Istanbul

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki has stated that his ministry has completed all preparations of projects to be implemented against a potential large-scale earthquake in Istanbul and that it will unveil all projects within 10 days.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, from the ranks of main the Republican People's Party (CHP), has hinted that the doors for collaboration with the İYİ (Good) Party remain partially open, despite the latter's recent announcement of running independently in the upcoming local elections slated for next March.

Istanbul police have apprehended one of the managers of an organized crime group actively operating in Russia, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

Shamil Amirov, identified as one of the managers of the "Thieves in Law," was wanted by Interpol with a blue notice of fraud, Yerlikaya said on X on Dec. 3.

"Due to bad weather conditions, the Bosphorus strait near Istanbul is temporarily closed to the passage of ships in both directions," according to a statement carried by RIA.
The Dardanelles Strait was also closed to traffic earlier.
A yellow weather alert is in effect in the Istanbul area due to hurricane-force winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

In an effort to solve Istanbul's ongoing water problems, officials are eyeing the Mutlu River, which originates near the Bulgarian border.

Türkiye on Nov. 10 commemorated Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the country's War of Independence and the founder and architect of modern Türkiye, on the 85th anniversary of his demise.

Amid a severe drought following a scorching summer and unseasonably warm weather persisting across the country until the last month of autumn, weather conditions are beginning to shift with precipitation expected to affect many cities, primarily provinces in the Marmara and Aegean regions, the Turkish State Meteorological Service has said.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç has confirmed that three inspectors have been deployed to investigate allegations of bribery and irregularities within an Istanbul courthouse.

With the fishing season entering its second month, the Istanbul Strait is currently experiencing an abundance of a highly consumed fish, the bluefish, widely referred as the "prince of Bosphorus," for the past 10 days.

Foreign nationals visiting Istanbul's Hagia Sophia for tourism purposes will be subject to an entrance fee starting from Jan. 15, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced.