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Turkey elections

Initial results from Turkey’s presidential election show incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan is ahead of his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu but the gap is narrowing. Turkish media say Erdogan has won around 51 percent of the votes compared to over 43 percent secured by his rival. The results are based on more than two-thirds of the ballot boxes counted. Kilicdaroglu, however, has disputed those results and said he was leading. If no presidential candidate secures more than half the votes in the first round of voting, a run-off will be held later this month. Parliamentary elections were also held on Sunday. Some 64 million people were eligible to vote and a high turnout was reported. The elections are effectively a referendum on Erdogan, Turkey’s longest-serving leader, and his ruling Justice and Development Party. Key election issues are the economy, earthquake-relief operations, and refugees. 

Nakba day rallies

Yemenis have taken to the streets across the country to mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Israeli regime, known as the Day of Nakba, or Catastrophe. Rallies were held in the capital, Sana’a, as well as other major cities such as Sa’ada and al-Hudayda to express solidarity with Palestinians. The demonstrators condemned the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and ethnic cleansing by the Israeli regime. They called on the international community to take action to stop Israeli aggression and expansionist policies. Nakba Day was also marked by similar rallies elsewhere across the world. Rallies were held in many cities across the world including Vienna, Rotterdam, Paris, Berlin, and Toronto. The demonstrators also slammed the failure of the international community to take action against Israeli atrocities. In London, protesters chanted slogans denouncing the UK’s role in the creation of the Israeli regime. Nakba Day marks the creation of the Israeli regime in 1948. Zionists who had moved to Palestine from various countries drove over 750,000 Palestinians into exile and wiped more than 500 towns and villages off the map.

Russia-Ukraine war

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is calling for more military aid from his country’s Western allies amid growing public opposition there. Zelensky made the remarks on his first visit to Germany since the war with Russia began last February. He said Kiev is prepared to discuss peace initiatives from other states, but added that those proposals must take into account Ukraine’s demands. Berlin has pledged a 2.7 billion-euro military package to Ukraine. Zelensky also wants Germany to join its bid to obtain fighter jets from the West. Taxpayers in Western countries, however, are becoming increasingly frustrated with the massive military aid provided to Ukraine amid their own economic woes. In the western German city of Aachen, people marched to protest against Zelensky and his visit. They criticized the decision to award him a prestigious annual prize to honor his services to Europe.

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