Saray

The murderer of Sarai Sierra, a U.S. traveler who was found dead near Istanbul's old city walls in 2013, has once again been sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison during his retrial.

Some 694 buildings have been severely damaged after an earthquake hit the eastern province of Van on Feb. 23, according to preliminary information, Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum has said.

At least five people are dead and others are feared trapped following an avalanche in eastern Turkey's Van province, authorities said on Feb. 4.

"Seven people were rescued during the search. Unfortunately, five others were found dead under the snow," said Van governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez.

The 767 victims killed in the Struma boat tragedy while trying to escape the Holocaust were commemorated for the second time in Turkey on Feb. 24, in a ceremony in Istanbul's historic Sarayburnu neighborhood. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wives Association (DMEDD) held an annual bazaar on Dec 5 at the CerModern Art Center, with proceeds set to be allocated to a scholarship for 200 students. Nearly 30 foreign missions serving in Ankara and around 140 Turkish representations abroad contributed to the traditional DMEDD Charity Bazaar.

A German-origin businessman has been seized by Interpol in the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of the premeditated murder of an Egyptian-origin businessman in Istanbul in 2013. 

The killing is thought to have taken place after a disagreement over grain trade worth $14 million.

Y?ld?z Palace, a historic Ottoman palace in Istanbul's central Be?ikta? district, has been allocated for use by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, a Turkish columnist wrote on Nov. 8, sparking a debate over the use by statesmen of the area which included large green parks. 

Turkish police have discovered a house of horror in which a Syrian couple was reportedly tortured by a drug dealer on Istanbul?s historic city walls.

The suspect, identified as Suat ?., was detained with nine other people on Aug. 17 after an informant told the police they were selling drugs in Istanbul?s historic Fatih neighborhood.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's 1,150-room mega-palace was illegally constructed on protected land, Turkey's top administrative court has confirmed in a ruling, according to architects' NGO.

Erdo?an moved into the palace last year, brushing aside protests by opposition parties and advocacy groups who said the $615 million complex was illegal.

Additional land, measuring 8,406 square meters, of the Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ) has been allocated to the new presidential palace, Ak Saray, strongly criticized due to its cost and size.