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Putin orders sanctions against Turkey after downing of jet

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Last Updated on: October 25, 2022

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called for sanctions against Turkey, following the downing this week by Turkey of a Russian warplane.

The decree published on the Kremlin’s website Saturday came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had voiced regret over the incident, saying his country was “truly saddened” by the event and wished it hadn’t occurred.

It includes a ban on some goods and forbids extensions of labor contracts for Turks working in Russia as of Jan. 1. It doesn’t specify what goods are to be banned or give other details, but it also calls for ending chartered flights from Russia to Turkey and for Russian tourism companies to stop selling vacation packages that would include a stay in Turkey.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev earlier in the week had ordered his cabinet to develop a list of goods to be sanctioned.

Putin’s decree also calls for ending visa-free travel between Russia and Turkey and orders the tightening of control over Turkish air carriers in Russia “for security reasons.” The decree was issued “to protect Russian citizens from crimes,” a Kremlin statement said.

Erdogan’s expression of regret Saturday was the first since Tuesday’s incident in which Turkish F-16 jets shot down the Russian jet on grounds that it had violated Turkey’s airspace despite repeated warnings to change course. It was the first time in half a century that a NATO member shot down a Russian plane and drew a harsh response from Moscow.

“We are truly saddened by this incident,” Erdogan said. “We wish it hadn’t happened as such, but unfortunately such a thing has happened. I hope that something like this doesn’t occur again.”

Addressing supporters in the western city of Balikesir, Erdogan said neither country should allow the incident to escalate and take a destructive form that would lead to “saddening consequences.”

He renewed a call for a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a climate conference in Paris next week, saying it would be an opportunity to overcome tensions.

Erdogan’s friendly overture however, came after he again vigorously defended Turkey’s action and criticized Russia for its operations in Syria.

“If we allow our sovereign rights to be violated … then the territory would no longer be our territory,” Erdogan said.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also said he hoped a meeting between Erdogan and Putin would take place in Paris.

“In such situations it is important to keep the channels of communication open,” he said.

Putin has denounced the Turkish action as a “treacherous stab in the back,” and has insisted that the plane was downed over Syrian territory in violation of international law. He has also refused to take telephone calls from Erdogan. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Friday that the Kremlin had received Erdogan’s request for a meeting, but wouldn’t say whether such a meeting is possible.

Asked why Putin hasn’t picked up the phone to respond to Erdogan’s two phone calls, he said that “we have seen that the Turkish side hasn’t been ready to offer an elementary apology over the plane incident.”

After the incident, Russia deployed long-range S-400 air defense missile systems to a Russian air base in Syria just 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the border with Turkey to help protect Russian warplanes, and the Russian military warned it would shoot down any aerial target that would pose a potential threat to its planes.

On Saturday Turkey issued a travel warning urging its nationals to delay non-urgent and unnecessary travel to Russia, saying Turkish travelers were facing “problems” in the country. It said Turks should delay travel plans until “the situation becomes clear.”

Written by: AFP

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Eight dead after 5.8-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan

The family members who perished included a father, mother, four daughters, and two sons. In addition to the deaths, a child was reported injured in the incident.

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A powerful 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least eight people and injuring a child when a house collapsed in Kabul. According to local officials, the victims were all members of the same family.

Hafiz Basharat, spokesperson for the Kabul Governor, confirmed that the fatalities occurred in the Bagrami district of Kabul. The family members who perished included a father, mother, four daughters, and two sons. In addition to the deaths, a child was reported injured in the incident.

The earthquake, which originated in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, struck at a depth of approximately 177 kilometers, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. Tremors were felt across a wide area, including Kabul, Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, and India’s capital New Delhi.

Local authorities have yet to release additional details regarding the extent of the damage or any further casualties caused by the earthquake.

As rescue operations continue, Afghan authorities are assessing the full impact of the earthquake, which has left many concerned about the potential for more aftershocks in the region.

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5.8-magnitude earthquake shakes parts of Afghanistan

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A strong earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck parts of Afghanistan on Friday night, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicenter was reported in Jurm district of Badakhshan province, with a depth of 186 kilometers.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

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China says Afghanistan–Pakistan peace talks show progress

China has positioned itself as a facilitator, aiming to create conditions for dialogue and provide a platform for negotiations.

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Negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are making steady progress, China said on Friday, as efforts continue to ease tensions in their most serious conflict since the return of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in 2021.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said both sides had welcomed Beijing’s mediation and were willing to resume dialogue. “This is a positive development,” she said, noting that China remains in close communication with both governments.

Beijing— which shares a border with both countries—has stepped up diplomatic engagement in recent months, including calls with foreign ministers and a visit by a special envoy in March. Previous rounds of talks have reportedly taken place in Urumqi, though officials did not confirm the latest venue.

China has positioned itself as a facilitator, aiming to create conditions for dialogue and provide a platform for negotiations. Mao said further details would be released jointly by the three countries “in due course.”

Clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces since October have killed dozens on both sides, with Afghan civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks—an allegation Afghan authorities deny, calling militancy a domestic issue for Pakistan.

The renewed diplomatic push signals cautious optimism that tensions between the neighbors could ease through sustained dialogue under Chinese mediation.

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