Page 4 - Turkey

In setback to Erdogan, Turkey's Oppn makes huge gains in local election

Turkiye's main opposition party retained its control over key cities and made huge gains elsewhere in Sunday's local elections, preliminary results showed, in a major upset to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had set his sights on retaking control of those urban areas. With nearly 60 per cent of the ballot boxes counted, incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, was leading in Istanbul, Turkiye's largest city and economic hub, according to state broadcaster TRT. Mansur Yavas, the mayor of the capital Ankara, retained his seat with a large margin, the results indicated. The CHP was leading in 36 of Turkiye's 81 provinces, according to the results reported by TRT. The vote was seen as a barometer of President Erdogan's popularity as he sought to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition in elections five years ago. The CHP's victory in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019, had shattered Erdogan's aura of invincibility. The main battlegrou

Turkey holds elections to test Erdogan's popularity, race on for key cities

Turkiye is holding local elections Sunday that will decide who gets to control Istanbul and other key cities. The vote is also a barometer of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's popularity as he seeks to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition five years ago. The main battlegrounds are the country's economic hub of Istanbul and the capital of Ankara, both of which Erdogan lost in 2019, shattering his aura of invincibility. The 70-year-old Turkish president has set his sights on wresting back Istanbul, a city of 16 million people, where he was born and raised, and where he began his political career as mayor in 1994. A strong showing for Erdogan's ruling Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party, or AKP, would likely harden his resolve to usher in a new constitution one that would reflect his conservative values and allow him to rule beyond 2028, when his current term ends, analysts say. For the opposition divided and demoralized after a defeat in l

Turkish warplanes strike Kurdish militant positions in Iraq, 4 wounded

Turkey carried out a new round of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighbouring Iraq on Tuesday, Turkey's defence ministry said, hours after a Turkish soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an attack in the region. Turkey often launches strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq it believes to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a banned Kurdish separatist group that has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s. On Tuesday, the Turkish warplanes struck suspected PKK positions in the Metina, Zap, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil regions in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, according to a ministry statement. The jets reportedly destroyed 27 PKK targets, including caves, bunkers, and shelters. There was no immediate comment from the PKK. "We have not left the blood of any of our martyrs on the ground," the ministry said, suggesting that the airstrikes were in retaliation to the attack that killed the Turkish soldier and wounded fo

Migrant boat capsizes near Turkiye's coast; at least 21 people killed

A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkiye's northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 21 people, officials said. Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others reached the shore by themselves and notified officials, Gov. Ilhami Aktas said. It was not clear how many people were on the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area, he said. A statement from Aktas' office later said five of the dead were children. The migrants' nationalities were not immediately known. Eighteen rescue boats, a plane, two helicopters and a drone were involved in the search and rescue mission, the statement said. Ambulances were on standby at a nearby port, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Although their numbers have declined in recent years, migrants mostly from the Middle East and Africa often leave Turkiye to try to reach Greece in search of a better life in European ...

Turkey Prez supports Hamas, compares Netanyahu to Hitler

Fitch upgrades Turkey's sovereign rating to B+ on tighter monetary policies

"Upgrade reflects increased confidence in the durability and effectiveness of policies implemented since the pivot in June 2023," Fitch said

Govt cuts import duty on turkeys; exempts extra long staple cotton from tax

The government has fully exempted customs duty on import of extra long staple cotton, and has cut duties on specified varieties of imported blueberries, cranberries and frozen turkeys. In a notification, the Finance Ministry has slashed import duty on certain items of blueberries and cranberries from 30 per cent to 10 per cent in some cases and 5 per cent in other cases. Similarly, import duty pertaining to meat and edible offal of turkeys, were also reduced from 30 per cent to 5 per cent effective Tuesday. According to officials, the duty rate changes on frozen turkey, specified cranberries and blueberries and their processed products is to implement the recommendation of the Department of Commerce following a mutually agreed solution between India and the US. Nangia Andersen India Associate Director- Indirect Tax, Khushbu Trivedi, said, in pursuance of the bilateral agreement that took place in the recent G20 Leaders' Summit between India and USA intended at addressing the past .

