Latest news with #Anadolu
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First Post
17 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Turkey: Authorities issue arrest warrants for 47 of Erdogan rival Imamoglu's aides
The warrants stemmed from four separate corruption investigations focused on Istanbul and follow the March 19 arrest of Imamoglu, the most high-profile challenger to Turkish President Erdogan. Imamoglu says the charges are politically motivated read more FILE PHOTO: Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has long been seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most formidable rival. File image/Reuters Turkish authorities have issued arrest warrants for 47 municipal officials and staff across Istanbul, the latest escalation targeting city administration since the imprisonment of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. State news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday (May 31) that the warrants stemmed from four separate corruption investigations focused on Istanbul. Anadolu did not disclose how many individuals were actually taken into custody. According to Anadolu Agency, among those targeted by the new warrants are a former opposition lawmaker and five district mayors within Istanbul. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nine district mayors arrested Private broadcaster Halk TV, perceived to be aligned with the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Imamoglu's political party, reported that nine district mayors out of Istanbul's total of 39 have now been arrested and remain in custody, AFP reported. Separately, police in Istanbul on Saturday also arrested dozens of protesters commemorating the twelfth anniversary of a wave of anti-government protests, lawyers said. Police barriers stopped demonstrators from gathering at Taksim Square, adjacent to Gezi Park, a green space that was the heart of protests in 2013 over plans to redevelop it. The Association of Progressive Lawyers said on X that 'at least 87 people were arrested' in the Turkish city, scene of a fresh wave of protests in recent months. Several young people published a message on X saying: 'We have been arrested.' Imamoglu's arrest sparked tensions Imamoglu's arrest and detention on March 19 sparked Turkey's largest street demonstrations in decades, prompting significant public backlash against Erdogan's government. Since Imamoglu's imprisonment, nearly 70 additional people linked to Istanbul City Hall, including Imamoglu's private secretary and bodyguard, have been detained in police raids. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The CHP, which has chosen Imamoglu as its candidate for Turkey's presidential elections scheduled for 2028, did not immediately comment on the latest round of arrest warrants. With inputs from agencies
Forbes
2 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Saturday, May 31. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
SLOVIANSK, UKRAINE - MAY 31: A view of the damaged following the Russian aerial attacks with KAB 250 ... More in a residential area of Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on May 31, 2025. (Photo by Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images) Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,193. Russia's Attacks on Ukraine and War Developments Aiming to create a "buffer zone," Russian forces have seized villages near Sumy, Ukraine's northern regional capital. As 50,000 Russian troops accumulate on Ukraine's border, the Sumy region prepares for a renewed large-scale offensive. More than 200 settlements are under evacuation orders after Russia advanced deeper into Ukrainian territory. The Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState reports that 57 square miles have been captured and another 45 are under attack in border areas. On May 29, Russia launched a series of deadly attacks across Ukraine, killing at least seven civilians. A glide bomb strike in the southern Zaporizhia region killed two, a ballistic missile strike on a farm in the southern Mykolaiv province killed one worker and explosives dropped by drone in the southern Kherson province killed two local residents. The day before, Russian troops killed two residents in the northern Sumy region. Ukraine has deployed its first AI-powered drone, capable of delivering and coordinating two strike drones at distances up to 185 miles while slashing mission costs to just $10,000. Ukraine's Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the system's debut on May 29, highlighting its autonomous target selection and capacity for reuse. Ukraine's latest innovation emerges amid the exponential growth of its defense sector, with 800 domestic enterprises producing $9 billion worth of weapons in 2024 and plans underway to procure 4.5 million drones in 2025 through a $2.7 billion state-funded initiative. Settlement of the War in Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding a written commitment halting NATO's eastward expansion and partial sanctions relief as key conditions for ending the war in Ukraine, according to sources familiar with internal negotiations. Despite battlefield advances, Putin has reportedly agreed in principle to begin drafting a peace framework following a two-hour call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has voiced frustration over Putin's refusal to engage with Kyiv directly and recent large-scale Russian attacks. Following Trump's call, Moscow proposed resuming direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2 to exchange ceasefire draft proposals, according to Russian officials. The previous round of bilateral talks on May 16 ended without agreement, but Kremlin negotiators now say they are prepared for 'substantive discussion' on a package deal and awaiting Kyiv's response. China Deepens Tech Support for Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused China of cutting off drone sales to Ukraine and Western allies while continuing to supply Russia, including via production lines on Russian territory with Chinese oversight. Zelenskyy's claims, backed by European officials, highlight concerns over Beijing's export of dual-use technologies such as Mavic drones and motor components, which are widely used on the battlefield for surveillance and strikes. China denies providing lethal aid to Moscow. The U.S. and EU, however, have sanctioned several Chinese firms for supporting Russia's drone production efforts. Recent reporting by Forbes Ukraine substantiates Zelenskyy's allegations, revealing that Russia's Iranian-built Shahed drones (deployed in record numbers during a late May barrage) now rely more heavily on Chinese electronics. Analysis of drone wreckage from attacks in March, 2025, showed that 10 of 15 identified components originated from Chinese companies. This use of Chinese parts represents a clear shift from earlier models, which contained more U.S. and European components. Experts suggest that Russia is compensating for Western export controls by deepening technological reliance on Chinese suppliers, many of which help circumvent sanctions through dual-use goods and Western parts re-exported through third countries. Beijing's support extends beyond electronics. In 2024 alone, China exported $4.6 billion worth of critical goods to Russia, including CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines used for precise fabrication of complex parts and microelectronics used in weapons production. Given that up to 90% of the precision components in Russian high-tech weapons are now Chinese-made, some experts claim that China's role has evolved from cautious neutrality to crucial support of Russian aggression. Germany's New Military Aid Package Germany will provide Ukraine about $5.7 billion in military aid, including funding for Ukrainian production of long-range missiles and air defense systems, following an agreement signed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov. Approved by the Bundestag, the package also includes support for Ukrainian repair centers and satellite communications. The new military aid package for Ukraine follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz's pledge during a joint press conference with President Zelenskyy on May 28 to fund the development of Ukrainian long-range missiles. Earlier reporting by the German newspaper Bild revealed Berlin's plans to invest in Ukraine's own production of cruise missiles with ranges up to 1,500 miles. By Danylo Nosov, Alan Sacks
