Political upheaval in Türkiye
The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was arrested at his home Wednesday, March 19, on charges of corruption and terrorism. Four days later, he was officially removed from office; on the same day, he was nominated as the presidential candidate for Türkiye’s main opposition party. Critics have argued that his arrest was ordered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and was politically motivated. Polls taken just before İmamoğlu’s arrest suggested that he could beat Erdoğan in a presidential race.
Following the arrest, Erdoğan temporarily banned public demonstrations and restricted access to mainstream social media. Despite these measures, hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets for days on end in the country’s largest mass protest in over a decade. Police have used dispersion tactics including tear gas and water cannons and have made over 1,800 arrests so far, including 10 journalists.
Erdogan, who has served as president since 2014, is well known for his power consolidation tactics. He has previously limited dissenting media coverage and encouraged the Justice Department to prosecute his political opponents.
Deadly earthquake in Myanmar
On Friday, March 28 at 12:50 p.m. local time, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar just outside of its second biggest city, Mandalay. The effects of the quake were felt in neighboring countries as well, and powerful aftershocks continued throughout the weekend. The death toll currently stands at over 3,000 across Myanmar and Thailand.
The aftermath of the quake was exacerbated by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, incited when a military junta overthrew a democratically elected government. The junta’s leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, requested international aid immediately after the earthquake. Nations including China, India, and Russia sent supplies and workers, and the U.S. approved a $2 million aid package — far less than the $14 million allotted by China. As foreign aid groups began rescue missions, Myanmar’s ruling military junta faced backlash for continuing their near-constant bombing campaign throughout the country. It was only after mistakenly firing upon a Chinese Red Cross convoy that Hlaing announced a three-week ceasefire Wednesday.
Marine Le Pen convicted of embezzlement
The leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, was convicted Monday of embezzling close to 5 million euros from the European Parliament between 2004 and 2016. In addition to a €100,000 fine and a partially suspended four-year jail sentence, the verdict notably prohibits her from running for public office for the next five years. The National Rally dominated the European Parliament elections last summer, and Le Pen was considered a frontrunner in France’s 2027 presidential election; it is expected that her 29-year-old protégé Jordan Bardella will take her place as candidate. The prime ministers of Italy and Hungary, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Elon Musk were among those who voiced their support for Le Pen immediately after the verdict. She denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal, but it is unlikely that this process will have concluded in time for the 2027 election. Le Pen will continue to hold her position in the lower house until her term expires.
Wildfires in South Korea
Over two dozen wildfires broke out throughout southeastern South Korea over the weekend of March 21, and were not contained until March 31. The Korean government has reported that 119,000 acres were burned, damaging or destroying 2,600 structures and making them the worst wildfires in the nation’s history. Government and military authorities jointly deployed nearly 20,000 troops, firefighters, and police, along with 420 helicopters, to fight the blazes. At least 30 people are dead, including four firefighters and a helicopter pilot; over 35,000 evacuated their homes. So far in 2025, wildfires in South Korea are up almost 250 percent from the same point last year, with officials pointing to an uncommonly warm and windy spring as a leading cause.
Hungary withdraws from the ICC
Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, announced Thursday that the nation would withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The ICC, established in 2002 under the 1998 Rome Statute, has international jurisdiction to investigate individuals for crimes against humanity. The Court has about 60 active arrest warrants, including one for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. The 125 states parties to the Rome Statute are obligated to arrest any of these individuals if they step foot into their territory. Despite Hungary’s status as a member of the Court, Orbán extended an invitation to Netanyahu soon after the warrant was issued for his arrest, stating that Hungary would not follow the judgment of the ICC. This intent to withdraw only became official with Thursday’s more formal announcement, though withdrawal won’t be finalized until next year. Hungary, a member of the EU since 2004, has frequently clashed with European leadership. Orbán is vocally pro-Israel and enjoys a close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
