When a retaining wall collapsed as a result of a landslide in 29 Ekim District of Izmir’s Menemen district, 2 6-storey buildings and 6 parked vehicles were damaged. Luckily, no one was killed or injured. AFAD, fire brigade and municipality teams came to the region upon notice and started work. Following the incident, two buildings whose ground floor collapsed and a surrounding apartment building were evacuated as a precaution. A total of 151 people in 3 buildings were taken to the social facilities of Menemen Municipality. Gözde Aktaş, one of the residents of the building whose house was damaged, said that they were woken up by a loud noise around 04:00, and that they were able to go out through their neighbors’ window because the entrance of the building collapsed.

Stating that they experienced great fear, Aktaş added that they filed a lawsuit against the company that built the retaining wall in 2022. Merve Demirdaş, whose car and house were damaged after the retaining wall collapsed, stated that she heard a sound like an explosion around 04.00-05.00 in the morning, and then heard her neighbors say “everyone get out”. Explaining that he wanted to go out but saw that the stairs of the apartment building had collapsed, Demirdaş said, “When I saw him, I went downstairs again. Together with my dog, we went from the negative floors to the garden of the next apartment building with our neighbors. From there, we went out through another apartment.” Demirdaş added that his parked car was stuck under the wall and his house was also damaged.

The 214-page indictment prepared within the scope of the bribery and corruption investigation against CHP’s Nilüfer Municipality in Bursa was accepted by the Bursa 19th High Criminal Court. In the case, 21 defendants, 15 of whom are detained, including the then Mayor Turgay Erdem, are on trial.

1 HOUR RECORDING ON FILE

In the indictment, Erdem was listed as the “organization leader”, while former Director of Zoning and Urbanization Ayşegül Erkol and Proanaliz Building Control official Tamer İşler were listed as the “organization manager”.

Accusations of “Establishing and Managing an Organization for the Purpose of Committing a Crime, Bribery and Laundering of Criminal Assets” were made. In the file, it was stated that bribes were received from contractors through Erkol and İşler, and more than 5 million dollars and TL were seized from İşler’s house. Expert examination of the 1-hour audio recording sent via WhatsApp on September 17, 2024, containing statements regarding zoning permits, is ongoing. In the recording sent by Zoning and Urbanization Director Ayşegül Erkol to Proanaliz Building Inspection officer Tamer İşler, the words “Those files will explode in your hands” draw attention. He went on to say that Turgay Erdem tried to sign the zoning licenses until 2021, that after the inspector process, the signing authority was exercised by the directorate, and that some files that were not suitable for the project were also signed. It was stated that the entire audio recording was under expert examination.

After a father applied to the Ombudsman Institution and complained that his university student son “could not fulfill his religious duties due to classes being postponed during Friday prayer time”, the situation was forwarded to YÖK. After the Ombudsman Institution reported the issue to YÖK; YÖK sent a circular to universities, asking them to plan academic activities in a way that will not disrupt the prayers to be performed during Friday prayer hours and to take the necessary precautions. In its circular, YÖK reminded that similar warnings had been made to universities in the past, and pointed out that it was necessary to protect the freedom of religion and conscience, guaranteed in Article 24 of the Constitution, and the right to education and training, regulated in Article 42, together and in a balanced manner.

FRIENDLY SOLUTION DECISION

YÖK gave feedback to KDK regarding the circular it published and the transactions carried out. The Ombudsman Institution decided on an amicable solution because the YÖK Presidency had established procedures that provide the necessary guarantees for the protection of religious rights and freedoms. ANKARA

TÜGVA High Advisory Board Member Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan opened the TÜGVA Afyonkarahisar Provincial Representation. Stating that they visited more than 70 provinces for TÜGVA openings, Erdoğan said: “Actually, our general tempo is like this. The number of boards and non-governmental organizations we are responsible for requires this. So, if we were only working in a non-governmental organization, we would have a weekly meeting. You would spend a day there. Apart from that, you would do your job. But fortunately, since I work in many educational institutions and non-governmental organizations and try to do this by being physically present and involved in the work, this requires a serious burden and hustle and bustle.” “We do this with pleasure. Politicians will run for their politics, and we will run for civil society. I hope we will continue this.”