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Istanbul mayor's staff targeted by dozens of arrest warrants
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP) ISTANBUL: Turkish authorities have issued 47 arrest warrants for municipal officials and staff across Istanbul, whose mayor, the main political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been jailed since March, the state news agency Anadolu reported on Saturday. The warrants were based on "four separate corruption investigations centred on Istanbul", Anadolu said, without revealing how many people were actually taken into custody. The March 19 arrest and jailing of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu sparked the biggest street protests Turkey had seen in decades. Police had already detained nearly 70 people in subsequent raids linked to alleged corruption at Istanbul City Hall, including Imamoglu's private secretary and his private protection officer. The latest warrants targeted a former opposition lawmaker and five mayors of Istanbul districts, according to Anadolu. The private television station Halk, seen as close to the opposition CHP party that Imamoglu belongs to, said that nine district mayors, out of a total of 39. had now been arrested and were being kept in custody. The CHP, which has nominated Imamoglu as its candidate in presidential elections due in 2028, did not immediately comment on the latest warrants.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Turkish authorities order detention of dozens of opposition officials in widening crackdown
ANKARA - Turkish authorities ordered the detention of several opposition party members in Istanbul and raided opposition-run municipalities on Saturday, state media said, part of a widening legal crackdown against the opposition and city's jailed mayor. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is also President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival and leads him in some polls, was jailed in March pending trial over charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group, all of which he denies. The arrest of the mayor, from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), triggered mass protests, economic turmoil, and broad accusations of government influence over the judiciary and anti-democratic applications. The government denies this and says the judiciary is independent. Since Imamoglu's arrest, authorities have detained dozens of CHP members, officials from the Istanbul municipality, and other CHP-run municipalities. Access to Imamoglu's X account was also blocked in Turkey this month. On Saturday, the state-owned Anadolu news agency and private broadcaster NTV reported that detention warrants had been issued for 47 people in four separate graft investigations, with 28 of those being detained. Among those detained was former CHP lawmaker Aykut Erdogdu, the mayors of several districts in Istanbul, senior staff at the Istanbul municipality or institutions tied to it, and the mayors of two districts in the southern province of Adana, according to Anadolu. It said police also searched the buildings of the Avcilar, Buyukcekmece, Gaziosmanpasa, Seydan, and Ceyhan municipalities, whose mayors were ordered detained as part of the probe. In response to the new wave of detentions, the CHP called an emergency meeting in Istanbul, NTV reported. Some Western countries, rights groups and the CHP have said repeatedly that the operations are anti-democratic and aimed at quashing the opposition's electoral prospects. Imamoglu and his CHP have said there is no concrete evidence against him. Opinion polls show that popular support for Imamoglu has risen since his arrest, extending his lead over Erdogan and reinforcing the view that he would be Erdogan's main rival in the next presidential election, not due until 2028. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Turkish authorities order detention of dozens of opposition officials in widening crackdown
ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish authorities ordered the detention of several opposition party members in Istanbul and raided opposition-run municipalities on Saturday, state media said, part of a widening legal crackdown against the opposition and city's jailed mayor. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is also President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival and leads him in some polls, was jailed in March pending trial over charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group, all of which he denies. The arrest of the mayor, from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), triggered mass protests, economic turmoil, and broad accusations of government influence over the judiciary and anti-democratic applications. The government denies this and says the judiciary is independent. Since Imamoglu's arrest, authorities have detained dozens of CHP members, officials from the Istanbul municipality, and other CHP-run municipalities. Access to Imamoglu's X account was also blocked in Turkey this month. On Saturday, the state-owned Anadolu news agency and private broadcaster NTV reported that detention warrants had been issued for 47 people in four separate graft investigations, with 28 of those being detained. Among those detained was former CHP lawmaker Aykut Erdogdu, the mayors of several districts in Istanbul, senior staff at the Istanbul municipality or institutions tied to it, and the mayors of two districts in the southern province of Adana, according to Anadolu. It said police also searched the buildings of the Avcilar, Buyukcekmece, Gaziosmanpasa, Seydan, and Ceyhan municipalities, whose mayors were ordered detained as part of the probe. In response to the new wave of detentions, the CHP called an emergency meeting in Istanbul, NTV reported. Some Western countries, rights groups and the CHP have said repeatedly that the operations are anti-democratic and aimed at quashing the opposition's electoral prospects. Imamoglu and his CHP have said there is no concrete evidence against him. Opinion polls show that popular support for Imamoglu has risen since his arrest, extending his lead over Erdogan and reinforcing the view that he would be Erdogan's main rival in the next presidential election, not due until 2028. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Toby Chopra)
