The personal and political triumph of Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who was re-elected as Turkey’s president on Sunday for an unprecedented third term – was a deeply emotional moment for tens of millions of his compatriots. This vote was a nail-biter, with Mr Erdogan beating his rival in a second round by only a few percentage points. Many Turks will have been relieved by Mr Erdogan’s victory but millions of others supporting his opponent will be profoundly disappointed.
For Turkey’s neighbours in the Middle East and Europe, and its allies and trading partners further afield, the prevailing sentiment is likely to be of support for stability and growth in the country. Few countries are so consequential to so many others in so many ways, and Mr Erdogan has come to define what Turkey represents on the world stage for an entire generation. After an indisputable endorsement from his people of both of his idea of Turkey and of its place in the world, Mr Erdogan undoubtedly feels vindicated.
Seven years ago, things were very different. During an attempted military coup, rogue fighter jets locked on to Mr Erdogan’s plane as the Turkish leader flew to Istanbul during a night of chaos that threatened to end in widespread conflict. Fast-forward to 2023 and Mr Erdogan’s place as Turkey’s undisputed leader seems assured.
This political longevity is no easy feat, and is born of Mr Erdogan’s considerable acumen. By the end of this five-year term, he will have led the country for a quarter of a century but the former Istanbul mayor and prime minister shows no sign of complacency. To sustain the unwavering support of millions of Turks for so long also reveals Mr Erdogan’s genuine connection with huge sections of the country’s working-class, nationalists and religious conservatives.
In this region, Mr Erdogan remains a familiar quantity. Many in the Gulf will be looking forward to working again with a Turkish leader who has proved his commitment to partnership with the Arab world. One of their main concerns will be the situation of the estimated four million Syrians living in Turkey, having fled the ruinous war in their homeland.
Under Mr Erdogan, Turkey has become the world’s biggest host of refugees. During the election campaign, the Justice and Development (AK) Party leader made it clear that his government would continue to protect those under their care, while some in the opposing side chose to stigmatise refugees. Arguably, Mr Erdogan’s renewed presidency will provide some stability for those who have found a measure of sanctuary in Turkey.
That stability was undermined, however, by the cataclysmic earthquakes in February that cost tens of thousands of Turkish and Syrian lives. The years required to rebuild from such a calamity will be a major challenge for Mr Erdogan and his party.
Other challenges await: military entanglements in northern Syria and Iraq; historic tensions with Greece; disagreements with Nato and a cool relationship with the EU.
There are also other serious issues to deal with at home, such as galloping inflation and a devaluing currency. Furthermore, Turkey’s opposition, whose candidate – Kemal Kilicdaroglu – won almost 48 per cent of the vote in the presidential run-off, still represent millions of Turks who do not share Mr Erdogan’s vision. Their opinions need to be taken into account if the country is to move forward in the spirit of unity that Mr Erdogan spoke of during a victory speech in Ankara.
The election result is an important one because Turkey is an independent diplomatic and military force that cannot be discounted. One example of its influence was Ankara’s role in helping secure the Ukraine grain deal that allowed food prices to stabilise after supplies were threatened by the war raging on the other side of the Black Sea.
Mr Erdogan returns to the helm with a fresh mandate. Once the dust of the election campaign settles, the region and the wider world will see what the country’s next steps are. One thing is for certain, Turkey will be central to regional developments for some time to come.
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Wonka
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Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
More on Quran memorisation:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
more from Janine di Giovanni
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
