Black Sea

Unprecedented Heatwaves in Greek Waters

A winter chill is expected to sweep across Türkiye this weekend, with temperatures likely to drop and sleet and snow possibly blanketing Istanbul on Nov. 23, giving children the long-awaited chance to engage in snowball fights, sledding and building snowmen in their gardens.

The current above-average temperatures across the country are expected to decrease by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius and return to seasonal norms by the end of the week, with a likely downpour in inland regions, according to an expert.

Athens is closely observing Ankara's plans to enhance its fleet for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction. 

Ankara has made the Black Sea the focus of its efforts to explore for gas and oil. The Black Sea is where almost all of its floating drilling vessels are currently active, the latest being the seventh-generation Abdulhamid Han.

Ukraine has sunk a Russian submarine and hit a Russian airfield, in line with a surge of long-range attacks against Russian targets, officials said.

The uptick in attacks since July come as Ukraine mounts pressure on allies to allow it to use long-range missiles to strike targets in Russia. Western allies, in particular the U.S., have so far resisted, fearing escalation from Moscow.

Türkiye's seventh-generation drill ship, Abdülhamid Han, has set sails for the Black Sea to start drilling in the region.

Abdülhamid Han vessel will move to its new location in the Black Sea, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told reporters on board the vessel, which is the fourth ship in Türkiye's deep sea drilling fleet.

In an interview published on Friday by the Turkish newspaper Sabah, Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced that Ankara is seeking to conduct offshore surveys for hydrocarbons in Libyan maritime zones.

The task forces of Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria have embarked on a joint mission to detect and clear mines in the Black Sea under an agreement ratified earlier this year.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a yellow code for hot weather across the entire country today. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 34°C and 39°C, with slightly cooler temperatures along the Black Sea and around 33°C in Sofia.

Türkiye braces for a substantial temperature surge in the coming week as some parts of the country are likely to reach a blistering 40 degrees Celsius, prompting citizens to exercise caution.

The air temperature will generally rise 6 to 10 degrees above seasonal norms, particularly affecting southern, central and western parts of the country.