Turkey

Istanbul's water reservoirs are now at 50,49% of their capacity, thanks to the recent rains that brought a 8,75% increase in just one week

Additional measures to prevent the sale and consumption of counterfeit alcohol have been announced by the Istanbul governor's office, after dozens of deaths linked to smuggled drinks have been recently reported

The Istanbul Transport Coordination Centre approved a 35% increase in fares for public transport, taxis, school buses and employee shuttles

1.149 cultural artefacts have been repatriated to the country in 2024 and added to the over 13.000 objects returned to the country since 2002

The country's first domestically produced communication satellite has successfully entered its permanent geosynchronous orbit at 42 degrees east; the announcement came on 28 December

Istanbul's public parking fees are set to rise dramatically in 2025, with proposed increases of up to 115% approved by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council

2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, an event of the highest significance in world history, not just for the history of Christianity; Pope Francis expressed hopes to travel to Turkey to join the commemoration

A project initiated in Izmir by scientists from various disciplines has led to the development of a device that allows diabetes patients to measure their blood sugar levels using their mobile phones and share the data in real time

Sanitation workers in the provinces of Kartal, Ataşehir, Maltepe and Kadıköy in Istanbul, members of the Genel-Iş union, went on strike after refusing a collective bargaining agreement, causing growing piles of waste that are becoming difficult to manage

Shopping was identified as the most popular hobby in Turkey in a survey by Preply, an English tutoring platform, especially targeting young people

Turkish preacher and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who was once very influential in politics, until a decade ago a political ally of President Erdoğan and later one of his greatest opponents, has died at the age of 83

Restoration work began on the notorious Diyarbakır Prison; transferred to the Diyarbakır Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in 2022 was drafted the future of the building as museum, with a library and venues for culture and arts

First lady Emine Erdoğan urged mothers to embrace natural childbirth in the wake of the rising caesarean rate in the country