Turkish President Erdogan Says He And Putin Are ‘Only’ Two Leaders Left In The World

The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan just claimed he and Vladimir Putin are the “only” two leaders left in the world.

Speaking after Syrian rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled Turkey’s neighbour since 2000, Erdogan heaped praise on Russia’s authoritarian leader.

He said: “Now, there are only two leaders in the world. They are myself and Vladimir Putin.

“I am not saying this because one of them is me. But I have been in office for 22 years, nearly as long as Mr Putin. The rest are gone.”

Putin has been in power for the best part of 25 years and often accused of rigging elections to stay in power.

Turkey is seen as a flawed democracy where elections are still credible, but there are few checks and balances on its government.

It’s worth noting there are 195 governments in the world – so Putin and Erdogan are far from the only leaders left.

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Erdogan also explained how important it was to remain close to Russia.

He said: “We want our dialogue to continue. It is important to continue politics.

“For instance, politics ended in Germany when Angela Merkel resigned.”

Merkel served as the chancellor in Germany from 2005 until 2021 when she stepped down.

Bizarrely, Erdogan’s comments come at a time when Putin is providing asylum to Assad in Russia after Moscow propped up his regime for years.

Meanwhile, the Turkish president has conducted several incursions into Syria over the last eight years in a bid to create a buffer zone on the border.

Erdogan has also been accused of aiding the Syrian rebels although Turkish officials have rejected such claims.

Turkey and Russia have also emphasised their close connection in the past, with Erdogan once describing Putin as a “dear friend”.

The Turkish president told CNN last May: “Russia and Turkey need each other in every field possible.

“The West is not leading a very balanced approach – you need a balanced approach toward a country such as Russia.

“We are not at a point where we would impose sanctions on Russia like the West has done.”

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These 7 Tropical Destinations Are Cheaper Than UK Staycations

You are reading Anywhere But Here, our summer-long series on travel at home and abroad, serving up the information and inspiration you need.

Staycations are all the rage right now for obvious reasons. But their prices? Not so great. In fact, new research by BBC Panorama and consumer group Which? found that trips around the UK can cost an average of £300 more per week in August compared to before the pandemic.

And if you were thinking of heading to Brighton – hold your horses, it looks to be the seaside resort with the highest prices, with average rental costs almost doubling.

For one night of self-catered accommodation for two people in Brighton, it would have been £109 in 2019, but is now £206 – a rise of 89% – according data by AirDNA, which monitors websites such as Airbnb and Vrbo.

Places in St Helier in Jersey increased by 76% from 2019, while Lyme Regis on the south coast jumped up 74%.

Which? also published the differences between trips in the UK and abroad, even with flights included. The group compared prices for late August getaways for two people in the UK and overses, looking at the cheapest, highly-rated hotel available in a central location, and transport costs.

Oh, you want to go to Cornwall? It's going to cost you.

Oh, you want to go to Cornwall? It’s going to cost you.

South of France versus Brighton

According to Which’s research, a coastal break in the UK, such as Brighton, will set you back £1,131, a hotel in Nice, in the south of France costs £1,085, and that’s with flights included.

Lake Garda, Italy versus Lake District

A week in Lake Windermere in England’s Lake District costs £2,424, compared to £802 for flights and accommodation for a week in Lake Garda in northern Italy.

Corfu versus Cornwall

Get ready to have your mind blown. For a luxury three-bedroom villa with an ocean view in Carbis Bay, you’re looking at £12,000 for weekend dates in mid September (it sleeps up to six people, so that’s £2,000 a person).

Meanwhile in Corfu, Greece, prices have only increased by 13%. Search the exact same dates for flights and a five-star hotel and you can find one for as little as £273 (and you’d save further if you were to share the hotel room).

Turkey versus Cheshire

For the first available weekend in September, you’re looking at £1,895 for a week’s holiday rentals in Delamere Forest, Cheshire (that’s for four bedrooms, two beds are currently sold out).

By comparison, the cost of private accommodation in Marmaris, Turkey, has increased by just 7% since 2019. A quick search on Kayak for the same September dates throws up flight and hotel deals for as little as £230 (so, for a family of four, you’d be looking at £920). Even with the PCR costs included, a trip to Marmaris would be cheaper.

Tenerife versus Dorset

A holiday home in Berehayes Farm in Dorset for two people can cost £655 (for four people, it’s £986). In comparison, you can stay in a five-star hotel near the beach in Tenerife for £210, including flights.

Costa del Sol, Spain versus Wales

The only holiday Which? found for this August that worked out cheaper in the UK than abroad was a beach break in Tenby, Wales, compared to Estepona, on the Costa del Sol in Spain – but only by £10.

The accommodation in Tenby was still more expensive than Estepona, costing £880 for seven nights in Tenby compared to £837 for seven nights in a similarly rated hotel in Estepona. Only transport costs made the Tenby break marginally cheaper, with the journey estimated at £43, while return flights to Estepona cost an estimated £96.

And just in case you were wondering what prices were like for trips further afield – you can fly to Dubai and stay in a bouji hotel (The Hilton Garden Inn) and it will only set you back £346 at the moment. Brilliant!

Travel is the story of our summer. The rules (and traffic lights) are always changing, but one thing’s clear, we dream of being Anywhere But Here. This seasonal series offers you clear-headed travel advice, ideas-packed staycation guides, clever swaps and hacks, and a healthy dose of wanderlust.

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Boris Johnson In Minor Car Crash As Protester Targets PM’s Convoy

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