Royal Enfield partners with K-Rides Motosiklet to enter Turkiye market

Mid-sized motorcycle maker Royal Enfield on Friday announced its foray into the Turkish market through a distribution partnership with K-Rides Motosiklet ve Bisiklet San. ve Tic. A.S., a subsidiary of Kibar Holding. K-Rides Motosiklet ve Bisiklet San. ve Tic. A.S. will be the official distributor partner in Turkiye. The first flagship store is set to open in Istanbul this spring, Royal Enfield said in a statement. Through the partnership a lineup of motorcycles including Bullet, Classic, HNTR, Meteor, Super Meteor, Interceptor, Continental GT, the new Himalayan and the Shotgun, featuring engine displacements of 350cc and 650cc will be sold in the country, it added. "We are confident in their knowledge and deep understanding of the Turkish markets and with this association Royal Enfield will further strengthen its presence in the region's mobility sector," said Royal Enfield Chief Commercial Officer Yadvinder Sing Guleria. Kibar Holding Chief Corporate Development Officer Gokhan ..

Sanctions imposed on Iran Central Bank subsidiary for US tech procurement

The US has imposed sanctions on three people and four firms across Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey for allegedly helping to export goods and technology purchased from US companies to Iran and the nation's central bank. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said the procurement network transferred US technology for use by Iran's Central Bank in violation of US export restrictions and sanctions. Some of the materials acquired by the Central Bank of Iran were items classified as information security items subject to national security and anti-terrorism controls by the Commerce Department, Treasury says. Included in the sanctions package is Informatics Services Corp., an Iranian subsidiary of Iran's Central Bank that most recently developed the Central Bank Digital Currency platform for the bank; a UAE-based front company, which acquired US tech for the Central Bank of Iran and the front company's CEO, as well as a Turkey-based affiliate firm that also made purchases tha

Rescuers deployed in search for 9 workers missing at Turkish gold mine

Hundreds of rescuers on Wednesday pressed ahead with efforts to search for at least nine workers trapped at a gold mine in eastern Turkiye that was engulfed by a massive landslide. The landslide struck the Copler mine in the town of Ilic in Turkiye's mountainous Erzincan province on Tuesday. Footage seemingly shot by a worker showed a huge mass of earth rushing down a gully, overrunning everything in its path. The landslide involved a mound of soil extracted from the mine, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Some 800 search and rescue personnel, including police and military teams, mine rescuers and volunteers, were deployed to find the mine workers, Yerlikaya said early Wednesday. Other workers at the mine have also joined the efforts to rescue their colleagues, while families of the missing waited at an area close to the mine for news of their loved ones, Haberturk television reported. An investigation into the disaster has been launched. Experts, meanwhile, have warned that t

'Turkiye aims 30% rise in tourists from India in 2024, seeks partnerships'

Trkiye, a popular tourist destination, is eyeing a 30 per cent jump in arrivals of Indian travellers in 2024 and looking for partnerships for tourism growth in the two countries, a senior official said. In an interview with PTI, Turkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism Deputy General Director of Promotion Onur Gozet said that the country remains committed to foster bilateral ties in tourism and seamless travel experiences between the two countries. "We attach great importance to the development of our bilateral tourism relations. Therefore, as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we are ready to support the Indian tourism authority to increase the number of Turkish visitors in India," Gozet said. He said they have been in close cooperation with the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the biggest tourism association in India. Gozet said there is an increasing popularity of Trkiye among Indian tourists with arrivals growing by 17 per cent to an estimated 2.7 lakh visitors in 20

Putin to visit Turkey in first trip to Nato country since Ukraine War

Putin's trips abroad have been limited due to the risk of possible arrest on a warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes

World food price index falls near three-year lows in January, shows data

Global coarse grain output was pegged at an all-time high of 1.523 billion tons, following a 12-million-ton upward adjustment this month

Turkey's parliament approves Sweden's Nato membership, lifts key hurdle

Turkish legislators on Tuesday endorsed Sweden's membership in NATO, lifting a major hurdle on the previously nonaligned country's entry into the military alliance. The legislators ratified Sweden's accession protocol by 287 votes to 55, with four abstentions. The ratification will come into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette, which is expected to be swift. Hungary then becomes the only NATO ally not to have ratified Sweden's accession. Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, also welcomed the Turkish parliament's decision calling it a great move for Sweden, Turkey and NATO. NATO-member Turkey had been delaying Sweden's membership for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as security threats. It has been seeking concessions from Stockholm, including a ..

