Istanbul

Istanbul has been named one of the four anchor megacities of Europe along with London, Paris and Moscow in terms of its economic and real estate capacity and power, according to research by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). 

Turkish club Fenerbahçe and Russia's Locomotive Moscow will hope tensions between their respective countries will not be reflected on the football pitch when the two sides meet in the Europa League in February.

The two teams were drawn against each other on Dec. 14 for a round of 32 clash, while the other Turkish club in the competition, Galatasaray, drew Italian club Lazio.

Amid rising tensions between Moscow and Ankara, Turkey's Fenerbahçe has been drawn against Russia's Locomotive Moscow in the Europe League. 

The two teams' match-up in the round of 32 comes at a time when a number of international games between the two countries have been canceled due to the rift after Turkey's downing a Russian jet for violating its air space.  

Turkey's Jewish citizens have lit the menorah during the first public celebration of Hanukkah in the republic's history, which was held in Istanbul's Ortaköy district with the attendance of state officials. 

A Russian warship which sparked controversy over its "provocative" passing through Istanbul's Bosphorus returned to the strait eight days later, this time with no soldiers holding missiles.

The Russian warship, named the Caesar Kunikov, passed through the Bosphorus on Dec. 14 after arriving from the Mediterranean Sea and passing through the Dardanelles Strait on Dec. 13.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu has called for the release of dozens of journalists being held in prison in Turkey, the state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Borsa Istanbul have finalized the bank's purchase of a 10 percent stake in the Turkish stock exchange.

Seven window panels at the Do?an Media Center building in Ankara, which hosts the Ankara offices of daily Hürriyet and Hürriyet Daily News, broke at around 5 p.m. on Dec. 12.

The Ankara Governor's Office said in statement that the incident was not linked to a gun attack according to the inspections, as police officials had also said no ballistic traces were found. 

At least 11 people were killed and four others were injured when a truck crashed into a passenger coach in Turkey's eastern Van province early on Dec. 12, police and the provincial governor said.

The coach passengers were teachers and students traveling from Van's Erci? district to the city center for an examination, Van Governor Ibrahim Ta?yapan said.

The government will overhaul Turkey's top science and technology research council in order to "build closer cooperation with the private sector," Technology Minister Fikri I??k stated on Dec. 11.