Geography of Asia

A total of 4,862 cultural assets were returned to Turkey between 2003 and 2021, according to data given by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Authorities continue to work in coordination with relevant institutions in order to prevent cultural property smuggling and bring back Turkish origin artifacts found abroad.

The Archeology Museum, where 3,500 square meters of mosaics are exhibited in the southern province of Hatay's Antakya district, has become a popular place for local tourists. The museum, which is home to the world's largest mosaic display area, includes a statue of the Hittite King Suppiluliuma II, dating back 3,000 years, as well as many architectural finds.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 15 visited the symbolic town of Shusha recaptured by ally Azerbaijan during last year's war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Turkey was a key backer of Azerbaijan during the conflict, which erupted in September and ended in a Russian-brokered ceasefire after six weeks of fighting and some 6,000 deaths.

The layers of salt in Lake Tuz, Turkey's second-biggest lake, is diminishing as the water mass of the lake is shrinking, an expert warned on June 6.

"Due to drought, the lake faces the threat of shrinking, as the water has ebbed around a kilometer," Hatice Ünal Ercan told Demirören News Agency.

Turkey and the United States might have differences on some issues, but the two NATO allies are on the same page regarding the continuation of cross-border assistance to Syrians, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a group of journalists on June 4.

6,000 Tokyo area doctors have called for the Games to be cancelled

In northwestern China, in Gansu province, at least nine people were killed when a train hit railroad workers. On Friday, June 4, reports Xinhua with reference to local authorities.

It is indicated that the incident occurred today at about 05:25 local time in the Jinchang urban district.

Turkey's Cilvegözü border gate is the best option for the international community for delivering aid to Syrians at the moment, but more gates are required for assistance, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has said during a visit to Turkey.

Climate change is posing risks not only to the environment but also to cultural, ancient and historical sites in Turkey, experts have warned.

Dozens of Israeli settlers on May 24 forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem for the second day in a row after a hiatus of three weeks, according to a Palestinian agency.