Erdogan extends 2-decade Turkey rule

ISTANBUL —Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed for national unity Monday after winning a historic runoff election that extended two decades of his transformative but divisive rule until 2028.

The 69-year-old overcame Turkey’s worst economic crisis in a generation and the most powerful opposition alliance to ever face his Islamic-rooted party on his way to his toughest election win.

Streets erupted in car-honking jubilation and tributes poured in from across the world as Turkey’s most important leader in modern history led a sea of supporters in celebratory song outside his presidential palace in Ankara.

“We should come together in unity and solidarity,” Erdogan told the chanting and flag-waving crowd.

“We call for this with all our heart.”

Near-complete results showed Erdogan beating secular opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu by four percentage points.

“I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges,” US President Joe Biden tweeted as Erdogan spoke.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said through a spokesman that he “looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between Turkiye and the United Nations”, using an alternate spelling for Turkey.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin said the outcome showed the support for Erdogan’s “efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy”.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted to keep working with Erdogan “for the security and stability of Europe”.

Leaders across Europe and the Arab world also sent their congratulations —as did former US president Donald Trump. Traffic on Istanbul’s iconic Taksim

Ukraine repels huge Russian air strikes

KYIV—Kyiv repelled another large volley of overnight air strikes, officials said Monday, as the Ukrainian capital was still picking up the pieces from the biggest drone attack to hit it since Russia’s invasion began.

Local air defenses managed to fend off more than 40 drones and cruise missiles, and there were no casualties, authorities said.

Kyiv had been mostly spared since the beginning of the year, but this month its residents have been forced to grapple with almost nightly air raid sirens and explosions.

The attack on the city overnight Saturday was the largest since the invasion in February last year, Ukraine said.

On Sunday night, Kyiv residents again faced threats from the sky.

“Only 18 hours have passed since the most massive UAV attack on Kyiv, and the enemy attacked the capital again,” the city’s military administration said.

“This is already the 15th air attack since the beginning of May!”

The administration said the attack used drones and cruise missiles.

It added that “more than 40 air targets were detected and destroyed by the forces and means of our air defense”.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said it was “another difficult night for the capital”, but added there was no damage and no casualties reported.

“Thanks to the professionalism of our defenders, as a result of the barbarians’ air attack on Kyiv, there was no damage or destruction of infrastructure and other objects or apartment buildings,” he said on Telegram. AFP

Square ground to a halt and huge crowds of singing and flag-waving supporters gathered across Turkey.

Longest-serving leader

“Our people chose the right man,” 17-year-old Nisa Sivaslioglu said in the Turkish capital.

“I expect Erdogan to add more to the good things he has already done for our country.”

Turkey’s longest-serving leader was tested like never before in what was widely seen as the country’s most consequential election in its 100-year history as a post-Ottoman republic. AFP

Nokor tells Japan of ‘satellite launch’

TOKYO—North Korea has informed Japan that is preparing to launch a satellite as early as this week, Tokyo announced Monday but warned it may actually be a sanctions-defying ballistic missile test.

North Korea informed Japan that it will launch a rocket between May 31 and June 11, identifying waters near the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and to the east of Luzon Island in the Philippines as warning areas, a Japanese coast guard spokesman told AFP.

Such zones are usually designated for falling debris or rocket stages.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told officials to gather intelligence “on North Korea’s notification about the launch of a ballistic missile that it describes as a satellite”, his office said in a tweet.

“Even if it’s described as a satellite, a launch using ballistic missile technology would be a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions” and would threaten people’s safety, Kishida told reporters.

In 2012 and 2016, Pyongyang tested ballistic missiles that it called satellite launches. Both flew over Japan’s southern Okinawa region.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this month inspected the country’s first military spy satellite as it was prepared for launch, and gave the green light for its “future action plan”.

In 2021, Kim had identified the development of such satellites as a key defence project for the North Korean military.

Because long-range rockets and space launchers share the same technology, analysts say developing the ability to put a satellite in orbit would provide Pyongyang with cover for testing banned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). AFP