Turkish President Tayyip <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-erdogans-ruling-akp-ready-to-accept-election-recount-results-208411">Erdogan's AK Party</a> formally requested on Tuesday an annulment and rerun of Istanbul's municipal elections over what it said were irregularities, prompting the main <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-opposition-says-ahead-in-istanbul-election-recount-208170">opposition </a>to accuse it of damaging democracy.

Initial results from the March 31 vote showed the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) narrowly won control of Turkey's largest city, thereby ending 25 years of control of a key power centre by the AKP and its Islamist predecessors.

The loss of Istanbul, Turkey's financial hub, would be a blow to Erdogan, who campaigned hard ahead of the vote. The post-vote uncertainty has kept financial markets on edge and contributed to a nearly 5 per cent slide in the lira.

In the 16 days since the election, the AKP has filed numerous appeals for vote recounts across Istanbul, a city of more than 15 million people. The High Election Board (YSK) has approved some of those objections, ordering partial or full recounts in several districts. Some are still underway.

Submitting his party's appeal for the annulment and renewal of the vote to the YSK on Tuesday, AKP Deputy Chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz said thousands of votes had been impacted by the irregularities.

"There is clearly an organised unlawfulness, an election fraud here. The only authority that can end this controversy is the YSK," Yavuz told reporters in the capital Ankara.

The AKP has already lost control of Ankara and other key cities. Defeat in Istanbul, where Erdogan was mayor in the 1990s, would be an even greater setback to the president.

The AKP urged electoral officials to block the YSK from giving CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu his mayoral mandate after the Istanbul recounts are completed and a final result emerges.

CHP spokesman Faik Oztrak branded the AKP appeal for renewed elections as a "plot" and called on the YSK to mandate Imamoglu as the elected mayor of the city.

"The authority that will put a stop to this exploitation, who will hand the right the people gave to the person who earned it is the High Election Board," Oztrak told reporters.

"If there is security and predictability of the law in this country, then the YSK's decision should already be clear."

SUITCASES OF DOCUMENTS

The AKP's Yavuz said 16,884 votes were marked as either invalid or added to the tallies of other parties in the elections. He said the AKP had submitted three suitcases of documents to the YSK to prove the irregularities.

If the appeal is approved, a second election would take place on June 2. If rejected, the results would be finalised and the CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu would receive his mandate as mayor.

Yavuz said the gap between Imamoglu and his AKP rival, former Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim, had fallen to 13,900 votes from around 28,000 as a result of the recounts.

If all votes had been recounted across the city the AKP would have won, Yavuz added.

The repeated AKP challenges have fuelled frustration among CHP supporters, which spilled over into football stadiums at the weekend when fans chanted at top Istanbul derby matches for the mayoral mandate to be given to their candidate.

Speaking on Tuesday to supporters chanting "give Imamoglu the mandate" in Istanbul, Imamoglu said the AKP actions harmed the credibility of Turkey's democracy.

"To those who said they carried what they call evidence in suitcases, I say: I think you are experiencing an eclipse of reasoning. Stop this, don't harm this nation, these people," he said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party formally requested on Tuesday an annulment and rerun of Istanbul's municipal elections over what it said were irregularities, prompting the main opposition to accuse it of damaging democracy.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party formally requested on Tuesday an annulment and rerun of Istanbul's municipal elections over what it said were irregularities, prompting the main opposition to accuse it of damaging democracy. Initial results from the March 31 vote showed the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) narrowly won control of Turkey's largest city, thereby ending 25 years of control of a key power centre by the AKP and its Islamist predecessors. The loss of Istanbul, Turkey's financial hub, would be a blow to Erdogan, who campaigned hard ahead of the vote. The post-vote uncertainty has kept financial markets on edge and contributed to a nearly 5 per cent slide in the lira. In the 16 days since the election, the AKP has filed numerous appeals for vote recounts across Istanbul, a city of more than 15 million people. The High Election Board (YSK) has approved some of those objections, ordering partial or full recounts in several districts. Some are still underway. Submitting his party's appeal for the annulment and renewal of the vote to the YSK on Tuesday, AKP Deputy Chairman Ali Ihsan Yavuz said thousands of votes had been impacted by the irregularities. "There is clearly an organised unlawfulness, an election fraud here. The only authority that can end this controversy is the YSK," Yavuz told reporters in the capital Ankara. The AKP has already lost control of Ankara and other key cities. Defeat in Istanbul, where Erdogan was mayor in the 1990s, would be an even greater setback to the president. The AKP urged electoral officials to block the YSK from giving CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu his mayoral mandate after the Istanbul recounts are completed and a final result emerges. CHP spokesman Faik Oztrak branded the AKP appeal for renewed elections as a "plot" and called on the YSK to mandate Imamoglu as the elected mayor of the city. "The authority that will put a stop to this exploitation, who will hand the right the people gave to the person who earned it is the High Election Board," Oztrak told reporters. "If there is security and predictability of the law in this country, then the YSK's decision should already be clear." SUITCASES OF DOCUMENTS The AKP's Yavuz said 16,884 votes were marked as either invalid or added to the tallies of other parties in the elections. He said the AKP had submitted three suitcases of documents to the YSK to prove the irregularities. If the appeal is approved, a second election would take place on June 2. If rejected, the results would be finalised and the CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu would receive his mandate as mayor. Yavuz said the gap between Imamoglu and his AKP rival, former Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim, had fallen to 13,900 votes from around 28,000 as a result of the recounts. If all votes had been recounted across the city the AKP would have won, Yavuz added. The repeated AKP challenges have fuelled frustration among CHP supporters, which spilled over into football stadiums at the weekend when fans chanted at top Istanbul derby matches for the mayoral mandate to be given to their candidate. Speaking on Tuesday to supporters chanting "give Imamoglu the mandate" in Istanbul, Imamoglu said the AKP actions harmed the credibility of Turkey's democracy. "To those who said they carried what they call evidence in suitcases, I say: I think you are experiencing an eclipse of reasoning. Stop this, don't harm this nation, these people," he said.

