region earlier this month.
The temporary wage support scheme, launched by the government, will cover part of the wages of workers affected by reduced hours due to earthquake damage.
The ban on layoffs was implemented in 10 provinces under a state of emergency.
The state of emergency was declared by the Turkish Parliament for three months and was requested by President Tayyip Erdogan following the disaster.
Turkey Earthquake Death Toll Approaches 45,000
The death toll from the Feb.
6 earthquake in Turkey is rapidly approaching 45,000 with search and rescue efforts winding down.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the affected provinces twice.
Most of the search and rescue efforts have been called off in the quake zone, but search teams were still working in over a dozen collapsed buildings in the hardest-hit province of Hatay.
Blinken pledges more aid to Turkey, discusses NATO expansion during diplomatic trip
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has visited Turkey in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake that affected Turkey and northern Syria.
During his visit, he pledged a further $100 million in aid to Turkey, bringing the total US humanitarian assistance to $185 million.
The disaster overshadowed contentious issues between the two nations, including Turkey's relationship with Russia, its objection to NATO membership for Sweden and Finland and President Erdogan's authoritarian policies.
Blinken reiterated the US commitment to NATO's expansion to the Nordic countries, despite Turkish objections.
Earthquake Strikes Turkey's Economy Alongside Devastating Loss of Life
Turkey is facing two crises in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that killed over 40,000 people and left millions homeless.
The country's economy was already struggling with runaway inflation and a collapsing currency.
The estimated $10 billion to $50 billion reconstruction effort will be added to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's billions of dollars in election promises that could trigger consumer spending but also raises serious concerns about Turkey's ability to fund these commitments.
Moreover, Erdogan's unorthodox financial policies and political alliances have undermined investor confidence in Turkey's economy.