Page 24 - Turkey

Istanbul attack: Bombing accused has been arrested, officials say

In the Istanbul attack, at least 81 people were injured when an explosion rocked the busy pedestrian street. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay called it a "terrorist attack."

Bomb explodes in Turkey's Istanbul avenue, six killed: Prez Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said an explosion on a major pedestrian thoroughfare in in Istanbul was caused by a bomb attack." Six people have died. Speaking before his departure to the G-20 summit in Indonesia on Sunday, Erdogan said the explosion was a treacherous attack and its perpetrators would be punished. Four people died at the scene and two in the hospital, Erdogan said. Another 53 were wounded, according to information he received from the Istanbul governor.

India condoles tragic loss of lives in blast in Turkey's Istanbul

India on Sunday conveyed its "deepest condolences" to the government and people of Turkey over the "tragic loss of lives" in a blast in Istanbul. According to reports, the bomb exploded at a crowded street in the Turkish capital, killing six people and wounding dozens. "India conveys its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Trkiye on the tragic loss of lives in the blast that took place in Istanbul today," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. "Our sympathies are also with those who sustained injuries. We wish them a speedy recovery," he said.

Turkey working on 'peace corridor' between Ukraine, Russia: Erdogan

"The West, especially the US, is attacking Russia almost without limits. Against all this, of course, Russia is putting up resistance," the semi-official Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying

Swedish PM Kristersson pledges to meet Turkey's demands for NATO membership

Kristersson said Sweden has designated the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization and his government was willing to support Turkey in its fight against the group

Turkish inflation tops 85% driven by surge in food prices, energy costs

Turkish annual inflation accelerated for the 17th month in a row in October, driven by a surge in food prices and energy costs, to its likely peak during President Erdogan's two decades in power

What is the Black Sea grain deal; where does it stand after Russia's exit?

With Russia pulling out of the deal, it would become difficult for the grain shipments to leave Ukraine. However, 12 shipments left Ukraine's ports on Monday

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promises a new constitution for Turkey

"The shelf life of the constitution of the Sept. 12 drafted after the military coup in 1980 has already expired," Erdogan declared.

President Erdogan invites new Swedish PM Kristersson to visit Turkey

Turkish President Erdogan said he would be pleased to host new Swedish PM Kristersson during a phone talk between the two leaders, after months of tension with the Nordic country over its NATO bid.

Turkey assisted Pakistan in setting up secret cyber-army against US, India

Turkey has secretly helped Pakistan in setting up a cyber-army camouflaged under the bilateral agreement which was used for domestic political goals as well as directed to attack the US and India

Turkey authority fines Meta $18.63 million for violating competition law

Turkey's Competition Authority announced on Wednesday that it has fined Meta Platforms Inc. 346.72 million liras ($18.63 million) for violating competition law

We'll fulfil deal with Turkey on NATO, says Sweden's top diplomat

Sweden's center-right government will fulfil all requirements under a deal with Turkey to join NATO and will concentrate external relations to its immediate neighbourhood while dropping the previous administration's feminist foreign policy," the country's top diplomat said on Monday. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrm said the new government shares Turkey's concern about the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation in Turkey, Europe and the United States. There will be no nonsense from the Swedish government when it comes to the PKK, Billstrm told the Associated Press in an interview. We are fully behind a policy which means that terrorist organisations don't have a right to function on Swedish territory. Turkey stalled Sweden and Finland's historic bid to join NATO over concerns that the two countries - Sweden in particular - had become a safe haven for members of the PKK and affiliated groups. Under a memorandum of understanding signed by Swed

Indian market is important to us, says Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi

Turkish Airlines and IndiGo have agreed to code-sharing on each other's flights between Turkey and India.