Erdogan's AK Party calls for rerun of Istanbul elections

Turkey voted in local elections on Sunday in a test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his ruling party fighting to keep hold of the country's two key cities as an economic slowdown takes hold.

Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have won every vote since the party first came to power in 2002 but this time, analysts say, the party risks losing Turkey's capital Ankara and even its economic hub Istanbul.

Sunday's poll was the first municipal ballot since Turks approved constitutional reforms in 2017 to create an executive presidency that gave Erdogan wider powers after a decade and a half in office.

But Erdogan, whose ability to win continuously at the ballot box is unparalleled in Turkish history, appears more vulnerable with the country's economy in recession, unemployment up and inflation in double digits.

Voting closed at 1400 GMT in Sunday's ballot, which was held mostly without incident, with the exception of the deaths of two men killed in a fight at a polling station in the east of Turkey.

Much of the AKP's success has been down to his perceived economic prowess, but days before the vote, the Turkish lira was sliding again, provoking memories of the 2018 currency crisis that badly hurt Turkish households.

Erdogan, who began his own political career as Istanbul mayor, personally campaigned hard across Turkey, often with several rallies a day, even though he is not on the ballot.

Looking to galvanize his base among conservative Turks, the president cast the election as a matter of survival, attacking opposition candidates by branding them as linked to PKK Kurdish militants.

"The economy is terrible," said Husnu Acar, 53, after voting in a school in Beylikduzu on the outskirts of Istanbul.

"They are the ones with a survival problem," he said of the AKP.

Voters are to elect scores of mayors, municipal councils and other local officials. Preliminary results are expected soon after polls close with official results released early in the week.

Two members of Saadet (Felicity), a religiously conservative party, were killed after an attack by an AKP candidate's nephew in a polling station in Malatya, eastern Turkey, Saadet chairman Temel Karamollaoglu said on Twitter.&nbsp;

The two men, one of whom was also an election observer, died after a fight between two groups in Puturge district, private DHA news agency reported. The Malatya governorate said four individuals were detained.

Erdogan said the incident was "upsetting" after he voted in Istanbul, and he called Karamollaoglu shortly afterwards to offer his condolences, the presidency said.

Charges of an unfair vote 
For his supporters, Erdogan remains the strong leader they believe Turkey needs and they tout the country's economic development over the 16 years he and the AKP have been in power.&nbsp;

But rights activists and even Turkey's Western allies say that under his leadership, democracy has been eroded, particularly after a failed 2016 coup that led to tens of thousands of people being arrested.

"The economy isn't doing so good for sure, but I have confidence in our president and things will be better after the election," said Koksal Karacan, a retiree voting in Istanbul's Kasimpasa, where Erdogan grew up.

The vote will be the first time since 2002 that the AKP is fielding candidates with its alliance partner, the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has refused to field candidates in several cities, saying the elections are unfair. Some of its leaders have been jailed on terror charges, accusations they reject.

The HDP criticised the detentions of candidates and its members in the run-up to the vote in a statement on Sunday, accusing the government of trying "to paralyse the HDP organisationally, and render the playing field even more uneven".

Observers say that with most media either pro-government or controlled by the president's supporters, opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage because Erdogan's daily rallies dominated TV coverage.

"What has happened during the campaign for Sunday's local elections is unprecedented and demonstrates that — unlike during its first years in power — the AKP is no longer confident of being able to win a fair election," said Gareth Jenkins, a non-resident senior research fellow at the Silk Road Studies Programme.

'Boss of the economy' 
In Istanbul, where the race is expected to be tight, Erdogan has fielded one of his loyalists, former prime minister Binali Yildirim.

But in Ankara, Mansur Yavas — the candidate for both the opposition Republican People's Party or CHP and the nationalist Good Party — might have a stronger chance of winning, according to a number of recent polls.

With inflation at just under 20 percent and unemployment at a near 10-year high in December, Erdogan has sought to reassure voters about the economy.

"I am the boss of the economy right now as the president of this country," Erdogan told a rally on Saturday.

Turkey's finance minister, Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan's son-in-law, said economic reforms would be announced the week of April 8.

Turkey voted in local elections on Sunday in a test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his ruling party fighting to keep hold of the country's two key cities as an economic slowdown takes hold.