Two sides of political Islam

Depending on one's viewpoint, global political Islam is either at its strongest or weakest. But the real unwinnable wars are between Islamic states

Turkey detains Israeli footballer for showing support for hostages

Turkish authorities have detained soccer club Antalyaspor's Israeli player Sagiv Jehezkel for questioning after he displayed solidarity with people held hostage by the Hamas militant organisation during a top-flight league game. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Sunday the Israeli is under investigation over possible charges of openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility. Tunc maintained in a statement posted on X that Jehezkel had engaged in an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza. After scoring an equalizer against Trabzonspor during a home game, the 28-year-old Israeli player displayed a bandage around his wrist with an inscription marking the 100 days since the hostages were abducted on Oct. 7. The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkiye where there is widespread public opposition to Israel's military actions in Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians. Antalyaspor suspended Jehezkel from the team and announced that it was speak

Blinken holds talks with Turkey as he seeks to curb spread of Gaza war

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkey's leaders Saturday during the first stop of his latest Mideast diplomatic mission as fears grow that Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza may expand into a broader conflict. Blinken's fourth visit in three months comes as developments in Lebanon, northern Israel, the Red Sea and Iraq have put intense strains on what had been a modestly successful US push to prevent a regional conflagration since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and as international criticism of Israel's military operation mounts. Blinken held talks with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul about what Turkey and others can do to exert influence, particularly on Iran and its proxies, to ease tensions, speed humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and begin planning for reconstruction and governance of postwar Gaza. Much of the territory has been reduced to rubble by Israeli bombardments. Hours before Blinken's meeting

Blinken opens West Asian tour in Turkiye amid fears of war engulfing region

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has kicked off his latest urgent Middle East diplomatic mission in Turkiye, as fears mount that Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza may explode into a broader conflict. Blinken's fourth visit in three months comes amid worrying developments outside of Gaza, including in Lebanon, northern Israel, the Red Sea and Iraq, that have put intense strains on what had been a modestly successful US push to prevent a regional conflagration in the weeks after the war began, and growing international criticism of Israel's military operation. Blinken was meeting on Saturday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss what Turkiye and others can do to exert influence, particularly on Iran and its proxies, to ease soaring tensions, speed up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and begin in earnest to plan for reconstruction and governance of postwar Gaza, much of which has been reduced to rubble by three months of intense

Turkey 'detains 32 IS militants, foils attack bid' on synagogues, churches

Turkish security forces have detained 32 people suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks on synagogues and churches as well as the Iraqi Embassy, Turkey's state-run news agency reported Friday. The suspects, including three alleged senior IS militants, were detained in raids carried out at dawn in nine provinces across Turkey, Anadolu Agency reported, citing unnamed security sources. They were detained in a joint operation by the country's intelligence agency and police, the agency said. The arrests come a week after police rounded up 304 suspected IS militants in simultaneous raids across Turkey in what appeared to be a security sweep leading up to the New Year festivities. The Islamic State group has carried out a string of deadly attacks in Turkey, including a shooting at an Istanbul night club on January 1, 2017, that killed 39 people during New Year celebrations.

US imposes more sanctions on money lending network tied to Houthi rebels

The U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on a group of money exchange services from Yemen and Turkey alleged to help provide funding to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have been launching attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the southern Red Sea. Included in the sanctions are the head of a financial intermediary in Sana'a, Yemen, along with three exchange houses in Yemen and Turkey. U.S. Treasury alleges that the people and firms helped transfer millions of dollars to the Houthis at the direction of sanctioned Iranian financial facilitator Sa'id al-Jamal. The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans. Thursday's action is the latest round of financial penalties meant to punish the Houthis. Earlier this month, the U.S. announced sanctions against 13 people and firms alleged to be providing tens of millions of dollars from the sale and shipment of Iranian commodities to the Houthis in