Turkey's Erdogan appoints legal team to draft new constitution, sparking fears of extended rule
Erdogan , who has led Turkey as president since 2014 and was prime minister for more than a decade before that, has advocated for a new constitution arguing that the current one, which was drafted following a military coup in 1980, is outdated and retains elements of military influence even though it was amended several times.
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Wall Street Journal
2 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Israel to Call Up 60,000 Reservists for Gaza City Invasion
TEL AVIV—The Israeli military will begin calling up around 60,000 reservists for duty as it proceeds with plans to take over Gaza City, a Hamas stronghold where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are believed to be sheltering, an Israeli military official said Wednesday. The decision comes as an overwhelming majority of Israelis want the government to strike a deal to end the war in exchange for the remaining hostages held by Hamas. Israel's largely reservist army is also exhausted after nearly two years of fighting.
Associated Press
3 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Israel approves settlement project that could divide West Bank
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel gave final approval for a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that would effectively cut the territory in two, and that Palestinians and rights groups say could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state. Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to U.S. pressure during previous administrations. On Wednesday, the project received final approval from the Planning and Building Committee after the last petitions against it were rejected on Aug. 6. If the process moves quickly, infrastructure work could begin in the next few months and construction of homes could start in around a year. The plan includes around 3,500 apartments to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said during a press conference at the site last Thursday. Smotrich cast the approval as a riposte to western countries that announced their plans to recognize a Palestinian state in recent weeks. 'This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognize and no one to recognize,' Smotrich told reporters. 'Anyone in the world who tries today to recognize a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground.' The location of E1 is significant because it is one of the last geographical links between Ramallah, in the northern West Bank, and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank. The two cities are 22 kilometers (14 miles) apart by air, but Palestinians traveling between them must take a wide detour and pass through multiple Israeli checkpoints, adding hours to the journey. The hope for final status negotiations for a Palestinian state was to have the region eventually serve as a direct link between the cities. Peace Now, an organization that tracks settlement expansion in the West Bank, called the E1 project 'deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution' which is 'guaranteeing many more years of bloodshed.' Israel's plans to expand settlements are part of an increasingly difficult reality for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank as the world's attention focuses on the war in Gaza. There have been marked increases in attacks by settlers on Palestinians, evictions from Palestinian towns, and checkpoints that choke freedom of movement, as well as several Palestinian attacks on Israelis. More than 700,000 Israelis now live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by the Palestinians for a future state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel's government is dominated by religious and ultranationalist politicians with close ties to the settlement movement. Smotrich, previously a firebrand settler leader and now finance minister, has been granted Cabinet-level authority over settlement policies and vowed to double the settler population in the West Bank. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and claims it as part of its capital, which is not internationally recognized. It says the West Bank is disputed territory whose fate should be determined through negotiations. Israel withdrew from 21 settlements Gaza in 2005.
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
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Gardner Preliminary Election Guide: What you need to know, from deadlines to early voting
Before Gardner residents vote for the next mayor in November, voters will have to cast a ballot at the preliminary election on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The preliminary election will determine which two candidates will move on to the general city election ballot for mayor on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Voters will also elect five city councilors for wards 1-5, six city councilors at large, and three school committee members during this year's general city election. All candidates running for the city councilor and school committee positions are uncontested, which means no preliminary election is required. All candidates are current city officials seeking re-election. Here's what to know about the upcoming preliminary election next month and the general election in November, as well as deadlines and where to register to vote. What's a preliminary election? If there are more than two candidates for a position, a preliminary election will be held automatically in September. The two candidates with the highest total votes will be placed on the general city election ballot in November. A primary election is held for political parties to decide who will run for their party if there is more than one candidate running for office. This year, three candidates running for mayor will be on the preliminary election ballot on Sept. 16: Kimberly Blake, Ann Debarros, and Michael Nicholson. When is the deadline to register to vote Residents who haven't registered to vote must do so by the registration deadline before they can cast a ballot at either the preliminary or general mayoral election. The last day to register to vote for the preliminary election is Saturday, Sept. 6 by 5 p.m. If you don't plan to vote in the preliminary election but want to vote in the city's general election in November, you need to register by Saturday, Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. To check your voter registration status and register to vote, go to the Secretary of State's website. Residents can also register to vote at the City Clerk's Office during operating hours: Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. How do I vote early or through absentee or mail-in ballots? Mail-in and absentee ballots are available for both the preliminary election and the general city election. The last day to request a mail-in ballot for the preliminary election is Tuesday, Sept. 9 by 5 p.m. Mail-in ballot requests for the general city election in November are due Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. Gardner City Clerk Titi Siriphan said that the reason for not offering in-person early voting is that it has not been well-attended in the past, with more voters opting for mail-in voting. There is a key difference between an absentee ballot and a mail-in ballot. Siriphan said voters request an absentee ballot when they will not be in the city during the election. She said that mail-in ballots are intended for voters who aren't leaving the city but are unable to reach their polling location on election day. When are polls open for the preliminary election in Gardner? All polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. in Gardner. Anyone standing in line at 8 p.m. will be permitted to vote. What if I have specific questions about my voter registration status or polling location Siriphan said the Secretary of State's website is the place where residents can get their basic election day questions answered about voter registration, vote by mail, absentee ballots, and where to vote. Siriphan said on both election days, signs will be posted all over the city to guide voters to the polls. "Of course, people can always give the Clerk's Office a call if they can't find what they are looking for on the website," she said. "We also have city election information posted on our website, but people can always give us a call." Voters can call the City Clerk's Office at 978-630-4058 or email Siriphan at tsiriphan@ This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Election 2025: Gardner preliminary vote for mayor is Sept. 16 Solve the daily Crossword