Turkey voted in local elections on Sunday in a test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his ruling party fighting to keep hold of the country's two key cities as an economic slowdown takes hold. Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have won every vote since the party first came to power in 2002 but this time, analysts say, the party risks losing Turkey's capital Ankara and even its economic hub Istanbul. Sunday's poll was the first municipal ballot since Turks approved constitutional reforms in 2017 to create an executive presidency that gave Erdogan wider powers after a decade and a half in office. But Erdogan, whose ability to win continuously at the ballot box is unparalleled in Turkish history, appears more vulnerable with the country's economy in recession, unemployment up and inflation in double digits. Voting closed at 1400 GMT in Sunday's ballot, which was held mostly without incident, with the exception of the deaths of two men killed in a fight at a polling station in the east of Turkey. Much of the AKP's success has been down to his perceived economic prowess, but days before the vote, the Turkish lira was sliding again, provoking memories of the 2018 currency crisis that badly hurt Turkish households. Erdogan, who began his own political career as Istanbul mayor, personally campaigned hard across Turkey, often with several rallies a day, even though he is not on the ballot. Looking to galvanize his base among conservative Turks, the president cast the election as a matter of survival, attacking opposition candidates by branding them as linked to PKK Kurdish militants. "The economy is terrible," said Husnu Acar, 53, after voting in a school in Beylikduzu on the outskirts of Istanbul. "They are the ones with a survival problem," he said of the AKP. Voters are to elect scores of mayors, municipal councils and other local officials. Preliminary results are expected soon after polls close with official results released early in the week. Two members of Saadet (Felicity), a religiously conservative party, were killed after an attack by an AKP candidate's nephew in a polling station in Malatya, eastern Turkey, Saadet chairman Temel Karamollaoglu said on Twitter. The two men, one of whom was also an election observer, died after a fight between two groups in Puturge district, private DHA news agency reported. The Malatya governorate said four individuals were detained. Erdogan said the incident was "upsetting" after he voted in Istanbul, and he called Karamollaoglu shortly afterwards to offer his condolences, the presidency said. Charges of an unfair vote For his supporters, Erdogan remains the strong leader they believe Turkey needs and they tout the country's economic development over the 16 years he and the AKP have been in power. But rights activists and even Turkey's Western allies say that under his leadership, democracy has been eroded, particularly after a failed 2016 coup that led to tens of thousands of people being arrested. "The economy isn't doing so good for sure, but I have confidence in our president and things will be better after the election," said Koksal Karacan, a retiree voting in Istanbul's Kasimpasa, where Erdogan grew up. The vote will be the first time since 2002 that the AKP is fielding candidates with its alliance partner, the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has refused to field candidates in several cities, saying the elections are unfair. Some of its leaders have been jailed on terror charges, accusations they reject. The HDP criticised the detentions of candidates and its members in the run-up to the vote in a statement on Sunday, accusing the government of trying "to paralyse the HDP organisationally, and render the playing field even more uneven". Observers say that with most media either pro-government or controlled by the president's supporters, opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage because Erdogan's daily rallies dominated TV coverage. "What has happened during the campaign for Sunday's local elections is unprecedented and demonstrates that — unlike during its first years in power — the AKP is no longer confident of being able to win a fair election," said Gareth Jenkins, a non-resident senior research fellow at the Silk Road Studies Programme. 'Boss of the economy' In Istanbul, where the race is expected to be tight, Erdogan has fielded one of his loyalists, former prime minister Binali Yildirim. But in Ankara, Mansur Yavas — the candidate for both the opposition Republican People's Party or CHP and the nationalist Good Party — might have a stronger chance of winning, according to a number of recent polls. With inflation at just under 20 percent and unemployment at a near 10-year high in December, Erdogan has sought to reassure voters about the economy. "I am the boss of the economy right now as the president of this country," Erdogan told a rally on Saturday. Turkey's finance minister, Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan's son-in-law, said economic reforms would be announced the week of April 8.

Turks vote in test for Erdogan as recession hits home

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086">Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086">new</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086"> charge, likely to walk free</a>

A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-launch-defence-satellite-pslv-c45-from-sriharikota-today-207087">ISRO to launch defence satellite PSLV-C45 from Sriharikota today</a>

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch&nbsp;PSLV-C45&nbsp;from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at around 9:30 am today.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071">J&amp;K: 4 LeT terrorists killed in </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071">encounter</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071"> with security forces</a>

Four terrorists belonging to the&nbsp;Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The terrorists were killed following an encounter in Lassipora area of Pulwama district.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066">Turkish President Erdogan's ruling AKP suffers </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066">setback</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066"> in Ankara's local election</a>

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP suffered a major blow in Sunday's local election with the ruling party set to lose the capital Ankara and risking defeat in the&nbsp;country's economic hub Istanbul.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arabs-to-seek-un-security-council-action-on-golan-heights-207067">Arabs to seek UN Security Council action on Golan Heights&nbsp;</a>

Arab leaders said on Sunday they would seek a UN Security Council resolution against the US decision to recognize&nbsp;Israeli sovereignty&nbsp;over the Golan Heights and promised to support Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts new charge, likely to walk free A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month.

Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts new charge, likely to walk free A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month. ISRO to launch defence satellite PSLV-C45 from Sriharikota today The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch PSLV-C45 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at around 9:30 am today. J&K: 4 LeT terrorists killed in encounter with security forces Four terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The terrorists were killed following an encounter in Lassipora area of Pulwama district. Turkish President Erdogan's ruling AKP suffers setback in Ankara's local election Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP suffered a major blow in Sunday's local election with the ruling party set to lose the capital Ankara and risking defeat in the country's economic hub Istanbul. Arabs to seek UN Security Council action on Golan Heights Arab leaders said on Sunday they would seek a UN Security Council resolution against the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and promised to support Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-fights-to-hold-turkeys-cities-in-bitter-election-battle-206553">President Tayyip Erdogan</a> has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years thanks in part to strong economic growth, has become the country's most popular, yet also most divisive, leader in modern history.

However, he could be dealt an electoral blow with polls indicating his ruling AK Party (AKP) may lose control of the capital Ankara, and even Istanbul, the country's largest city.

With the economy contracting following a currency crisis last year in which the lira lost more than 30 per cent of its value, some voters appeared ready to punish Erdogan, who has ruled with an increasingly uncompromising stance.

"I was actually not going to vote today, but when I saw how much they (AKP) were flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow. Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling," said 47-year-old Hakan after voting in Ankara.

Voting started at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and an hour later in the rest of the country. Polling stations close at 4 p.m. in the east and 5 p.m. in the west.

