Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has narrowly won a referendum to expand presidential powers, which could keep him in office until 2029. The “Yes” campaign won with 51.4% of the vote, with the “No” campaign closely behind with 48.6%. The electoral board called victory for the “Yes” campaign last night. Erdogan supporters say replacing the parliamentary system with an executive presidency will modernise the country. Turkey’s two main opposition parties have indicated they will challenge the results.
Meanwhile, casualties in Mosul continue to mount as Dozens of civilians were killed in two air strikes believed to have been conducted by the U.S.-led coalition on April 10 and April 15 in the western sector of Mosul. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday that Six families were killed in the district of Yarmouk as a result of an air strike on April 10 against a suspected ISIS home where civilians had taken refuge. Another family was killed in a separate air raid on April 15 according to local residents of Bab Sinjar. The Human Rights’ group warned that civilians in western Mosul remain vulnerable to airstrikes one month after at least 130 people were killed in a likely coalition airstrike.
Finally, the latest installment of the popular “Fast and Furious” franchise – The Fate of the Furious – racked in an estimated $532.5 million in box office opening around the world this weekend. That total beats the global record held by Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which made $529 million worldwide its opening weekend in 2015. The movie also broke box office records for bringing in the biggest international opening in movie history.
