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Two Killed in Turkey Avalanche

Thousands were stranded as snow brought travel chaos in Turkey. Reuters
Thousands were stranded as snow brought travel chaos in Turkey. Reuters
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Two Killed in Turkey Avalanche

Thousands were stranded as snow brought travel chaos in Turkey. Reuters
Thousands were stranded as snow brought travel chaos in Turkey. Reuters

Two people were killed in an avalanche in Turkey's eastern city of Erzurum, the Disaster and Emergency Authority (AFAD) said on Thursday, as the country grapples with harsh winter conditions.

Turkey halted flights at Istanbul Airport for nearly 24 hours earlier this week due to a severe snowstorm that blanketed the country's biggest city in snow and left thousands stranded.

In a statement, AFAD said the avalanche had hit the Horasan district of the eastern city of Erzurum around 1200 GMT, adding that emergency teams had been deployed to the area.

"Unfortunately, the bodies of two of our citizens who were trapped under the avalanche in Erzurum's Horasan district have been reached," Reuters quoted AFAD as saying.

Eastern Turkey often experiences severe winters with heavy snowfall and harsh cold. Erzurum hosts some of the country's most popular ski slopes.

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UK's PM Confirms Plan to Boost Defense Spending to 2.5% of GDP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets military personnel onboard HMS Iron Duke on December 17, 2024 in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo by Leon Neal / POOL / AFP)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets military personnel onboard HMS Iron Duke on December 17, 2024 in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo by Leon Neal / POOL / AFP)
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UK's PM Confirms Plan to Boost Defense Spending to 2.5% of GDP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets military personnel onboard HMS Iron Duke on December 17, 2024 in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo by Leon Neal / POOL / AFP)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets military personnel onboard HMS Iron Duke on December 17, 2024 in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo by Leon Neal / POOL / AFP)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated on Wednesday his Labour government's plan to increase defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), after NATO called on members to boost spending to meet threats from Russia.

In an interview with LBC radio, Starmer was asked whether Britain would be willing to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP, but the leader repeated his government's position that it would plot a route to spending 2.5%.

"The commitment we've made is to set out a path to 2.5%," Reuters quoted him as saying. Starmer has said his government will set out that path next year
Last week, NATO head Mark Rutte warned the US-led alliance that it was not ready for the threats it would face from Russia in the coming years and called for a shift to a wartime mindset, with much higher defense spending beyond the 2% target.
US President-elect Donald Trump has called on NATO members to boost defense spending to 3% of economic output. The alliance estimates 23 of its 32 members will meet its target of dedicating 2% of GDP to defense this year.