Just over 57 million people are eligible to vote. A clear picture of the winners will probably emerge around midnight.

This week, as authorities again scrambled to shore up the lira, Erdogan cast the country's economic woes as resulting from attacks by the West, saying Turkey would overcome its troubles following Sunday's vote and adding he was "the boss" of the economy.

"The aim behind the increasing attacks towards our country ahead of the elections is to block the road of the big, strong Turkey," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

Sunday's elections, in which Turks vote for mayors and other local officials across the country, are the first since Erdogan assumed sweeping presidential powers last year and will be a reckoning for his government, which has come under fire for its economic policies and record on human rights.

Symbolic blow

Defeat in Ankara or Istanbul would end nearly a quarter of a century of rule by Erdogan's AKP or its predecessors in those cities and deal a symbolic blow to Turkey's leader.

Ahead of the vote, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party formed an electoral alliance to rival that of the AKP and its nationalist MHP partners.

The pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), which Erdogan has accused of links to Kurdish militants, has not made an official alliance and is not fielding candidates for mayor in Istanbul or Ankara, which is likely to benefit the CHP.

The HDP denies links to the outlawed militant Kurdistan Workers' Party. Two years ago, the state took control of about 100 municipalities from an HDP-affiliated party and some voters in the main southeastern city of Diyarbakir said services there had improved as a result.

"Before, this city did not have the services I have now seen. I gave my vote to the AK Party for services to continue," said tradesman Haci Ahmet Beyaz, 43.

The election was marred by violence in the southeast.

Two members of the small Islamist Felicity Party, a polling station official and an election observer, were shot dead in Malatya province, a party spokesman said. Media reports said one person had been detained.

In Diyarbakir, two people were wounded and one of them was in critical condition after being stabbed in a dispute between candidates, a hospital source said.

The government took extensive security measures, with 553,000 police and other security forces on duty for the vote.

In the days leading up to the vote, Erdogan held around 100 rallies across the country, speaking 14 times in different districts of Istanbul over the past two days alone and more than four times in Ankara throughout his campaign.

He has described the elections as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his rivals as terrorist supporters aiming to topple the country. He has warned that if the opposition candidate wins in Ankara, residents would "pay a price".

His opponents have denied the accusations and challenged his characterisation of the elections as a matter of survival, saying Erdogan had led the country to its current state.

"What matter of survival? We're electing mayors. What does this have to do with the country's survival?" Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the CHP, told a rally in Eskisehir.

With reference to Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu said: "If there is a survival issue in Turkey, it's because of you."

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which President Tayyip Erdogan has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast.

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which President Tayyip Erdogan has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast. Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years thanks in part to strong economic growth, has become the country's most popular, yet also most divisive, leader in modern history. However, he could be dealt an electoral blow with polls indicating his ruling AK Party (AKP) may lose control of the capital Ankara, and even Istanbul, the country's largest city. With the economy contracting following a currency crisis last year in which the lira lost more than 30 per cent of its value, some voters appeared ready to punish Erdogan, who has ruled with an increasingly uncompromising stance. "I was actually not going to vote today, but when I saw how much they (AKP) were flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow. Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling," said 47-year-old Hakan after voting in Ankara. Voting started at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and an hour later in the rest of the country. Polling stations close at 4 p.m. in the east and 5 p.m. in the west. Just over 57 million people are eligible to vote. A clear picture of the winners will probably emerge around midnight. This week, as authorities again scrambled to shore up the lira, Erdogan cast the country's economic woes as resulting from attacks by the West, saying Turkey would overcome its troubles following Sunday's vote and adding he was "the boss" of the economy. "The aim behind the increasing attacks towards our country ahead of the elections is to block the road of the big, strong Turkey," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul on Saturday. Sunday's elections, in which Turks vote for mayors and other local officials across the country, are the first since Erdogan assumed sweeping presidential powers last year and will be a reckoning for his government, which has come under fire for its economic policies and record on human rights. Symbolic blow Defeat in Ankara or Istanbul would end nearly a quarter of a century of rule by Erdogan's AKP or its predecessors in those cities and deal a symbolic blow to Turkey's leader. Ahead of the vote, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party formed an electoral alliance to rival that of the AKP and its nationalist MHP partners. The pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), which Erdogan has accused of links to Kurdish militants, has not made an official alliance and is not fielding candidates for mayor in Istanbul or Ankara, which is likely to benefit the CHP. The HDP denies links to the outlawed militant Kurdistan Workers' Party. Two years ago, the state took control of about 100 municipalities from an HDP-affiliated party and some voters in the main southeastern city of Diyarbakir said services there had improved as a result. "Before, this city did not have the services I have now seen. I gave my vote to the AK Party for services to continue," said tradesman Haci Ahmet Beyaz, 43. The election was marred by violence in the southeast. Two members of the small Islamist Felicity Party, a polling station official and an election observer, were shot dead in Malatya province, a party spokesman said. Media reports said one person had been detained. In Diyarbakir, two people were wounded and one of them was in critical condition after being stabbed in a dispute between candidates, a hospital source said. The government took extensive security measures, with 553,000 police and other security forces on duty for the vote. In the days leading up to the vote, Erdogan held around 100 rallies across the country, speaking 14 times in different districts of Istanbul over the past two days alone and more than four times in Ankara throughout his campaign. He has described the elections as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his rivals as terrorist supporters aiming to topple the country. He has warned that if the opposition candidate wins in Ankara, residents would "pay a price". His opponents have denied the accusations and challenged his characterisation of the elections as a matter of survival, saying Erdogan had led the country to its current state. "What matter of survival? We're electing mayors. What does this have to do with the country's survival?" Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the CHP, told a rally in Eskisehir. With reference to Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu said: "If there is a survival issue in Turkey, it's because of you."

