The Turkish leader used a televised speech Friday to urge people to respect the decision.
The Hagia Sophia will open for Friday prayers on July 24, Erdogan said.
“Since its status as a museum is changed, we are canceling the entrance fees,” he said.
“Like all our mosques, its doors will be open to everyone – Muslim or non- Muslim. As the world’s common heritage, Hagia Sophia with its new status will keep on embracing everyone in a more sincere way.”
“We will be treating every opinion voiced on the international stage with respect. But the way Hagia Sophia’s will be used falls under Turkey’s sovereign rights. We deem every move that goes beyond voicing an opinion a violation of our sovereignty,” Erdogan said.
Russia and China have vetoed a last-ditch attempt by members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to extend approval - which expires on Friday - for humanitarian aid to be delivered across two border crossings into Syria from Turkey for the next six months.
The UN says millions of Syrian civilians in the mostly rebel-held northwest of the country depend on the humanitarian aid delivered from Turkey, describing it as a “lifeline”.
The remaining 13 council members voted in favour of the German-Belgian draft resolution on Friday. The UN authorisation, which allows the body to distribute aid to displaced Syrians without needing permission from Damascus, is due to expire later in the day.
I saw a thing a week or two back which showed that the ‘rebels’ with help from Turkey are attacking farms in Syria or just shooting at the farmers so crops cannot be looked after etc. It is causing a problem. There is a probability that the UK SAS are also there training the ‘rebels’/ISIS (a la Libya 2011) as one SAS soldier had to be airlifted out in March.
The White Helmets, I mean ISIS are trying to push that they are saints by posting videos of rescuing dogs now. And there are still sanctions on Syria.
Tensions in the Mediterranean rise as Turkey sends research vessel flanked by 5 navy vessels into Greek waters:
Articles for context:
This write up by Jerusalem Post is a brutal takedown of Turkish Government behavior throughout the region and touches on many of the key points and events over the past 4 years.
The Italian investigation once again shows how Iran-sponsored Hezbollah is exploiting Europe’s open borders to finance terrorism. The revelations also highlight the blurring lines between the group’s organized crime and jihad terrorism. As the German domestic intelligence agency BfV has repeatedly confirmed, Islamic terrorist groups and Arab crime families have been recruiting from the constant stream of migrant men coming into Europe.
Now, help me out here, was Syria a known drug trafficking country b4 the multiparty civil war? Or is this a sign of what they’ve become? A billion dollar deal. That’s a lot of bud, bud.
This could be something for the (probable) upcoming war involving the US.
I was expecting one of those convenient ‘chemical attacks’ again though, not drug running.
That’s a power shift! OK, Joe, whatcha gonna do when Islarmageddon runs wild over you?
Which is simply a play on words, you silly people.
The recent seizure of a Chinese autoclave — a device that is used for manufacturing motor of very long range missiles in Kandla Port from a Hong Kong ship going to Pakistan’s Port Qasim underlined the rapid transfer of missile technology from China to Pakistan. Experts argued that the type of autoclave seized is used in very long range missiles like Shaheen-ll, capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Pakistan has accumulated a large battery of missiles from China — the conventional ones as well as those capable for carrying nuclear warheads. China is also believed to be the country responsible for the transfer of nuclear technology to Pakistan and helping the country to build its nuclear capabilities.
This time around? After releasing the plague? I think some of the vitriol may go to China. They SOOOO wanna be the US’s new cold war rival. They gonna have to spill blood. This will just get them to the table. I say it’s time for
Naw, don’t think that the US will pick up much blame for this- just your comment put that song into my head.
OT: And now I’ve got an earworm; what was that song? C&W from the 1980s, coz other lyrics were “Iran and Iraq are on each other’s backs” and there was a reference to the Soviet Union. Tune reminiscent of Kenny Roger’s “Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille”.
I thought to change the title to : The Middle East
This just in:
Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, told Iranian media on Monday that the attack hit an electrical substation located deep underground and managed to damage both the power distribution system and the cable leading to the centrifuges in order to cut power to them.
The Iranian official stressed that such an operation takes years, saying “the design of the enemy was very beautiful.”
Looks like the UAE with possible help from their buddies the Saudis.
Of course, that’s what Dr. Evil would want you to think- or Dr. No- or Dr. No-evil… Dr. Moreau?
The written U.S. clarification came a day after Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and U.N. officials met in Istanbul for talks aimed at resuming Ukraine’s grain exports. Turkey announced that the parties would return next week to sign a deal
Look at
Getting its bone. Russia should be OK with that.
