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World elections
Turkey’s election shows why Trump could win in 2024
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s victory disproves the election slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid”. God, tradition, values, identity, culture and resentments also move voters.
- by Bret Stephens
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World elections
‘The most unfair election in years’: Turkey divided as Erdogan extends his rule
The result extends Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade after he saw off his toughest political challenge yet.
- by Can Sezer
Odd pair: Russia’s foe Zelensky and friend Assad appear at Arab summit
Democracies, which view Assad as a pariah over his forces’ gas attacks against civilians during the 12-year civil war, have criticised his return to the Arab fold
- by Bassem Mroue
‘Kosher electricity’ coming to power up the Sabbath
Many ultra-Orthodox families go dark from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. A few rely on solar panels to stay connected without breaking the rules.
- by Steve Hendrix
Once a pariah, Bashar al-Assad now welcomed back in Arab fold
Syria had been suspended from the Arab League since the president reacted to nationwide protests in 2011 with a crackdown that turned into a 12-year civil war.
- by Aidan Lewis and Sarah El Safty
Right-wing Israelis come out in force to support plan to overhaul courts
They say the changes are necessary to give more power to voters and their elected representatives and to curb the authority of an unelected judiciary.
- by Isabel Kershner
Syria furious at EU claims Assad family involved in drug trafficking
The EU has imposed sanctions on several Syrians, including members of Assad’s family, blaming them for the production and trafficking of narcotics.
US chopper raid in Syria kills IS boss who planned ‘attacks in Europe’
US Central Command said the raid was launched after intelligence uncovered a plan by IS to “kidnap officials abroad as leverage for [IS] initiatives”.
Iran resorts to new tactics to enforce mandatory hijab for women
After installing cameras on highways to catch those breaking the law, Iranian authorities plan to prosecute people who encourage women to remove their headscarves.
- by Miriam Berger
‘We will save our country’: Erdogan launches re-election campaign
The Turkish president’s aggressive interest rate cuts sent inflation to a 24-year peak above 85 per cent in October. It’s currently at 50.5 per cent.
- by Ece Toksabay and Ebru Tuncay
‘We’re here to stay’: Defiant settlers, hardline ministers march to West Bank outpost
The march to Eviatar, an unauthorised outpost evacuated by the previous Israeli government in 2021, was led by ultranationalist Jewish settlers, among them cabinet ministers.
- by Ilan Ben Zion