Asia Stocks Set for Cautious Open Before Debt Vote: Markets Wrap
Asian equities were poised for a cautious open Tuesday as White House and Republican congressional leaders stepped up
2023-05-30 07:29
UK’s Labour Party Studies Land Reforms to Cut Cost of House-Building
The UK’s main opposition Labour Party is considering making it cheaper for councils to forcibly purchase land for
2023-05-30 06:52
Turkey’s Erdogan Meets Former Finance Minister in Cabinet Planning
Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Mehmet Simsek, a market-friendly former finance minister, in the capital Ankara on Monday
2023-05-30 02:59
Erdogan rants against ‘LGBT forces’ as Biden congratulates him on Turkey election win
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated his presidential run-off victory on Monday after an election that stretched his rule into a third decade, lashing out at “LGBT+ forces” in the country. In his victory speech in the Istanbul district of Uskudar three hours after the polls had closed, Mr Erdogan claimed to have achieved “a victory where nobody is left behind”. However, he went on to hit out at LGBT+ people and said the opposition was promoting gay rights, an appeal to his ultra-conservative religious base. “In our culture, family is sacred. No one can interfere. We will strangle anyone who dares to touch it,” he told supporters, according to a report by The Times. His victory had opened the door to the “century for Turkey”, he added. The election had been seen as Erdogan’s biggest political challenge for years, with opinion polls making opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu the favourite to unseat him. Yet Mr Erdogan was ahead by four percentage points in the first round, and prevailed in the run-off with 52.2 per cent of the vote to Mr Kilicdaroglu’s 47.8 per cent. Mr Kilicadaroglu said it was “the most unfair election in years” but did not dispute the outcome. He had promised to set Turkey on a more democratic and collaborative path during the election, yet also lurched towards the right with anti-immigrant rhetoric in the final stretch of the campaign. The victory extends Mr Erdogan’s tenure as the longest-serving leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk established modern Turkey following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire a century ago. Following Sunday night’s results, US president Joe Biden wrote on Twitter of Mr Erdogan: “I look forward to continuing to work together as Nato Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.” Mr Erdogan is set to speak with Mr Biden over the phone later on Monday, broadcaster NTV reported citing a presidential spokesperson. Relations between US and Turkey have suffered in recent months due to Mr Erdogan’s objections to Sweden joining Nato as well as Ankara’s relationship with Moscow. While Mr Erdogan now has the mandate to rule Turkey till 2028, he has to confront skyrocketing inflation that has fuelled a cost-of-living crisis. He also has to oversee rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in February. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Only Erdogan knows his plans for Turkey’s future. That is the problem Erdogan declared winner of Turkey presidential run-off – extending his 20 years in power Why Turkey’s presidential run-off matters for the world Turkey's Erdogan turns away reform-minded challenger to win another term What the papers say – May 29 Analysis: Only Erdogan knows his plans for Turkey’s future. That is the problem
2023-05-30 00:52
Erdogan Overcomes Economic Woes to Extend Record Turkey Rule
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sealed an election victory in a runoff vote, raising the prospect of more
2023-05-29 21:47
Russia Hits Ukraine Air Base, Kyiv Downs Ballistic Missiles
Russia hit an airbase in western Ukraine, damaging five aircraft and the runway, and targeted the nation’s capital
2023-05-29 20:53
Why Erdogan's victory matters for the West
Turkey's global strategic role has starkly increased following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
2023-05-29 19:18
Read Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner’s bombshell prison letters for the first time
Letters written by the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, in which he protests his innocence and tries to claim he had nothing to do with her disappearance, have been revealed for the first time. Christian Brueckner, who is in jail for rape, penned a series of letters from his prison cell, attempting to distance himself from the unsolved case of the then-three-year-old, who vanished while on a family holiday from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. “You can never imagine how it is when the whole world believes you are a child murderer, and you are not,” he wrote in the string of neatly written letters unveiled by MailOnline. One of Brueckner’s letters was sent days before police carried out a search last week at the remote Barragem do Arade reservoir, around 35 miles from where she disappeared. The search was a major new development in investigations and the first hunt in nine years. According to MailOnline, he goes on to say there is no evidence linking him to the case. “I got told a long time ago that the prosecuter’s office was closing the Maddie case because there is not even the smallest evidence. There will never be a trial,” he wrote. “The prosecutors are not saying anything to the public because they must give the files to my lawyers - and they contain many (sic) material which confirms my innocence.” In one of his letters, written from jail in Germany, he reportedly sketched a long, dark corridor of a prison wing and claimed police and prosecuters are “attempting to create a monster”. Brueckner then writes about the psychological toll of the case. “The torture I'm going through is the best evidence I can have,” he reportedly wrote. In his latest letter, he signed off saying: "I'm writing this without self-pity and my self-confidence and self-control was never at a higher level. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Chin up! Better days are coming." Brueckner, 45, is currently halfway through a prison sentence for raping a 72-year-old American woman in the Algarve in 2005, a few miles away from where Ms McCann was last seen alive in 2007, days before her fourth birthday. He is also facing prosecution for allegedly raping another three adult women in Portugal as well as for indecently exposing himself to two girls, aged 10 and 11. Read More Madeleine McCann – latest news: ‘Shrine’ found at Algarve reservoir launched police search British couple ‘found Madeleine McCann shrine’ at Portugal reservoir searched by police Christian Brueckner: Madeleine McCann suspect injured while in custody Madeleine McCann ‘shrine’ found at Algarve reservoir launched new search – latest What happened to Madeleine McCann? How much has the Madeleine McCann investigation cost?
2023-05-29 16:53
Spain Premier’s Local Election Loss Opens Door to Conservatives
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party suffered a massive defeat in Spain’s local elections, handing Conservatives a strong
2023-05-29 16:46
Swedish Household-Lending Growth Hits New Low as Rates Rise
Lending to Swedish households slowed for a twelfth consecutive month, as fewer homes trade hands at lower values,
2023-05-29 16:15
Bitcoin Jumps to More Than Two-Week High on Relief Over US Debt Ceiling
Bitcoin climbed to the highest level in more than two weeks amid a boost to investor sentiment from
2023-05-29 15:57
Gas Price Plunge Brings Relief to Europe After Energy Panic
European gas prices have plunged to the lowest since mid-2021, when Russia was just beginning to squeeze supplies
2023-05-29 15:54