Page 6 - Turkey

#BoycottTurkey trends in India: 5 best alternative countries to visit

After Turkey and Azerbaijan supported Pakistan during recent India-Pakistan conflict, #BoycottTurkey trended India. Indians are now looking for travel alternatives

India's trade relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan hit amid Pakistan conflict

India's trade relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan are expected to come under strain due to Ankara and Baku backing Islamabad and condemning India's recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. Following their support to Pakistan, calls for Turkish goods and tourism have surfaced across the country, with online travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip and Ixigo issuing advisories against visiting these nations. In fact, Indian traders too have started boycotting Turkish products such as apples and marble. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation for the Kashmir's Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. All subsequent retaliations for Pakistani offensives were carried out under 'Operation Sindoor'. India and Pakistan on Saturday last announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with effect from 5 pm that day. During the conflict, Pakistan u

RSS affiliate calls for sanctions against Turkey for 'alliance' with Pak

RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Wednesday urged the government to impose economic sanctions, suspend civil aviation links, discourage outbound tourism and re-evaluate diplomatic engagements with Turkey due to its "unholy alliance" with Pakistan which directly compromises India's security. The SJM also appealed to the people of India to avoid travelling to Turkey and boycott its products in solidarity with the country's soldiers and national interest. This comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following their four-day military confrontation. The conflict saw Pakistan unleash swarms of Turkish drones to target Indian military facilities. "It is shocking to note that Turkey, the second-largest arms supplier to Pakistan after China, has played a key role in modernising Pakistan's navy and enhancing its aerial warfare capabilities. "This defence collaboration is not just commercial; it is ideological, targeting the stability of South Asia and emboldening

Russia-Ukraine conflict: What to know about possible peace talks in Turkey

The talks have taken place in the warring capitals of Moscow and Kyiv, from Washington and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to countries across Europe. Now, all eyes are finally turning to Istanbul to seek an end to Russia's three-year-old, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe. And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person. What will unfold remains unclear. The Kremlin has refused to confirm who's going to Turkey and whether it will include Putin. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Zelenskyy will only sit down with the Russian leader. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that if Putin does not arrive and plays games, it is the final point that he does not want to end the war. What's known about the possible talks: How did the idea of talks in Turkey arise? On Saturday, Zelenskyy hosted French President

Shiv Sena seeks ban on Turkish firms in India amid tensions with Pakistan

Shiv Sena says Turkiye's recent actions to support Pakistan amid tensions with India upset many Indians

Avoid Turkey, Azerbaijan for backing Pakistan: Travel firms tell Indians

Social media posts widely circulated statistics from 2024, when 240,000 Indians travelled to Azerbaijan and 330,000 visited Turkey

EaseMyTrip flags travel to Turkey, Azerbaijan amid rising India-Pak heat

EaseMyTrip has advised travellers to avoid non-essential travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan due to their support for Pakistan amid rising India-Pakistan tensions

India-Pak standoff: Indian travel firms take stand on Turkey, Azerbaijan

Indian travel firms are suspending bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan following the countries' statements on India's military action against Pakistan

X restricts access to jailed Istanbul mayor's account after Turkiye request

Access to jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's social media account on X has been blocked in Turkiye, a monitoring platform said Thursday, the latest move against a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to Engelli Web, a website that tracks and reports internet censorship in Turkiye, X restricted Imamoglu's account in Turkiye complying with a legal request by Turkish authorities who cited national security and public order concerns. There was no immediate comment from X but a notice on the platform says the account which has 9.7 million followers has been "withheld in TR in response to a legal demand. The account remains accessible outside of Turkiye. Imamoglu, seen as the main opposition challenger to Erdogan's 22-year rule, was arrested on March 19 and jailed on corruption charges. He was nominated as his Republican People's Party, or CHP's presidential candidate while in custody. His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated although the govern

Fliers stranded for 40 hours on Virgin Atlantic flight 'freezing in Turkey'

Over 250 passengers have been stranded for over 40 hours at Turkey's Diyarbakir airport after a Virgin Atlantic flight was cancelled due to medical and technical issues

Over 250 Virgin Atlantic passengers stuck in Turkey, Mumbai flight delayed

More than 250 Virgin Atlantic passengers, including Indians, are stranded at an airport in Turkey for over 24 hours after their Mumbai-bound aircraft from London was diverted to Diyarbakir airport. Virgin Atlantic on Thursday said it was exploring all options, including operating an alternative aircraft, to fly the passengers to Mumbai. In a statement, the airline said the VS358 flight from London's Heathrow to Mumbai on April 2 was cancelled due to an urgent medical diversion to Diyarbakir in Turkey. After landing at the airport, the An A350-1000 aircraft suffered a technical issue, which is being worked on. "We are actively exploring all options, including the operation of an alternative aircraft, to ensure customers can reach Mumbai as soon as possible," it said. A stranded passenger told PTI that all of them were sitting on the floor and there were no blankets available. "Also, there is no vegetarian food available," the passenger said on the condition of anonymity. In an up