UNTIL JERUSALEM IS FREE

Erdoğan: “In which of your projects did you experience the greatest explosion of youthful energy in the age?” In response to the question, he said, “The Palestine meetings we held three times on January 1. What do you say about meeting on the mornings of January 1 every year from now on until Jerusalem is free? I hope we will continue that.” After the question-answer session, some students were rewarded with gifts such as Umrah, bicycles and tablets. After the program, a gift was presented to Erdoğan.

MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli gave important messages in his speech at the Türkiye Alparslan Türkeş Political Academy Foundation (TATSAV) yesterday:

The goals of “Terror-Free Türkiye” and “Terror-Free, Stable Region” are an attempt to directly protect the fate of the Turkish nation. Whoever wants to prevent these goals is intentional. Those who aim to disrupt the goals of “Terror-Free Türkiye” and “Terror-Free Region” are the enemies of Türkiye and the Turkish nation or their collaborators. These are the types who are assigned to discredit works that are beneficial for the country, nation and even humanity, erode social trust and weaken the state capacity.

However, in the face of the progress made as a result of the obstacles overcome one by one on the path to a terror-free Turkey, those who squinted at Terror-free Türkiye, those who wringed their hands to sabotage national unity, and those who were puppets for Israel were all suddenly exposed.

Although vulnerabilities continue, Syria has now reached the stage of being completely cleared of terrorism. The latest developments in Syria constitute a critical threshold for Türkiye’s national peace and security, the goal of a “Terror-free Türkiye” and the establishment of regional stability.

In this context, the construction of a “one Syria” that is inclusive, prioritizes social reconciliation and is free from terrorist organizations stands out as a strategic necessity that will directly serve these goals.

While there are positive developments in Syria, the world is uneasy and our region, especially Iran, is prone to new conflicts. The global system has been going through a process of instability characterized by simultaneous and multi-layered crises in recent years.

Despite the ceasefire declared in Gaza, the serious inadequacies experienced by the civilian population in their access to nutrition, shelter and basic humanitarian needs show that the structural nature of the humanitarian crisis continues. Global justice is on the rise, and the cries of the oppressed are heard from every geography.

Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye puts forward all humanitarian and diplomatic efforts in good faith to prevent the emergence of a new climate of conflict. In this respect, Türkiye has become one of the important centers of diplomacy. Our wish is for reason, reason and common sense to prevail and for peace and tranquility to be established in our region.

Türkiye AT THE POLE CAP IN 2071

We are building the Turkey of the future. Hopefully, we will realize our ideal of world and space domination in 2071. With its economy, security, immigration and social policies; With the Turkish generation strategy and a Türkiye-centered understanding of civilization, we are trying to establish the peace that humanity needs most, both internally and externally. As Türkiye stands out like a polar head, it will become a decisive actor in the global system.

First Lady Erdoğan spoke at the opening ceremony held at Üsküdar Mihrimah Sultan Anatolian Imam Hatip High School for Girls within the scope of the “22 Libraries for 22 Schools” project of the Social Development Education and Social Assistance Association (TOGEMDER), of which she is the Honorary President:

Our association has provided education scholarships to thousands of students and made great contributions to their lives. I congratulate our association and those who contributed to the admirable work done to ensure that children have better opportunities and are satisfied with knowledge and wisdom.

Libraries are the heart, soul and lifeblood of schools. In schools with libraries full of quality books, learning ceases to depend on a calendar and becomes continuous, like breathing. It turns into a lifelong reading and learning culture. We want our students to learn not only the information presented to them, but above all, how to learn. Because gaining the ability to educate yourself on a subject is a freedom in itself. Every student who establishes a close relationship with the library acquires this equipment. In this way, individuals grow up to be original, productive and critical thinking skills, able to interpret life and contribute to society.

School libraries are also vital in ensuring equality of opportunity and social justice. Because the doors of libraries are open to everyone who wants to learn. School libraries are a friendly door for students to knock on frequently. Activities such as workshops, interviews, and author meetings make libraries a center of attraction.

The books in the library will plant seeds in the minds of thousands of students. We will reap the fruits of these seeds as a society whose quality increases with each generation. These social investments, which are, in a sense, charity, are perfect ways to fulfill one’s responsibility towards the homeland and the nation. Today, there are bright students of our school among us. I’m sure they are very excited to have a library equipped with such beautiful facilities.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS

Addressing the students, Erdoğan said, “I ask you not to leave your library empty. First of all, for your own well-being, please read a lot. Each of you should be a volunteer library ambassador. Do not say ‘I read books in my spare time’. I hope you say ‘I have no free time for reading books’.”