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Istanbul Mayor's Staff Targeted By Dozens Of Arrest Warrants

A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, September 30, 2020. (Reuters)September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, September 30, 2020. (Reuters)September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
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Istanbul Mayor's Staff Targeted By Dozens Of Arrest Warrants

A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, September 30, 2020. (Reuters)September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, September 30, 2020. (Reuters)September 30, 2020. (Reuters)

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, AFP reported.

The March 19 arrest and jailing of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu sparked the biggest street protests Türkiye 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.

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US Imposes Sanctions on Vessels Linked to Iran, Treasury Website Says

A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
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US Imposes Sanctions on Vessels Linked to Iran, Treasury Website Says

A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on 29 vessels and their management firms, the Treasury Department said, as Washington continues targeting Tehran's "shadow fleet" it says exports Iranian petroleum and petroleum products, Reuters reported.

The targeted vessels and companies have transported hundreds of millions of dollars of the products through deceptive shipping practices, Treasury said.

Thursday's action also targets businessman Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr, whose companies are associated with seven of the vessels cited, as well as multiple shipping companies.

World

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Faces Foreign Aid Shortfall of up to 50 billion Euros Next Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
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Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Faces Foreign Aid Shortfall of up to 50 billion Euros Next Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP

Ukraine is facing a foreign aid shortfall of 45-50 billion euros ($53-59 billion) in 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

He added that if Kyiv did not receive a first tranche of a loan secured by Russian assets by next spring, it would have to significantly cut drone production.

Speaking in Brussels as EU leaders were set to take a decision on Moscow's seized sovereign wealth, Zelenskiy said this would mean that Ukraine would have far fewer drones than Russia, and would not be able to conduct long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities.

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China Says Arms Trade With Cambodia, Thailand Unrelated to Border Conflict

Flags flutter at an entrance of Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Rayong province, east of Bangkok, Thailand, April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
Flags flutter at an entrance of Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Rayong province, east of Bangkok, Thailand, April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
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China Says Arms Trade With Cambodia, Thailand Unrelated to Border Conflict

Flags flutter at an entrance of Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Rayong province, east of Bangkok, Thailand, April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
Flags flutter at an entrance of Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone in Rayong province, east of Bangkok, Thailand, April 7, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

China said on Thursday its arms trade with Thailand and Cambodia is unrelated to the current conflict between the Southeast Asian neighbours, with which Beijing has close ties.

"We hope relevant parties will refrain from making subjective speculation and malicious hype," the Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to reports that Thai troops seized Chinese-made weapons from Cambodian positions as border clashes between the two nations reignited, Reuters reported.

Beijing hopes the two countries can reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, the ministry said, adding that China will continue to advocate for peace and talks.

Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia resumed this month and have killed more than 40 people and displaced over half a million in both countries.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in separate calls with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts on Thursday, also called for an immediate ceasefire and criticised "false information" that he said was aimed at smearing China's ties with the two countries.

"As a friend and close neighbour of both Cambodia and Thailand, China least wants to see the two sides engage in armed conflict, and is deeply saddened by civilian casualties caused by the clashes," the Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying.

China will continue to play a constructive role in facilitating peace, Wang said, urging both countries to protect the safety of Chinese projects and personnel.

Beijing last week warned Chinese citizens to leave border areas after media reports of injuries.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday a special envoy for Asian affairs would be visiting Cambodia and Thailand on Thursday to conduct mediation.