Türkiye Cracks Down on Hybrid Car Imports

A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
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Türkiye Cracks Down on Hybrid Car Imports

A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)

Türkiye's trade ministry imposed strict conditions on the import of plug-in hybrid vehicles from some countries, including China, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette on Friday.

The move follows a decision in June to limit imports of electric vehicles.

China has faced widespread criticism over its vehicle exports, which many countries claim are heavily subsidised by Beijing, according to Reuters.

Analysts say Ankara is also seeking to increase pressure on Chinese carmakers with which it is holding talks about investing in production in Türkiye.

The notice, which takes effect in 30 days, says an importer must meet conditions including having 20 authorised service shops in seven different regions of Türkiye, in order to import chargeable hybrid vehicles not produced in the European Union or in countries with which Türkiye has a free trade agreement.

Analysts say no importers meet the conditions.

"All plug-in hybrid vehicles that will come from now on will be blocked, apart from those in stock already. Other hybrid cars are already subject to a high customs tax," Erol Sahin, founder of EBS Danismanlik consultancy said.

He added the government was "toughening its message of hurry up" to the Chinese firms with which it is negotiating over domestic production.

In July, China's BYD agreed with the Turkish government to build a $1 billion plant in Türkiye with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles.

Last week, Turkish sources said BYD's investment process in Türkiye continued without any problems, after China's warning to its companies about the risk of overseas investment.

China's Chery and SAIC are also in talks.

In Europe sales of fully electric vehicles have been falling more rapidly than of hybrid cars, data has shown this week.

Türkiye's domestic car and light vehicle market was at 762,000 units for the first eight months of the year, around the same as last year. Imports of Chinese brands jumped more than two fold to 63,000 units, taking 8% market share, according to industry datatu



Media Dinner Shooting Suspect Wrote About Targeting Administration Officials

US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)
US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)
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Media Dinner Shooting Suspect Wrote About Targeting Administration Officials

US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)
US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)

The man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner sent writings to family members minutes before the shooting referring to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” railing against Trump administration policies and signaling what investigators increasingly believe was a politically driven attack, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

The writings, sent shortly before shots were fired at the Washington Hilton, made repeated references to President Donald Trump without naming him directly and alluded to grievances over a range of administration actions and recent events, including US strikes on drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific, the official said.

Investigators are treating the writings, along with a trail of social media posts and interviews with family members, as some of the clearest evidence yet of the suspect’s mindset and possible motives.

Authorities also uncovered what the official described as numerous anti-Trump social media posts linked to the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California man accused of trying to breach a security checkpoint at the dinner while armed with multiple weapons.

Allen’s brother contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving the writings, according to the official. A police spokesperson said they contacted federal law enforcement after receiving that information.

Federal agents have also interviewed Allen’s sister in Maryland, who told investigators her brother had legally purchased several weapons from a California gun store and stored them at their parents’ home in Torrance without their knowledge, according to the official.

She described her brother as prone to making radical statements, the official said.

Allen legally bought a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun two years later, the official and another law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

Authorities are still trying to determine how specific Allen’s alleged targets were. Officials have said investigators are examining whether his grievances centered on Trump and Vice President JD Vance personally or reflected a broader hostility toward the administration.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.


Trump Says Iran Can Call if it Wants to Talk, as Iranian Envoy Returns to Pakistan

US President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., US, April 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
US President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., US, April 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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Trump Says Iran Can Call if it Wants to Talk, as Iranian Envoy Returns to Pakistan

US President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., US, April 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
US President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., US, April 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran can reach out to the United Stated if it wants to negotiate an end to the war between the two countries.

"If they ⁠want to talk, they ⁠can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We ⁠have nice, secure lines," Trump said in an interview on Fox News' "The Sunday Briefing."

"They know what has to be in the agreement. It's very simple: they cannot have a nuclear weapon, otherwise there's no reason to meet," Trump said.

Iran has long demanded Washington acknowledge its right to enrich uranium, which Tehran says ⁠it only seeks ⁠for peaceful purposes but which Western powers and Israel say is aimed at building nuclear weapons.

Although a ceasefire has paused full-scale fighting in the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fueled inflation and darkened the outlook for global growth.

Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil shipments, while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iran's ports.

Trump canceled a trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday, dealing a new ⁠setback ⁠to peace prospects after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Islamabad after speaking only to Pakistani officials.

Araghchi flew to Oman - another mediator in the war - where he met the country's leader, Haitham ⁠bin Tariq al-Said, on Sunday.

They discussed security in the strait and Araghchi called for a regional security framework free of outside interference, according to Iran's foreign ministry.

Araghchi later returned to Islamabad, Iranian state media reported. Pakistani government sources said he would hold talks with the country's leadership before heading to Moscow.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Araghchi's talks with Pakistani officials would include "implementing a new legal regime over the Strait of Hormuz, receiving compensation, guaranteeing no renewed military aggression by warmongers, and lifting the naval blockade."

The talks would be unrelated to Iran's nuclear program, the report said.

Speaking in Florida before being rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington when a man opened fire nearby, Trump said he cancelled his envoys' visit due to too much travel and expense for what he considered an inadequate Iranian offer.

Iran "offered a lot, but not enough," Trump said.


Russia, North Korea Agree 'Long-term' Military Cooperation

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
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Russia, North Korea Agree 'Long-term' Military Cooperation

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 19, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Russia and North Korea have agreed to "long-term" military cooperation, Russia's defense ministry said Sunday, as Moscow's military chief visited officials in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops -- as well as missiles and munitions -- to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

In return, analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, food and energy from Russia, helping Pyongyang circumvent heavy international sanctions over its banned nuclear programs.

The two countries signed a military treaty in 2024, obligating both states to provide military assistance "without delay" in the event of an attack on the other.

"We agreed with the DPRK Defense Ministry to place our military cooperation on a stable, long-term footing," Moscow's Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said, using the initials of North Korea's official name.

"We are ready to sign a plan this year for Russian-Korean military cooperation for the period of 2027-2031," he added.

Russian officials are in Pyongyang for the opening ceremony of a memorial complex honouring those killed while supporting Moscow's war effort against Ukraine.

Belousov met North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and Defense Minister No Kwang Chol on Sunday, while Russia's parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also met Kim and thanked him for the role of North Korean troops in "the liberation of Kursk".

Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia's western Kursk region to fend off a months-long counter-offensive by Kyiv's troops.

Belousov presented military awards to North Korean servicemen who took part in the Kursk operation, the Russian defence ministry said.

"Korean soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers and officers, liberating Russian soil from the Ukrainian Nazis," Volodin said.

Seoul estimates about 2,000 North Koreans have been killed in Moscow's war with Ukraine.

North Korean soldiers are said to have been instructed to kill themselves rather than be captured in battle.

Only two North Korean troops have been captured alive and are currently in custody of Ukrainian authorities.