Turkey fines Meta for refusing to restrict content on Facebook, Instagram

Meta said it has been hit with a hefty fine for resisting Turkish government demands to limit content on Facebook and Instagram. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has been trying to restrict opposition voices on social media after widespread protests erupted following the arrest of Istanbul's mayor, who's a key rival. We pushed back on requests from the Turkish government to restrict content that is clearly in the public interest, and have been fined by them as a consequence, the company said in a statement. The social media company did not disclose the size of the fine, except to say it was substantial and did not provide any more details about the content in question. The Associated Press has approached the Turkish government for comment. Government requests to restrict speech online alongside threats to shut down online services are severe and have a chilling effect on people's ability to express themselves, Meta said. In recent years the Turkish government has ...

Istanbul prosecutor probes Oppn boycott calls in wake of mayor's arrest

Istanbul's public prosecutor's office Tuesday launched an investigation into recent opposition calls for a boycott of pro-government businesses following the arrest of the city's mayor. The prosecutor's office determined that divisive rhetoric" on traditional and social media aimed at hindering the economic activity of a segment of society constituted hatred and discrimination and incitement to hatred and hostility, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Anadolu added that the new investigation is to be merged with ongoing investigations into physical and verbal violence committed against certain businesses. Last month saw Turkiye's largest protests in more than a decade, following the arrest of Istanbul's opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu was jailed pending trial on corruption charges that many see as politically motivated. The government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference. Ozgur Ozel, the

Pikachu joins Turkey protests, flees as riot police crack down. WATCH

As Istanbul erupted in protests over the mayor's arrest, a Pikachu-costumed demonstrator was caught on camera fleeing riot police

Turkey's jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu criticises West for 'silence'

Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, said the lack of international condemnation of Erdogan is helping ensure Turkey's shift toward authoritarianism

Erdogan blames opposition for wrecking Turkey's economy amid protest unrest

Turkey's president on Wednesday accused the political opposition of sinking the economy" during the country's largest protests in more than a decade over the arrest of Istanbul's mayor, the biggest challenger to Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 22-year rule. The opposition has called for a boycott of companies that it says support Erdogan's government. The Turkish president accused the opposition of being "so desperate that they would throw the country and the nation into the fire". In his address to lawmakers with his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Erdogan added that "sabotage targeting the Turkish economy will be held accountable before the courts". Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested a week ago, faces charges related to corruption and supporting terrorism within the Istanbul municipality alongside some 90 other suspects. A court ordered him to be imprisoned on Sunday. A trial date has not been announced. Many consider the case against Imamoglu to be politically motiva

Turkey political unrest: Why anti-Erdogan protests are escalating

Thousands of people took to the streets in Turkey's major cities in the past five days over the detention of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, an prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey detains journalists amid protests over jailing of key Erdogan rival

Turkish authorities detained several journalists from their homes, a media workers' union reported on Monday, in what it said was a crackdown amid escalating protests triggered by the imprisonment of the mayor of Istanbul and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Sunday, a court formally arrested Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and ordered him jailed pending a trial on corruption charges. His detention on Wednesday sparked the largest wave of street demonstrations in Turkiye in more than a decade and deepened concerns over democracy and the rule of law in the country. In an apparent escalation of the government's response to the growing protests, the Disk-Basin-Is union said at least eight reporters and photojournalists were detained in what it said was an attack on press freedoms and the people's right to learn the truth. You cannot hide the truth by silencing journalists! the union wrote on the social media platform X, calling for their immediate release. There was no immediate .

Thousands rally in Istanbul as President Erdogan warns against protests

Tens of thousands of people rallied at Istanbul's city hall for a third day on Friday to protest the arrest of Istanbul's mayor and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite the Turkish leader's stern warning that street protests would not be tolerated. The rally remained peaceful. However, some 500 metres away, police used pepper spray and tear gas to push back hundreds of protesters who tried to break through a barricade in front of the city's historic aqueduct and threw flares and other objects at them. Water cannons were used to break up demonstrations in Ankara, the capital, as well as in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir. Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested in a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday over alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices. Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained. Many view the arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove a popular ...

Istanbul mayor and Erdogan rival arrested: What's going on in Turkey?

The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key Erdogan rival, has sparked outrage across Turkey, with critics calling it a coup against democracy and free elections