BY MELISSA SIEGLER
STAFF WRITER
More than 80 dead after explosion at Turkish peace rally
Eighty-six people are dead and 186 are injured after two bombs went off Oct. 10 at a peace rally in Turkey outside of Ankara’s main train station. The rally was organized by Turkey’s public sector workers’ union and other civic groups in an effort to increase democracy and bring an end to the renewed violence between Kurdish rebels and Turkish security forces, according to Fox News. The explosions occurred 50 yards apart within seconds of each other. As of yet, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
“The greatest and most meaningful response to this attack is the solidarity and determination we will show against it,” said Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/10/turkey-bomb-blast/?intcmp=hpbt1
Obama administration changes US strategy for fighting ISIS
The Obama administration announced Oct. 9 that it would be ceasing its efforts to train the Syrian rebels to fight in the war against ISIS. The $500 million allotted to the mission will now go toward providing ammunition and some weapons for groups that are already engaged in battle, stated a New York Times article. Training sites in Jordan, Turkey, and across the entire Middle East will be shut down and weapon airdrops will be conducted as early as next week. Senior White House officials stated that this change in strategy is due to lack of results in using American-trained foreign soldiers.
Seven dead after attack in Israel due to restrictions on Jewish and Muslim holy spot
In the latest string of deadly attacks in Israel, seven Palestinians were killed and 90 were injured during clashes Oct. 9. The attacks started after the Israeli government set restrictions on what Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims the Noble Sanctuary, according to CNN. The site is sacred to both Jews and Muslims and “has become a focal point of discord.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Jewish and Arab leaders stay away from the area in an attempt to keep tensions from rising further and to keep Palestinians’ anger about the restrictions under control. Netanyahu blamed the most recent attacks on Palestinian authority saying that they encouraged attacks with “incitement and libels and lies.”
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/middleeast/israeli-palestinian-violence/index.html