Nov 2, 2026, 03:30 AM UTC

Özgür Özel, leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has publicly condemned the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) following a council vote that transferred the deputy mayoralty of Istanbul's Üsküdar district to the AKP.

Speaking at a public gathering in Üsküdar and during a television appearance on Koza TV, Özel described the municipal vote as one of the darkest moments for democratic standards in Turkish electoral history. Addressing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan directly, Özel asked, "is this your democracy?" He maintained that voters had clearly chosen CHP leadership in the district during local elections.

Özel also addressed a recent meeting between Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş and Erdoğan, stating the discussion was strictly intended to resolve administrative hurdles impacting municipal governance in the capital.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet

Swedish financial institutions are revising their monetary policy outlooks, anticipating earlier rate hikes by the Riksbank. Commercial lender Nordea projects two increases bringing Sweden's key interest rate to 2.25 percent through late 2028, citing robust domestic economic growth and global monetary tightening. State-owned SBAB expects three consecutive hikes from 1.75 percent to 2.50 percent by February to tame rising inflation.

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Lorie Logan indicated that the United States central bank needs to raise short-term rates by at least 50 basis points. Logan stated the move is necessary to render monetary policy "slightly restrictive" and bring inflation back to its 2 percent target.

Sources: Dagens Industri, Svenska Dagbladet, Sydsvenskan.

Political scientist Alpo Rusi has provided further insight into Soviet influence operations targeting Finland's former Prime Minister Keijo Liinamaa during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Writing in Iltalehti, Rusi examined the historical backdrop of intelligence activities conducted by the KGB as Finland prepared for the end of President Urho Kekkonen’s political era.

Liinamaa, who also served as the national conciliator, reported receiving direct threats from Soviet agents prior to his death in December 1980. According to Rusi, Moscow sought to exert control over Finnish political succession, trade union affairs, and broader state decision-making. These tactics formed part of a broader Soviet strategy to maintain geopolitical leverage over Helsinki during pivotal political transitions of the Cold War era.

Sources: Iltalehti

An international investigation led by Forbidden Stories revealed that the U.S. government deported at least 25,447 migrants to 28 third countries under undisclosed bilateral agreements. According to internal State Department documents, approximately 20,000 people were transported to Mexico by bus, while over 5,000 others were flown to nations with which they had no personal ties.

Following the findings, more than a dozen United Nations human rights experts called on Washington to immediately halt third-country deportations, warning that the practice exposes asylum seekers to serious risks of abuse, torture, and persecution. Meanwhile, advocacy group Human Rights First reported that U.S. authorities are preparing to deport hundreds of detained Afghans to Pakistan for eventual transfer to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, potentially impacting relatives of former U.S. military allies.

Sources: Avaz, Danas, Index, Klix, Vijesti.

Firefighters in southern France have contained several wildfires, though emergency services remain on high alert due to ongoing risk. In the Aude department, emergency crews stabilized the blaze near Montséret after it burned approximately 100 hectares. Meanwhile, the wildfire in Puilaurens remains active across 225 hectares, where difficult terrain continues to impede access to remaining hot spots.

Across other affected regions, the fire in the Var department has been extinguished, while blazes in Drôme and Gironde have stopped advancing. Despite these improvements, prefectural authorities in Var banned public access to seven forest massifs due to extreme fire conditions. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to visit Gironde on August 17 to oversee local restoration plans. Official reports confirm that over 115,000 hectares have burned nationwide this year.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info.