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Visa Applications By Indians For Turkey, Azerbaijan Drop By 42%: Report

Visa Applications By Indians For Turkey, Azerbaijan Drop By 42%: Report

by | May 20, 2025 | top-stories




New Delhi:

In the wake of recent geopolitical developments that shifted Indian traveler sentiment dramatically, there has been a sharp 42 per cent decline in visa applications to Turkey and Azerbaijan, a report said on Tuesday.

As both countries publicly expressed support for Pakistan, Indian travelers responded swiftly.

Within just 36 hours, the number of users exiting the visa application process midway surged by 60 per cent, according to data provided by Atlys, a visa processing platform.

“The reaction wasn’t scattered; it was sharp and behavioural. People didn’t need to be told to avoid certain destinations. They simply moved on, guided by instinct, information, and access to alternatives. That’s what modern travel looks like,” said Mohak Nahta, Founder and CEO of Atlys.

In the same spirit, “we also paused all marketing efforts for Turkey and Azerbaijan, standing by India and in solidarity with national sentiment,” he added.

Travelers from metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai showed a 53 per cent drop in Turkey-bound applications, while interest from tier 2 cities such as Indore and Jaipur remained more resilient, falling by only 20 per cent.

There was also a shift in the kind of travelers rethinking their plans.

Group visa requests, including family trips, fell by nearly 49 per cent, while solo and couple applications declined more gradually at 27 per cent.

This suggests that larger group travelers, often planning further in advance and more sensitive to political sentiment, reacted more decisively than individual travelers.

Atlys data also revealed early signals around age and intent. Travellers aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to change course quickly, accounting for over 70 per cent of mid-process application drop-offs for Turkey.

Interestingly, women travellers were more likely to switch destinations entirely, with a 2.3 times higher tendency to reinitiate applications for Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, or Thailand.

As Turkey and Azerbaijan lost favour, alternate destinations surged in popularity. In the subsequent days, applications to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Egypt rose by up to 31 per cent, the data showed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




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“Who Are Bigger Sharks”: Vice President On Delay In FIR In Judge Cash Row

“Who Are Bigger Sharks”: Vice President On Delay In FIR In Judge Cash Row

by | May 19, 2025 | top-stories




New Delhi:

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar dwelt at length on the finding of cash at the premises of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, pushing for a police investigation and a relook at the Supreme Court judgment that ruled prior sanction be required to prosecute judges of the high court and the Supreme Court. 

Speaking at a book release function, he said the move of the three-judge in-house committee probing the case to recover electronic equipment from witnesses as a “serious issue” and questioned how it could have been done. 

“The entire nation was worried. An incident took place on the night intervening 14th and 15th of March. A nation of 1.4 billion did not come to know about it. Till after a week. Just imagine how many such other incidents may have taken place of which we are not in the know… every such transgression of integrity impacts common man, impacts those who believe in rule of law… therefore we have to be unsparing about it,” he said.

The Vice President said the people were questioning how criminal justice system “was not operationalised as it would have done for every other individual”. Only the President of India and the Governors are exempt from a police investigation, he said, and that too only while they hold office. 

“This issue for which people are waiting with bated breath, the money trail, its source, its purpose… Did it pollute the judicial system? Who are the bigger sharks? We need to find out. Already two months have gone by,” he said. 

The Supreme Court, he said, has done what it could under then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna. But it has a “legacy issue” of judgments imparted in 1990s and “now is the time to take a call”.

Unaccounted case was found from a store-room in near the gate of the bungalow of Delhi High Court’s Justice Yashwant Varma in March. The money was found by firefighters called to put out a blaze during the Holi break of the court.

Following this, the Supreme Court Collegium decided to transfer Justice Varma back to his parent court — the Allahabad High Court. Despite Justice Khanna taking a dim view of the matter, the judge has not resigned.

Mr Dhankar stressed there is a need to revisit the Supreme Court judgment of 1991 in the case of K Veeraswami vs Union of India, which established the mechanism for the in-house probe. The judgment provides cover and immunity to judges but it can, in cases like Justice Varma, become a liability to the judiciary and erode the people’s confidence in the law.

Emphasizing on the significance of rule of law in a democracy – “the very foundation of society” — the Vice-President said the “surest way to degenerate an individual or bring down an Institution is to keep it away from probe, keep it away from scrutiny”.

