Rome

Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata" with conductor Ljubka Biagioni will be performed for the first time in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia on February 14.

The soloists on the stage will be Marta Torbidoni - soprano, Mihail Mihaylov - tenor and Anton Keremedtchiev - baritone.

The world has celebrated the coming of a New Year on the last day of 2015, amid terror threats leading to a number of central squares being blocked to celebrations. 

Australia's biggest city, Sydney, was the first to host a major event to ring in the New Year, with pyrotechnics exploding over the harbor.

The life and little-known works of one of the first female illustrators in Turkey, Sabiha Rü?tü Bozcal?, is revealed at SALT GalataIn 2014, a collection of Sabiha Rü?tü Bozcal?'s (1904-1998) works and documents was introduced and later donated to SALT Research. The contents of this archive exposed the compelling life of painter Bozcal?

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen using cutting-edge technology to investigate the Corinthian port of Lechaion uncovered a well-preserved wooden caissons and also found that the port’s entrance canal was larger than previously believed. Lechaion is just one of the two Corinthian ports active from the 6th century BC to the 6th century AD.

The thaw in Turkish-Israeli relations has climbed to the top of the agenda in terms of foreign policy and domestic affairs. It was just the opposite of previous talks when Turkey set out the conditions; this time, Israel is playing the "Hamas" card. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reluctant to make any agreements as long as Turkey's support for Hamas continues.

Pope Francis has been named the winner of the International Charlemagne Prize, awarded annually by the German city of Aachen for contributions to European unity.

The prize committee said Dec. 23 that the pontiff had sent "a message of hope and encouragement" at a time in which "many citizens in Europe are seeking orientation," news agency Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) reported.

A Turkish Erasmus student in Rome has been detained for carving his name into one of the 1,800-year-old columns in the historical Imperial Fora on Dec. 20.

According to a report by the daily Corriere della Sera, Turkish student Aziz Multu wrote his name with a coin on the ancient column. He was released after paying a punitive fine of 200 euros.

In June 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) occupied the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was the home to around 3,000 Christians. Soon, these Christians discovered that the Arabic letter "Nun" (?) had been sprayed on their doors to mark them as "Nasara" - the Qur'anic term for Christians. A few days later, they also learnt the implications.

Five years after the Gaza flotilla raid, Israel and Turkey have finally reached an understanding on a reconciliation agreement.

For those who have been following Turkish-Israeli relations closely, it was not a surprise. Even before the elections, there were signals of a possible thaw between the two countries.

Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DE?K) will make an official visit to Argentina in March 2016 accompanied by famous Turkish TV stars Halit Ergenç and Bergüzar Korel, who are very popular in Latin America.

Ergenç and Korel co-starred in the popular Turkish soap opera "Binbir Gece" (1001 Nights), screened under the title "Las Mil y Una Noches" in Argentina.