Turks vote in local polls, Erdogan's party could lose in big cities

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism.

But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul.&nbsp;

Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces.

"It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque.

He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core.

A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support.

For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living.&nbsp;

"A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin.&nbsp;

Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP.&nbsp;

Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party.

REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN

Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers.

But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong.

"The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers.

Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s.

For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects.&nbsp;

Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love".

But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party.&nbsp;

In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them".

The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK.

To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally.

Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold.

When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago.

He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop.

"Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda."

In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again.

FOUR MORE YEARS?

After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge.

A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023.

If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe.&nbsp;

"That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said.

If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night.&nbsp;

Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition.

"We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds. Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism. But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul. Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces. "It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque. He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core. A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support. For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living. "A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin. Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP. Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party. REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers. But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong. "The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers. Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s. For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects. Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love". But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party. In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them". The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK. To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally. Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold. When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago. He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop. "Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda." In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again. FOUR MORE YEARS? After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge. A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023. If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe. "That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said. If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night. Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition. "We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Erdogan fights to hold Turkey's cities in bitter election battle

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - March 25, 2019

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Turkey to "confront" comments made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-begins-to-bury-its-dead-after-mosque-massacre-204416">the killing of at least 50 people at mosques in Christchurch</a>.

Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday after a lone gunman opened fire at the two mosques during Friday prayers.

Erdogan — who is seeking to drum up support for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in March 31 local elections — said Turkey would make the suspected attacker pay if New Zealand did not.

The comments came at a campaign rally that included video footage of the shootings which the alleged gunman had broadcast on Facebook.

Ardern said Peters would seek urgent clarification.

"Our deputy prime minister will be confronting those comments in Turkey," Ardern told reporters in Christchurch. "He is going there to set the record straight, face-to-face."

Peters had earlier condemned the airing of footage of the shooting, which he said could endanger New Zealanders aboard.

Despite Peters' intervention, an extract from Tarrant's alleged manifesto was flashed up on a screen at Erdogan's rally again on Tuesday, along with footage of the gunman entering one of the mosques and shooting as he approached the door.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he summoned Turkey's ambassador for a meeting, during which he demanded Erdogan's comments be removed from Turkey's state broadcaster.

"I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish government before taking further action, but I can tell you that all options are on the table," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

Morrison said Australia's ambassador to Turkey will on Wednesday meet with the members of Erdogan's government.

Morrison said Canberra is also reconsidering its travel advice for Australians planning trips to Turkey.

Relations between Turkey, New Zealand and Australia have generally been good. Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders travel each year to Turkey for war memorial services

Just over a century ago, thousands of soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) struggled ashore on a narrow beach at Gallipoli during an ill-fated campaign that would claim more than 130,000 lives.

The area has become a site of pilgrimage for visitors who honour their nations’ fallen in graveyards halfway around the world on ANZAC Day every April 25.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Turkey to "confront" comments made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the killing of at least 50 people at mosques in Christchurch.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Turkey to "confront" comments made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the killing of at least 50 people at mosques in Christchurch. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday after a lone gunman opened fire at the two mosques during Friday prayers. Erdogan — who is seeking to drum up support for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in March 31 local elections — said Turkey would make the suspected attacker pay if New Zealand did not. The comments came at a campaign rally that included video footage of the shootings which the alleged gunman had broadcast on Facebook. Ardern said Peters would seek urgent clarification. "Our deputy prime minister will be confronting those comments in Turkey," Ardern told reporters in Christchurch. "He is going there to set the record straight, face-to-face." Peters had earlier condemned the airing of footage of the shooting, which he said could endanger New Zealanders aboard. Despite Peters' intervention, an extract from Tarrant's alleged manifesto was flashed up on a screen at Erdogan's rally again on Tuesday, along with footage of the gunman entering one of the mosques and shooting as he approached the door. Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he summoned Turkey's ambassador for a meeting, during which he demanded Erdogan's comments be removed from Turkey's state broadcaster. "I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish government before taking further action, but I can tell you that all options are on the table," Morrison told reporters in Canberra. Morrison said Australia's ambassador to Turkey will on Wednesday meet with the members of Erdogan's government. Morrison said Canberra is also reconsidering its travel advice for Australians planning trips to Turkey. Relations between Turkey, New Zealand and Australia have generally been good. Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders travel each year to Turkey for war memorial services Just over a century ago, thousands of soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) struggled ashore on a narrow beach at Gallipoli during an ill-fated campaign that would claim more than 130,000 lives. The area has become a site of pilgrimage for visitors who honour their nations’ fallen in graveyards halfway around the world on ANZAC Day every April 25.

Erdogan mosque attack comments: New Zealand foreign minister to travel to Turkey, 'confront' him

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn a sharp rebuke from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealanders-begin-to-give-up-guns-after-mosque-attacks-204219">New Zealand</a> for using controversial video shot by the Christchurch mosque gunman as an election campaign prop.

Erdogan, campaigning for local elections this month, has presented the attack as part of an assault on Turkey and Islam more broadly and projected the video of the killings at his rallies over the weekend.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters protested on Monday that such politicisation of the massacre "imperils the future and safety of the New Zealand people and our people abroad, and it's totally unfair".

Peters announced on Tuesday that he would be travelling to Turkey this week at Istanbul's request to attend a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Three Turkish nationals were wounded in the rampage, that killed 50 worshippers at two mosques in the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday.

The accused gunman, a self-avowed white supremacist from Australia, livestreamed video of much of the attack and spread a 72-page manifesto on social media claiming it was a strike against Muslim "invaders".

