İzmir Province

Some 131 irregular migrants attempting to illegally cross to neighboring countries were held in Turkey's western province of Izmir, security sources said on Jan. 12.

The Coast Guard stopped boats carrying 54 Palestinians, 60 Syrians, 14 Kuwaitis, two Somalians and one Iraqi national off Cesme district, according to the sources.

At least 11 irregular migrants, including eight children, were killed when their boat sank off the coast of western Turkey, a Turkish Coast Guard source said on Jan. 11. 

The boat carrying 19 irregular migrants capsized off the coast of Çeşme in the Aegean province of Izmir, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Academy award-winning actors Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas embarked on a world tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their marriage, having arrived in Istanbul on Jan. 3 following an Africa journey.

Italian tenor Alessandro Safina on Aug. 11 performed in the Aegean resort town of Çeşme to raise awareness for the conditions of stray animals.

Earthquake with a 4.8 magnitude on the Richter scale was registered earlier today in Izmir province. The earthquake occurred at 11:39 a.m.

The epicentre of the quake was about at a depth of 18.5 km  near Seferihisar city, located near the Kusadasi Bay, Izmir Region, BNR reported.

A sunken ship off the district of Çeşme in İzmir province in western Anatolia poses a risk to ships sailing towards the İzmir Gulf, said locals, pointing to a recent accident.

İzmir's Karaburun Peninsula, famous for its natural beauty, serenity and narcissus flowers; is drawing more diving tourism since the Culture and Tourism Ministry opened 17 new diving areas.

The ferry route between the Greek port of Lavrio, in southeastern Attica, and the Turkish port of Cesme on the Aegean Sea is expected to begin its service in mid-June, it was announced on Wednesday.

A total of 139 irregular migrants were detained in the Çeşme, Menderes and Urla districts of the Aegean province of İzmir on April 17.

A new sea link between Greece's Lavrio and Turkey's Cesme ports will be launched in June in what is expected to boost trade between the two Aegean neighbors by circumventing long overland travel for large trucks, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency reports. The line will also serve tourists wishing to travel between the two countries.