Turkey's election campaign is in full swing but rumours persist about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ill health. Reuters
Turkey's election campaign is in full swing but rumours persist about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ill health. Reuters
Turkey's election campaign is in full swing but rumours persist about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ill health. Reuters
Turkey's election campaign is in full swing but rumours persist about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ill health. Reuters

Turkey’s Erdogan cancels video meeting due to illness


Holly Johnston
  • English
  • Arabic

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponed a video appearance on Thursday, only days after falling ill during a live TV interview.

Mr Erdogan was set to appear at an event to showcase a new nuclear plant at 1.30pm local time, now postponed until 4pm. His office confirmed the delay but gave no further details.

The President has been out of public view since bowing out of a live TV interview on Tuesday night, during which he fell ill.

The incident has reignited rumours of ill health as Mr Erdogan battles a tight election race scheduled for next month.

On Wednesday, he cancelled election rallies on the advice of his doctors.

His TV appearance on Tuesday began 90 minutes behind schedule and lasted only 10 minutes before the broadcast cut to a commercial break.

The 69-year-old looked to be waning during the interview before cutting it short mid-question.

The camera shook and the screen turned blank as the broadcast stopped.

A voice could be heard saying "oh wow" in the background, while someone repeatedly coughed.

Mr Erdogan returned about 15 minutes later and apologised, saying he had developed stomach flu while travelling for campaign rallies.

He was expected to use the nuclear power plant ceremony to bolster support among voters who back the Turkish leader’s “strongman” image and close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rumours about Mr Erdogan's health have been circulating since he underwent two gastrointestinal operations in 2011 and 2012 and the speculation could undermine his image amid a tightly contested battle for the presidency.

The surgery went well on each occasion but left him with a slight slump in his gait that appears to have fed some of the social media rumours.

Health Minister Derya Yanik told Turkish television on Thursday that Mr Erdogan was on the mend.

"There is nothing to worry about, he is well," she said. "He will resume his intense programme tomorrow, I think."

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

 

 

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Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

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Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking

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Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

Updated: April 27, 2023, 1:39 PM`