The manifesto references Turkey and the minarets of Istanbul's famed Hagia Sophia, now a museum, that was once a church before becoming a mosque during the Ottoman empire. 
New Zealand authorities moved quickly to try and stop the spread of the shooter's video, warning that anyone sharing the footage faced prosecution, and Facebook removed the images from hundreds of thousands of its pages.

But at weekend campaign events, Erdogan projected the video and repeatedly referenced the attack, which he portrayed as a sign of rising Islamophobia that the West has ignored.

"This is not an isolated event, it is something more organised," he said during a campaign event on Monday in Canakkale in western Turkey.

"They are testing us with the message they are sending us from New Zealand, 16,500 km (10,250 miles) from here." Erdogan did not project the video at the Monday event.

Peters said he had complained directly to visiting Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"We made it very clear that we oppose terrorism in whatever shape and form it might be and that we are for a free and open society," Peters said he told the Turkish officials.

"We had a long dialogue on the need for any other country, or Turkey for that matter, to ensure that our country, New Zealand, was not misrepresented," he told a press conference.

"We did not start or bring about this disaster and they clearly understood that," he said. 
Speaking Tuesday of the upcoming OIC meeting in Istanbul, Peters said: "This important event will allow New Zealand to join with our partners in standing against terrorism and speaking up for values such as understanding and religious tolerance."

"We are very clear that the terrorist attack in Christchurch, committed by a person who is not a New Zealander, is utterly contrary to our core beliefs," he said.&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn a sharp rebuke from New Zealand for using controversial video shot by the Christchurch mosque gunman as an election campaign prop.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn a sharp rebuke from New Zealand for using controversial video shot by the Christchurch mosque gunman as an election campaign prop. Erdogan, campaigning for local elections this month, has presented the attack as part of an assault on Turkey and Islam more broadly and projected the video of the killings at his rallies over the weekend. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters protested on Monday that such politicisation of the massacre "imperils the future and safety of the New Zealand people and our people abroad, and it's totally unfair". Peters announced on Tuesday that he would be travelling to Turkey this week at Istanbul's request to attend a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Three Turkish nationals were wounded in the rampage, that killed 50 worshippers at two mosques in the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday. The accused gunman, a self-avowed white supremacist from Australia, livestreamed video of much of the attack and spread a 72-page manifesto on social media claiming it was a strike against Muslim "invaders". The manifesto references Turkey and the minarets of Istanbul's famed Hagia Sophia, now a museum, that was once a church before becoming a mosque during the Ottoman empire. New Zealand authorities moved quickly to try and stop the spread of the shooter's video, warning that anyone sharing the footage faced prosecution, and Facebook removed the images from hundreds of thousands of its pages. But at weekend campaign events, Erdogan projected the video and repeatedly referenced the attack, which he portrayed as a sign of rising Islamophobia that the West has ignored. "This is not an isolated event, it is something more organised," he said during a campaign event on Monday in Canakkale in western Turkey. "They are testing us with the message they are sending us from New Zealand, 16,500 km (10,250 miles) from here." Erdogan did not project the video at the Monday event. Peters said he had complained directly to visiting Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. "We made it very clear that we oppose terrorism in whatever shape and form it might be and that we are for a free and open society," Peters said he told the Turkish officials. "We had a long dialogue on the need for any other country, or Turkey for that matter, to ensure that our country, New Zealand, was not misrepresented," he told a press conference. "We did not start or bring about this disaster and they clearly understood that," he said. Speaking Tuesday of the upcoming OIC meeting in Istanbul, Peters said: "This important event will allow New Zealand to join with our partners in standing against terrorism and speaking up for values such as understanding and religious tolerance." "We are very clear that the terrorist attack in Christchurch, committed by a person who is not a New Zealander, is utterly contrary to our core beliefs," he said.

Erdogan uses mosque shooter video in campaign, New Zealand says 'totally unfair'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-has-suspended-oil-exports-to-india-russia-and-china-main-destinations-azerbaijan-energy-ministry-204333">Venezuela has suspended oil exports to India, Russia and China main destinations: Azerbaijan energy ministry</a>

Venezuela has suspended its oil exports to India and views Russia and China as its main export destinations, Azerbaijan's energy ministry said on Tuesday, citing Venezuela's oil minister.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-building-in-brussels-evacuated-over-bomb-threat-204327">European Union building in Brussels evacuated over bomb threat</a>

Police today evacuated the European Union (EU) building in Brussels over a phone call threatening to blow up the building, reports said.

At least forty people have been evacuated at the EU headquarters, reports added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-building-in-brussels-evacuated-over-bomb-threat-204327">Gathering all details of Utrecht attack: Turkey President Erdogan</a>

Turkish intelligence services are investigating the gun attack in the Netherlands to determine whether it was a terror attack or a possible family dispute, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reincarnation-of-the-dalai-lama-should-follow-national-rules-china-204287">Video: Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should follow national rules, says China</a>

China Tuesday rejected the Dalai Lama's assertions that his successor could be from India and a nominee by Beijing would not be respected, saying the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has to be approved by the Communist government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-man-performs-emotional-haka-dance-to-pay-tribute-to-new-zealand-mosque-shooting-victims-204322">Watch: Man performs emotional 'haka dance' to pay tribute to New Zealand mosque shooting victims</a>

New Zealanders have shown a unique way of mourning and paying respects to those killed in horrifying gun attacks on two Christchurch mosques. In the shooting, over 50 people lost their lived on March 15.&nbsp;

Venezuela has suspended oil exports to India, Russia and China main destinations: Azerbaijan energy ministry Venezuela has suspended its oil exports to India and views Russia and China as its main export destinations, Azerbaijan's energy ministry said on Tuesday, citing Venezuela's oil minister.

