Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu Jailed Amid Nationwide Protests

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced a ceasefire in its 40-year conflict with Turkey, responding to a recent call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to disarm and dissolve. The ceasefire takes effect immediately, with the PKK stating that its forces will not engage in armed action unless provoked. Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999, urged the group to cease hostilities in a letter read to supporters in Istanbul, declaring it a pivotal moment for peace efforts in the region. The announcement comes after over 7,000 people have died in conflict-related violence since a previous ceasefire collapsed in 2015. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Öcalan’s message as a potential breakthrough, although his government has dismissed the idea of resuming negotiations. The PKK's executive committee expressed agreement with Öcalan's call but emphasized the need for a supportive political environment for successful disarmament. The PKK's move could influence Kurdish groups across the Middle East, as the dynamics in the region shift amid growing pressure on Kurdish-led forces in Syria.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has declared a ceasefire with the Turkish government following a significant appeal from its jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan. This announcement, made on March 1, 2025, marks a potential turning point in a conflict that has lasted since 1984 and claimed over 40,000 lives, according to Agence France-Presse. The PKK's executive committee stated in a message to the pro-PKK ANF news agency, "In order to pave the way for the implementation of leader Apo's call for peace and democratic society, we are declaring a ceasefire effective from today." Öcalan’s recent request for the PKK to disband and cease violence came after years of stalled peace efforts, particularly following the collapse of negotiations in 2015. The PKK, representing around 20% of Turkey's 85 million population, aims to establish greater rights and autonomy for Kurds. This ceasefire signifies a possible move towards renewed dialogue, emphasizing the need for reconciliation after decades of violence.

On February 18, operations at Gaziantep Airport in Turkey were temporarily halted due to reports of an unidentified flying object (UFO) sighted by pilots at an altitude of approximately 3,048 meters (10,000 feet). The alert was triggered around 10 p.m., prompting the control tower to ground flights for about an hour while airport security investigated the incident, which reportedly did not show up on radar, according to local news sources. Following their investigation, airport officials concluded that the UFO was likely a drone being operated without authorization. Flights resumed around 11 p.m. Many social media users, however, remained skeptical about the explanation, with some online commenters suggesting the sighting might be evidence of extraterrestrial activity, declaring, "Open contact is definitely happening before 2027." The incident highlights ongoing concerns surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena, with an increase in reported sightings in various regions, as noted by Enigma Labs, which documented over 22,000 such occurrences in the past year.