Italy is shocked with the 6.3 moment magnitude earthquake which happened in the historical region named L’Aquila 4 days ago. They are 290 casualties, 1174 injuries and 11 missing people as the authorities noticed. Emergency workers are trying hard to save lives while the hopes are descending to save new lives because the time is passing by.

It is stated that an Italian seismologist, Giampaolo Giuliani, reported the earthquake a week before it happened, but no one listened to him. Giuliani said that he was silenced by prosecution; moreover, he stated that he was able to foresee the earthquake by looking to the increase in the spreading amount of the radon gases.

The prime minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, cancelled his trip to Russia and announced mobilization in the country. People who lost their lives in the earthquake are buried by government ceremony. May God have mercy on all those people who lost their lives in the earthquake.

Planned a month ago, Obama’s Turkey trip has created a big sensation in Turkey. Obama’s polite and graceful attitudes showed his endeavours to change the view of United States for Turkey. It was Obama’s first visit to a country as the president of the United States as he stated. Obama is welcomed excitedly by the Turkish folk comparing to the any other previous presidents of the US.

Obama’s plane Air Force I arrived to Ankara Esenboga Airport on April 5th, Sunday night, and he went to hotel that night. On April 6th, Obama’s trip started formally. First of all, he visited Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who is the founder of modern Turkey; therefore, he is appreciated because of this trip since he showed his regard to the modern, secular Turkey and its founder. He left a note to guess notebook of Anitkabir concluding with Ataturk’s famous quote: “Peace in the world, peace in the country.” After that, he visited Abdullah Gul, the president of Turkey; furthermore, he went to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) to make a speech. This speech was the most important speech during his trip, and I watched it live.

Last week was the time to vote for the local elections in Turkey. Results are still being discussed while the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) reported the formal results. The results show that the oppositional parties increased their votes while the leading parties had less votes comparing to the preceding elections.

As it can be seen from the chart, the current leading party, Justice and Development Party (AKP), had 38,5% of the votes, whereas the oppositional parties got votes of following percentages:

Republican People’s Party (CHP): 23,2%
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP): 16%
Democratic Society Party (DTP): 5,7%
Felicity Party (SP): 5,2%
Democratic Party (DP): 3,8%