Venezuela has suspended oil exports to India, Russia and China main destinations: Azerbaijan energy ministry Venezuela has suspended its oil exports to India and views Russia and China as its main export destinations, Azerbaijan's energy ministry said on Tuesday, citing Venezuela's oil minister. European Union building in Brussels evacuated over bomb threat Police today evacuated the European Union (EU) building in Brussels over a phone call threatening to blow up the building, reports said. At least forty people have been evacuated at the EU headquarters, reports added. Gathering all details of Utrecht attack: Turkey President Erdogan Turkish intelligence services are investigating the gun attack in the Netherlands to determine whether it was a terror attack or a possible family dispute, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. Video: Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should follow national rules, says China China Tuesday rejected the Dalai Lama's assertions that his successor could be from India and a nominee by Beijing would not be respected, saying the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has to be approved by the Communist government. Watch: Man performs emotional 'haka dance' to pay tribute to New Zealand mosque shooting victims New Zealanders have shown a unique way of mourning and paying respects to those killed in horrifying gun attacks on two Christchurch mosques. In the shooting, over 50 people lost their lived on March 15.

Turkish intelligence services are investigating the gun attack in the Netherlands to determine whether it was a terror attack or a possible family dispute, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

Dutch police arrested a Turkish-born suspect over the attack on a tram<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-release-picture-of-man-linked-to-utrecht-shooting-204132"> in the city of Utrecht that left three people</a> dead and five wounded earlier in the day.

Dutch authorities said they were investigating a likely terrorist motive but "cannot exclude" other motives, including a family dispute.

"Our intelligence services are investigating all of this, our intelligence chief told me that he was going to gather all details and would come back to me," Erdogan told Turkish TV channel Ulke TV.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fuSCx_a92QI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

"Some say that it is a family dispute, others say it is a terrorist act," he said.

Police said the accused was arrested during a raid on The Old Town in Utrecht. "We have just been informed that the suspect has been arrested," Utrecht police chief Rob van Bree said.

The head of the Dutch national counter-terrorism service, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, confirmed "the arrest of the main suspect for the shooting".

 
The police had earlier released a picture of a &nbsp;Turkish-born suspect Gokmen Tanis, 37, as the person responsible for the firing incident at 24 Oktoberplein, a busy junction underneath a highway bridge.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said a terror attack "could not be excluded", while adding that the Netherlands would "never give way to intolerance".

Turkish intelligence services are investigating the gun attack in the Netherlands to determine whether it was a terror attack or a possible family dispute, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

Turkish intelligence services are investigating the gun attack in the Netherlands to determine whether it was a terror attack or a possible family dispute, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. Dutch police arrested a Turkish-born suspect over the attack on a tram in the city of Utrecht that left three people dead and five wounded earlier in the day. Dutch authorities said they were investigating a likely terrorist motive but "cannot exclude" other motives, including a family dispute. "Our intelligence services are investigating all of this, our intelligence chief told me that he was going to gather all details and would come back to me," Erdogan told Turkish TV channel Ulke TV. "Some say that it is a family dispute, others say it is a terrorist act," he said. Police said the accused was arrested during a raid on The Old Town in Utrecht. "We have just been informed that the suspect has been arrested," Utrecht police chief Rob van Bree said. The head of the Dutch national counter-terrorism service, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, confirmed "the arrest of the main suspect for the shooting". The police had earlier released a picture of a Turkish-born suspect Gokmen Tanis, 37, as the person responsible for the firing incident at 24 Oktoberplein, a busy junction underneath a highway bridge. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said a terror attack "could not be excluded", while adding that the Netherlands would "never give way to intolerance".

Gathering all details of Utrecht attack: Turkey President Erdogan

Angela Merkel's chief of staff on Monday joined the growing chorus of criticism of Arsenal's German midfielder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Mesut+Ozil">Mesut Ozil</a> for reportedly inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his wedding this summer as his witness.

The 30-year-old Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last May when he was photographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous World Cup campaign.

After 92 appearances for Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory, Ozil suddenly quit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials of racism.

On Sunday, Germany's top-selling tabloid Bild reported that Ozil, 30, and his model fiancee Amine Gulse, 25, a former Miss Turkey, personally presented Erdogan in Istanbul with an invitation to their wedding this summer, asking the Turkish leader to appear as the footballer's witness.

The invite immediately drew sharp criticism in Germany, whose government has been sharply at odds with Ankara over a range of human rights questions in recent years.

Helge Braun, a CDU politician and chief of staff to German Chancellor Merkel, told Bild it "makes one sad" that Ozil would make a such a move despite having already been sharply criticised by the German public over his first meeting with Erdogan.&nbsp;

"The fact that this has continued will have disappointed a lot of football fans - me too!" said Braun.

The politician accepted Ozil's was "a private decison" which one must respect, but appealed to the footballer as a role model, especially for young Turks in Germany.

"Footballers are symbolic figures in our society, with whom people identify with much more than ministers," added Braun.

"And so the question is raised: how much does someone wearing the German national jersey stand for Germany?"

'It's a pity'

Braun's comments come after German politician Cem Ozdemir, whose parents are Turkish, said on Sunday that he found it "inappropriate" for Ozil to invite the Turkish leader.

Ozil -- one of the world's most popular footballers on social media with 31 million followers on his official Facebook account, 19.1 million on Instagram account and 23.9 million on Twitter -- has an obligation as a role model, added Ozdemir.

Another lawmaker, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, was equally unimpressed by his invitation to Erdogan.

