Newly elected Elbistan Mayor Mehmet Gurbuz from the AKP party, surrounded by supporters, set the mayor's chair on fire as he assumes the office to prove he is not power hungry. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a majority of votes throughout Turkey in Sunday's local elections, but trailed in Istanbul, the country's economic hub, and Ankara, the capital. If the initial outcomes hold, it would be a political setback for Erdogan, who campaigned extensively for his party's candidates. His ruling party on Tuesday appealed election results in Istanbul and Ankara, claiming irregularities in the voting cost them mayorships in both cities. (REUTERS)