To nurture democracy, “it is inescapable that we hold every institution and every individual accountable,” he added.




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Former US President Joe Biden Diagnosed With Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Former US President Joe Biden Diagnosed With Aggressive Prostate Cancer

by | May 19, 2025 | top-stories




Washington:

United States’ former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, the Democrat’s office announced on Sunday. The press statement said the Democratic leader was diagnosed with the disease after he experienced urinary symptoms, and a prostate nodule was found. Now, the Biden family was reviewing options for possible treatment plans.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians,” the statement said. 

The 82-year-old leader’s son, Beau Biden, also died of cancer in 2015. According to the statement, Biden’s cancer was found to have “a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).” 

Prostate cancer that looks “very abnormal” is assigned the highest rating, Grade 5, according to the American Cancer Society. The Gleason Score goes up to 10, indicating the seriousness of Biden’s disease.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men, with the American Cancer Society reporting that one in eight men in the United States is diagnosed with it over their lifetime. While it is highly treatable if discovered early, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, the organisation said.

Old Colleagues React

US President Donald Trump, who has long derided political rival Biden over his cognitive abilities, said he was “saddened” by the news.

“We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” Republican Trump said on Truth Social, referring to Biden’s wife, Jill Biden.

“Joe is a fighter,” Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, who stepped in as Democratic nominee in the battle against Trump after Biden dropped out of last year’s presidential election, said in a post on X.

“I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery,” she continued.

Former President Barak Obama also wished for Biden’s full recovery in a message on X. “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery,” he wrote.

Biden was forced to drop his reelection bid in July last year after a disastrous debate against Trump, which led to chatter about his declining health and cognitive abilities. This shifted the support towards Harris as she stepped up to the plate, but she eventually lost to Trump.

Biden, who beat Trump at the polls in 2020,  has maintained that he could have won the 2024 election too, but questions have long swirled over the responses of staff and key Democrats to his decline.

They have flared with the upcoming release of a new book on his “disastrous” choice to run again, and the publication last week of a recording of him speaking hesitantly and struggling to recall key events and dates.

Old Remark Surfaces

Amid his diagnosis, Biden’s old remark from 2022 on having cancer surfaced on Sunday. Back then, speaking from a former coal-fired power plant in Massachusetts, Biden said he had cancer.

“And guess what? The first frost, you knew what was happening. You had to put on your windshield wipers to get, literally, the oil slick off the window. That’s why I and so damn many other people I grew up (with) have cancer and why can — for the longest time, Delaware had the highest cancer rate in the nation,” he had said.

The comment soon raised concerns, following which the White House clarified that the then-President was referring to his skin cancer that was removed before he became president.






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Waterlogging, Trees Uprooted After Heavy Rain In Bengaluru

Waterlogging, Trees Uprooted After Heavy Rain In Bengaluru

by | May 18, 2025 | top-stories




Bengaluru:

Heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms lashed Bengaluru, leading to waterlogging in several low-lying areas on Saturday night.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the city received about 40 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours.

Tree branches came down crashing in some parts of the state capital. Sai Layout in the city bore the brunt of the downpour with severe inundation.

Household belongings in the flooded houses were soaked, vehicles partially submerged and electronic items damaged.

Affected families shifted to safer places nearby.

According to residents, clogged drains were to blame and claimed repeated complaints to the authorities were ignored.

Several parts of the state have been receiving good rainfall, especially Malnad region and coastal Karnataka.

The weather department has sounded yellow alert in Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, and Shivamogga districts.

In its daily bulletin on Sunday, the department said light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by lightning and gusty wind reaching speeds of upto 30-40 km ph is likely to occur at isolated places in the next three hours.

There could be temporary disruption of electricity in some areas, minor traffic snarls and possible uprooting of weak trees.

It has advised people in these districts to stay indoors, close windows and doors and avoid travel if possible.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




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In Own Video, Proof Of 'Spy' YouTuber's Ties With Pak Official

In Own Video, Proof Of 'Spy' YouTuber's Ties With Pak Official

by | May 17, 2025 | top-stories



Jyoti Malhotra, the travel YouTuber who has been arrested for spying for Pakistan, attended an Iftar dinner at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi last year and posted a video in which she is seen gushing about the arrangements, repeatedly expressing an interest in visiting the country and asking almost everyone she meets to help her get a visa. 

