May 23, 2023

*) Voting abroad continues in Türkiye’s runoff presidential elections Voting by Turks living abroad has continued for Türkiye’s May 28 presidential runoff elections, with over 1.4 million Turkish nationals casting ballots so far. Voting at diplomatic missions will end on May 24, while the process will continue at customs gates until 5 pm local time on May 28. Votes cast in Estonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland were sent to Türkiye. *) Third-place Ogan endorses Erdogan in Türkiye's presidential runoff vote Meanwhile in Türkiye, Sinan Ogan, who came third in last week's presidential election in Türkiye, has endorsed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the runoff vote on May 28. Calling on his supporters to back Erdogan in the runoff, he said the two had all kinds of consultations before making the decision. Erdogan will face Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and joint candidate for the Nation Alliance, in the runoff vote. *) Air strikes, combat as one-week Sudan truce officially starts Witnesses in the Sudanese capital Khartoum have reported clashes and air strikes minutes after a one-week humanitarian ceasefire took effect. The army and the rival paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces reached the agreement in Saudi Arabia over the weekend. The truce is intended to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. After more than five weeks of fighting, the conflict has killed hundreds of people, and left hundreds of thousands more displaced. *) Russia evacuates civilians from Belgorod region Kremlin forces have battled a cross-border incursion by what it calls a Ukrainian sabotage group, in Russia's Belgorod region. Kiev denies its involvement. The city's governor says a number of people had been injured in clashes with what they call 'saboteurs'. Ukraine has denied any involvement, claiming it was actually two armed Russian opposition groups that had carried out the attacks. Meanwhile, Kiev says its forces are still