"The wedding is the private matter of Mesut Ozil, but he is a world star, who people look up to, so of course it's a pity from a political point of view," Lambsdorff told newspaper Welt.

Ozil has dated Gulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018.

The Arsenal midfielder, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he was pictured alongside Erdogan last May.

Criticism intensified after the red-faced defending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia.

In the wake of the World Cup fiasco, Ozil announced his resignation from the national squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose".

Angela Merkel's chief of staff on Monday joined the growing chorus of criticism of Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil for reportedly inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his wedding this summer as his witness.

Angela Merkel's chief of staff on Monday joined the growing chorus of criticism of Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil for reportedly inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his wedding this summer as his witness. The 30-year-old Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last May when he was photographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous World Cup campaign. After 92 appearances for Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory, Ozil suddenly quit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials of racism. On Sunday, Germany's top-selling tabloid Bild reported that Ozil, 30, and his model fiancee Amine Gulse, 25, a former Miss Turkey, personally presented Erdogan in Istanbul with an invitation to their wedding this summer, asking the Turkish leader to appear as the footballer's witness. The invite immediately drew sharp criticism in Germany, whose government has been sharply at odds with Ankara over a range of human rights questions in recent years. Helge Braun, a CDU politician and chief of staff to German Chancellor Merkel, told Bild it "makes one sad" that Ozil would make a such a move despite having already been sharply criticised by the German public over his first meeting with Erdogan. "The fact that this has continued will have disappointed a lot of football fans - me too!" said Braun. The politician accepted Ozil's was "a private decison" which one must respect, but appealed to the footballer as a role model, especially for young Turks in Germany. "Footballers are symbolic figures in our society, with whom people identify with much more than ministers," added Braun. "And so the question is raised: how much does someone wearing the German national jersey stand for Germany?" 'It's a pity' Braun's comments come after German politician Cem Ozdemir, whose parents are Turkish, said on Sunday that he found it "inappropriate" for Ozil to invite the Turkish leader. Ozil -- one of the world's most popular footballers on social media with 31 million followers on his official Facebook account, 19.1 million on Instagram account and 23.9 million on Twitter -- has an obligation as a role model, added Ozdemir. Another lawmaker, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, was equally unimpressed by his invitation to Erdogan. "The wedding is the private matter of Mesut Ozil, but he is a world star, who people look up to, so of course it's a pity from a political point of view," Lambsdorff told newspaper Welt. Ozil has dated Gulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018. The Arsenal midfielder, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he was pictured alongside Erdogan last May. Criticism intensified after the red-faced defending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia. In the wake of the World Cup fiasco, Ozil announced his resignation from the national squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose".

Angela Merkel's chief of staff 'disappointed' with Mesut Ozil's wedding invite to Erdogan

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed.

NATO member Turkey has repeatedly said it is committed to buying the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system.

US officials had set an informal deadline of February 15 for Ankara to respond to the rival US offer and have said that if Turkey proceeds with the S-400 purchase, Washington will withdraw its offer to sell a $3.5 billion Raytheon Co-Patriot missile package.

They have also said it would jeopardize Turkey's purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in the United States imposing sanctions.

However, speaking to reporters on the flight back from the Russian resort of Sochi, where a three-way summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia and Iran was held, Erdogan said Ankara would press on with the S-400 purchases.

"We made the S-400 deal with Russia, so it out of the question for us to turn back. That's done," Erdogan said, according to broadcaster NTV.

He said Turkey was open to purchasing Patriot systems from the United States as long as the deal served Turkey's interests but added there were issues on delivery and production that were still being discussed with Washington.

"The US administration views the early delivery issue positively, but they won't say anything about joint production or a credit. We continue our work based on the promise of the S-400 deliveries in July."

The formal US offer for Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems expires at the end of March, US officials have told Reuters, after which a new offer would have to be submitted.

The United States asked Turkey to give at least an informal answer on whether it would go ahead with its S-400 purchase by February 15, one US official said.

It was not immediately clear whether Turkey had responded to the US offer.

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed.

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed. NATO member Turkey has repeatedly said it is committed to buying the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system. US officials had set an informal deadline of February 15 for Ankara to respond to the rival US offer and have said that if Turkey proceeds with the S-400 purchase, Washington will withdraw its offer to sell a $3.5 billion Raytheon Co-Patriot missile package. They have also said it would jeopardize Turkey's purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in the United States imposing sanctions. However, speaking to reporters on the flight back from the Russian resort of Sochi, where a three-way summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia and Iran was held, Erdogan said Ankara would press on with the S-400 purchases. "We made the S-400 deal with Russia, so it out of the question for us to turn back. That's done," Erdogan said, according to broadcaster NTV. He said Turkey was open to purchasing Patriot systems from the United States as long as the deal served Turkey's interests but added there were issues on delivery and production that were still being discussed with Washington. "The US administration views the early delivery issue positively, but they won't say anything about joint production or a credit. We continue our work based on the promise of the S-400 deliveries in July." The formal US offer for Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems expires at the end of March, US officials have told Reuters, after which a new offer would have to be submitted. The United States asked Turkey to give at least an informal answer on whether it would go ahead with its S-400 purchase by February 15, one US official said. It was not immediately clear whether Turkey had responded to the US offer.

Turkey's Erdogan says no going back from S-400 deal with Russia: Source

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said.

Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies.

Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP.

"We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added.

The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty.&nbsp;

They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement.

Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police.

Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement.

"Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country".

There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown.

Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector.

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said. Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said. Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies. Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP. "We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added. The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty. They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement. Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police. Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement. "Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country". There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown. Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector. Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkey detains more than 700 over alleged links to coup bid

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