Greece says Turkey stripped naked 92 migrants, forced them to cross border

Greek authorities accused Turkey of forcing 92 migrants to cross into Greece and stripping them naked before doing so. Greek police on Saturday said that police officers found the migrants stark naked on Friday, "some with bodily injuries" who had entered the country using plastic boats to cross the Evros River, which forms a border between the two countries. The migrants told police and officers of Frontex, the European Union's border agency, that they had been forced by Turkish authorities to board three vehicles that took them to the border. The migrants testified that they had been forced to strip naked before boarding the boats. Police said it had provided clothing and food for the migrants. "Turkey's provocative behaviour exceeded all limits," Greece's Ministry of Asylum and Migration said Saturday. Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi posted a photo of the naked migrants on his Twitter account Saturday, commenting, in Greek and English: "Trkiye's behaviour towards 92 migrants

Death toll rises to 40 in Turkey coal mine explosion; rescue efforts on

An explosion inside a coal mine in northern Turkey killed at least 22 people, Turkey's health minister announced, while rescuers were trying to bring dozens of others trapped inside the mine to the surface. The explosion occurred 6:45 pm on Friday at the state-owned TTK Amasra Muessese Mudurlugu mine in the town of Amasra in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin. Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said a preliminary assessment indicated the explosion was likely caused by firedamp a reference to flammable gases found in coal mines. There were 110 people in the mine at the time of the explosion, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who travelled to Amasra to coordinate the rescue operation, told reporters. Most of the workers were able to evacuate following the blast, but 49 were trapped in a higher risk area of the facility, the minister said. Soylu would not provide a number for those still trapped, saying some among the 49 had been lifted to safety. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca ...

Turkey, Russia to study Russian President Putin's gas hub proposal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey and Russia have instructed their respective energy authorities to immediately begin technical studies on a Russian proposal that would turn Turkey into a gas hub for Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin has floated the idea of exporting more gas through the Turk Stream gas pipeline running beneath the Black Sea to Turkey after gas deliveries to Germany through the Baltic Sea's Nord Stream pipeline were halted. Erdogan said Russian and Turkish energy authorities would work together to designate the best location for a gas distribution center, adding that Turkey's Thrace region, bordering Greece and Bulgaria appeared to be the best spot. Together with Mr. Putin, we have instructed our Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the relevant institution on the Russian side to work together, Erdogan said. They will conduct this study. Wherever the most appropriate place is, we will hopefully establish this distribution center there

Turkish parliament passes disputed bill amending press, social media laws

Turkey's parliament passed a contentious bill on Thursday that amends press and social media laws with the stated aim of combatting fake news and disinformation. Critics fear that as elections loom, the measure will be used to further crack down on social media and independent reporting. The 40-article legislation was approved with the votes of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's governing party and its nationalist allies, which together hold a majority in parliament. The vote came following raucous sessions in parliament, which saw opposition legislators clap and shout to disrupt proceedings, hold up signs denouncing what they called the censorship law and one lawmaker smash a smartphone with a hammer. Amnesty International said after the vote that it was yet another dark day for online freedom of expression and press freedom in Turkey. "These new measures enable (the government) to further censor and silence critical voices ahead of Turkey's upcoming elections and beyond, under the

Vladimir Putin suggests turning Turkey into gas hub for Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday doubled down on his proposal to turn Turkey into a gas hub for Europe after deliveries to Germany through the Baltic Sea's Nord Stream pipeline were halted. Putin floated the idea of exporting more gas through the Turk Stream gas pipeline running beneath the Black Sea to Turkey as he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a regional summit in Kazakhstan. It's the second unlikely energy proposal that Putin has pitched in as many days, with European leaders calling Russia's cuts in natural gas a political bid to divide them over their support for Ukraine. It's created an energy crisis heading into winter that has fueled inflation, forced some industries to cut production and sent home utility bills soaring. A day earlier, Germany rejected Putin's proposal to step up gas flows to Europe via a link of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea a pipeline that has never been operational despite Moscow cuttin

Turkey ready to help peacefully address Ukraine crisis, says Prez Erdogan

Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis in the interests of all, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin

Banks divert gold supply from India to China, Turkey ahead of festivals

Gold-supplying banks have cut back shipments to India ahead of major festivals in favour of focusing on China, Turkey, and other markets where better premiums are offered