6 Belgo-Moroccans Elected to Belgium’s House of Representatives

The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session  (Reuters)
The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session (Reuters)
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6 Belgo-Moroccans Elected to Belgium’s House of Representatives

The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session  (Reuters)
The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session (Reuters)

Six Belgians of Moroccan origin were elected to the Belgian House of Representatives during the federal, regional, and European elections held in Belgium on Sunday, Moroccan News Agency (MAP) reported.

The newly-elected deputies are: co-president of environmental party Ecologist Francophone (Ecolo) Zakia Khattabi, president of the Socialist Francophone Group in the lower chamber Ahmed Laaouej, president of Flemish-Socialist Group of the same chamber (Spa) Meriam Kitir, member of Belgian Labour Party (PTB) Nabil Boukili, and members of the Democratic Christian Flemish Party (CD&V) Nahima Lanjri and Nawal Farih.

Some 20 Belgo-Moroccan deputies were elected to regional parliaments: 15 in the Parliament of Brussels, three in the Parliament of the Wallonia, and three in the Flemish Parliament.

Left-wing Francophone and Green Parties nominated in Brussels the more commonly known as “diversity” candidates, and to a lesser extent in Wallonia and on average among the “Flemish Socialists” and “Democratic Christians” in the northern Flemish region.

The legislative and regional elections resulted in a major victory for the far-right Vlaams-Belang party in the northern Flemish region. In Brussels and Wallonia, the Socialist Francophone Party ranked first.

The Belgian monarch Philippe began consultations Sunday to form the government, which appear to be difficult after the far-right victory, which gained 18 seats in Sunday’s elections in the lower house after it had 3 seats in the previous elections.



Explosion Occurs at Turkish Oil Refinery During Drills, But No Casualties are Reported

Representation photo: AFP file photo of a fire at an Iranian oil refinery
Representation photo: AFP file photo of a fire at an Iranian oil refinery
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Explosion Occurs at Turkish Oil Refinery During Drills, But No Casualties are Reported

Representation photo: AFP file photo of a fire at an Iranian oil refinery
Representation photo: AFP file photo of a fire at an Iranian oil refinery

An explosion occurred at an oil refinery in northwestern Türkiye on Tuesday, an official said, adding the situation was “under control” and there were no reports of any casualties.
Mayor Tahir Buyukakin told private NTV television that the blast occurred at the Turkish Petroleum Refineries company, Tupras, in Izmit province during “routine drills.”
A fire was quickly brought under control by the privately owned company’s own emergency crews and no request for help was made, he said.
Video footage from the site showed smoke rising from the refinery, The Associated Press said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.