In the video, the 33-year-old, who runs the travel YouTube account ‘Travel With Jo’, is also seen meeting a Pakistan High Commission official, Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who had reportedly been declared persona non grata and asked to leave India within 24 hours for committing espionage and leaking sensitive information regarding the movements of the Indian Army. Malhotra also meets Rahim’s wife and it is clear from her interactions with him that they have met several times before and know each other well.

The video, posted on March 30 last year, begins with Malhotra saying she had been invited for the Iftar party and then entering the High Commission, describing the decoration as “superb”.

She greets Rahim warmly, asks him how he is doing, and tells him how happy she is to see him. A man, whose face is not seen but appears to be Rahim, introduces her to officials and tells them she runs the ‘Travel With Jo’ YouTube channel.

Describing the atmosphere at the high commission, Malhotra tells her viewers in a mix of Hindi and English, “I am mesmerised. I have no words. I am excited, super duper excited. Bhaisahab, main to hil gayi (I am so impressed).”

House Invite

Rahim introduces Mallhotra to his wife and they exchange pleasantries, after which he tells the YouTuber about Pakistan Day, which is celebrated on March 23. “I am very happy after getting such a grand welcome and these arrangements,” Malhotra says, to which Rahim responds, “This is how Pakistanis are.”

Malhotra also extends an invitation to Rahim and his wife to visit her house in Haryana’s Hisar. “Come see the hospitality in our village. It’s very similar.”

The YouTuber then goes around asking several attendees whether they have visited Pakistan, saying “I want to go, too” when they answer in the affirmative. “Hopefully I will get a visa, we’ll go together,” she tells a fellow YouTuber. 

Malhotra also meets some officials from China and asks them for a visa for the country as well. “Give me visa!” she says.  

She runs into Rahim again and remarks that he appears very busy taking care of all the people attending the dinner. 

Earlier Visits

Meeting another Pakistani official, Malhotra says he handles everything at the embassy. “The three or four times I have come, he has recorded the entry and asked for my phone and other belongings to be kept aside. He is a very nice man,” she says. 

“Give me a visa this time,” she tells another Pakistani official who has joined the high commission in February.

She goes on to praise the spread, appreciating the food that has been served, before speaking to Rahim again before leaving and telling him how happy she was to have been invited.  

Arrest

Malhotra was arrested from Hisar for sharing Indian military information with Pakistan. She got her wish to travel to the country and went there at least twice. Officials said she confessed to having met Pakistani security and intelligence officials during at lease one of the visits and staying in touch with them after that, sharing “anti-national” information.

On Saturday, she was sent to police custody for five days. 




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Northern Army Commander Reviews Security Situation In Jammu And Kashmir

Northern Army Commander Reviews Security Situation In Jammu And Kashmir

by | May 16, 2025 | top-stories




Poonch:

Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma visited the Poonch and Naushera districts of Jammu and Kashmir and reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational readiness, the Army said.

“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited forward areas of Poonch and Naushera to review the prevailing security situation and operational readiness,” Northern Command, Indian Army posted on X on Friday.

“The Army Commander complimented all ranks for the successful execution of operations & exhorted them to maintain sharp vigilance, adopt proactive measures, and uphold exemplary professionalism at all times,” the post stated.

Earlier on Friday, the Northern Army Commander complimented the Chinar Corps for their swift action and precise execution in the joint operation that neutralised three terrorists in Awantipora.

“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander #NorthernCommand, compliments #ChinarCorps for their swift action and precise execution in the joint operation that neutralised three terrorists in #Awantipora. The #IndianArmy stands by its commitment to keeping #JammuKashmir terror-free,” the post stated.

In Operation Nader, three suspected terrorists, Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani and Yawar Ahmed Bhat, were eliminated. Three AK-series rifles, twelve magazines, three grenades and various other war-like stores were recovered too.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat, also visited the border areas of Jammu district.

The DGP began his visit from the RS Pura sector and interacted with Border Security Force and Jammu Kashmir Police jawans at various BOPs, including Octroi (Suchetgarh) and Kharkola, as well as the Border Police posts of Baspur Bangla and Agra Chak in the RS Pura sector.

According to a statement, DGP Prabhat acknowledged the role of the police in the recent Indo-Pak conflict. He appreciated officers for their active role in handling the situation in the border villages, which ensured the timely shifting of people from border areas.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)






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